One of my daughters needing new cushions gave me a reason to get out the Dijanne Cevaal Bush Sentinel panels I have had for a couple of years now. I bought them during the bush fires in 2020, intending to embroider them for cushions. The pandemic overwhelmed the bush fire moment. I still think the panels are interesting and have potential, but I have been puzzling about how to use them in a way with which I am comfortable. The dilemma has been how to integrate a very European-influenced image into a much older history and tradition of Australian bush. The moment seems opportune, since koalas have this week been declared an endangered species due to the destruction of their habitat in NSW and Queensland.
I have four panels, two in a yellowy-gold and two in a deep orange. The cushions need to be 60cm square and the fabrics I had in mind were only half metre lengths. I ordered a metre of two more fabrics from the Aboriginal Fabric Gallery in Alice Springs, Goanna Dreaming by Heather Kennedy and Bush Plum by Polly Wheeler Napurulla and two more from Find a Fabric in Queensland, .
When the fabrics arrived from Alice Springs they seemed to work with the yellow-gold fabric. I also bought from the Gallery a small book that was helpful. I haven't been able to find out much about the author, except that he has published a number of booklets that are held in the National Library of Australia and three of his booklets, are sold by First Nations businesses. I found the chapter in this book really helpful. It gave me an idea of how to link this European-derived figure to the First Nations fabric - the notion of sentinel to spirit and landscape.
My next challenge was to frame up a panel so I could stitch it. The shape, especially its narrowness, did not lend itself to a hoop. I dug out a scroll frame I had purchased somewhere alone the line, but never used, and the jointed Nurge seated stand and managed to get them working together. The clamp on this stand is inflexible but could be made to work with this frame.
I also gave in and used double-sided tape to attach the panel to the scroll. The tape on the scroll was so tough I couldn't get a needle through it.
The result, however, was excellent. The clamp needed continual tightening, but the system allowed me to get on and do the embroidery comfortably.
I worked the gum blossom in padded satin stitch and pistol stitch using both linen and silk thread. The banksia is in straight stitches and bullion knots. I had intended to leave the black sections un-embroidered, but after I had put in lines of gimp along the centre of each leaf on the left of the cloak I added some lines of green silk. I also abandoned the Nurge stand in favour of my Lowery - much more stable.
I cut around the figure, rather than using the whole panel, because I wanted to merge her into the landscape.
It was only as I began the appliqué that I realised I should have purchased 1.2 metres rather than the 1.0. in order to get a 60cm square. I seem to be making more of these mistakes as I get older. I managed by creating a join and appliquéing the figure along the join, then inserting a zip along the top. I have three more of these to make - and I have bought 1 metre for each. There are a couple of work-arounds I can try.
I had volunteered to do some further research this year on the history of the Goddess in Embroidery for the World Embroidery Study Group at our Guild. I had scheduled it for July, but the person due to present in March has requested more time so I've brought mine forward. It puts me under a bit of pressure, but I think it will help me in working through this dilemma of cross-cultural imagery. I will keep posting as I work it through.
I've started work on the second panel - this time orange background.
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