holmestice | Art for ghostbees: Labours of Love

holmesticemods posting in

holmestice

Title: "Labours of Love"
Recipient:

ghostbees / vernets
Artist:

strampunch
Verse: ACD canon, Granada
Characters/Pairings: Holmes/Watson
Rating: Suitable for general audiences (mild nudity in second to last image)
Warnings: None
Summary: After the gift receiver mentioned "scrapbooking" and "English paper piecing" I went down a rabbithole of research and learnt about this wonderful quilting technique.
From the EQS website: "English Paper Piecing is a method of quilting that involves using a paper shape, most commonly a hexagon, to add stability to the quilt. The quilt is hand stitched with pieces of fabric cut a ¼ inch bigger than the paper shape. The fabric is basted to the paper shapes before the shapes are sewn together. Once the quilt top is completed the papers are removed." The technique dates from 1770s and was popular during the early 1800s in the UK, then in the mid 19th century in the US and it made a comeback during the Great Depression of the 1930s, when the pattern was called in the sewing magazines "Grandma's Flower Garden", but before that it was simply known as hexagonal pattern or (you guessed it) honeycomb pattern.

The paper used for these quilts were usually recycled from newspapers or scrapped letters, and the fabric used to come from old garments that had seen better days, and since a lot of the times the paper was simply left in these quilts are marvelous time capsules that contain a wealth of information about the person who made them and their environment. I encourage you to look up English paper piecing (EPP) quilts from the early Victorian decades, they're fascinating!
So this little series of illustrations shows Watson dealing with Holmes still indulging in scrapbooking, and how the doctor picks up the discarded pieces and their old 221B era clothes to make something entirely new and uniquely theirs.

(Technique: India ink, watercolours and gouache paint over cold pressed cotton paper)

(Click any artwork for full-size.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

deelaundry

What a story of love! I have tears in my eyes from these beautiful works.

And their faces! And their creativity, with Holmes making something more cerebral, and Watson making something useful!

From:

deelaundry

I bookmarked this on AO3 so I will have the link always. https://archiveofourown.org/bookmarks/752975206

From:

deelaundry

I just recommended this at a con I'm at online, so if you get strangers complimenting you, that might be why. <3

Edited Date: 2021-06-25 01:26 pm (UTC)

From:

rachelindeed

I am speechless at how incredible this is. Will be back more articulately later, but please accept this initial scream of rapture. <3333333333333

From:

ghostbees

I honestly have no words, this is simply breathtaking. To think that my little prompt inspired you to make such a well researched, carefully detailed, and lovingly executed series of lavish illustrations, means so much to me. I love the historical aspect of EPP, I’m so pleased you found it fascinating as well, it is such a clever idea to connect it to Holmes’ scrapbooking. You have such a rare talent for portraying body language and intimacy, the love they have for each other shines through every little detail. This is an amazing gift that I shall look at over and over again for a long time!!

From:

strampunch

I was over the moon (and a little bit nervous, not gonna lie) when I saw you were my gift receiver, and your prompt just hit that sweet spot of domesticity and interesting historical research. I never thought I would be so fascinated by the origins of EPP, and when I read about the "honeycomb pattern" I knew I had to do something for Holmes and Watson in their retirement years. I would have liked to do more little snapshots of the teacups and Watson's sewing supplies (I missed out the chance of giving him a glorious chatelaine!) but I ran out of time.
Thank you so, so much for this lovely comment, capturing emotion is what I strive for. I'm terribly chuffed that I got to draw something for you :)

From:

ghostbees

I can't believe you kept that secret from me!!!! Honestly, you should have seen my face when it got posted. My favourite antique EPP pieces are the 1718 coverlet and this 1797 quilt from the V&A, but there are just so many fascinating patchwork pieces it's such a shame that most of them are anonymous. Now I want to draw Watson with a chatelaine! It's so great that you loved this prompt, I was doing some little (non-Holmes) EPP sketches when I brought it up and was somewhat struggling to find accurate patchworking pose references but all your research make your illustrations look right on point.

From:

oldshrewsburyian

This is all absolutely precious, and jaw-droppingly lovely, but I think my very favorite panel has to be the one where they are both at work on their hives. <3

From:

write_out

Oh wow, I am blown away by your gorgeous art!! I love the story behind the quilt (and will be going down a EPP rabbithole of my own, I suspect). The love just flies off the page! The colors, their expressions! So much love! I think my favorite panel is the two of them at the table, Holmes animated and Watson utterly besotted and the quilt covering both of their laps.

This is glorious. Thank you for sharing this!

From:

gardnerhill

So. Gorgeous. A full story told in pictures (and hilarious/heartwarming expressions).

My favorite panel is the one of them sharing the quilt as a lap-warmer while Holmes is chattering a mile a minute about something and Watson just looks at him in adoration and lets him yammer (with that lovely view of the Dover cliffs behind them).

From:

mightymads

This is beautiful, in every sense. All the layers of meanings and years they shared together and their loving relationship. Thank you so much!

From:

firecat

OMG this is amazing. The whole thing is, art and story, and your own story about how you researched paper piecing...but I extra especially love the image of Watson sewing, for some reason.

From:

happyeverafter72

This is so beautiful. I love how soft and tender they are with each other, and the story behind this is wonderful. All the little details are perfect.

From:

iwantthatcoat

Wow! I love the holes in the paper juxtaposed with the holes in the fabric and the Sussex downs and hives in the background and...and absolutely all of it. This is so sweet anf lovely and beautifully rendered and...just wow.

From:

saki101

What a wonderful, touching look into their lives in retirement! The pictures are gorgeous! Each vignette in the development of the story is beautiful (the trunk in the attic with the moth-eaten garments is a particular favourite, and the jar of honey with the fork, and the kiss, off course, well, all of them actually) and how what had been an irritation became an inspiration resulting in a beloved memento.

Thank you for this marvellous creation, which will be a joy to look at again and again!

From:

venusinthenight

Oooh, this is great!

From:

eliza_underscore

I adore this. Oh my word. Love love love.

From:

dreamingjewel64

Beautifully done!

From:

monkiainen

This is just gorgeous! I'm at loss for words.

From:

natrix_natrix

As always I am... utterly speechless. The amount of emotion and meaning behind every line, the sheer amount of ART done in one gift, the lighting the colours? But it's in the details that the this breathtaking entry shines through. I love love love your choice for their outfits: their floral suspenders in the very first panel, the cream coloured jumper, the waistcoat, the dressing gown. I loved the patterns everywhere, with the added awe from them being done traditionally! I can't for the life of me paint with watercolours, but this looks like the work on a beloved childhood book. It's certainly beloved in my heart now. Thank you so, SO much for sharing it with us, it's a joy to see.