colour studio

trip to Oxford

2012-01-25T11:51:00.000Z

We went to look at the Egyptian mummies and were fascinated by the method of wrapping with linen cloth-couldn't find any detailed info about it,so this will need a long trawl on Google.It's like Log Cabin patchwork and has many exciting possibilities for felt, I think.

Close up of the pattern.Must have taken ages to do this and a great deal of skill.

This is a carved pattern on a stone statue,which I intend to do some work on this afternoon, so should have samples on the site later ,allowing for other distractions!Another technique which will be part of my PURE WHITE course.

Pasta machine for printing

2012-01-10T11:47:00.000Z

Finally managed to get into my shed and take some pictures-not good ones ,but enough to give the general idea.The results are nowhere near as good as from my press, but good enough to try things out and also to show students who come on my courses that adequate results can be gained at home with determination and no expensive press.

This picture shows(as well as a lot of clutter!) the standard pasta machine with the base plate unscrewed and mounted on a piece of board.This is so that the print and the plate don't hit the base before they are wound through It's clamped to the table of course.The machine has several settings and a good starting point for a small collograph plate is number 3, but for a plastic drypoint, a higher number is needed.This is where the experimenting comes in.

Obviously,the print/plate goes through the machine between the rollers,where the brown card is in this picture.The drawback,of course,is that only A5 or smaller prints can be made, but it does work well and is worth experimenting,for those without a press.

Best Christmas present ever!

2011-12-28T11:24:00.000Z

Amazing news! My present this year is a felt rolling machine from Feltcrafts in Colorado.Having already used one of these in Finland,I can't wait to get to grips with my very own machine,which should have been shipped yesterday.It will ultimately have a permanent place in France and will be used for all the courses this year.Pictures later!
Meanwhile I've been experimenting with using a pasta machine to print small drypoint plates.Pictures of that later too .Christmas is over so should be time to do some work and make some progress.

Felt and fibre

2011-12-13T16:44:00.001Z

I have been experimenting today with some new pre felt and silk combined which I bought from Rainbow silks-only a small sample so far, but the feel of it is really good and the recycled scarves felted to the surface really well.Trouble is ,my local charity shops all seem to have stopped selling nice fine scarves in deference to the winter,which is here with a vengeance today-sleet and slush!

The bottom sample has Habotai silk,silk Georgette,a scarf of unidentified content and some indigo dyed chiffon,and the first sample has more of the same with some cyanotyped satin at top left.Cyanotype will be part of my summer classes in France and is a technique which I really like,partly because it is an old method of photography and partly because it is so easy to do in a sunny place.

Doesn't time fly?

2011-12-12T02:19:00.000Z

Can't believe it is so long since I blogged,but I have been busy,honestly! I visited the Ashmolean collection of John Piper works on paper-wonderful to see them in the flesh,so to speak,and to be able to draw there.My sketchbook is filling up,tho I miss being able to use my press to experiment with what I have done so far.Sadly,it is sitting in the French studio,but I can prepare plates here and will be starting on felt versions of my drawings after Christmas.
Then I went to a wonderful lace exhibition at Birmingham museum and Art Gallery,called LOST IN LACE.Very inspiring indeed and well worth a visit.
Hope to have pictures to add to my next blog as I'm about to launch into some felt experiments.

John Piper and other things

2011-11-26T16:45:00.000Z

Visited the National museum of Wales in Cardiff, to see all the Piper works-all three of them on display!I went without my glasses, having dropped them outside a friends house, so all my drawings were a touch on the abstract side, but I am rapidly filling a sketch book with ideas for more work and courses based on the work, so feel a little less annoyed with myself than I did last week.Piper really did make an amazing range of work which makes him a very good artist to study, from a mixed media point of view.

Rather poor scan,but the camera is in the shed at the bottom of the garden and it is dark and cold outside!

This is the coast of Pembrokeshire,asking to be a piece of felt.

This is Piper, not me.What about a monoprint?

This came after my visit to Blenheim, where ,joy of joys,we discovered that there will be an exhibition of Pipers work and -even better- a printmaking course in the new year.Couldn't be better! Next stop the Ashmolean.

Still no shed!

2011-11-13T11:48:00.000Z

Since I still have no shed space,though its almost there,I'm confined creatively to the kitchen,so I have been playing with papier mache and created this alien rabbit (named by my daughter ) I'm considering changing his sex and adding a tutu,so he can sit on top of the Xmas tree instead of guarding my back-up drive.
On a more serious not,I'm doing some research on the prints of John Piper,which is very enjoyable.Hoping he may send me in a new direction, both with felt and prints,and there may even be a course to be had from all the reading.Watch this space!

Reunited.

2011-11-02T19:32:00.000Z

In between cleaning up cobwebs and trying to find things I know I have but can't put my hands on,this piece of felt (a throw) came back from France while I was away-yes, in France! The exhibition organisers ignored the intsructions to return it to France,which would have cost them less and sent it to a house which could have been empty.The felt has old scarves which belonged to my mother,so I didn't want to sell it,but it is a technique I love to use.Can't wait to get back to felting again,when my shed is returned to its former glory,but we have to wait until it rains again to see if the repair has worked-of course when we want rain, where is it?

Back in rainy UK

2011-10-27T15:53:00.000+01:00

Returned to the UK after an epic journey in the car with the cat,who is currently sleping it off and wondering why on earth we are here with such rubbish weather.My studio roof here is in danger of collapse, so any work i do will have to be in the house and very clean stuff.The rain is coming in today, so have to move important things into the house.There may be quite a long gap in posts!Can hear the cat snoring!

Finished?

2011-09-29T11:02:00.000+01:00

Found time to stitch the garment together and now, i feel i need to overdye again to get a darker brown form the walnuts, because i'm not happy with the strong contrasts on the front.Ironically,the back is fine!A last dip and then that's the end.

Looks a little dull on the studio door, but apart from the contrast, the whole piece has worked quite well and the pattern, which came free from Burda's web site, is really useful.More later when i finally go to collect fallen walnuts from a friend.

the final piece

2011-09-23T17:04:00.000+01:00

My pre felt arrived from the UK yesterday at last,so I carefully split the layer and embarked on the last section of my walnut dyed fabric for some sort of garment-not sure what yet.This is the piece before dyeing but after all the manual work.

Both of these pictures illustrate perfectly how the final dyeing process ties all the surfaces together and makes for a more harmonious whole.

Learning by experience.

2011-09-19T08:55:00.000+01:00

No matter how much experience a person has, i.e me,in dyeing and fabric handling,mistakes happen.I should have known that if i wanted two reasonably similar pieces of fabric, they should both have been dyed in the same vat-obvious to all but an idiot, i.e ,me.I collected some walnuts, made a lovely vat and dyed my first piece,then thought,maybe it should be darker, and added a piece of rusty iron.The second piece came out grey-ish.Drat! Collected more walnuts which resulted in my other half falling in a ditch, made another vat and dyed the whole lot again,which gave a match, but not such a nice brown.Will I ever learn?
Anyway, still have a third piece to go to make a garment, so maybe I'll remember what I did!

This is the fabric,made up of recycled scarves muslin and devored silk ,felted to a very thin layer of prefelt.

The overdyeing brings all the differing elements together,and dulls down anything which is too bright or jarring.

Check out the texture-I really love what can be done with this devore fabric,

The end of a lovely week.

2011-09-12T17:51:00.001+01:00

This is Daphne's glorious piece of work, which just grew and grew-a masterpiece in my opinion.

A very sophisticated washing line!

Finally,Valerie's reatrained and retro pieces,destined for a window hanging.Altogether ,a very focussed and productive course, which has certainly given me food for thought.

more course results.

2011-09-08T17:31:00.000+01:00

One of Pat's pieces-nice to see that the print and devore and cut out areas all link together.

This is Valerie's very subtle avocado dyed piece,still in progress as witnessed by the pins.It is amazing how each person has a different take on the same basic technique.

Devore lace sample ,felted to fine pre-felt by Daphne,then dyed with rhubarb root extract-amzing how this picks out the pattern even with all that texture.The end of another really successful day with masses of work achieved and alcohol at the end to round it off before a relaxing evening.What more could we want?

Lace felt course

2011-09-05T19:17:00.000+01:00

Already day 2 at the atelier,sun shining and lots of work being done.

Bushes draped in Devore lace-so much work there isn't enough space to hang it up,so our little bush is dressed up in its best.

This is Eileen's lovely piece,produced from a screen which in turn came from her drawing of some old lace.

A piece by Sarah,to echoe the large piece of felt made yesterday and then cut carefully into a beautifuk design.Tomorrow we will begin the work of combining fabrics,light with heavy,plain and textured.Very exciting to watch it all grow.

preparing for a busy week

2011-09-02T17:19:00.000+01:00

My felt and lace course begins tomorrow and i'm really looking forward to teaching again.The studio is tidy, but shouldn't be that way for long and all the samples and course materials waiting to be used.I hadn't realised how much work i had done on the techniques since the Snow Queen exhibit, but have already some new ideas for a further course-more of that later.It's good to have time to work alone, but equally good to work with other like minded people.

The work is really about contrasts ,heavy/light ,space/pattern and there are endless combinations for felt and fabric-could work on this forever! Then there are the dyeing possibilities.

Will try to post pictures as the week goes on.

Another garment

2011-08-28T15:22:00.000+01:00

Have been trying to work in the studio in spite of spraining my foot by standing on a sharp stone in crocs which had become too thin on the sole-standing to felt is my mode of choice so i find sitting to roll a little awkward.Anyway,i managed to finish a little top, using charity shop scarves which i have been squirreling away for quite a while.The colours have worked well and my new method of finishing the felt in the washing machine is very speedy and successful.You do need to know your machine though.It's not a new technique at all-it appeared in ECHOES many moons ago, but i have re-discovered it and love it as a means of speeding up the shrinkage of Nuno felt.

This has taken literally for ever to upload-not sure why, but i'll try to add a detail now.

Finally, the etsy shop is done.

2011-08-08T13:07:00.000+01:00

I have spent literally the whole morning adding 5 items to the shop,a mini version of which appears her, but there will be a delay until the widget takes you to my site.I am now v stressed and going to lie down!Meanwhile, a calm photo.

Our much travelled,cosmopolitan moggy,thinking deep thoughts on the verandah.Bet she doesn't get stressed by Etsy!

New book

2011-08-07T15:09:00.000+01:00

First of all, welcome to new followers-have been meaning to say this for a while,and keep forgetting.

And next,my new RUST AND WOAD BOOK is pictured above.I'll be putting it in my Etsy shop next week-another thing I've been meaning to do for a while! It has images of the processes involved in dyeing with my two favourite things and some images of my work.

I'm currently working on my linen,devore and felt combinations-further developments of the Snow Queen work I did for the Odense exhibition, at Felt in Focus,which ,by the way, was a really exciting exhibition and a credit to those who mounted it.

The sun is back!

2011-07-30T14:36:00.000+01:00

We finally have the weather we are intended to ahe in France at this time of the year, so I'm a bit reluctant to be inside the studio.Nevertheless, my large fabric piece is at last finished, using all my dye samples from Sydney and Denmark.Now I am working on a pattern for a garment to make with the cloth.

Somehow, the colours look washed out here-maybe too much sun shining on it-but they are the usual rusts and woads.The cloth fills a whole table in the studio, so there is plenty to play with.As I don't want to waste an inch, it may be a case of one of those garments which just have two armholes cut into a rectangle and then draped artfully around the body-can I do draped artfully, I wonder? Does anyone out there have rough measurements as to where the armholes go?

new work

2011-07-24T16:19:00.000+01:00

Inspired by my visit to the linen museum near Odense during Felt in Focus ,I've started some new work-sort of based on the old work for the Snow Queen, in that it is modular and assembled from small patches of felt, old fabric and lace.A visit to a local Vide Grenier gave me some wonderful pieces of hemp and linen fabric, for once going for a song, so I've embarqued on another journey.Who knows where this one will end?

This is a close up,showing the knitting and the printed knit.

I've always been fascinated by old samplers and that is what I'm aiming for,at the same time as making apple jam,so the house is full of sweet jam smells and old fashioned lace work!The weather is a bit autumnal considering it's July, so maybe staying inside and working is the only way to take my mind off the lack of sun.

avocados

2011-07-19T10:04:00.000+01:00

Look at this amazing colour from avocado skins and rust on organza!
Need to use it in felt now, but it really is strong and dark-picture doesn't really do it justice.

More Felt in Focus

2011-07-17T15:32:00.000+01:00

More print and lovely colours.

a richly rusted sample

More student work and finally,a picture of the large hot water bath which was very convenient for drying and rusting our fabric.All my rust and woad books sold quickly and am now waiting for a new batch and working on further developments with the technique.My Snow queen exhibit was beautifully hung-thanks to the organisers-and i have been in the studio today,researching ways to progress the devore/felt techniques i used in the piece.It's always inspiring to go to a symposium, but this one has been amazingly stimulating.Hope they ask me back next time!

BACK IN THE COUNTRY AGAIN

2011-07-15T18:26:00.000+01:00

My classroom at Felt in Focus! Met some lovely people,reunited with old friends and was inspired by other feltmakers.Now i need to relax and take stock of what was done and what i learned myself.

Some of the work done by students,using my techniques of felt collage and the dyed woad and rust fabrics,overprinted with natural dye extracts.More pictures etc later.

woad and recycling

2011-06-25T15:34:00.000+01:00

Part of a shawl i've just finished,using old lace etc and dyeing all of it with woad.

It has involved several trips to vide greniers and brocantes and a lot of digging in my scrap bags ,but the end result is worth it.Very satisfying to have something nice which is having a new life.

Another view.Some may recognise pieces of my bathroom curtains!It always surprises me how many shades of blue come from one magical dyestuff,depending on the fabric involved.This has been a good summer for woad and rust and the temperature today is still soaring-too busy for woad today though.I'm off to teach at FELT IN FOCUS in Denmark next week and really looking forward to it,as i haven't been there for about 30 years.It will be nice to re visit Copenhagen for a couple of days,before going on to Odense to teach.

Finally,look how low this lake near us is-partly due to water being used for irrigation,partly lack of rain.Should be level with the trees.Still very tranquil and not a soul in sight except us.

Exhibition at St Avit

2011-06-16T12:10:00.000+01:00

Took a trip to St Avit,to the Palissy museum to see an exhibition and having walked up the hill to the village(finding walnuts on the ground for dyeing which was a bonus) we found that the exhibition is only open in June on a sunday!Never mind, i did take some photos and i will go back,plus i have already used the walnuts and have a lovely warm brown on silk.

This is the door to the church in the village,which seems not to be used any more-no seats or evidence of people.It is all very atmospheric and slightly musty smelling.

These are the faded wall paintings in the church,which would look fabulous if restored,but still gorgeous as they are.

Finally,one of my best accidental photos ever,a view through the window of the exhibition we couldn't see.I,m not sure if these pieces were put here because they were inspired by the church tower in the reflection, but it certainly makes a dramatic image.

making books

2011-06-06T15:51:00.000+01:00

Have been making lots of little books to sell,using my monoprints,at the same time as making a booksmart book on woad and rust dyeing -this will go on my etsy site when i finally get it up and running.The internet is still very iffy and at present seems to work when we are making a phone call-how ridiculous is that?

Blogger wont turn this round!

Or this one!
Finally,a glimpse of the peace and quiet in our village.

What could be better for creativity?

dip dyeing my waistcoat and other things

2011-06-04T14:40:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was a glorious day so it seemed a good idea to make a woad vat,to finish my waterfall waistcoat,amongst other things.Here it is,after 3 dips.

And this is my progressing rust fabric patchwork piece-not sure what this is destined for.

This is so uncharacteristic for me, but I have finally mastered the rust on cotton-previously my successes have been silk fabric,so now I can start work on all that fabric from brocantes and vide greniers, which has been stored away in my wardrobe-my squirrel area!

more work,more internet problems!

2011-05-25T09:18:00.000+01:00

We are having lots of prblems with the net at the moment so this is a quick post while it lasts.The weather continues glorious so rusting and woad dyeing are the order of the day,and i'm busy making a book with prints made from natural materials picked up on my daily walks-more of this later.

This waterfall waistcoat is now waiting to be dyed-sorry about the car in the background!

This is my wrap,made from old lace from a Brocante,scrim,silk scraps and ,finally,printed with a lace screen to pull it all together.I love lace, but not quite in the same way as others.More below.

Finally back on the net

2011-05-20T16:24:00.000+01:00

We've had great problems with our internet over the last few days and it's only when you are without the facility that you realise how much it is needed.Hopefully ,back to normal now.
In the gap,I've been rusting fabric prolifically as the weather is very warm here and have even managed to sew some fabric together for new sofa cushions.

This is the fabric ,basking in the sun and dyeing quietly!

This is the beginning of one of the cushions.

I love the colour it's possible to achieve with such a simple process,but generally use silk for the base fabric.This time,I have used a variety of old cotton cloth, bought from local Brocantes, which adds an extra recycled element-always good to feel that things are being given a new life

Snow queen on her way to Denmark

2011-05-14T10:23:00.000+01:00

Finally posted my work for the exhibition in Odense connected to the Felt in Focus week in July.I seem to have been working on this for a long time ,on and off and it felt strange to go into the studio the next day and not see it hanging/lying there.

The studio has sneaked into this picture.

This is the story roll which has digital images,screen printing and lace cut out techniques and ,as you can see, is Looooong.I'm never pleased with things i do, but sort of like this.
I'm now using the weld i grew in the meadow to dye anything and everything-there is so much of the stuff.Given that i don't much like yellow,it's a problem, but i can always overdye.The smell of weld in the slow cooker is all pervasive and this year, the yellow seems very bright for some reason.Never mind,woad will knock it back and also some of my rust liquid will go in there this morning.

Sunshine and sketching

2011-05-04T18:59:00.000+01:00

Nice to get back into the habit of five minute sketches again-and the bonus of sunshine helps a bit.These geraniums are at a very early stage in their careers-am hoping they will bush out a bit.
Currently searching for Bondaweb in France and drawing a blank so far.I thought i had some in my boxes in the studio, but must have used it.6 months here and six months in the UK is a difficult balance in terms of memory.Seems when I'm in France ,what i need is in the UK and vice versa.

back in France

2011-05-02T11:52:00.000+01:00

Can't believe it's so long since i had time to blog,but now we are back in France there will be time to think and work creatively again.Have already made some monoprints,after a very inspiring course at Glos print co-op before driving down here.Cat is settled in and did the journey like a pro.Have also started work on more lace/felt combinations-taster below.

Still adding to this one and will probably kill it,but enjoying all the processes.It's a bit like making soup,sometimes the final ingredient ruins it.

I.m trying out combinations of heavy and light,creating layers and frills and generally trying to avoid finishing my final Snow Queen piece for the exhibition in Denmark.

lace felt and other combinations

2011-03-19T11:58:00.001Z

Have been experimenting with different methods of adding white to white and texture on texture-also printing on different surfaces.Felt isn't easy to print on with a very fine screen and this week,more seems to have gone wrong than right-suppose that has always been my way to learn!Also,it is very difficult to take a decent photo of white on white,especially when daylight isn't good.Rol on summer!

Maybe i should try on a coloured background instead of being stubborn and wanting all white!

At last some progress with work

2011-03-02T14:49:00.000Z

This piece of felt has been very slow coming together,in part because other life has taken over and in part because the studio is cold It was inspired by the photos I took of the river cruise from Bobbin Head after our daughters'wedding on a ferry .The folds of the rocks fascinated me and the strange angles of the folds.Some of the felted fabric is digitally printed,some naturally dyed using leaves I collected from the area and some dyed with the old favourite ,rust.I am about to print with thermofax screens on areas of it and I think I will be making more of the same when time allows.Have also finished the stitched cloth below and am beginning to work on more felt lace for an exhibition connected with FELT IN FOCUS .I'll also be teaching a course in France based on the lace techniques which I developed last summer,so things are pretty busy,in my head

This was an old piece of linen from the end of a loom-must be a technical name for it!

At last some work to show!

2011-03-02T14:28:00.001Z

Somw work to show at last!

2011-03-02T14:26:00.001Z

More experiments

2011-02-08T11:35:00.000Z

Terrible picture! I'm using the fabric I dyed in Aus in samples which I hope will eventually give me a piece based on what I saw on the Hawkesbury river.The silk is Habotai and has been felted onto merino wool to give this texture I want to make something which will be a memory for me,so this silk is a wedding dress leftover.The light was very bad yesterday when i took the photo but the colours are all from plants in the park near my daughters flat-names yet to be identified.I love this method of felting.

Another sample of felt ,layered and cut into,which came from all the aboriginal art i was absorbing ,both in Melbourne and Sydney.There are 3 layers and i need to consider the colours,but this seemed a good way to start,because the white helps me to see what i am doing better than a colour closer the underlying layers.Now,i need to do some natural dyeing to get the colours i need I also need a computer which will stop typing my words in strange places i didn't intend them to go!

Finally over the jet lag

2011-01-26T15:25:00.000Z

It has taken a long time to get over the jet lag from our trip to australia-maybe because we are getting older?!Finally,my studio is warm enough to sit in,so i'm doing paperwork based on my trip journals,in preparation for some new felt techniques i've been mulling over in idle moments.Meanwhile,some pictures which inspired from the wedding cruise on the Hawkesbury river.The rock erosion and the colours are fabulous.

one of my best achievements so far!

2011-01-13T06:56:00.000Z

Both the beautiful daughter,the fascinator and the dress.A very happy event.

more cloth and dye

2010-12-31T01:46:00.000Z

The cloth is growing slowly,partially because it,s almost too hot to stitch and partially because i'm still looking for a charity shop to plunder for used fabrics-seem to be in short supply in Sydney.In the meantime,i'm dyeing using the tried and tested India Flint method of bundling,see above.The samples were both created using local leaves and rust liquid from rusty nails found in my future son in laws ancestral garage.The purple came from a bush in the park which no one can identify which isn't very useful and i intend to add felt to the fabric when the heat calms down a bit.Then the whole can be added to my cloth when i return.Off to celebrate the end of the first decade now!

sketchbook pages and the start of a new cloth.

2010-12-24T01:47:00.000Z

This is the Botanic gardens page from my Sydney journal,which is,surprisingly,now full.I made the book before leaving France and have had to make another from the carrier bags I have collected so far in my shopping trips.

I have already started to fill the pages and the unexpected pockets which can be semi-secret-really appeals to me!

This is the back-old French cloth and running stitch.

This is the front,with two pieces of the wedding dress stitched in and ready to dye much later.Hopefully the whole thing will tell a story which we can read much later and enjoy.More pieces have already been added,more after Christmas.

the summer solstice

2010-12-21T10:03:00.000Z

What can I say? The longest day is approaching,I am stitching a little on my white cloth whilst making a wedding dress.Missing the deepest snow for a century but loving the heat here,though not sure city life is for me-much prefer this beach life.Sketching every day and already filled one handmade book-no responsibilities and lots of time to read my new Kindle.Some work images later.

R &R on the big red island(quote iIndia Flint )

2010-12-10T05:46:00.000Z

May be boring for those who live with palms on a day to day basis,but very inspiring for us cold climate dwellers.This one in the Botanic Gardens,Sydney.

This one is asking to be a piece of felt, but I couldn't bring fibre through quarantine at the airport,so it has to wait till i go on a trip to Annangrove ,to a farm where i can indulge myself with home grown Merino,at half the UK price-very excited about that.Also looking forward to checking out the local flora for dyeing

old chemise

2010-11-22T16:53:00.000Z

This is an old chemise I bought at a flea market in France last year and it has been sitting waiting to be stitched for a while now It has so much history on it,I'm almost afraid to put needle and thread to cloth for fear of interrupting the garment's peace.Once,it belonged to A..B then A.S.Did she get married I wonder?

Sorry about the bad photos,the light is poor today.

The butterfly effect

2010-11-17T16:27:00.000Z

the butterfly effect is a project which aims to create a butterfly for every child who died in the Holocaust.I've just made one in felt-not quite finished but will put a picture up tomorrow hopefully.Follow this link to find out more

.http://twodressesstudio.blogspot.com/2010/08/butterfly-effect-open-is-calling-you.html

Long link, but worth a look.

printing at Llantrisant

2010-11-06T11:11:00.000Z

Had another lovely weekend teaching at Llantrisant with a felt group, who all worked really hard and did a wide variety of printing with Thermofax screens,using natural dye extracts.It's always a joy to see other people using the same basic methods,yet coming up with such different results.

Loved these little chickens.

I love this but I can't turn it round the right way-sorry!

This lovely sample is Mandy's,who organised the weekend in the lovely Model House craft centre,where the facilities were excellent.I'm sure she will do wonderful things with all her printing when time allows.

Pat's trees with woad and rust worked well and will go on to be developed into a final piece for her exhibition later in the year.

I love the 'drawn' feel of Claire's images on muslin.All together a very happy weekend and thank you Pat for the hospitality.

Time flies

2010-10-28T11:03:00.000+01:00

Horrified to see how long it is since I blogged,and where on earth has the time gone?Not much studio work going on at present and both computers playing up badly,but here are some pictures of the printing on felt workshop-some lovely work in lovely surroundings.

A lovely ,fine print with a great feeling of calm to it.

This shows the detail possible with the method.

Some of the wall paintings and a feel of how much work was done.

Words of a very small size are possible and are a favourite of mine.

This piece really shows the beauty of the natural dyes.Finally,my favourite painting in the hall.

This is the Sunday school and some of the well behaved girls are still alive and in a care home in the village.

Back from the forest.

2010-10-18T14:29:00.000+01:00

Back today from a lovely weekend in the new Forest,teaching Thermofax printing to an IFA group.They all did some wonderful work-pictures later when Sarah sends them,asthis idiot forgot the camera.The village hall wAs wonderful-WOOD GREEN-worth a check on Google.

For the group,the e mail for my silk supplier is angkoushk@netvigator.com- web site

www.angelfire.com/biz2/angussilkshongkong.

This one is for Helen

2010-10-06T10:01:00.000+01:00

Need I say more??

found,stitched and dyed

2010-10-05T12:14:00.000+01:00

I'm taking part in the stitching circle project organised by India Flint,with some of my friends.Re-cycling is something I've always been interested in and I'm particularly fascinated by Japanese Boro textiles,so when I saw the idea posted on India's blog ,I couldn't resist.My cloth came from a French Brocante and has some beautiful darns in it,as well as a perfect 'sides to middle'join in what must have been a sheet which just couldn't be thrown out.My idea is to add to the history of the cloth by stitching fabric given to me by friends and found by me on my travels,so that I create my own history.This is it so far.

It will all be dyed at the very end of the project when groups of the sewing circle meet together,hopefully.I keep thinking about the discomfort of whoever had to sleep on the darned area!And,who would bother to darn an easy care sheet these days?What have we lost?
Finally,why are the Morning Glories flowering so profusely ,now that the weather is colder?

WINTER IS COMING!

2010-09-27T20:05:00.000+01:00

The temperature has really dropped over the last couple of days,so much so that everyone wanted to be inside in the cafes when we went to the market on Sunday-a bit of a change from basking in the glorious sunshine.I will need to do my last Japanese indigo dyeing tomorrow,before the colder weather realy sets in.At present ,the plants are lovely and bushy and this will be the second picking-maybe stronger blues? More of that later.Meanwhile

Rusty metal wrapped in cling film,sitting in the sun-will we be able to do any more rusting outside or will it have to be the wood burner again?

One I did earlier.A subtle combination of grey/rust which comes from Russian Earl Grey Tea.I love the fact that the rust dyeing never works out the same way twice,very unpredictable.Also, depends on the base fabric of course.

Online course work

2010-09-18T19:41:00.000+01:00

The front cover of Daphnes book-not finished yet, but looking good.

One of the pages-spot the ammaretti wrappers!This will be a lovely book when it is finished .

Finally, a pictture of a Klimt inspired piece of work using naturally dyed fibre and pre-felt,in lovely subtle colours.Just about to be felted down finally,so covered in plastic.That was a good week!

More images from the course.

2010-09-14T17:15:00.000+01:00

Work printed and waiting to be cut as a lace felt.

A Klimt hanging being constructed, using pre felt and scrim.

Some of the natural dyes we used.The Japanese indigo worked beautifully on silk and is growing again for the next session.More of all this later-keep watching!

back in the studio again.

2010-09-12T15:10:00.000+01:00

Having finished a week teaching natural dyeing and feltmaking based on inspiration from Klimt, I'm now back to work on paper for a wedding book/wedding dress try-outs and other exciting things.Lovely to be preparing for my daughters big day in Australia and being able to be involved.Meanwhile,some pictures of the work we did in the studio last week.The first two are paper collage loosley based on Klimt.The third image is felt and fabric combined-a slow cloth beginning.More images when i have downloaded them from my other camera.

Second class video

2010-08-22T15:59:00.000+01:00

I've just posted the second in the series of three videos on the Online class blog.

There will be three altogether and checklists to help you create your book-cost for all of this will be £25.00 and you can use the PayPal button in a previous post to pay for the course.I will be adding more classes to the blog in the future,some feltmaking,some more mixed media,so keep checking!

It has been almost too hot to think today and i have been experimenting with some collograph prints, in bursts,because even the cat is finding it too hot.Not complaining tho!

supplies list for online class-come and join us!

2010-08-15T12:33:00.000+01:00

These are the supplies which will be needed for the ONLINE CLASS -a very small list isn't it?A sensible blog watcher pointed out to me that it could take a while to gather these together and take up the precious time available,so here it is,and thanks for seeing something I didn't.Just because I have masses of fabric scraps lying around, doesn't mean that the rest of the world does!

scrim or muslin or any open weave natural fabric
wallpaper paste
an old brush for the above
a jar with a lid to put the paste in
non-stick paper(baking parchment in the UK)
pressed flowers,ephemera,scraps of fabric
most important,a theme for your book.

Finally,the online class is ready to go.

2010-08-13T19:50:00.002+01:00

messing about

2010-08-09T20:56:00.000+01:00

Had a productive day in the studio,doing sketchbook work,making Nuno felt and tripping in and out of the kitchen watching my apple chutney bubbling on the stove.Weather is good still but not too hot,so condusive to work.I'm working in a sketchbook for the Brooklyn Museum of Art's sketchbook project and my subject is Storybook, so I'm working out my ideas for my Snow queen pieces for an exhibition in Odense next year via this work-everything overlaps, which is very satisfying.Online courses will be coming very soon,meanwhile,look what we found in the garage-small and perfectly formed, complete with inmate too

An inspiring day off

2010-08-04T20:28:00.000+01:00

Went to Cadouin today to see the cloisters of the Abbey and came home inspired.The carvings were wonderful and inspired me to do a lot of drawing which I will use in my work about the Snow Queen for the exhibition connected with Felt in Focus next year.Arches and cut out shapes all reminiscent of lace, but in stone,beautifully eroded and ancient.The weather is not as hot at present, but I'm going to dye with my Japanese Indigo tomorrow,come what may.Want to get on with dyeing with my three'primaries' weld,woad/indigo and cortinarius semisanguinius(courtesy of a finnish lady)

Meanwhile,someone,who shall remain nameless,was relaxing in her favourite spot

More studio work.

2010-07-31T20:45:00.000+01:00

It,s been hot today so only worked in bursts,but I've cold mordanted some fibre-i say cold but the temp of the water has been far from cold because of the heat outside.Also dyed some fibre with a bucket of fermenting Buckthorn bark-also outside, then modified it with wood ash to get a lovely pink.Finished a little book made fro banana paper i made earlier and printed a series of bird cards-maybe for Christmas because i shall be in Aus for that and not able to do anything much in the way of printing etc.All in all,a productive day!

Peter,Paul and somebody else!

The banana book cover,with cow parsley and more handmade paper.This book is very small but was a pleasure to make.

what is happening in the studio?

2010-07-30T21:44:00.000+01:00

Pages from the fabric book which,hopefully, will be part of my online class.That is ,if I ever manage to upload the videos.Obviously, lots of people have difficulty putting videos on their blogs, judging from the comments in Bloggers forum,but i have been trying for over a week and getting more and more frustrated.Determined to conquer it.more pictures of some work tomorrow.

back in the studio again.

2010-07-17T16:55:00.000+01:00

After a week of teaching I'm back to my own work again and have been making a video for my online classes,to go with my fabric book, which is already well under way.Have had trouble with uploading the video from the camera because we didn't have the right software, but after much frustration,have managed to fix it myself without recourse to a computer specialist-hooray.
The picture shows a page from the book students will make during the online class MIXED MEDIA FABRIC BOOKS.More about the cost of the course etc later.
Our weather continies warm, but not stifling-easier to think and work.

Back in the studio

2010-07-17T16:40:00.001+01:00

2010-07-17T12:03:00.001+01:00

2010-07-17T12:00:00.001+01:00

Nearly finished!

2010-07-11T20:07:00.000+01:00

Not the best photo because I have to have the work hanging up out of the way during the Sketchbooks course this week, but it does show how near the finishing line I am.One more 'sleeve 'to go.Below are some images of the bottom edges of the jacket,with felt lace in closeup.Also closeup of unfinished ends of cotton-bit of boring work to do there because my Victorian sewing machine doesn't do reverse.It has been extremely hot today,even in the studio with 2 fans, and we have been making cotton lace paper outside-so humid even the thinnest paper is drying slowly.It has been too hot to stitch on my slow cloth because my hands are so sticky ,the needle slides off them.Still ,better than cold and rain.

More in the kimono saga

2010-06-23T20:34:00.000+01:00

These are the two fronts of my piece de resistance so far and i am now well into the back, which of course is the same size as two fronts, so is taking more time & thought.It really is an interesting challenge,getting the balance right,added to the fact that I think my devore liquid may be going off in the heat,which has finally come back to our corner of France.
Alonside this work, i am thinking about a piece i have to make for Felt in Focus in Denmark next year, based on Fairy tales Some of the techniques used in the lace will carry over to the Danish piece,which is going to be based on Hans Christian Andersen's Snow Queen, mainly because the story terrified me as a child,so I wanted to face my demons!

Finally,i am harvesting some glorious weld,which is defiantly growing at the front of my flower bed,where i hastily planted it last year before we left here for the uk,thinking it would never survive.How wrong was I?

More in the kimono saga

2010-06-23T20:19:00.001+01:00

Lace kimono

2010-06-18T09:07:00.000+01:00

This is the first side ,lying on the bench before i stitched it together.I now have two sides all but completed.Still have to print the second side and dampen it to pull it into the shape i want,then i have to think about the back,which in many ways isn't quite so important.Of course, there is the thought that because the front is relatively transparent,the back will be seen through some parts if it is to be hung in an exhibition.Have spent some nights whilst sitting sleepless because of the cat coming and going ,thinking about this and haven't yet come up with a conclusio-suck it and see??Cat now has a cat flap,so hopefully better sleep and less thinking time!

slow cloth progress

2010-06-15T01:21:00.000+01:00

Two new patches one waiting to be attached,one already in place.It's almost addictive,putting the latest little piece in place-certainly won't want to part with this one,The next patch is already to go on,but where?This one is a thcermofax printed definition of Fabric which seems appropriate,but a bit solid in terms of the weight of the fabric,so it needs very careful placement.I have also two printed rust fabric samples waiting,both printed with gum tragacanth and Lac natural dye extract.A digger arrives tomorrow as part of the new build plan so I shall be hiding in my studio away from the noise and mess-plenty of time to do lots of work on the lace kimono-watch this space!

Best woad vat ever

2010-06-07T19:00:00.000+01:00

This week the weather has been hot and relatively dry-perfect for woad dyeing, so I set to and made a vat.In the middle of creating the stock solution a friend came around, we sat down for coffee and I forgot what I was doing,so the woad sat there all wrapped up in the heat.When I went back to it,this is what I found.

The crust was fantastic and the colour underneath ,bright yellow.This was done using woad from Bleu de Lectoure which is near-ish to us and so particularly special, because S W France was a big woad growing area, so it seems fitting to use their extract.This is the bucket before I started to dye-pity you can't smell it!Finally, the first piece to go into the vat. More pictures later,when the blue fabric joins the slow cloth.

Best woad vat ever

2010-06-07T18:45:00.001+01:00

Thinking of the lace kimono

2010-05-28T15:37:00.000+01:00

These are my lace mood boards which I,m hoping will inspire me to great things.The picture on the right shows the devored sample which I'm certain I'll use in combination with a felt version for part of the fronts.It has been screened based on a piece of lace which I drew a while ago,from my collection of old French lace & I think that the scale of the design will need to be changed for the felt version-that is still to come,but will certainly make use of my new sharp scissors!

Staring at thes boards is a legitimate displacement activity but can only be justified for so long.The trial fabric kimono is going to be dip dyed over the weekend,weather permitting.More of that later.

More Slow cloth

2010-05-23T19:59:00.000+01:00

More slow cloth!It is growing by the day and I'm experimenting with combinations of dye extracts/mordants and Gum Tragacanth for printing on the white areas.So far Quebracho red and iron liquid have given a striking black, but the print is washing out when I rinse the samples out-probably not waiting long enough for it to set before washing-patience Lyn!
The weather has been scorching and we went to a vide grenier to scout out old French books to alter,with great success.My latest altered book is now finished and my Kimono constructed from damask is progressing, ready for me to create a felt/devore lace version-getting excited about the thought of this.

2010-05-22T10:34:00.001+01:00

The beginning of a new slow cloth

2010-05-19T14:41:00.000+01:00

The base is laminated felt and all the surface fabrics are re cycled.I have two other pieces, one of which i am vacillating about where to cut it,so that it makes a good addition to this piece,then the stitching can begin.The felting is the physical part and the stitch is the lovely slow part,for me.Taking these photographs has helped me see which parts are too dominant and where stitch is needed. The area on the left of the second picture is a case in point.It's a nice feeling giving new life to things from the charity shop.Next stage is to add some rusted fabric to the cloth.Finally,a busy wasp has adopted my studio doorway and has made a beautiful nest.

Who says cats aren't adaptable?

2010-05-14T15:02:00.000+01:00

Myrtle on her long journey,concentrating hard on being a star.

Help!This is a big new world and the sun seems to be shining.

Just need a little rest here on that veranda she kept telling me about.Back later with more latered books-some work has been going on in the studio, honestly!

Another altered book.

2010-05-12T13:55:00.000+01:00

This is a fabric book,made from dyed and printed scrim, with layers of book pages and collage trapped within the fabric pages.I have used a Janet and John reader for the inspiration and text etc-anyone who is the same age as me will have learned to read using these primers.The drawings are crude but appealing and very nostalgic for me ,certainly.
The bottom picture shows the stitched spine,which I stitched with my lovely ancient hand machine-it didn't make a fuss about the thickness, as my new electric would have.

Finally,this one is for Daphne! (The meadow behind the house)

The long treck

2010-05-08T11:51:00.000+01:00

Unknown to this poor little soul, she is about to go on the trip of her lifetime-a nine hour journey across the channel and down through France.Think she might suspect something is going on,from the trips down the garden to load up the car! Packing catnip chocolates in the hope that this will put her into a pleasantly dopey mood and she will sleep some of the way,but it could be a nightmare for all of us, because the furthest she has ever been is a 20 min trip to the cattery.Surely anything would be better than 6 months in a kennel?After the long haul,I'm looking forward to several lovely long creative months in the sun,though I believe they had snow in Carcasson a couple of days ago!What next?

The long treck

2010-05-08T10:26:00.001+01:00

another fascinator

2010-04-29T17:13:00.000+01:00

This time, the elements are all made by me, so I feel much better about it altogether-assembling what was virtually a kit for a hat wasn't really my kind of thing.The felt flower for this one is a large version of the corsages I made for the Country Living Fair teaching session and the curls and twists are felt also.Need to buy a polystyrene head to pin into-my wooden block is all very well for making felt hats ,but hopeless to use for this method of hatmaking.I think I could get into this!

Back again after a long gap!

2010-04-19T15:07:00.000+01:00

Spent Saturday at New Brewery Arts in Cirencester learning how to make a Fascinator.I was a little disappointed in that we were given a kit to assemble, rather than learning from raw materials and from scratch, but I picked up some useful tips on the way to attach everything and what not to do.Sufficient for me to come home and begin to work out how to make my own versions in felt and silk-watch this space.

The hat exhibition at Brewery arts is excellent and very inspiring.

Thermofax screenprinting class at Art Van Go

2010-03-31T16:27:00.000+01:00

Just had a lovely session printing with a group of twelve students in the Art Van Go studio at Knebworth.I never fail to be delighted by the work groups produce and this was a particularly good session with some gorgeous results, though these pictures don't do the work justice-think I must have been tired!!

Love the effect of the first picture, which is really white on cream calico, but looks darker here.The next picture is also amazing,with such a 3 D feel to it that it makes you want to touch the surface.

Finally,these lovely prints of knitted lace delighted me,particularly in view of my recent obssession with lace of all kinds.The thermofax creates such wonderfully detailed screens.

Deadlines met at last

2010-03-20T15:32:00.000Z

I've finally been able to tick off my long list of things to do.The CLIMATE CHANGE work for the IFA has gone to Italy,the international collage collection to N.Z ,a piece to Finland and the submission for the Lace Competition in Sydney.Sigh of relief, but what next?Sorting out my work and list for the rust and woad exhibition next week.The printed vessel above will be one piece,along with more in a similar vein.Life seems a bit busy at present!

exhibition at the Washington gallery

2010-03-13T11:08:00.000Z

We have been working hard towards this exhibition, which will be the second showing of work dyed with rust and woad-come and see it if you are near!I love the colour combination and woad is especially important to me, because my house in France is in the old woad growing region.I grow my own, with varying success and will be creating a dye garden this summer, because I can spend a longer period in France this year.All very exciting!
Then, when I teach my eco friendly dyeing, the plants will be on the doorstep, literally.

Loads of lace

2010-03-10T14:51:00.000Z

Finally conquered the virus and manging to do more work on my lace experiments-see design sheet above.It's always a good thing to have a new technique to battle with ,but in the cold studio, things don't always go as smoothly as they might.It has been a challenge finding the right raw materials-very fine Merino didn't work, but 100s has given me what I want,so now I can write up the techniques and add it to my teaching list.

winter virus

2010-03-02T15:54:00.000Z

darn on my French fabric, bough from a Brocante

I'm currently laid low with a hideous virus which means I haven't much energy, let alone creative energy.Managed to do a couple of paper collages today and keep up my daily drawing, but apart from that ,not doing much at all,including eating.Meanwhile,look at this wonderful cloth.

Back to rainy U.K

2010-02-17T11:08:00.000Z

I've been experimenting with felt lace techniques whilst in France.Very unusually,the weather has been around freezing some of the time and we even had snow, but the studio was cosy,so had time to do quite a lot of work.When I have sorted the technique to my satisfaction,I'll teach it to others, but currently I'm enjoying trying out different methods.

Also making large flowers (this one balanced on the top of a felt/silk vessel) as I'm teaching a workshop at the Country Living Spring Fiar on March 26th.Don't usually do flowers etc but really enjoyed this ,so maybe I'll go into production!!

Back to rainy U.K

2010-02-17T10:49:00.001Z

off to work over the channel again

2010-01-27T18:09:00.003Z

Off to work in my lovely peaceful studio in France,but without the usual sunshine-expecting snow there too tomorrow!Can't get away from it!! Should be a good chance to prepare for our exhibition at the Washington gallery-more of that later.

exciting card swop

2010-01-21T12:37:00.000Z

I've taken part in a card swop via Lawendula's blogspot (type Woven Letters into Google) and have just opened my parcel this morning, from my partner in the swop.These lovely little drawings are by a 20s/30s Southern Belle and tell a complicated story ,which I'm looking forward to including in an altered book.This will be something quite different for me and just the challenge needed for the new year,It's good to be pushed into a situation which is different -hope my parcel has ythe same effect on my opposite number!The second image shows more of the swap,all equally as inspiring.It's like peering into someone elses life!

Card swop

2010-01-21T11:59:00.001Z

climate change exhibits.

2010-01-17T11:09:00.000Z

These are the finished pieces for the International Feltmakers exhibition, which starts its progress through Europe at the textile museum in Prato,Italy.My pieces are based on Flood Famine and Freeze. In view of recent weather and the disaster in Haiti, I could have used all kinds of other images for the digital part of the felt, but as it was,I used the flood in Gloucestershire, which filled our ground floor up to work top level.The freeze element came from research into the Little Ice Age and there are ,sadly ,always imges of famine from somewhere in the world.All this leads up to the horrible cliche that 'nothing changes'.

The weather

2010-01-06T17:47:00.000Z

This is my garden-too cold to go in the studio today, but the village is very peaceful.No shops open,no bread,no post! Doing lots of work on the computer ,thinking and a bit of my daily drawing, with stitching tonight in front of the TV.

Finally finished a lot of work!! And got the computer back!

2009-12-31T16:15:00.000Z

This is a blue version of the white piece I posted earlier-much bigger and with more varied felting techniques used.It has mostly been naturally dyed and uses applied fabric in the felting process-some of the scarves are from my mother who died recently as a sort of memorial.I've also used fabric picked up on my travels so it makes a sort of journal for me.I can still add to it, but I'm trying to stick to the re cycling idea,using old samples and old fabric-upcycling really, as hope it ends up improving the lot of the fabric.

This felt vessel has been waiting to be finished for quite a while.It has layers of rust dyed fabric,woad dyed silk,digital print and surface print using thermofax screens and natural dyes.These are my favourite combinations.Inside is rust dyed fabric too, and below is a detail.Hand stiteched again,with paper string.
Happy New Year ,anyone who is listening.

A Christmas Carol

2009-12-20T12:50:00.000Z

I've had a great deal of difficulty this week with computers in general-the large PC won't let us in and has been taken off by our expert to be sorted.Hopefully I won't have lost all my work,including a half written article which I neede to finish before Christmas.Yes,I know you are supposed to back up and I'm going out to buy a portable hard drive asap.Doing this post on my husbands lap top which I hate,but beggars can't be choosers!Also using a brand new camera because the old small one went bananas and would have cost as much to repair as a new one-could do a grumpy old woman rant here, but won't.

This altered book is my festive effort-based on a copy of Charles Dickens classic,with pop-ups and a white theme.My studio is cold at present so I am cheating and working in the indoor office.Having difficulty with things drying in the real studioand fingers going numb!

2009-12-20T12:24:00.001Z

A Christmas Carol

2009-12-20T12:17:00.001Z

2009-12-12T14:01:00.001Z