White Cliffs Stitchscape

Did I ever show you the finished Wheatfields Stitchscape? It was finished on my holiday to Little Barugh in Yorkshire and has been rolled up since then. I absolutely lOvE the little tiny chain stitches and french knots in the wheatfield itself; little cornflowers and yellow and pink daisies.

On the same holiday I started my White Cliffs stitchscape, inspired by the visits to the Yorkshire beaches. I had a very special idea for this one- to use little tiny pieces of my holiday in the embroidery itself. This came in the way of the tiniest shells, each with their own unique patterns and markings- some even had holes already in them for stitching through!!

I like the added textures in this piece. As well as the shells I have also couched down some tapestry wool to help form the scrubby plants growing out of the side of the cliff. Adding different textures is something I am now trying to explore more in these pieces.

This particular piece for me, comes with senses other than touch, like smells and sounds; crying seagulls as they search for fish under the gently frothing waves, that hiss their way up onto the sandy shore. Can you smell the sea-salty tang in the wind?

I bought a couple more fabrics before starting this one, with different types of sky in mind. The new, mottled silver is a favourite as it is a very soft colour. The sky isn't always blue so I don't want to always have a blue sky in my pieces, it affects the mood of them. The white lines on blue fabric is also new and I think will be a useful one to have. My fabric collection is ever growing!!