A thoughtful gift for my Jewish friends

Here's a small project (for which I picked out the frame, first...always a good idea!) for some dear Jewish friends.

It's a "hamsa"...More...... ...(yes...it's also in the Muslim tradition, where it's called "the hand of Fatima"), and it's a sign to ward off the evil eye.

I think that the twining pattern must have come from the henna designs some cultures find beautiful on women's hands (I saw some being done in a predominantly Hindu area of India, so it's not just Muslim). (Why they relished it on women's hands is a whole other story...I think it has to do with something that prevents doing menial work with your hands--otherwise, it would wash off, right?!--and so was a sign of wealth and maybe even social class.)

I looked up on the internet to see some versions, created an outline, the Star of David in the pupil shape in the palm of the hand (there were lots of variations in the internet), and the twining and coloring in my marvelous StitchPainter program. The thing is rather small, though, about 3/4 the size of my hand, so when it came down to actually stitching the twining and little colored buds, I just kind of went with the flow, which was relaxing, too.

I pictured it in a certain spot in their house, but whether they decide to put it there, somewhere else, or in a closet will be up to them.

It was done with the heart, and I think it came out nicely.

What do you think?

Gotta put it in the frame, soon, in case I get a chance to see them, and give it to them.

Enjoy!

P.S., I just realized that I'm getting around to scanning it, writing to you about it, and actually getting out the frame (and maybe even framing it) on the weekend of Memory, and I'm actually going to the Holocaust Memorial in Milan, Italy, this afternoon. Warding off the Evil Eye seems to me appropriate, and I hope my Jewish friends and readers won't think it too banal for such a serious day.

Contemplating a new project...

Back from the holidays, and contemplating a new project. It will be a gift.

How about you?

In the meantime, here's a question mark pattern for your personal non-commercial stitching pleasure that I created with StitchPainter out of an image I found on the Solarfeeds.com web site. Always like to give credit where credit is due!

Post-Merry Christmas to all!

Had so much fun making the Christmas garland that I asked a friend if she wanted one, too. The answer was "yes," but she wanted one not just for Christmas, but to keep out all year 'round...a fabric sculpture. So, I put together a beautiful thoughtfully composed patchwork background color coordinated with her living room onto which I sewed a few simple 'rustic' roses inspired by the wonderful works of a Scottish woman artist at the end of the 19th-beginning of the 20th century named Margaret MacDonald...More......

Margaret was married to Charles Rennie Mackintosh, a famous and talented Scottish architect, whose career and work probably felt the influence of his equally talented wife. For more info on her try here: http://www.scotland.org/features/item/margaret-macdonald/ and here: http://www.huntsearch.gla.ac.uk/cgi-bin/foxweb/huntsearch_Mackintosh/summaryresults.fwx?searchterm=manufac+has+margaret+macdonald&browseMode=on&browseSet=Margaret+Macdonald.

I love the contrast between the sophisticated fabrics and colors and careful sewing of the background with the roses, edges unfinished, a bit 'rustic.'

The patchwork, complete with roses, was sewn into a tube, right sides together, leaving a good 7, or so, inches free at each end to facilitate the sewing of the short end together.

Then the donut-shaped object was fluffed up with stuffing, and the long slit closed. Voilà! It will be a garland of roses for a little abstract horse sculpture in simple lines.

I can't wait to take it to her!

Enjoy!