Another subversive doily

 

I’m delighted to have finally finished another doily in my subversive doily project. This is an ongoing project with no deadline but something I will write about and exhibit once I’ve made enough doilies to form a body of work. Because of that, other work with deadlines keeps interrupting and, in fact, having to start another large project gave me the incentive to finish this doily and clear the pillow I was working it on. The idea behind the subversive doilies is that they subvert the traditional idea of doilies as overlooked, undervalued domestic craft items by giving them a voice. The latest one incorporates the words 'f*** off’ in a Bedfordshire lace technique in the centre of the mat, which is surrounded by a circular edging of Eastern European style tape lace. I designed the doilies so that the wording is not immediately obvious and it is only after looking at them for a while that the viewer realises that they are more interesting than they first appeared and actually incorporate a message. In general, doilies are overlooked, considered old-fashioned and taken for granted, rather like the women who originally made them. These doilies represent those very skilled women whose work was undervalued and whose voice was not heard. They have a mind of their own and are speaking out!