This is a little travel iron, thought I would use it for a speedy result. You can see the imprint of the sole plate design on the fabric! Duh! Well would you have thought of looking underneath the iron first?
Undeterred I carried on!
I really like this one, the figure is quite minmal.
Crocus Update
Have just been out in the freezing cold to take a photo of the crocuses in the pot in the front garden to share with you. The wind is bitterly cold, sun is shining, and NO snow yet..............
The crocuses seem reluctant to open , who can blame them. However the weeds seem to be surviving very well. Typical.
Puppy update
Thought I had better "come clean" that, really the puppy from previous posts is an adolescent now. I feel so much better now that I have shared that with you.
The stitching supporter has grown quite a lot and is displaying typical adolescent tendencies and he has certainly discovered that ladies exist. Occasionally he is capable of independent thought, despite my notorious hard line discipline techniques. He is known to sulk, still plays with toys when the mood strikes, enjoys watching TV, can attempt to eat us out of house and home, leaves all his possessions wherever he wishes and never tidies up.
We have both been expelled from puppy classes, as neither of us could cope with doing as we were told. It seems that we both have independant spirits, very difficult to tame, and certanly not serious enough to be taught!
Wishing for snow...........................this picture is taken in Germany in the Sauerland, from a moving car. The weatherman here are threatening that we may have snow in the morning. Maybe I can post a picture of Wiltshire in the snow tomorrow. Or is that just wishful thinking
Another snowy Sauerland snap.......... just for luck you understand.
This was front page news! We had an exhibition locally and made it into the local papers. So you can just about see me holding my hanging which is incredibly heavy to hold like that. The work I am hiding behind was inspired by Roman Mosaics. All the fabrics were hand dyed , and then I manipulated them. It took many hours to make. Here is a better photograph of the whole piece.
Just for fun
On a rather different note, here is an image of ghostly proportions! Totally recycled, I was just having fun, made of paper, fabric and some black cotton tape I found, and oh yes - bubble wrap (don't you just love the stuff). Reminded me of the jilted bride, only the cobwebs missing. Yes, that is only water in the jug!
Did a few drawings of my own.................
then did a little bit of felt making, this is really very soft pre-felt. I love it when it will only just hold together. Thought I might put it under my embellisher tomorrow if I have time.
Was really pleased to notice today that spring is on its way. These crocuses, (fighting with the weeds in my patio pot outside in the front garden), were enjoying the morning sunshine.
Spent some time, playing with the digital image in paint shop pro, using the layers facility. I was particularly pleased with this one, disguises the weeds without having to do the weeding. Now that's my sort of gardening!
This image has a slighly more colourful background. I can imagine this transferred to textiles by dye painting and FME probably on water soluable. It's growing on me the way the crocuses are framed in this image. ( Oohps -no pun intended!). Might be interesting to print it onto fabric that has been soaked in Bubble Jet set and then ................ maybe embroider.
The Boss
Thought I had better introduce "the boss". She is a quiet, unobtrusive moggie but keeps absolute control of our other furry friends. We have been fostering her for fourteen and half years. (she is 15 1/2). Its a long story, but basically the vet saw us coming! We were supposed to foster her for a few weeks, but as you can see she is very happy with us and we adore her too, and she stayed.
The first image I've included today is from a recent visit to Wells Cathedral. I went to see the Church Embroideries that Jane Lemon and the Sarum Embroiderers' had created, they were beautiful and I feel sure that this particular view of the ceiling must have influenced their design work. I found the light in the Cathedral magical.
I was very fortunate a few years ago to work with BECTa and a number of school students on the theme of Opus Anglicanum (medieval Church embroidery). I am not especially religious, but I love the social history entwined with the art work. Original Images came from the V & A in London, who have some wonderful copes especially the Syon cope. What was really thrilling about this case study was I could combine my love of using digital art and textiles as well as more traditional media. You will be able to see the students digital and traditional sketchbooks here
A year later I was asked to deliver a seminar at the Watershed in Bristol to a number of teachers and digital artists who were interested in the case study. Now that technology has moved on ....I really ought to be thinking of some new case studies to develop with the students.
I was inspired to create a textile piece too, loosely based on the theme of Opus Anglicanum and the images I had discovered at the V & A. The images were digitally manipulated in a paint program and then downloaded to my sewing machine to be stitched. The motifs were stitched onto water soluable paper, and as usual, I prefered the wrong side of the stitching! There are rather a lot of different techniques on one cushion, pretty good as a teaching aid. Can you spot the different textile techniques?
