A few months ago I was given a book that had belonged to Gloria, the mother of a friend. It has examples of traditional embroidery from all continents and some very clear, enticing projects. One such was a pattern for Navaho beading on the back of a shirt. No, I did not take up another beading project! The design, however, was very attractive and gave me an idea.
In Oklahoma City, the week after 9/11, I bought myself an Adobe Rose denim shirt which serves me as a Spring jacket. It is soft, serviceable - a reminder of that extraordinary time and my US friends Diny and Joe, who, in spite of their own concerns, took the trouble to ensure I got out of Washington DC - and eventually the USA- safely. I still wear the shirt and decided to give it a further significance by adding the Navaho design to the back, not in beads, which would give me laundering headaches, but in thread.
The most practical way to transfer the design to denim is using water-soluble plastic. It isn't my favourite method but it wasn't a big project. I dug around in my thread stash for colours in the range of the Navaho project and chain-stitched the design
I'm pleased with the result and have been wearing the shirt in the evenings since our Spring weather set in.
It is now a shirt with even more layers - an acknowledgement of the power of shared ideas, art, culture - and friendship.
7 comments:
what a lovely addition to your shirt I am sure you will get lots of people stopping to ask you about it great job
Thanks Margaret!
Oh my goodness, Jillian, were you in DC on 9/11? That must have been a stressful time. I bet it is quite a story!
These designs are a really lovely addition to an already gorgeous shirt. The denim looks like it has worn beautifully. Practical and meaningful, win win!
Yes, I was in DC on 9/11 for work. I was booked to fly to Oklahoma City the next day but of course couldn't. The people I was to visit in OKC were with me in DC. They eventually hired a car and we drove 23 hours to OKC. All my forward flights were messed up. In addition, the Australian airline through whom my flights were booked went bust around 11/11! It was a big adventure with several twists and turns - a story worth telling. I eventually got home on my scheduled flight which was fortunately with a partner airline. While I have a few other small souvenirs, the shirt is the one I use.
Well, at least you were not there alone. It must have been a surreal journey!
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