Tif July Challenge

The colour scheme for July as part of Sharon B's Take it Further Challenge reminds me of heather and the colours of Fair Isle jumpers so popular in the 1980s and 1990s. The theme 'Half Way Mark' got me thinking not of time but of other spects of half way. Half Full or Half Empty situations. I know so many people who swing from approaching a situation/trauma in a positive and then negative way. So I doodled postcard shapes and divided them into half, vertically, horizontally and diagonally, shading them in in a variety of ways and formats.
I chose my materials, a selection of wool and silk tops that fell into the colour scheme and embellished them onto a piece of white felt. The wool gave me the background I wanted horizontal stripes and the silk was them embellished on top in diagonal sections. I love the way some of the silk sits on the top in clumps giving the effect of heather/earthy relief.

The finished result is so reminiscent of hand knitted woollen jumpers.

Holmfirth Art Week

David and I went to Holmfirth Art Week twice this past week. Once on our own on Wednesday so that we could have a good look around not once but at least three times, all at varying speeds to fully appreciate the art work on show. Some of the ceramics were outstanding and Jackie Walton was the featured potter and she had some stunning exhibits, I think by Saturday she had sold all her pieces. I would have given house room to any of her pots but by the time I got there they were nearly all sold!


The second time we went was with our eldest daughter and husband who turned up as a surprise on Friday. They live in Poole on the south coast of England, a 5 hour car journey. Joanne wanted to see me before I go into Hospital for my NEW hip next month. We had a great weekend and they are such a happy newly married couple.................!


As for sales we both sold a painting. 'David's Cow' or Contentment and my Autumn leaves.

This was taken before I had it mounted and framed. The camera has created indentations where in actual fact the natural cord swirls were in relief. The leaves are Tissutex painted with silk paint before cutting out.

I had put some items in the Craft Market, unframed textile pieces, embroidered cards, knitted jewellery, bucket bags and silk scarves.

This bucket bag is my own design and is a crazy patchwork of fabric, it is lined with silk. So glad someone will be enjoying it.It is so gratifying when people choose to purchase your designs and art work but then Holmfirth does get a very diverse group of people through its doors. I also sold three pics that I posted last month, 'Pink confusion', 'Tall and Proud', the foxgloves and 'Russets' the green felted piece. I didn't bring much home so my stock will have to be replenished which means lots of creating!!!!!!!!! good oh!

TIF catch up

Very late May TIF contribution. I liked the pastel colour scheme

which was a change and the theme of 'What do you call yourself?' prompted me to make a list of all the labels I currently attach to myself and the one that kept coming to the surface was that of an experimenter of mixed textile media. At present I am working on creating new surfaces on which to surface embellish by hand or FME. So what better way to interpret May's theme than utilising the colour way and the theme. I cut a piece of white felt Post Card size to fit in with all my other monthly challenges and then cut strips of organza and fabric in the given colour way. I embellished them on my Janome embellisher and then hand embroidered the surface design. I chose cretan stitch as I was very pleased with the effect gained last year on Sharon's take a Stitch Tuesday. This I did whilst on holiday in Menorca last week.




It's coming along nicely.



Even later is April's challenge, this is the base for my interpretation of 'How I see change'.

Change creates a swirl effect whether its positive or negative. So this piece will be based on swirls and curves that life throws us. Very pertinent at present for us as a family as we have lots of trauma and long term chronic illness affecting family and close friends. I can see this dynamic movement of life and family situations and how it is constantly changing individuals. The best we can do is try to learn from all the experiences and move forwards...............

This is the view from the villa we rent on a regular basis from friends. What a back yard!!!This chap came regularly to soak up the sun on the rocks at the end of the garden!

Holmfirth Exhibition and latest work

I've been very busy over the last few weeks finishing off pieces for the Holmfirth Art Week, 6-12th July. This is 'Pink Confusion', an embellished piece of wool and silk with FME and hand embroidery. The colour representation is so good and the relief effect achieved actually looks recessed.

This detail shows the use of beads to complete the surface embellishment of Pink Confusion.I did this piece using a single felting needle and silk tops, french knots complete the foxglove embellishment. Very pleased with this one.


Another dry felted piece. Silk net gives it a further dimension. Surface embellishment is achieved by FME and bead work.
The next two are in the Seed head series that I started for the Norton Priory exhibition

Seed Head IV

Seed Head V

The next four pics are cards in my Seed Head series they are approx 5-6 cms square. The base is embellished organza or curtaining voile and the seed head is FME. The last one has hand embroidery to finish as in the larger pieces.

These are three of the ten silk scarves I have dyed today. I call this series the Silk Crinklies as they are short and crinklie!!! They are quick and easy to do in the microwave with silk dyes. Ideal small items for sale.

I need now to play catch up on my TIF and Unlimited Textiles pieces. As I am off to Menorca on Monday I think that they will be coming away with me!!! I am in great need of some sun and warmth as I am scheduled to have a hip replacement in a couple of months and want my batteries recharged, I'm on the cancellation list so might get the call any time. Hubby thinks I should have a season ticket at the local hospital after my January gall bladder episode.

Norton Priory Exhibition

I got a shock when I looked at the date of my last post. It has been such a busy month plus this time of the year is gardening time. The warmth and rain are ideal conditions for growth of everything. My first poppy of the year last week and foxgloves everywhere. Welsh poppies are so bright and cheery but so invasive that I have just spent an hour fulling them up before they seed everywhere, I do leave a few for next year's show!


The pics below are of the preview of the Outside In exhibition at Norton Priory by Textile 21. I've not given too close up a view as I'd rather you go and see it yourself!!

Three ladies admiring my 3 seed head pieces and the man in the back ground with the stripy shirt is my hero David, he also is my hubby.

This is Rita my dear friend from Silk-n-Threads. My informal mentor I usually run most of my pieces by her before signing them off. Such a stylish lady. She is inspecting my work!

Sue and Maria in the foreground having a chat. Both are members of Textile 21 with exhibits well worth seeing.David again but this time chatting about the RAF with Cliff, Pauline's husband. The large batik on the back wall depicts the sculpture in the garden of the Kneeling Monk.

Finally Claires's felt hats being admired by an invited guest with Elsa's three panels on the far wall.

Detail of one of Claire's felt hats

The preview was well received and the exhibition runs until the 14th July. The walled garden at the priory, open each afternoon after 1.30 is well worth the visit.

Norman Window

Been remiss at not posting recently but life has a way of catching up with one doesn't it?! I am very focussed this week on getting my pieces for the Textile 21 Norton Priory exhibition finished

This is almost at the finished stage. I have been to organise a frame which should be ready on Saturday.

I have posted two pictures the first without flash and the second one with flash. I would say that the colour is some way between the two. The first one shows the navy background and how the reclaimed lace (with soldering iron) shows up. I lightened the window recess area and thankfully it worked!

See pictures on previous post for detail of the distressed edges. There is a Norman window at the Priory and the theme was 'Outside In' so it was crying out to be represented in some way. I have been very pleased with the way the Lutradur behaved it has been coated with many different layers of paint, acrylic and interferance and inks etc. It was a dream to solder and to sew.

Update on Norton Priory pieces

After a lot of thought I decide to use my soldering iron and attack the treated Lutradur. This enabled me to reclaim the lace shapes and distress the scrim areas.

I have chosen a dark navy polyester fabric for the base as it will show up the holes in the Lutradur. I have applied heat with my heat gun to get a great surface effect.

This is the silhouette of the Dill plant. The base is embellished velvet, the stems are painted tyvek and the seed heads hand embroidery.

Closeup of Seed head still needs highlights