Saturday 19 November 2011

Cross Stitch

This week Liz Hewitt sent a link to this - thought-provoking work, have a browse!
When we were at her home for our last BB meeting she showed us a piece from her textile collection....
Romanian dress top
It was made in 1967 and is worked as fine cross stitch on linen. 

Wednesday 16 November 2011

Whats in a name?

One of the best things about our meetings is that as we take it in turns to 'host' we often get to glimpse bits and pieces of each other's textile collections!

Liz brought out this wonderful late Victorian quilt 
- made in about 1890ish in silks, taffetas, silk ribbons, silk and cotton velvets 
and backed with papers written on in copper-plate script which may be letters. 







Liz can't find a maker's name and was saying how
 it made her think about how often we do 
name our work and why... or why not...

It is a beautifully preserved vibrant quilt - one to dream over.

Saturday 12 November 2011

Jan's commission

Hi - I have just delivered an interesting commission to a care home in Bristol. It is a funeral pall, to be kept at the home, and used when the family come to visit the person who has just died. I hadn't realised (never even thought about it I suppose) but when someone dies in a care home, the body isn't put into a coffin but into a bodybag and is wheeled out, like that, on a trolley. I was impressed that the care home want the visit for family members to be a positive one, so commissioned me to create a pall that would be used to cover the bodybag and trolley. Hope this isn't too much information!














We discussed their requirements (like you do!) - and I produced sketches and an almost-fullsize paper mockup with alternative colourways for staff to consider.
They wanted a fresh design, which was great to hear, but posed quite a challenge when they subsequently chose a rich grass-green velvet as the background fabric. It made sense though, for something that is planned to be used a number of times over the years.


The flowers in this mockup (yellows, orange and browns) were considered by the client to be too strong   >>>





Thursday 10 November 2011

Brunel Broderers Birthday Candles!

For our 21st Birthday there were many more than 21 candles at the Silk Mills in Frome!!!

Thanks to all who contributed by bringing a candle or
making one during the Curiouser exhibition
We hope to show Curiouser again at a Bristol venue
next year - will keep you posted!

Wednesday 9 November 2011

Sunday fun




Here are a few images on our workshop day we had at Liz Hewitt's house - what fun we had.

Monday 7 November 2011

A good meeting yesterday with a workshop beginning to think about using woollen fabrics from the tailors shop. We don't do enough of this getting together to try out ideas. Jan's talking about 'upcycled' clothes and bound buttonholes got me thinking about the days when I made altered and mended clothes and the skills used in plain sewing. Some of the fabric from the tailors shop had been attacked by moths. 'Eureka' lets mend it!
So here is my theme to worked on from time to time alongside my other work........patching..........darning ...........mending. Thanks Jan!

Thursday 3 November 2011

Crisp Packet Knitting!!

Look what Alison found!!!!!
Inspired by one of our exhibitions a poem was created...
Knitting Crisp Packets in a Shed - original poem by Sue Chadd - from Pulsar Poetry event, April 2010