Wildflowers In Winter -- Stitched creations......

Wildflowers in Winter, week 5, asks us to share stitched wildflowers.....creations made with favorite textiles: fabric, yarn, thread. I chose..........

Flower pounding.

It sounds like such a cruel thing to do to an innocent posy.
Why would anyone do such a thing?

Here's why........



A dear friend, who knew my love of nature and flowers, introduced me to a book called The Art And Craft of Pounding Flowers by Laura C. Martin. Just think of the possibilities: wall quilts, pillows, silk ties, wool scarves, silk blouses, widow valances, lamp shades, flower tiles, flower fairy books -- all beautifully made by pounding flowers. You'll find all of these projects and more in this excellent book. This little piece (above) was pounded 2 years ago at the picnic table in my backyard. I smashed sunflowers, larkspur and geraniums into this piece of treated muslin. It's still waiting for some finishing touches.



This piece I pounded while in California with my friend, J. One of the flowers was Mexican Heather and there were some vari-colored Coleus, and some other flowers that I was not familiar with. During this time I was trying out some new embroidery stitches and I had lots of fun outlining and interpreting the leaves and flowers with needle and floss. These flowers hang in our bedroom on my side of the bed. I love waking up to them each morning.
(click photos to enlarge them)