Numbers 3:16 start

Numbers 3:16
And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded. 

Another book and verse to start thinking about. When I first saw the verse I thought there is not much to think about.....What am I going to make of this?
Usually I start with reading a commentary about the chapter, jotting down words, or drawing pictures I associate with the verse. And I always put it into google and quickly scrolling over images. Not much came up, only pictures associated with Moses I guess. Like these:



Not much help.

Reading from Matthew Henry I gathered that Moses had to count all the Levites from a month old and upward. The babies of course couldn't serve in the tabernacle, but still had to be included. It appears that a little more than a third part of the Levites were fit to be employed in the service of the tabernacle (about 8000 out of 22.000). Yet God would have them all numbered.

So I started thinking about numbering, counting, people. How would I express that??
Counting is done in different ways. Putting people in groups or families. You can count on  your fingers, write down numbers, or dots, or lines.

After all this verse took more planning then I first thought....For the first time I haven't made any sketches. It just took root in my mind. I came up with an idea of some embroidery, picturing a sort of counting system. The background has to be a mixture of fabric painting/stamping. What colour I don't know yet.

First some experiments:

Some fabric dyeing and scrunching for a background I can later maybe stamp on. But the colours didn't turn out very well. Tried some free motion sewing and painting some petals. Mainly out of curiosity to see it the paints hold and not bleed.

Tried rubbing a derwent Inktense block over some fibrous underlay. Not what I need, but keep it for maybe some other piece.

Rubbing to get a grid pattern. And burning holes with a soldering iron into cobweb paper. fun....but very smelly and probably not very good for my lungs ;)

Putting fabric over letter stencils and then rubbing with oil sticks. Like! And an idea for the background fabric.

Yes, Counting!! A Sneak Peek what I am doing with the embroidery. I had some white embroidery cotton which I dyed in a strong coffee and tea mixture. It's got a nice natural colour now :)