In this charming, smaller scale work, Miriyam Qiyuk delights in the expressive possibilities of the needle, employing an astonishing range of stitches with the confidence of an artist who knows each one intimately. The field is animated by hundreds of tiny, loose loop stitches, each reading as a drifting snowflake while enlivening the otherwise open expanse of wool stroud. Around the perimetre, a broad blanket stitch lines the scalloped edge, enlivened by a procession of detached loops that seem almost to bloom from its border. The fishing holes are among the work's most ingenious passages. Worked in densely radiating fishbone stitch, they suggest the rough, crystalline surface of freshly cut ice. The choice is wonderfully apt, even playfully so. Across the fish, a lattice of fly stitches suggests shimmering scales while allowing the brilliant appliqué beneath to remain visible.

There is scarcely an inch of felt that has not been thoughtfully considered here . Every surface presents another opportunity for technical invention. The scene of two figures enjoying a successful day on the ice is certainly the subject, but one is left with the distinct impression that Qiyuk was equally intent on celebrating the expressive possibilities of the needle itself.

ND