Amazing Arts & Crafts Shoulder Cape

This is such an unusual late 19th century shoulder cape, which I havent had very long.Never having seen anything like it, in all my textile collecting years,I took it to an expert who agreed with me that it is most likely an Arts & Crafts movement piece on account of the gothic style inscription in Latin which reads "nothing is impossible for man"...it may have origins in the "Glasgow School", so I am going to send images to someone who is an expert in that region.

The fabric is silk satin...very fragmented now and faded from what may have been pink, to a dull gold, and the cape is heavily padded. The embroidery is all machine applied, and the garment is quite stiff and heavy.

It is shown on my Victorian "Blouse Stand" which still has the original damask covering...age stained, but is missing the wooden handle from the top.

It is such an unusual garment, and the suspicions so far, are that it was made for a special event...but of course it is all guess work.

Lila, my disgraceful studio doll

I guess it's the time to be busy, but I seem to have been much more so lately. I've been selling vintage dresses on ebay for Christmas fundraising,planning my talk and presentation for Embroiderers Guild next week,going to exhibitions, talks and starting to think about Christmas....and planning some new work too.
I havn't been in my studio so much through all this, but when I was there this week, we had a journalist from the local newspaper visiting, talking to us and taking photographs, down at Cuckoo farm Studios. It was an interesting morning, and I took some photographs of an interesting Victorian Short Cape that I have.....and also of Lila...my discraceful doll who sits in the sketchbook corner.

This is Lila...a 1930s Boudoir doll who has seen better days and who, inspite of all attempts to clean her up refuses to "come clean".

New Project....a new challenge

I've decided to add some 3D pieces to the "Exquisite Poverty: Song of the Shirt" work, as I may be exhibiting it further away from home next year and am quite excited about the prospect of challenging myself to make things I havn't attempted before, but which I think will add another dimension to it.
I'm not going to say too much at this early stage, but the first piece I shall be working on is a "chandelier" which will combine left over fragments from the shirting quilt, with Victorian lace.
I have had the gilt metal frame of an original 19th century light shade in my shed for about 5 years...only rediscovering it on cleaning out the shed recently...and it was then that I suddenly saw it as a centre for the original roon setting. I am also thinking about a small chest and footstool, but one thing at a time, as the remains of the quilt are so little now.
I have been a bit "stuck" as I had intended to start a whole new work...but have felt that the EP:SOTS work was not quite complete...especially if I am offered a larger venue. If I can produce the three new pieces, I think I shall be happy to start a new journey.
Here are some images of the antique frame as I start to dismantle the remains of the old fabric.

The gilt frame and the inner ring which I have unscrewed to remove the fabric.

The lace hem from a Victorian petticoat, and some scraps of the vintage shirting.

The outer gilt frame...this is a large piece measuring about 18" straight across.

Halfway through taking the fabric off the inner frame....it has been oversewn with such tight, tiny stitches and I wonder if i will be able to do so well.It was also completely wrapped in fine tape which has now rotted away with rust...I will probably have to re-bind this.
I never really plan exactly what I am making as I prefer to work on intuition and let things evolve...it has been the best way in the past, but I think I shall have to plan the layout of the fabric due to its' scarcity now....and I think the writing from the poem should be visible on the inside; lots of things to think about when I go to the studio tomorrow.

Sooty helps to put the garden to bed for winter

I always feel a little melancholy when it is time to re-pot plants and take them into a safer place for winter. Autumn is such a lovely time for colours, but I'm so aware that winter will follow and I love the sunshine.Never mind...today I had Sooty's company as I started to put the garden to bed, and we had a lovely time in the October sun.

Sooty helps to put the garden to bed and sort out the cat-mint.

"Have we got enough cat-nip to get us through the winter? I'd better just check".

"Have I got it right?....what do you think"?

"Yes...I'm content with that....we can rest now".

Enjoying the Autumn Sunshine

While I was busy with the camera taking photographs of vintage clothing and lace for ebay ( yes....it's time to fund my studio work again!),William and Sooty were enjoying the autumn sunshine comming through the window...I guess at 15 they deserve just to laze around all day...and all night now, but Sooty actually attempted to climb a tree this week-it's a long time since I've seen him do that, it must be this Indian Summer we are having for October and long may it last.

I've had the indigo dyed muslin waiting for several years,and then decided that it would make a "heavenly" sky for the cherubs and doves whilst I'm making up my mind just what to do next.
Natural dyes are lovely to use...my favourites are Madder and Indigo, and it is always a surprise to see how they react to different fabrics when they all go into the vat together.

Little details from some new textile pictures...cherubs and pearly doves on indigo dyed muslin.

A New Skirt

I have had this navy pillow ticking for years and decided, on a whim to make a box pleated skirt from it.
I've cut out some of the large floral print from a charity shop skirt purchased in the summer...because I thought it had potential, and sewn them along the hem using free machine embroidery which I continued in another row around the motifs. I also ran a row of red machine stitching inbetween the navy rows, as I just love a touch of red, it seems to bring things to life...just a touch though.
I'm still waiting for some fresh inspiration to come for my textile artwork, so untill it does, I think I shall make up some of the clothes I have had ideas for for so long.
I rarely buy new, as it is so exciting to collect second hand ones and put them together to make something completely unique....it just needs a little patience to collect the right combinations, hence I have a whole pile now waiting.

Peace and Reflection Time

I've taken several weeks off...away from the studio to refresh my mind and creativity and have been so enjoying the peace and quiet of my garden.
Sitting under the trees I have been soothed by the constant whirring of wings as the birds...who seem to be so used to me now, flutter around the bird table and through the leaves of the trees, whilst others rush to and fro amongst the plants at floor level.
I am blessed to have a garden full of wildlife, and over the last few days, whilst we have had this wonderful Indian Summer, it has been a place to reflect and write in my journals....I will take some photographs of the pages,presently....I have made them over the last 6 years out of antique books from my late mother, reading the ancient stories as I have covered and worked on the pages.
Here are some images from my peaceful garden:

Busy weekend at Open Studios

A very busy Open Studios weekend down at Cuckoo Farm....a lovely buzz throughout and lots of interested folk, so rewarding but exhausting too. One day down and one to go.
The little needlebooks and mounted samples seem popular, so I'm glad I decided to make them....the studio is now very full, and I will take some new photographs shortly.
I want to make some more dresses but goodness knows where I will put them, and I might need yet another dress stand,as they look so much better displayed that way; but have I got space for a 4th, and is it really necessary....probably yes, when I think about further exhibitions.

Butterfly Song...from Fragments

Another small work for Open Studios, made of course from fragments;
vintage soft, worn shirting backs an embroidered butterfly scrap from a Victorian hankie, all hand stitched and gently embelished and now mounted in a box frame.

The covers are made from scraps of the vintage quilt,and the pages from an old, damaged victorian wool flannel baby gown.
Little pieces of antique lace hide the sitiches inside the covers, and vintage artifacts decorate the fronts.
It is important for me to keep the integrity of the work in relationship to my stories of the poverty of the 19th century needlewomen, so needle books fit very well.

My Needlebooks

Inspired by my mothers old needle book...which is much older than me! I decided to create some of my own for our Open Studios weekend at Cuckoo Farm in September.
I havn't made small pieces before, but I found the making of these little books really theraputic and hope people will like them too.

Mum kept an old printed scripture poem in her needlecase...it was always there and must have been important to her.

Needle Books and Memories

I still have my late mother's needlecase...I hated sewing as a child, but loved tidying Mum's sewing box...the needle book is such a tangible reminder of both childhood and my mother.

Work in Progress

Long ago when I bought a quantity of antique lace from an auction, lots of the narrow ones were wrapped around old envelopes or pieces of card.
One however, was wrapped round an invitation to an exhibition of "Boys Work" in order to raise funds for deep sea fishermen.
In tiny letter at the bottom I read "needlework by Widows of deep sea fishermen" and once again I thought of how needlework and womans art and craft work was always secondary.
The card is dated 1896, and the matter of the widows needlework fits in so well with my ongoing theme, so I knew that I wanted to make it the centre of a piece of work.
I had been keeping an antique scrimshaw bone brooch for " something special", and it fits in perfectly, along with the little mother of pearl cross which reflects the faith of some of the folk and the work ...which is still going on I believe at The Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen at Gorleston near Yarmouth.
When the piece is finished, I shall send them a picture of it; here is a little of the "work in progress":