In MUSINGS I let my thoughts roam about things "needlework". It acts as sort of a refresher for me, and, I hope it might do the same thing for you. I'll be "Musing" and changing things monthly and would be pleased to let you know when I have something new. Let me add you to my growing list of fellow needlecrafters. Click on any e-mail us link seen throughout our site for a short "Join us" form.
Thank you.

Just like Norm of "The New Yankee Workshop" says,

"Let's review the basics".

• Always work in good light.
• Always work in a comfortable location with
  proper back support.
• Always use the right tools for the job:
• Proper needle and thread size for the project.
• A frame makes stitching anything easier and
  allows you to see the whole work area easily.

I am not a purist. Although I started as a needlepointer and that is still the foundation on which I build, My work combines elements of many needlework disciplines. Several of my commissions have included needlepoint, cross stitch, embroidery, weaving, and quilting in the same piece. I go for look. I want depth and texture to come from stitch height and shape as well as color.

Whatever discipline(s) you work in, keep the rules in mind but don't be a slave to them. Your work will be more interesting to you during the process and to viewers of the end result.

Color is often the place I start. The color wheel is embeded in my mind. As we learn in art school, ROY G BIV . If you are not familiar with ROY, this is the mnemonic for the color wheel progression: R red O orange Y yellow G green B blue I indigo V violet. You see it all the time. In a rainbow, in a prism, even the NBC logo (though it is split down the middle).
People often speak of "their" colors. Look around your home. Why did you chose a particular shade of blue? of green? of red? Because that's the shade that speaks to you.

Years ago, a fellow needleworker was looking over a body of my work to make a purchase when she said, "you like green, don't you?" If she had asked the question in conversation, my answer would have been 'not particularly'. But there, confronted with several works, I saw what she saw - green in every piece!

The point I'm making is while blue or red may be your primary choice, you also have secondary choices just like the color wheel.

As an American, I grew up with a color sense that differs greatly from non-Western cultures. I also was taught that one does not mix patterns. Non-Western cultures are full of terrific color combinations that either look or have looked strange to Western eyes. And we are much more accepting of pattern-on-pattern in all aspects of our lives today than we were as recently as a decade ago.

Some of my favorite sources for color combos and patterns are the molas of the Kuna Indians of the San Blas Islands of Panama, beadwork of various African peoples including the Yorba and Ndebele, and various American Indian tribes. Theatrical productions are also a great source for color combinations. Recently I saw a production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. One of the chorus costumes was a sunny yellow satin robe with orange and turquoise geometric shapes stenciled on it. Not a combo I would have thought of but very effective. Adding to the effect was the sheen of the satin juxtaposed with the matte of the paint used for stenciling.

Do you gravitate toward traditional, classic color combinations? Or is your choice, like mine, a more eclectic mix drawn from various ethnicities? For years I've been greatly influenced by the warmth and intensity of Caribbean and Mediterranean colors. I'm seeing blue/green combinations everywhere (there's that green thing again!). The blue/green combo that appeals to me most is a turquoisy-aqua with either a crisp chatreuse-apple green or a mossy olive green. It's a warm/cool that makes my heart sing. At this point, I can't see myself using blue/green primarily, but they work as a secondary. I also like an intense peach/warm rose combo.

Every culture has symbology attached to color. In Western culture for instance white means purity while black symbolizes death and mourning. To American Indians, red is a sacred color and each of the four directions has a color. The Yoruba see and understand color in terms of temperature and temperament. Each value is classified in three categories: cold or white (suggesting composure); hot or red (suggesting strong action or aggression); and a more moderate cool or dark (suggesting the area between both extremes). In the Jewish tradition, blue is the color of the Almighty. Virtually all cultures regard green as the color of fertility.

Well, this is MUSINGS for this month. This page will change monthly. I welcome your comments, suggestions, questions, and needlework trivia. Your input may appear in future MUSINGS so be sure to give me permission to use your name. Of course, I will continue to design charts for sale and I will continue to think about things needlework.

All Rights Reserved 1997-1998 | Anne Cheek La Rose | Inglewood, California - USA - e-mail: anne@cao.com
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