Monday, 19 December 2011
Sunday, 18 December 2011
Monday, 5 December 2011
Exhibition
Hi - Liz and I went to a wonderful exhibition at the weekend in London at the Crypt gallery in St Pancras Church. It was by an old friend of ours Catherine Dormor and the exhibition relates to her research for her Ph.D. Check out Catherine's website for images and times here just in case you are in London this week.
I found it a very profound and moving exhibition.
Kay
Friday, 2 December 2011
BB Workshop Day
A couple more images from when we met recently and started some creative experiments for what will be our new exciting exhibition based on the wonderful collection given to us from a small tailoring business... more of this later...
Kay |
buttonholes, feathers, corsages, patches, seams, pockets, fragments |
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....
It was made in 1967 and is worked as fine cross stitch on linen.
When we were at her home for our last BB meeting she showed us a piece from her textile collection....
Romanian dress top |
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!
It is a beautifully preserved vibrant quilt - one to dream over.
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 >>>
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
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
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
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
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Embroiderers Guild
Went to Somerset to give a talk about the Brunel Broderers to the South Somerset Branch of the Embroiderers Guild - what a warm welcome and such interest - we had a great time! The new 'Chair' Janet Hiscox sent this lovely thank you letter:
'Can I say a big thank you both for your talk on Saturday - everybody thoroughly enjoyed it, said it was wonderful to be able to hear easily (no I'm not saying you've got a big mouth) it just makes it so much easier when you have everyones attention which you did.
They really enjoyed the talk but loved musing over the embroideries and of course made absolute pigs of themselves taking practically all the badges.
I am sure we will be using more of your group members for workshops in the future so be ready for us!!
Anyway, once again many thanks and please let me know of any more exhibitions'.
'Can I say a big thank you both for your talk on Saturday - everybody thoroughly enjoyed it, said it was wonderful to be able to hear easily (no I'm not saying you've got a big mouth) it just makes it so much easier when you have everyones attention which you did.
They really enjoyed the talk but loved musing over the embroideries and of course made absolute pigs of themselves taking practically all the badges.
I am sure we will be using more of your group members for workshops in the future so be ready for us!!
Anyway, once again many thanks and please let me know of any more exhibitions'.
Monday, 24 October 2011
New Quote
I found this quote recently and thought I would share it with you.
a rectangle of cloth
to wrap the baby; make the bed,
grace the meal and honour the guest,
to mop up a spill, encircle a waist,
screen the window and admit the breeze.
to proclaim a cause
to tend a corpse .....
Gwen Egg
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
Saturday, 15 October 2011
Following the Threads
Thursday, 6 October 2011
Friday, 30 September 2011
Sunday, 25 September 2011
Jan - The Barbie Story
The Barbie story that most shocked visitors was that of the 8-yr old
girl being injected by her mother with Botox. The mother has since retracted her story, but not before her daughter was apparently taken into care.
So when is it acceptable for little children to be dressed and treated as little adults?
Where do we finally draw the line?
Jan
Saturday, 24 September 2011
Friday, 23 September 2011
Thursday, 22 September 2011
Frome People!
What a welcome surprise! We found 2 sets of slideshow images of the Private View for 'Curiouser?..'. Katy Duke at fromepeople has taken evocative images capturing the feel of the evening and they are on the site - have a browse - here and then again - here - enjoy them, and thank you Katy!
Blue 11
Wednesday, 21 September 2011
reflections
layers, facets, sides, back, front, inside,
many ways of viewing, understanding,
opening to experience...
reflections on Liberty lawn and silk - visitors sharing memories
of a child's dress, fluttering curtains, tablecloths, silk dresses,
a friend arriving in a wonderful old treasured Liberty tie -
the backs of things and what they reveal..
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Thursday, 15 September 2011
Heartfelt Bristol
Jan Connet's Heartfelt Exhibition is currently showing at the Grant Bradley Gallery in Bristol. There is a British Heart Institute talk tonight from 6-7pm, also researchers are in the gallery every Saturday 12 - 4pm to answer visitors questions about heart research. Wine reception 12 - 4pm on Saturday 24th Sept. For more click the link..
Grant Bradley Gallery
Grant Bradley Gallery
Wednesday, 14 September 2011
Extraordinarily Curious!!
At the Silk Mills some very curious things were unpacked last week.
What is this about? How do glass mirrors and a real willow
weeping fit into it? What has Carla been working on?
A detail of one of the sides.. there was, and is so much more to be revealed..
And whose knitting in curious yarn is this waving at you in the wind and attached to a lamp-post just outside the gallery as you have walked through the gates and are looking for the way
in....! Look out for Alison's work signalling your arrival..
And what is this that Jan has brought? How does a wardrobe and The Body Beautiful fit in?
More of Jan in the next post...
What is this about? How do glass mirrors and a real willow
weeping fit into it? What has Carla been working on?
A detail of one of the sides.. there was, and is so much more to be revealed..
And whose knitting in curious yarn is this waving at you in the wind and attached to a lamp-post just outside the gallery as you have walked through the gates and are looking for the way
in....! Look out for Alison's work signalling your arrival..
And what is this that Jan has brought? How does a wardrobe and The Body Beautiful fit in?
More of Jan in the next post...
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