memory cloth panel one

Snatched moments on the memory cloth partly in a response to Jude Hill's What If Diaries, and partly in response to the need to record memories held in cloth and to pass on.  Partly to record a feeling of life running through me like a river

Detail of Alice Gertrude's dress 

Detail of river flowing

the river flowing

first panel is felted fragments on silk chiffon with blue face leicester wool

have just finished felting the third panel, and waiting for it to dry.  Then will be the bringing together of three panels into a 'protector' cloth, or comforter or  perhaps a witche's cloak that can magic you away to another world.

Sidetracked

I got side-tracked by this Nine Patch Sampler, inspired by the India Flint workshop I went on last summer.

Nine Patch

I have stitched, and stitched.

Cross Currents

...and stitched,  and stitched...

Raindrops

Inspired by the inordinate amount of rain that has fallen in the last Nine months, the floods, the reworked rivers, the stormy seas, the beaches stripped bare of sand - the forces of nature.

Waves

The more I stitch, the more I stitch... It keeps my hands diverted from bad habits, keeps my hands busy, keeps me company, allows me to daydream.

Ripples

Learnt about the work of Dorothy Caldwell, a Canadian artist and stitcher.  And discovered the work of  Jude Hill and Roz.

A revelation.  Stitching, kind of quilting without seams, creating new shapes and textures free style as the thread takes you.

Meander

India gave us each a present - silk thread dyed with Goldenrod, reminding me of the colours of the riverbank.

River Bank

 And so another picture and words surfaced, reminding me of my friend's work -'River is the Plural of Rain' - an inspiration in realising creativity on her own terms.

Leaf

 And a mountain appeared, or perhaps a nipple.

Mountain

I wonder, do you get sidetracked, and by what?

To Wet Your Appetite

Here are some more pictures of felt samples - to wet your appetite, and inspire you, of textures to be created...

felt pen beads enmeshed in hairy felt

bailer twine felted in

the laces part of a felt corset

felt sandwich, stitched, cut and stitched some more

nuno felt

New Felt Making Course

Sample showing fabrics and soft felt cirlces

 Felt Making Course

I am so excited to announce a new course starting on Thursday evenings at The Mansion in Totnes, for 8 evenings.

To book visit www.devon.gov.uk/adultlearning or phone MyDevon on 0845 155 1014 or you could pop into The Mansion in Fore Street in Totnes.

The vital information is Course Code: TT1004FS

Start Date  Thursday 27 September 6.30 - 9 pm


The fun bit!

You will find out how to source resources and process if necessary - for example you may have some lovely sheep with gorgeous soft fleece but not have a clue how to make this ready for felting.  You will need to find out how to do this safely.

Using the wet felting method, you will make samples finding out how to add in other fibres - silk, camel, soya, bamboo or yarns and threads or fabrics such as gauze or chiffon.

Carding and blending fleece to create colours and textures.

Knowing how to design with felt so that your hat fits!

You will record your work in a sketchbook.

Fabric in Felt Sandwich Cut and Stiched

Hand Stiched Felt Sample

'Nuno' Felt Sample

 Hope to see you there!

here is a pic of silk paper.  Such fun to make and so easy!  Once made (and dried) it can be cut up and used in projects.  Here it has been used as a base for embroidery in a little brooch.

Here little snippets of silk paper have been felted into these felt flowers.

And here is a detail of the silk paper felted in to the flower.