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I have come to the end of the FDA at Bradford College and am about to embark on the course to top it up to a BA in Textiles Practice. Reflecting on what I have learned and can take forward I looked through all my sketchbooks from the last 4 years. He
This New artwork by @esdevlin with @refugees Article in @guardian https://www.theguardian.com/stage/article/2024/sep/09/artist-es-devlin-exhibition-refugee-portraits-congregation-london-ekow-eshun #saferoutesforefugees
Take one material .... To fold To cut Channeling @theartofthefold #triangularbook #handmadebookbinding #summerproject @bradfordtextiles #takeonematerial #richardserraverblist #newspaperart
Back to basics with a simple quilt-as-you-go log cabin, pieced straight on to batting and a crumb pieced backing. Simple stuff for when creativity is at a low ebb but I need to stitch something. #logcabin #scrappyquilt #crumbpiecing #imintheguild #q
Take one material .... To layer To stitch To cut Channeling @asmalldesign #layeredcloth #batextilespractice #summerproject @bradfordtextiles #takeonematerial #richardserraverblist #newspaperart
Take one material .... To layer To excavate #batextilespractice #summerproject @bradfordtextiles #takeonematerial #richardserraverblist #newspaperart #newspaperart
A visit yesterday to @talbotricegallery in Edinburgh to the exhibition of the amazing work of El Anatsui. Monumental 'cloths' constructed from metal or wood. I asked whether he supervised the installation, thinking about the folds int he fabric. I w
Thanks to @larkandbower for a great afternoon workshop, lots of ideas for yarn wrapping.
Recovered from Festival of Quilts, which was brilliant but exhausting. So beginning to feel creative again and get back to the Summer Project Take one material .... To layer #batextilespractice #summerproject @bradfordtextiles #takeonematerial #richa
Early morning photo of my booth before the crowds at Festival of Quilts. I have had great conversations today with so many people, it has been a privilege to exhibit here. A special shout out to @sculptureofstitch, thank you for such encouragement,
Free motion

Free motion

Mary Whitehouse
Embroidery

Free motion machine embroidery can be quite scary. You have to take control of the way the fabric passes under the needle, rather than letting the machine push it through at a nice steady pace that is determined by the stitch length you have selected.

However over the last 6 months I have been learning to let go, thanks to classes at the York School of Sewing. On the first Tuesday of the month we gather to push our boundaries a little further.

To begin with it was enough to put the fabric in the hoop and scribble. Gradually I gained a little control and added the first page to my stitch book, annotating the page so that I will be able to (maybe) repeat the same effect again later.

We went on trying new stitches and combinations of threads, including putting thick threads in the bobbin and sewing upside down!

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Today we used soluble fleece as the base for our stitching.

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  • first stitching a grid onto which our design would be added

  • adding some small scraps of fabric gave a starting point for a plan. When stitching on the grid it’s important to make sure the stitches join up with the grid so that the fabric has some structural integrity when the base is dissolved away.

  • finally the piece is soaked in warm water to leave a lacy network of fibres.

    (I try not to think about the soluble plastic I have just washed away into the sewers. Maybe with the advent of starch-based mailing envelopes we could stitch into that and then let it compost away? )

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I am not sure what I will do with this piece of ‘fabric’ but it was fun to make and maybe in the future I will find use for such a piece in a Journal Quilt.

Socks

Socks
Signs of Spring - Helmsley to Rievaulx (and back)

Signs of Spring - Helmsley to Rievaulx (and back)