Wednesday 14 May 2014

Flying the Flags

I am very excited as I have finished the prayer flags for the Global Piecers' swap.  The sun came out this afternoon and I was able to hang them in the garden before packaging them up and sending them flying off around the world.  I've used one of the photos as my new header!  I know I promised to share my progress with these pieces but I have been so inspired by them (and the weather has been so wet) that I have been sewing almost continuously since I started.

I'm obviously not going to say which flag is going to which lovely lady but they can have fun guessing.   Written on each flag are words summarising my prayers for each person.  Here's a close-up of one of the flags:
The prayer flags are all similar in style and make up.  In in my previous post  I explained that I wanted to use global fabrics for the Global Piecers.  In this flag you can see persimmon-dyed linen from my sensei in Japan, eco-dyed silk that I dyed in Japan (using materials collected at the foot of Fuji san), batik fabric from Africa and the zebra button was made in South Africa, there are small pieces of vintage kimono silk, some of the streamers are recycled sari silk from India and the lace is from Malta.  The flags are all hand stitched, except for one line of machine stitching to attach the streamers.

Slow stitching!  As I said above I have been stitching by hand,  hour after hour, day after day. These flags hold my prayers, in some cases my tears but I hope I avoided adding my blood.  My fingers are severely punctured.  I wish I could get on with a thimble but I can't and some of the fabrics, especially the batiks and the kimono silk felt as if I was sewing through concrete.  At one point the fat end of a sashiko needle, complete with perle thread, was embedded in my middle finger!  I got through seven needles.  I don't mind a bit.

I hope the ladies like their prayer flags, I have loved making them and I must add a big thank you to Angela Daymond.  It was during her slow stitch workshop a couple of weeks ago that I realised what we were doing with her was perfect for making the prayer flags, thanks Angela.  I'm now looking forward to receiving my prayer flags from around the world and hanging them in my garden, more photos will follow, and have just heard that one lady is planning to string her flags under her avocado tree!!  Wow, I'd love an avocado tree!  I do recall growing a stone, supported over water by cocktail sticks, many years ago.  It did shoot, grew about three inches and then died.  Maybe it's time to try again.

10 comments:

  1. What beautiful flags Lis! I love the idea of slow stitching; I suspect it transformed your making into a meditative process which fits the project perfectly. I will look forward to seeing the flags that come back to you. Katie x

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    1. Thank you Katie, the whole process was very special. I shall certainly post about the flags I am sent.

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  2. Those are truly wonderful. I love the thought that went into them. There willbe some happy recipients!

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  3. I love the flags. And special with personal messages on them. Certainly want to make some...like the meaning of prayer flags.

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    1. Thank you, Petra, do have a look at the Prayer Flag Project blog for lots of inspiration. I shall look forward to seeing your prayer flags featured there soon!

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  4. Is there a fabric from NZ there? I love them Lis!

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    1. Thank you, Nat. There isn't! There should be as I have enough of it but I was trying to use fabrics naturally dyed as far as possible. I'll have to make some more, just for NZ :-)

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  5. Your garden is looking good! These flags contain so many thoughts and prayers they surely will have an impact on life on earth. Nice to study each flag and guess where the material comes from.

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  6. Your Prayer Flags are beautiful and sure to bring a lot of pleasure to the ladies who receive them. Really special. I hope you get equal beauty in return.

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  7. They look gorgeous! A fab idea, and each one clearly holds love too

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I really appreciate your lovely comments, ideas and opinions, they make my day. Thank you for visiting Piece'n'Peace,
hugs, Lis x