aprilsongstress

Sunday, September 6, 2015

A Movie to Stitch To: Part Two

You who have followed my blog for any length of time know that I stitch to movies quite a bit. I even use a hashtag #MovieToStitchTo that you can follow of Twitter, Instagram, & Facebook.

My tweets showing #MovieToStitchTo

Below is an abstract piece I am working on for an upcoming gallery show I hope to get into. I shared it on Instagram, again using #MovieToStitchTo.

Tonight's #MovieToStitchTo is The Breakfast Club. #embroidery #handembroidery #abstractart #whatisart

A photo posted by Tisha (@aprilsongstress) on Sep 5, 2015 at 6:18pm PDT

For my previous post on this topic, check it out HERE.

Happy Stitching & Movie Watching!

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Aprilsongstress around Glens Falls

Some of my #embroidery on display at Crandall Public Library in Glens Falls. The exhibit, which runs throughout the month of May, features work by staff & volunteers of the library. #embroideredportrait #redwork #glensfallsny

A photo posted by Tisha (@aprilsongstress) on May 3, 2015 at 11:08am PDT

Every May the staff & volunteers at Crandall Public Library in Glens Falls, NY display what they do outside of work in an exhibit called "On My Own Time." The picture above shows some of my embroidery on display. This is the last week of the display, so come on by & see the different things on display: photography, painting, collage, writing, collections, etc.

I also have a piece on display in the member show at LARAC in the Lapham Gallery. This annual exhibit is up until June 26th, so stop in & see what is being created here in Glens Falls.

Portrait on display at 2015 member show at LARAC

Also, I have a couple of items for sale in the the Lapham Gallery shop & I am working on a few new things as well. I hope to post more soon...

Happy Stitching!

Monday, March 23, 2015

Suffragist Inspired Pillow

My Suffrage inspired pillow took first place for embroidery at NY State DAR this month. While I didn't place on the national level, I am very proud to have represented my state. My essay is below.

First place certificate

Inez Milholland, Suffragist- pillow

What could be more American that the vote? Our entire system of government, and way of life, is predicated on our right to participate in the democratic Republic our patriots help found 239 years ago. Unfortunately, our founding fathers did not “Remember the Ladies” as Abigail Adams requested, and many disenfranchised Americans would have to fight their own revolution in order to gain the vote.

One American who took up the cause for woman suffrage was Inez Milholland Boissevain (1886-1916). A native New Yorker, raised in the Adirondack, New York City, and England (where she learned at the knee of Emmeline Pankhurst and her Women’s Social and Political Union), Inez arranged an impromptu suffrage event in a cemetery near Vassar College when the school refused to allow Harriot Stanton Blatch the curtesy of speaking about suffrage on campus. In 1913 she became the face of the movement when she led the suffrage parade in Washington, D.C. on the eve of President Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration. Her untimely death from pernicious anemia in November of 1916 solidified Milholland Boissevain as a martyr for the cause.

Women in New York would not win the vote until 1917. Nationally, it would take another three years, culminating in the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in August 1920.

Milholland Boissevain also worked for peace in Europe during World War I, working tirelessly on behalf of the soldiers, women, and children. She was a war correspondent until her pacifist views caused her removal from Italy.

My original embroidery design uses my own handwriting as the font for Inez’s name, and the words “Suffragist” and “Pacifist”. My embroidered portrait technique is used to recreate a well-known image of Milholland Boissevain. I chose yellow and purple because they were the official colors of Alice Paul’s National Woman’s Party, of which Milholland Boissevain was a staunch supporter.

I choose to Celebrate America! Exploring Our American Heritage by using my right to vote in every election, honoring all of the people who fought, whether they were patriots during the Revolution, Abolitionists during the Civil War, suffragists during the 72 year fight for “Votes for Women”, or the citizens who marched to end voting restrictions.

Inez Milholland, Suffragist, Pacifist- embroidered portrait pillow

I encourage all of you to submit something to a contest. You never know!

Happy Stitching!

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Aprilsongstress @ the Shirt Factory on March 7th

I've signed up for another event! Aprilsongstress Designs will be on the 2nd floor of the Shirt Factory Arts & Healing Center in Glens Falls, NY for Beat the Winter Blues.

Mention what social media platform you follow me on & receive 20% on any in stock hand embroidered item, or 10% off a custom order.

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Flickr
Tumblr
Blogspot
Pinterest

Embroidered portrait hoop art by Aprilsongstress

Redwork pillows by Aprilsongstress

Join the event on my Facebook page. I hope to see you there!

Happy Stitching!

Sunday, February 22, 2015

TARDIS is complete!

The TARDIS is finished! & I have located some backing fabric in mom's stash. Thinking of putting all the Doctors together in a bed runner for the daughter of a friend. We shall see.

TARDIS embroidered by Tisha Dolton, designed by Angelica Rodriguez

For more info on the Doctor Who Stitch-A-long, & to download the patterns, go to Fandom In Stitches.

Happy National Embroidery Month! (Only 6 days left...)

Saturday, January 31, 2015

February is National Embroidery Month!

The last time I set a goal for National Embroidery Month, I fell very short.

"Since February is National Embroidery Month, I have decided that I must embroider every day for the next 28 days... Well, 27 since today is the 2nd. This is a sacrifice I will have to make for the sake of my craft! LOL"

Ha! Very short indeed. That was 2 years ago. I don't think I even did anything specific in 2014. Therefore, this year, 2015, I will celebrate this wonderful crafting month! But what to do? Just "embroider every day" seems very vague & not very goal oriented. I need to think of a specific goal that is achievable with my crazy 3-jobs-&-a-teenager schedule.

Getting back into #embroidery mode on this joyous #snowday! Watching Xmas specials with my bae. #MovieToStitchTo The Real Story of #Christmas. Fi totally digs #Krampus. #dragons

A photo posted by Tisha (@aprilsongstress) on Dec 10, 2014 at 8:26am PST

One thing I could do is work on finishing the dragon embroidery for the quilt I promised to my bestie on the birth of her baby girl Katie Beth! To do this, I need to pop over to the store & get a few more skeins of this particular green embroidery floss.

I also have to finish the TARDIS for the Doctor Who Stitch-A-Long from Fandom In Stitches. I have been planning to give the finished product to a friend's daughter, as she is a huge Doctor Who fan & her 15th birthday is in March.

TARDIS design by Angelica Rodriguez from hewtab.com

Well, it looks like I have 2 works in progress (WIPs) I want to complete by the end of February. Whether I wind up binge embroidering on my 4 days off, or pacing out over the 28 days, or a combination of both, we'll see if I can get both of these finished! I will post here, but you can also catch me on Twitter & Instagram- @aprilsongstress, & on Facebook.

Happy Stitching,

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Redwork Tree Skirt Part 5: The Final Reveal

To start at the beginning of this journey...
Redwork Tree Skirt Part One
Redwork Tree Skirt Part Two
Redwork Tree Skirt Part Three
Redwork Tree Skirt Part Four

The Redwork Tree Skirt project if finally complete. My mom put the whole thing together & even made for accessories for my little sistar's house. So, grab some egg nog & a gingerbread man...