Manipulated fabric

The topic at last week's C&G class was manipulated fabric. We made some samples in class - in my case adding wire to fabric and trying fairly unsuccessfully to do free motion embroidery on velvet - but I had forgotten some of the stuff I needed and was feeling uninspired anyway.

It was only when I got home that I realised I didn't really understand what we were supposed to be doing! I decided to make lots of small samples of anything I consider manipulated fabric - and as my Embellisher was out I started with that. These are the more successful samples. A couple are due to meet my heat gun later - which is always unpredictable. If I get time today I shall add some stitch.

The darker sample is a 'textured surface' which was the previous week's lesson.[Actually it is 'one I made earlier' and found when I pulled out my turquoise fabric for the manipulated samples.] I missed the lesson because I was ill and felt even less sure what I was doing, but thanks to the members of the Yahoo C&G group I now have lots of ideas.

I was going to post a picture of a crocus, taken on a lovely sunny day in Southsea yesterday, to prove to myself that Spring really is on its way. but the photo didn't come out and today is dreadful - cold and foggy.

We went to Southsea to see the Overlord embroidery. Another requirement of C&G is that we study the history of British embroidery [I wonder if overseas students have to do the same thing?] We had a very enjoyable college trip to Normandy about a year ago to see the Bayeux Tapestry - which isn't a tapestry and was probably made in England - so I decided it was time to see the 20th century equivalent.

I saw Overlord before some years ago but with teenage boys in tow I didn't get much of a chance to look at it. Fortunately their father [whom I ought to call Wensleydale] is much more interested in textiles and was very happy to spend an hour or so looking at the piece - it is over 80 metres long. [Half a dozen embroiderers can take even longer looking at the Bayeux tapestry, which is shorter...]

It is much better than I remembered - beautifully made of course, as you would expect an RSN piece to be, but the design is very clever, and it is quite moving to look at. Doesn't pull its punches. It doesn't have the humour that the Bayeux does, but that is not surprising.

It is well worth seeing. If you do go, though, don't be fooled by the claim on the website that they have a cafe - they don't, and even the coffee machine was out of order!