Frances Pickering papers

Had a go at making papers for a book following Hazel's instructions for colouring the pages that she learned with Frances Pickering.

 I had a good time painting the pages and then had to wait until the next day to unwrap the parcelled -up papers. I was really pleased with the results - even the wrapping paper was lovely and I will cut a page from it for my book.

All I have to do now is make a cover and sew the binding !

Kantha Bag

I've been kantha stitching a piece of indigo-dyed fabric for a while now - no particular aim in mind, just a piece of comfort blanket stitching really, as a change from my usual stitch of comfort, french knots. When I finished , that is, covered the whole fabric I determined to do something with it rather than as usual put it in a drawer. I have made a bag - as far as I can see, it has no useful purpose but I have hung it in my hut and it pleases me.

 I should have turned the last picture clockwise as it is a closeup of the bottom of the bag, but having added it , I don't know how to take it away - pathetic or what !

Also this last week, enjoying the spell of reasonable weather, I went walking in Fountains Abbey and enjoyed an afternoon of Autumnal sunshine and colour - even sat on a bench in the sun and watched a goldcrest flitting and whirring his wings from twig to twig on a yew bush, seemingly oblivious to humans, just getting on with his stuff ! The reflections in the lake were stunning and I also liked the rows of stones serving as an edge to a bridge over the river.

I also took this shot of the roots of a yew tree, exposed by the endless rain of this summer. Amazing how they cling on despite it all.

Funny Wren

Have been trying to draw the birds on the feeder this week - mainly goldfinches, then started doodling and working up to stitching a wren so this is my first attempt at a rough drawing.  Hope you like him?  He is not finished yet.

Bewdley

I'm having another go at this post - last time I managed to post it on Hazeltwig's site instead of my own !
Last week, with friend Anne, I went on Pauline Ineson's Heritage Quilt course and during the week found out lots about my sewing machine - mainly that it is totally unsuitable for this kind of work - and also that I am never going to make a Heritage quilt ! Having said that, it was a brilliant week and I did learn many techniques that I had never heard of, let alone tried.

Bewdley is a lovely little Georgian town with many interesting buildings - some in a state of gentle decay but handsome all the same. It has an historic waterfront and a lovely park too.

Here is Anne next to a 'knit-bombed' tree in the park.

In the grounds of our B&B is the 'Bewdley Horse Chestnut' a 350 year old tree with a girth of 33feet and covering an area of a quarter of an acre. It is one of Britain's 50 Remarkable Trees, designated in 2002 for the Queen's Golden Jubilee.

This is an example of Sorbello Stitch to give you some inspiration.  I copied it from a 'One Stitch Challenge' posted on the Stitch magazine website.

Now you need to learn how to do Sorbello Stitch so that you can live up to your title!!

Walk to Lotherton

Walked with a friend from Aberford to Lotherton Hall this week to look at the current exhibition - Victorian Look Book - a roundup of Victorian style in fashion and furnishing encompassing Gothic to Arts and Crafts. Included was a design project run between the museum and four local secondary schools to design and print a Gothic Revival wallpaper design - some good stuff here. Photographs are not allowed in the Museum without prior permission but during the walk I was able to add some photos to my 'pattern' collection for possible use over the next year.

 I love the spiral of the rolled straw and the pattern of the bailing netting used to secure it - some textile work here surely.

I also love the lines in the fields produced by the harvesting machines.

My Hut

I am the proud owner of a new garden hut. It is small but perfectly formed and is full of light - important when you live in a small windowed cottage - and is big enough to read in or hand sew and listen to music.

Outside looking in and inside looking out.

                    A closer view inside - note the bird in the cage that a kind friend sent me - also a print tray just waiting to be filled with treasure.

another bird

I went to Woolfest in June and alongside the show, nearby Higham Hall ,  an independent adult learning college ,organised several workshops run by exhibitors. This bird was made at a class run by Sew Sister. Its basis was a body made from a sturdy piece of wet felted fabric, sewn and stuffed then needlefelted into.

last of my wrens

These are the final two of the wrens I sewed for our group exhibition. This one I started on a Steph Redfern workshop in Bromsgrove. The workshop was really inspiring, not least because we were allowed to handle 'The Stone Bird', Steph's totally amazing fabric book. I have since learned that much more dense background quilting is the way to flatten the fabric and avoid the bagginess that is a 'feature' of my picture.
The second wren is another Priscilla Jones inspired wren on a dyed and eyeletted background.

Birds

Do you remember these little birds?  Shall have to try to make a wren for you.

more wrens

The first wren is long and short stitch in theory but I had difficulty with stitch direction and blending - more practice needed ! The second I did during a workshop with Priscilla Jones earlier this year.

another wren

I darned this wren after a workshop with Hilary Hollingsworth.

Rescued

Thanks to Hazeltwig, I may be just about to make my first solo post! This is one of the wrens I made this spring for my textile group exhibition. It is a collagraph on fabric printed via a pasta machine then embellished with stitch

Picket Fences

Somehow ended up creating some more work for myself whilst Annie was here.  We are going to do some work on picket fences - the idea is that we produce an image or sample each week.  Can't see it happening myself but shall give it a whirl.

Welcome

Found the photographs from when we visited Malvern Priory last year so here is one of your favourites.

First Blog

Had lunch with Hazel at the Blue Ginger Gallery, Cradley today and it rained a lot.  I am determined to add lots of pictures to my new blog in due course.