Ruin in Baselland, Switzerland

I love old sheds, ruins, etc. and this is the real photo:

And here is what I made of it. I used some acrylic paint for the old stones, various layers of silk and chiffon, machine stiching as well as hand stiching.

The making of......

During the pandemic and the resulting lockdown, we were not able to spend time in our home in France as the borders were closed. We therefore had to spend our time in Switzerland in a newly acquired house.

For us it was like a holiday - we did not have to do anything! The weekly shop was done for us and we just had to pick it up. We were lucky that in Switzerland it was not forbidden to go for longer walks, like in France, Spain and the UK, so we spend our time exploring the country side and were exited about this part of Baselland. Most of the time we met very few people and stayed at home at the weekends.

If my husband had suggested 3 months ago to go for a 10 km hike, I would have asked him if he had lost his mind. Now, nearly three months into the lockdown, 10 km is a short walk and I enjoy it. I have also not felt so fit for a long time.

During our walks, I take lots of photographs and have come to love the many old sheds and cottages we encounter. I try to depict these in textile. I do not copy the original picture completely. I like to embellish on it. 

On weekends and rainy days, when we cannot go for a walk, I cut fabrics, sit behind my sewing machine, handstich and use beads and acrylic paint wherever I think it is needed to make these pictures. 

Original photograph.

Final picture

Draft

Detail

Detail

Final picture