(Above: Untitled cradle full of wrapped and stitched wooden spools. The piece NEEDS A TITLE! Click on any image to enlarge.)
I love wooden spools ... always have. I've made several pieces using them. Right now, there's a group in a fiber vessel at Lorton, Virginia's Workhouse Art Center's "Art of Fiber" national juried show. That piece even sold! It's called Ancestors. I made so many last December that I have two pieces with the same name. The second group will be on display in the 33rd annual Mesa Contemporary Crafts national juried show from Jan. 27 - March 18, 2011. Both pieces have been in exhibitions before ... at the same time. (The original blog post for Ancestors is HERE.)
Still, I seem to collect more wooden spools ... but I don't want to repeat exactly the same thing. Ancestors suggested that each little spool was like a family member from past generations. Collectively, they gave the appearance of a "family tree" and evoked memories and traditions and handicrafts of grandmothers and great grandmothers. The work is personal while still being universal. So ... what to do with the next couple of hundred wooden spools?
On the drive to Slippery Rock for Thanksgiving, I wrapped and stitched spools. While there, I acquired even more spools ... once my grandmother's. I don't really know how many there are.
Well, I got the wooden cradle at Bill Mishoes' every-other-Tuesday-night, walk-around auction of used household items ... my very favorite place for "found objects". A little glue on spindles that were literally falling out stabilized the structure. I cut old shutter slats for the cradle's bed and fashioned a "mattress" from an old pillowslip and feather pillow. (Boy was that fun ... feathers all over the living room!)
The work is done ... but I still haven't landed on the perfect title. To me, each spool is like a narrative ... a tale spun in thread ... a story told in yarn ... a yarn told to a child ... the thread of life as a bedtime fable. So ... I need help! Here are the titles I've been wrestling with:
Bedtime Stories
Family Narratives
Tell Me a Story
If Threads Could Talk
Tales from Childhood
I'm open to suggestions! Leave a comment here or email me at mouse_house@prodigy.net! Thanks!
88 comments:
once upon a time....
Weaving heirlooms for the future/weaving future heirlooms.
I've been going round inn circles trying to come to a decision thinking about cradles and nurturing but I think 'Bedtime Stories' says a lot about what's going on. Your beautiful spools have stories of their own in the labels that still attach to them and the more you look at them the more you see in them. Not wishing to muddy the waters, their shape and decoration reminds me of native drums and their decoration.
Rock-a-bye yarns (get it? a yarn is a story...)
I also like the idea of calling it bedtime stories or perhaps if you want to be a bit more exotic, fables from the past
I vote for "Bedtime Stories" - simple but with all the meaning you have spoken of.
Thgis has had me thinking for ages...eventually l came up with this..Stories and Memories or ancestoral memories or entwinned memories or last but not least, Future heirlooms!!!! good luck with choosing. Love the piece.xxxxwould love to own it no matter what it was called!xxlynda
I think you have hit the nail on the head with 'Bedtime Stories', because of the implied story in each and every spool, and the fact that thread/yarn/tangled threads evoke the idea of stories. What a wonderful installation!
a cradle collection of
Spun Spool Stories
or
Spool Spun Stories
Threads From Childhood.
I love it whatever you call it. I have a few wold wooden spools of thread that were my grandmothers. I never would have thought of what you did with them. Just wonderful.
The spool images have such delicious textures and colors!!
Brilliant...love!
Tell me a story...
The Hand That Rocked The Cradle...
PS. Your work is just enchanting. Do you ever teach
classes in NC?
Madeline
Slippery Rock?Pa???You were close to me and I didn't know it!Next time let me know!
I love this piece and I have to think on it but will be back with my title!Beautiful!
My first thought at seeing it was "Cradle of the Ages"... the antique cradle, the old spools... the stitching... It's a lovely piece.
How about Threads Of Childhood?
Linda
this might be a bit on the nose, and it's going a different direction...
"the sewing cradle."
Cradle Lullabies
Family Threads
Oatmeal Kisses! Google the name. It is a poem. You will see why. It's beautiful just like your work.
Blessings,
Shelley
How about Bundles of Joy or the Golden Cords.
How about "Storybook Cradle, a place where dreams are born"
When I saw your piece "Spindles and Spools" popped into my head. It stuck!
Stitches in time for a family of remembrance.
I think Bedtime Stories is perfect! Each one of those spools is a story in itself, and having them in an child's cradle suggests to me that this child is going to grow up happy and secure hearing all the stories about family.
Cradle of inspiration
Baby Tales !
spools of wonder,spools of....
I don't have a title, but just wanted to say I have that exact cradle! My family brought it with them when they immigrated here from Germany in the 1700's. My Mother had it restored and gave it to me when I was expecting my one and only child. With my daughter, that made 6 generations and over 50 babies that slept in that cradle. It still has all the little teeth marks from where the babies teethed on the wood.
Can I ask you what you paid for the cradle. I've never had mine appraised.
Love Tales from the Cradle
It's a lovely installation. I love the detailing and the palette. How do you think about,:Tale spun by soul's thread" :) Good luck!
Requiem to loving stitches...
Stories of our shared past
(Shadows - of the stories of our past)
Lives long gone but not forgotten
I agree with Julie, I also find the spools symbolically native somehow.
Be that aboriginal, american indian, south american or the shaman spiritual.........its a hand drum symbol that can cross all cultures for differiung reasons. yet it speaks of human contact and endeavor in more ways than the stitches.
Love the piece, its very touching.
I guess it could also be
The Spools of Life ~ from the cradle to the grave......lol
good luck !
bedtime stories is my favorite title..
Thank you to EVERYONE here and on Facebook. I have a long list of lovely, potential titles. I'm still mulling it over but will write a blog post when the decision has been made. Many of the titles suggest "new work". It has been so interesting to read how a single work resonates differently with others. Fascinating and I am humbled by the willingness so many had by suggesting a title. Thank you!
Love the spools. Is there a "how to" on how to make what is on them.
rock a by spools.
I find these stitched spools fascinating. And like others have mentioned, my first impression was also of native drums. But when I clicked to enlarge the photos, I was reminded of the needlework samplers that young girls once stitched so long ago. As for a potential title ... "Tell Me a Story" or "Sweet Dreams"?
Stitching Tales
or
Telling Stitches
Did you see this? http://needlework.craftgossip.com/name-this-work/2011/12/14/
Susan, I love your spools! What a wonderful way to use them. Do you---or will you have a tutorial on making them? I have a collection of old wooden spools and would love to do something like this with them. Spools of Love.
great ideas! I am impressed how many people responded!!
Once upon a spool there was a story.
Cradle Tales
Not too late, I hope?
A title should convey the object since, in a search, the item is not always visible. Expand on the title selections you like and include the word Spools or Spoolies:
Spools that Rock & Threads that Talk
This one is my favorite since your Spool Designs definitely "rock" in more ways than one! Ü Each spool design tells a story and consists of "Threads that Talk."
Here's a few others to consider:
Spools of Bedtime Stories
Cradle Tale Spoolies
Spoolies & Cradle Tales
Bedtime Spool-y Tales
Cradle Full of Spool-y Tales
x0x
LL
maybe "The Cradle of Creativity" "The Cradle of Imagination"
Second thought, I love old wood spool and you should try to make a spool stand for lamp.. Something you can save old wood spool for additional lamp or some kind of idea?
I love the idea you did put felt fabric and sewing it. Great Craft idea.
Margaret
Bedtime Tales or Stories...love the piece and were you on your way to Slippery Rock PA? I live right by there!
Small treasures! And, but do I wish I knew how you made these beauties. Love your work.
bedtime stories is the first one i really liked. then someone suggested sweet dreams, which i also think suits it well. and the one that popped into my head is dreamtime.
i look forward to hearing your ultimate choice : )
I love the look of these. They remind me of the ancient Incan quipus - the knotted strings used to tell stories or send messages. Something about the story being told by the various knots and stitches.
google Joseph Cornell. These would make a great specimin box, "assemblage." I used wooden spools as Prayer wheels in a themed assemblage box, printing words on them that represented spirituality of the person the box was for/and about. Then in the box I put them on spindles so you can spin them. I'll post a picture on pinterest, but I don't know how you'd ever find it. So you'll have to use your imagination to know what it looks like!
unknown would be me, juliecorkzim@gmail.com. Not sure how to tell you to find me on Pinterest.
I love these! Just like lots of others who have commented I have some spools and you are now my inspiration! I would have to choose THREADS OF LIFE, I also collect dollies, and anything that is had sewn or embroidered, and I always think of the women who made them, wondering what their life was like and wishing we had the simply life they had, well maybe simple is the wrong word, but they took the time for the things they loved to do with their hands! Love these!
Just found this lovely article, Probably too late but what about "Thread Lightly (for you thread on my dreams)"?
Thread Me A Tale
Spool Temari
Wonderful use of found/made items. I like Bedtime Stories.
My suggestion is "Cradling Inspiration".
My husband's family had a similar cradle - German heritage - that was passed on to the next grandchild after ours.
--JoanneP
A suggestion for your extra spools -- turn those beautiful little works of art into unique lamp/fan pulls or pendants. I've started doing that with wine corks, using beads instead thread.
Cradle My Heart ......
Cradle My Heart ......
du tout grand art! great art, art , oh si joli! ..I am flabegasted by such a work creation ,so lovelly.
Fleurbelge( 63 years old from Belgium)
The Stories These Stitches Could Tell
weaving heartstrings...
...or, tugging at heartstrings...
I see Sampler Babies and I too will be using this idea for my leftover spools and scraps of canvas and fabric! I'm already doing "patches" with fabric scraps.
Great idea!
Spools of Fun Times would be my choice really like this idea I have lots of wooden spools. I have seen them made into wreaths and necklaces. Mostly painted but I like the stitches idea. Might just have to pull out my stash of goodies and see what I can come up with.
Beautifully done! Named yet?
Spin Me a Yarn, Mommy
Forgotten Memories. Long-forgotten memories kept safe in the cradle.
Sew Many Years
Sew Many Memories
Sewing Wild Oats
Sewn with Love
Sew in Love
Old Spool
Just a few Ideas for your Title. I love the evocative nature of this piece...reminds me of all the women who have gone before us. Lovely work!
"CRADLE ME SOFT" I don't know how old this is but that is what came to me when I first saw the tubby spools filled with soft colours and kinda reminded me of the different ethnicities in the world babies and they all "even us big babies" need to be cradled at times...
Ivanna
My suggestion is "Cylindrical Fibers at rest." Linda Wernette
Cradled stories and dreams of spools.
I'm in love with these spools! I shared your article on my fb page in case you would like to see: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=802728889770021&id=188376644538585¬if_t=notify_me
Cשמ I buy?
Can I buy few???
heart strings
and they are beautiful
stitchy lullaby
Susan ~ your embroidered spools are wonderful folk art. I shared them on my jewelry Facebook page titled, Jewelry with a Story. I'd like to invite you to visit and to join our group...a fun way to share jewelry and inspiration. Visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/462512757272444/
Love your work ~ Warmest regards, Leslie
Spin me a story.
Cradled Spirits.
such a beautifully moving piece
In the industrial north of England we have a saying "what a load of bobbins" when something isn't right.
How about 'rainbow chronicles ' ? Very inspiring, thanks for your wonderful art
CONCEPT: now, how to condense it into a title!!
I was thinking ....... we are born with a full spool of thread and and at the end of the cycle the spool has unwound and the wooden skeleton remains. Here lies the memories of those who went before.
As the spool unwinds the thread, the thread weaves through projects we create, goals we achieved, decisions made, recording moments and events that are brief but precious.
We have just one spool each. What will you create with yours?
An evolutionary family tree of traditional and handicrafts memories.
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