Nothing much has been happening

on the creative front over the last few days. Apart from a shopping trip to Guildford, I have been tidying up the aftermath of the metre piece – my working method being to get out everything I might possibly want to use and then leave it all over the floor until I’ve finished. [Fortunately I have a room in which I can do this]. Putting it back always seems to take a lot longer than getting it out – possibly because putting a quart into a pint pot is harder than pouring it out.

I have named tonight’s college session ‘Show and Tell’ as the teacher, A, has asked us to bring in almost everything we’ve done so far, so she can check whether we are up to date or not. This has caused some grumbling as she has never done it this way before. Having dealt with course work deadlines myself in the past, I realise why she is doing it. In previous years she has allowed a fair amount of slippage but this is the last year and there is no wriggle room.

I can be smug because I am pretty well up to date [I think]. However I have had to think about what I have done – and where it is!

I thought I would show you a couple of the pieces that came to light.

The first is my 3D silk paper sample. This was supposed to be inspired by my design theme, which is 20th century art – and it is. My design notebook shows the development from Picasso’s Harlequins [especially those with wreaths of flowers round their heads] to Green Men.

The second is the only piece anyone has ever offered to buy. It is the raised work sample, in hand dyed silk velvet – lovely stuff and a b****r to sew. This [perhaps more obviously] was inspired by Georgia O’Keefe, but also by the lovely little Tudor bags called ‘sweet bags’.

Needless to say it isn’t for sale!

A grand day out

Wensleydale and I had a trip out yesterday to see ‘Of Quiet Observation’, an exhibition by Hilary Bower at Walford Mill in Wimborne, Dorset:

http://www.walfordmillcrafts.co.uk/current.htm

We had seen some of her work at the Knitting and Stitching Show, and I was keen to see more. I wasn’t disappointed.

The work uses textiles and thread in combination with metals and wood. It is muted, achromatic, and peaceful. Bower says she uses landscape as part of her inspiration, and I was strongly reminded of the work of Richard Long, because of the colour, the mood – and the poetic lines from Bower about some of the pieces.

Wensleydale commented on the shock of moving from the gallery, with its muted tones, to the shop, where there was a lot of brightly coloured glass.

Despite the evidence of my metre piece I very rarely work in neutrals – the only other time I tried I had to introduce some colour, as I was so bored with what I was doing. But Bower’s work really makes you look at the variations in colour and texture in a piece of metal, or [hand-dyed?] grey fabric or thread.

It is quite a small exhibition, but well worth a visit if you are within reach. The gallery is free, the shop has some interesting stuff, and there’s a café with good coffee and cake – what more could you ask?

Coincidentally, today I read June Underwood’s article on shadow in art – specifically art quilts - here:

http://junomain.wordpress.com/

She mainly discusses the representation of shadow or the effect of shadows falling over work – but makes little mention of three dimensional art. Having spent the previous afternoon looking at Bower’s work, I think there is a third alternative - where the shadow of the work itself is an intrinsic part of it

I am very interested in textile works which use light and shadow – Cherilynn Tyler is someone else who comes to mind, although her website doesn’t show the works I am thinking of, where she suspended translucent embroidery clear of the background in shadow boxes.

http://www.cherrilyn.com/

Does anyone know of anybody else working in this way?

All this has inspired me to begin taking photos of my leaves at different times of day and in different lighting conditions.

The metre piece is completely finished ...

- unless, of course, my teacher says otherwise.

This is the finished book of the piece. Sheila commented that she made her book as she went along. I do the written part like that [on the computer as my handwriting is illegible even to me].

When we get the design brief I start a Word document with an action plan and a weekly diary. I keep all the design work and samples, although sometimes I have to hunt a bit to find them later.

This is the section of the diary where I wrote about my design inspiration. The pages were decorated with webbing spray to make them a bit more interesting.

That baby gets in everywhere, doesn't she? She was my excu - er - the reason why my action plan slipped in November!

At the end I write an evaluation – and then make up a book to put it all in. The books seem to have got gradually more elaborate over the years, although the wall hanging one I posted about before is relatively simple. A lot depends on how much time I have, but the current one only took a couple of afternoons. I do it because I like making books! I took another C&G course last year called 'Creative Sketchbooks' which just reinforced my bad habits...

I used a Japanese binding called hemp leaf, which seemed appropriate. [I do know hemp leaves are a different shape.] The raffia used in the binding was left over from the hanging.

I put some left-over leaves on the cover, and strung my sample beads on an elastic loop to keep it closed, as it is rather floppy. I wasn't sure how else to include the bead samples

I had to include some large design pieces, which is one reason I made the book so long. I still had to fold some, like this Zandra Rhodes inspired sketch, and the full scale mock up. The spots at lower left are holes made with a leaf shaped punch. When it is folded up the green shows through against the white back of the paper.

This is an envelope I made from another piece of design work, for the sample string of leaves.

The book and the hanging will go to college next Thursday and with any luck it will be signed off.

I forgot to say that the foreign embroidery study was also signed off this week with some very positive comments about the covers.

What I did yesterday

Well - some of the things I did yesterday.

First – I took some photos of the leaves in daylight.

You may have noticed that I have moved them since I took the night time photographs. There are cup hooks screwed into the rafters of our conservatory to hold up the fairy lights, which are the brown things you can see on either side at the top. [A kind gift some years ago from son # 2.]

Wensleydale suggested that I move the hanging to the next rafter, which puts it fully in front of a window. I am still not happy with the weedy tassels but I think I have a solution – Superglue. I shall experiment when I feel strong enough [Superglue? Embroidery? Shudder!]

I have discovered another design flaw. The glitter in some of the little parcels has sunk to the bottom – like snow globes that need shaking!

The second thing I did yesterday was at college – I tried screen printing for the first time. I have to confess that I have had a screen for some time, bought on special offer from Fibrecrafts, but never got round to trying it. Why didn’t anyone tell me how much fun it was? Messy – but fun! Unfortunately I don’t have anywhere at home where I can make mess on such a large scale, [shut up any sons who are reading this] so I shall have to wait until the weather gets better and I can use the garden. Let’s just hope we don’t have another summer like the last one…

So here are pictures of my efforts. As usual, there are some trees. I like trees. Unfortunately there was some slippage but I still like it.

The other used torn newspaper as a stencil – something I saw on the web somewhere. The design is not brilliant, but I shall try it again with a bit more forethought.

The other good thing which happened last night was that our teacher told us she will be running her master class next year - a fortnightly meeting for those who have completed C&G. I had been wondering what I would do when I finished – after doing C&G for four years it would leave a big gap!

Today as been spent making the book of the hanging. It is nearly finished but we have a Saturday school so may not get done tomorrow.

I've been rather quiet

about my metre piece for C&G since I first posted about it. That is because, as usual, I got so far with it and then got bored. But as teacher wants it in on Valentine’s day, over the last few days I have made a determined effort and it’s finished.

I am fairly pleased with it – my biggest doubt is about those little tasselly things, which are actually beefed up knots, at the ends of the strings. I am not happy about them but cannot think of any other solution that would not require major reconstruction. I’ll see if the tutor has any bright ideas. I also want to see what it looks like in daylight – the Kunin felt beads look a bit white, so I may paint them with cold tea.

I also have to complete the write up of the process [action plan, costings, diary and evaluation], collect my samples, and make a book to put it all in. Most of the writing is done, so making the book will take the most time. [You probably realise by now that I spend rather a lot of time on these inessentials!] My current idea is a narrow book [A3 cut in half lengthwise] with a Japanese stab binding and some of the left over leaves on the cover. I hope to get time to start it tomorrow before going to college.

I now know how to get comments on my blog!

Post a picture of Charlotte [or Custard].

I have been tagged by Wil, http://wilopiooguta.blogspot.com/

and I am such a newcomer that I had to check her blog to find out what this means.

Just case there is anyone else in the Blogosphere who doesn’t know about it either, here are the rules:

1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you. [Done that]

2. Post the rules on your blog. [Done that]

3. Post 7 (weird or random) facts about yourself on your blog.

Mmm – well
· Although I come from Cheshire, [hence the name of the blog] I have only spent 1/6th of my life there. I do like Cheshire cheese though. [Does that count as two facts?]
· My earliest memory that I can date is the Coronation in 1953, which was the first time I saw a TV.
· I saw the Beatles live in 1963 when they were third on the bill to Tommy Roe and Chris Montez [who?]. Thanks to the wonder of Google I can tell you that it was 23rd March.
· I got engaged to my husband within three weeks of meeting him – we married 18 months later and are still together after nearly 37 years. Must have got something right!
· I like most foods – but NOT white chocolate. Nasty!
· After decades of saying I loathed exercise, I recently joined a gym.
· I own a Singer sewing machine which was made around 1894.

4. Tag 7 people and link to them.

More of a problem, as I think many of the people whose blogs I read regularly will have been tagged many times.

So here are some of the interesting blogs of those of you who have been kind enough to comment on my blog. In no particular order, and with apologies to anyone left out because I got to No. 7:

http://stitchingtrail.blogspot.com/ - Sheila is another C&G student - fascinating to read about someone else’s C&G work
http://creatilfun.blogspot.com/ - I’ve read Françoise’s blog for ages – flattering to know she reads mine
http://sharonserranoahmed.blogspot.com/ - Sharon shows some fascinating techniques
http://quirkyartist.blogspot.com/ - I love Wendy’s art
http://barnaclegoosepaperworks.blogspot.com/ - some inspiring book making from Carol
http://lesleyv.blogspot.com/ Lesley is another C&G student, the provider of the sugar and vinegar recipe for texture which I must get round to trying

and

http://kittystitch.blogspot.com/ - My C&G mate’s blog – although she’s been a bit quiet recently…

5. Comment on their blog to let them know that they have been tagged

Will do!

We've had a little visitor this weekend

And her mum, dad and dog came too. She is such a placid, happy young lady - a complete contrast to her dad at the same age.

Am I a besotted granny? Of course not!