The Beaded Edge

I was taken to task by a new blog reader today for not having posted anything here for two days. But it was okay as I could tell her the reason which was that I have been raised not to open my mouth unless I have something interesting to say. And who told me this? My new blog reader in person as it's my mum who has acquired her first computer in the shape of an iPad at age 80. That also reminded me to tell all new readers of this blog that even when I'm not here I do always post a daily photograph on the Blipfoto site which can be found by either going straight there using this link (just click here, mum!) or by going to the sidebar of this blog and finding the Blipfoto badge and clicking there.

My mother would probably wish that I adhered to my upbringing in other aspects too but sadly that isn't to be! I did have nothing of interest to impart in the past 2 days because I was working like a fiend in the studio which was the only place to find refuge from the atrocious weather conditions here in the U.K. We haven't had much more snow since the beginning of the week in this part of Scotland but what fell then is still laying now and turning into ice due to very low temperatures and winds coming straight from Siberia.

I have to be even more honest and admit that I shouldn't be working on the project shown here. It was way down on my To Do list and what was at the top was tacking a large quilt. I tack the big ones on tables in the old cottage part of our house. This room has two exposed walls and a lot less insulation than the rest of the cottage and I simply couldn't face the cold! Tacking is boring enough already and to do it when you're also freezing was too big an ask.

So instead I started to make a cushion for an exhibition which is months and months away simply because I could do that in the comfort and warmth of my studio. Below is a picture of the work in progress (it was a previous blip as you can see here), while above is the finished article. When it was done I started to think about an edge treatment and was originally thinking of making a thick cord to go all the way around the cushion. Then in an unguarded moment I suddenly saw it in my mind's eye with a beaded edge. Where did that come from?

I need hardly add that I immediately realized it was going to take ages. And ages, and then some. But the trouble with being an artist is that once you have what you realize is a very good idea, nothing else will do any longer. And hey, it's horrible outside and what else am I going to spend time on? Housework??? I don't think so.

So beading it is and that's what I have been occupied with the last 4 days at least (it takes longer than one full day of 8 hours to do one side!). And it isn't done yet but I am in the home straight.

I'm off to teach tomorrow, if the weather gods are on my side, and it does look like they are, so probably no post then either but en route I do hope to collect my daily photograph somewhere.