This week brings the second installment of the witch story. I collaged the illustration on a thin piece of reclaimed denim and free-embroidered it with using a fern-stitch pattern. I have not used many specific stitches in my designs but my good friend Mary Martin gave me a little book of stitches that intrigued me and I fell in love with the thorny aspect of the first stitch.
As for the witch, she has always been a favorite character of mine and in this week's story, she has, if not an attitude, let's just say a definite confidence.
There are two words for "witch" in French. "La sorciere" - the sorceress - comes close in both meaning and reputation to the English "witch". Then, there is "la rebouteuse" whose function is that of the healer. The word shares a root with the verb "rebut". "La rebouteuse" is the woman who literally rebuts evil from the world. She is the perfect female middle-aged wise, super hero. I absolutely love her.