On a trip to Paris with my husband last month I got the chance to live a small dream of mine: to shop the famous French flea markets. It was gigantic, stretching for several miles through the sunlit streets. Despite the crisp air and the early hour, the streets were brimming with Paris locals bargaining on treasures from the past. Tables overflowed with an eclectic assortment of Knick knacks from the ages: clocks, kitchen tools; an entire table dedicated to old thimbles, one in every color and ornate style. I snagged a porcelain one with delicately painted flowers and tropical birds adorning it. From art, coins, dishes, furniture, records, light fixtures, rugs and even some statuary; St. Puces had it all and I was enamored by it.

As far as textiles go, the flea market was well stocked with vintage clothing, fabric remnants, and antique lace to name a few. I bargained for a little bit of everything and between the flea market and a visit to the famed 7 story fabric store Marche St. Pierre, I was glad I’d brought my extra large suitcase. All of my treasures are now safe in the studio until they find their purposes.

The first such treasure to find use was a very interesting textile piece from St. Puces: An open weave material that looks a lot like those red net bags that onions come in. I got samples of blue and red, and red has been perfect for a current project. I’m cutting the netting into cloud-like shapes, attaching it to a base fabric and stitching over it and placing more and more layers. I’ve only gotten as far as the first layer so far but I love the effect. It is creating a chaotic, broken geometric look that will get even more visually interesting as I build upon. I love incorporating found and recycled objects in my work. It’s a new concept for my work in embroidery but it is a technique I’ve used in past work. There are interesting textures, both visual and actual everywhere, and discovering ways to combine them with embroidery is an excellent challenge I’m looking forward to exploring more.