SweetMyrtle

needlesspost ~ round 2 'Blooms'

 

Last year I took part in a s l o w embroidery project called #Needlesspost,  a 'pass it on postal embroidery project inviting collaboration through needlecraft between strangers' I wrote about round 1 here

Round 1 was to start an embroidery using a third of the cloth leaving space for two further collaborators to add to the piece. I really enjoyed round 1 as I found it so freeing, to start something knowing it would be passed on.  Round two felt different. Here I was to add to the work started by Debbie. Debbie had created a beautiful embroidery and it felt like such a responsibility to take over. I wanted to honour what she had done whilst adding something of me, but  I didn't want to ruin it!

 

 

Debbie sent me a letter and a green rose ring which I wear often.

I set to playing with some felt and thread.  Debbie had named her piece 'Circles'. These circles said flower centres to me  so I began to create some 'Blooms', first playing and positioning and then rejigging until it felt right.

 

 

 

 

Magic cat loved laying on it when I was trying to take photos though I was careful to keep the jelly beans and sherbet dib-dabs for the next recipient, away from him. I had a lot of fun and was interested to see how much colour I had used, especially as my contribution to round 1 had been fairly muted blues. When i finished I sent off the embroidery to Amanda, who sent it to I don't know who. The final result can be seen here. along with some of the other finished embroideries.

Amanda Wayne and Ellie Shipman who instigated the project are planning an exhibition  at some point and I think also a future project. All very exciting. I am really looking forward to meeting some of the other contributors and seeing all the embroideries displayed.

 

log store

A few years ago i had a meeting at a local art centre. It was cold and the snow fell and covered everything. I made it into town to attend the meeting but many didn't so we had to postpone it.

The one good thing that came out of that day was a chance conversation with one of the centre managers about open fires and me saying that we were nearly out of logs. She told me that there were some delivery palettes going spare in the courtyard and that i was welcome to them. I managed to get 4 into the back of my car and carefully drove home.

On the way home i came to the conclusion that they were too good to burn so we decided to build a log store., I say we but actually my man did the majority.

I remember it being quite a job for him to dismantle two of the palettes to create the ends and the roof. after a lot of physical activity and much swearing he finally built it. I love how the wording is still visible on the front. I think it looks fab and it certainly does the trick of keeping our logs dry. The cat also enjoys taking cover under it on rainy days.

a lesson in patience and determination

I just wanted to share one of our teen sewing class members project as it shows initiative, determination and focus.

Rosie, age 14, finished her first ever quilt last night, and it is amazing!!

She initially started the patchwork with her Grandma in the holidays and continued making it in class over the last 3 terms. There was some complicated strip piecing to make up some of the initial squares which would flummox many confident sewers, plus she had the difficult task of designing and balancing all her colours. There were a lot of pieces to cut and join together too and i found her focus and patience with this so inspiring. She did not rush the process, and if she made a mistake she would quietly unpick it and restitch it.

Once the initial top had been pieced Rosie added the batting and backing and set about the HUGE task of free-motion quilting the 3 layers together. Many established quilters send this off to have done professionally as it can be tricky to fit the quilt under a domestic sewing machine.  Rosie persevered despite the bulk of the quilt and her machine sometimes not wanting to behave.

Finally last night she finished binding the edges (beautifully) and the quilt was complete.

When she held her finished quilt up at the end of class we all cheered. She had worked so hard and that moment of completion was cause for celebrating the enormous journey she had travelled.

So despite frustrations and struggles along the way and it being a huge learning curve, through patience, focus and dedication she had reached her goal.

A lesson for all of us there!

two September birthdays

As well as my beau turning 50, our quirky smallest girl turned 14 earlier this month.

She started guitar lessons (with an amazing teacher) last year and has been using her dads guitar so we thought it was time for her to have her own. She was very clear about the style she wanted; a cutaway with pick ups for an amp and with a matt finish. We were so lucky to find a second hand guitar that fitted her taste and size from our local guitar shop in excellent condition.

As in family tradition, i also made her a birthday pressie. We recently spied a metre of a cute strawberry print cotton twill in a local fabric store and as she really loved it, it ended up in my shopping bag.  She fancied a pinafore dress so drew me a picture of what she wanted. i took some measurements and set about creating it. We are both really pleased with how it came out and my  invisible zip (at the side) really is invisible (she took a while to find it), so a good result from a pretty remnant.

I really do love making gifts ... i am starting to think about christmas... (not long off), are you?

It would be lovely to share some ideas for homemade gifts. i did run a few posts last year about this but kind of fizzled out in the busy run up to the event. Maybe i should start earlier? anyone up for it? Let me know and we can start sharing ideas and linking up.

Westival

as well as being a sewing teacher i also work as a craft workshop leader and run activities at events.

one of the arts centre i work at host a brilliant indoor music festival each year with real grass turf laid throughout the centre. Saturday afternoon is the family craft afternoon and in the past i have led various activities including paper bead jewellery making, woven sunshines,  and paper flower making.

This year we hosted a pre-Westival free drop in workshop  to make paper pom poms to decorate the centre for the event.  they are so easy to make and if you fancy  creating some of your own, there are some great tutorials about. we made some large ones but also had some smaller ones from  pre cut tissue paper circles. it was a fab day and over 70 pompoms  were made.

the acoustic stage is always in the gallery space and as there was no exhibition booked in during Westival then participants  of the drop in day were also invited to join some professional artists to create some art for the walls and also paint some chairs.

 

at the event i the ran flower crown making  and Alice (the other half of Alice and Ginny) had cut some fantastic stencils and was offering t shirt printing. we had a tiring but immensely enjoyable day and met so many lovely people. it is such a fun event to be part of and the West End Centre  is such a great venue for arts, music and comedy as well as running fantastic workshops, so  do check them out.

here are a few pics.

 

 this was my last day of work and i am now off for 2 weeks, yay!

summertime for me starts now :  )

new * Textiles Festival *Thread* Sun 3 Nov

I must share with you my excitment at being involved in a new Textile Festival hosted by Farnham Maltings in Surrey (also home of the amazing 2 day Unravel festival in February).

Thread will include inspirational exhibits, workshops, talks and a chance to purchase a variety of textile gifts and supplies.

Companies such as Clothkits, Mollie Makes, Guthrie and Ghani, Sew Sister, The Makery, Selvedge, Royal school of needlework, Think make do, Cloud Craft, Sarah Waterhouse  and The Silk Route are attending and also me with  Alice and Ginny showcasing our students work and offering sewing advice. full list here.

There is also a chance to show off your sewing skills in the 'Best in Sew' competition;

Adult catergory, make an A line skirt and under 15's sew a bag for life.

Full details can be found here... there are still a few days to get stitching and entrys are dropped off on the day.

So if you are free this Sunday do pop by,  it's going to be great!

ideas for a homemade/handmade christmas #2

Home made preserves

I am very lucky to have a man who makes jam. we have enjoyed many different jams from blackcurrant to gooseberry made by his fair butch hands over the years.

one year we gave some strawberry jam to family as presents. I found a gorgeous  tutorial by Amy from Lucy Kate Crafts for this felt strawberry pot cover so made a few up for our gifts. Amy has some great free tutorials on her blog as well as patterns for sale too so it's well worth a visit.

We coupled the pot of jam for my sister with the River cottage preserves book. Simple useful and edible.  The kind of gifts we love : )

As strawberry jam is out of season now to make,  it got me thinking. Perhaps some apple jam or apple sauce would be nice with the cover adapted and finished with tiny apples? Or maybe an apple chutney. This recipe from one of my new favourite blogs looks delicious. One year my OH made cranberry sauce to take over to family at christmas too, not sure if a cranberry would translate but if he wants to do this again maybe a plain hand written label and simple hessian fabric cover tied with twine would suffice?

Have you ever made or received preserves as a gift?  I'd  love to hear your  preserve gift giving  ideas

Gx

hello blog!

hello blog, it's been a while...

i lost my voice there for a moment too.

it still has not returned fully but i thought i would pop by and just say hello.

and also share a few images of my painting explorations.

I am taking a wonderful e-course with the beautiful and inspiring Flora Bowley.

I am learning to be brave with paint.

it is fun and takes a lot of trust. we are building up many layers and learning lots of different techniques. my paintings will change again i am sure... these are all works in progress.

now i have made a little space in my sewing room for painting i am finding it so very theraputic. i am detaching myself from expectations and am fully immersing myself in the process. it will be interesting to see what evolves...

Sewing will have to wait a while longer, though i have recently made a blouse which  i shall tell you about next time as grandmother Myrtle wants to know what i have been up to!

Happy February everyone!

G x

experimental art course

i don't know if you remember me writing here about the fabulous  6 week online Experimental Art e-course i took last Summer with Amelia Critchlow from 101birdtales ? well it starts again next week, Monday 25th April 2011 and  i am doing it again!

I first discovered the course whilst 'blog hopping'  and was so pleased that i did! it really helped me finally give myself permission to 'play' and enjoy the art process and to have some fun whilst experimenting with many new to me techniques.

During the 6 week course Amelia takes the participants, who come from many different countries and disciplines, through various art-ing techniques and exercises in an open, gentle and experimental way.  the lessons are taught via a series of weekly assignments and cover the following techniques:

• wild sketchbook experiments
• experimental drawing
• painting-without-a-brush techniques
• mixed-media collage
• experimental photograph taking
• and an introduction to contemporary art practice and thinking

 you do not have to have done any art before  and it really isn't scary for those just dipping their toes into creating. 

as you can probably guess, i really enjoyed the experimental photography and found it so freeing and inspiring. i do struggle with drawing and painting and i found that these assignments to be especially useful. Collage is another technique which is fairly new to me and i loved all the possibilities in this area... just look at this one Amelia did...

the best thing about it being an online course was that you can follow at your own pace and pick and choose the exercises you wish to do, those that 'really speak to you'. i also enjoyed the 'community' aspect of uploading images to the private flickr site and getting feedback and guidance on them. this part is optional and although it was scary uploading those first pages of my sketch book it was worth it for the supportive comments and encouragement from the group.

 one of my playful experiments

for me the whole experience set me off on a new path. where i have, in the past focused on 'end product' this course has allowed me  to see it all as part of a process, so i do not get frustrated that what i have achieved is not good enough now, but that it is a processs through which i am experimenting and learning.

The course is also packed full of inspiring links and resources which can take you along whatever experimental path you chose, i am really looking forward to some more playing and experimenting next week.

so if you feel like  you want to have some fun and nurture your inner artist child then pop over here for more details and to sign up. it is also worth reading the testimonials here too to see what other experimenters say.

so maybe see you in class?

gx

beginning...

 life often encourages us to grow and  improve with those areas we are already fairly familiar but there is often a fear connected to commencing something completely new.this is a shame as to enter something new with no expectations or preconceptions can be so freeing.

i have many ceramic artist friends and have often wondered about having a go at pottery and just out of the blue last week i finally signed up for a beginners class and i am so pleased that i did as  it is wonderful to enter at a place of no knowledge and to approach the subject in a gentle and exploratory way.

so far i have learned how to create a simple pinch pot.

by creating a sphere shape with a lump of clay and slowly pressing one thumb into the centre a pot can be worked by rotating slowly and pressing with thumb and fingers to create sides to the vessel and slowly this fashions a pot, a pot which bears indentations of the creators hands. these can be smoothed out or left in as desired. there is something quite meditative about pressing and forming a lump of clay. i had an inkling that i would enjoy it and i so did!

my pot from week one is waiting to be fired. this week i took my camera along to document some of  the processes i am learning.

this time i fashioned a smaller pinch pot and put it to one side to harden up a little. when i returned to it i added some coils. these are long thin sausages of clay. think rolling out plasticine as a kid. my coil became so long i had a sudden childish urge to add a snakes tongue and eyes to one end, but i resisted!

this is the pot waiting to have the coils added

notice the top edge is scored and a slip (a liquid clay) added. I also did this to the first coil. this helps the pot and coil to stick together.

here it is with coils added. i wished to curve the pot inwards so each row of coils rested slightly further in than the previous row.

the coils were then smoothed inside and out.  i have put the wee pot to one side now till next weeks class. i have covered so it won't dry out, and will return to it.

i am looking forward to more explorations with clay and will post some of the things i am learning  in my space here or over a my flickr space.

 wishing you all a happy weekend

x