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":

Computer Problems...and Cats Teeth

I have lots to update on the blog, including work I am getting ready for our Open Studios weekend, but my computer is badly ailing and someties won't work at all...tonight...just because it is now too late, and I am too tired to work, it has decided to behave!
I shall have a go tomorrow, but this is really just to let you know that I havn't deserted.
I had planed to get a new one, but Sooty...one of my 15 year old cats, had to have nearly all his teeth removed last week....and the bill was the price of a new laptop!
Since this, he has taken to sleeping on the back of the sofa, and tonight he fell off! fortunately I had suspected this would happen and had put cushions on the floor...here he is with some of my lace

I had a gift recently of some beautiful old threads on wooden reels...apparantly they originated from a lady who spent her life in Africa and had to make all her own clothes...to me this is very poignant as it draws a parallel with that part of my own life spent there, when I had to make everything for us including baby clothes from tiny remnants,childrens clothes made from the legs of their fathers jeans,crochet cushions and rugs and patchwork quilts....all made out of necessity but which...unbeknown to me at the time, were setting the seeds for when I would use my past as a means of communication with my textile artwork.

The Studio sorted out at last!

A lot of sorting out and re-arranging has had to be done in the studio in order to fit in all the new work from the exhibition..especially the antique furniture,some of whch I have had to tuck in under the tables, otherwise I would have had no room to work...here are a few new images of the space....although I have had to keep all the wall hangings rolled up as there just isn't enough wall space for them at the moment.They have been taken off their antique carved wooden mounts too, and these are
now standing in all their beauty on the shelf....as ancient works of art in themselves I think.

Unwinding...sewing & reading

It's been a busy week, dismantling my exhibition and ferrying it all down to the studio, followed by two days of sorting it out and fitting it all in....I must say that the studio felt really bare over the last 7 weeks, but now it is full once again, apart from the pieces which were sold.
Now that the work is all around me again, it has confirmed that I want to go further with combining ancient wood with the lace, so I have now aquired another 17th century offcut....this one already has quite a few small holes, so I am thinking of drilling a lot more and perhaps incorporating some stitching.
However....I am very much in need of a mental break, so today has been a perfect opportunity to spend the afternoon out in the garden under the trees with the beautiful William, sewing samples and reading.

I'm mounting the samples as "mini artworks", so they can be framed or given as gifts in the form of cards...although they are much more than cards...just small examples of my large works, made with as much detail, love and care, and they were popular at out Open Studio event, last year.
I've made some for the EAST textile art exhibition at Snape, as I joined the group after the exhibitions were in full swing, but I shall be able to join in, in 2012....I forgot to photograph them, which was a bit silly...so no images!

The Textile Blog: The Future Opportunities of Hand Production

The Textile Blog: The Future Opportunities of Hand Production: "Lacemaking in Lefkara, Cyprus from Etsy on Vimeo . Today's article was to be on a different aspect of lace design. However, I was approa..."

The pocket on the dress was made from an old Spillers Flour bag,referencing the part of a mother who is looking to nourish her family.
Comming from the pocket( not seen in th closeup) are the handmade Victorian tambour lace flowers used as signs of the joy inolved in doing this....they lead up to the stitched image of the family with the trailing threads, indicating that however hard a mother tries, she cannot always prevent the family from unravelling.

More "Fragments" from the Garden Room

Tomorrow is the last day of the exhibition....I have thoroughly enjoyed the the experience, and meeting so many lovely people, although so many lunch and coffee "dates" have all but bankrupted me over the six weeks!
Here are some different views, including a peep into the lovely 18th century cradle.

HELP...please

Suddenly I can't answer comments left on my own blog :(
When I try to, I have to enter my identity...plus the number code, and then I come up as "anonymous"!
Can anyone help me please?

The Poem

I wanted to use the beautiful mirror, and decided that it would be perfect for the poem the work has been based on.
It was important that the poem be handwritten, and the mirror to serve almost as a "notice board".

The Show: Inside the Garden Room

I'll just add a few images at a time of the show....it is now in he final week and closes on Saturday, but it has been such a rewarding experience.
I'm so touched by the kind, and positive feedback, and have met some lovely people whilst I've been popping in and out.
On Monday and Tuesday next, it will all come back to the studio....if I can fit it in! and I am quite looking forward to being surrounded by it, and hope it will continue to inspire me to go forward.
Before I start any more making,I am going to embark on some research into my 17th century ancestors who were heavily involved with the Flemish weavers and the Say & Bay trade in Colchester....it may turn out to be a blind alley, but this is where I am going next.The thread of my subject will still be there, but I am now looking to taking it even further.
I shall add more images over the next few days and thank you so much for your interest in my blog....I would love to hear from you.

New Images On The Way

It's been a really busy time with the exhibition in full swing, and as I didn't have a private view it has been a case of taking friends and family along most days in the weeks....which is lovely, but as there is an on site Bistro, it has been an expensive coffee and cake....or coffee and lunch season...however, I am not complaining as it has been a brilliant time with good friends, family and very good feedback ( and food....mroe weight loss needed!!).
The show runs untill the 18th, when it will all have to come back to the studio,which I have spent this week re arranging in order to fit it all in!
The studio looks so bare at the moment, that I am almost looking forward to it comming home....so far there is a red sticker on one piece, which is nice to see.
On Monday next I should be collecting the new images from my photographer friend, and will post them as soon as I can.

Victorian Love Token Brooch

"Darling" has been named after the lovely Victorian mother of pearl brooch which I placed on the bodice of the wool flannel petticoat.
The mother of pearl is very thin and finely cut....it would have been a gift to a sweetheart....a love token.
I ponder on who they were, and make up stories about their lives together which kept the brooch so safe for so long.

"Darling"

He...or she was once someones darling...wrapped in wool,comforted and warm...
the flannel petticoat kept as a memory...
looked at, perhaps in wonderment in years to come...
as I do with my own teasure...
did the man who now stands before me once fit into this tiny garment?
where did the years go...slipped away in busyness,
fastened tight in memory.

Detail from "Darling"

Today a friend took some professional photographs of my exhibition...I am excited as from what I have seen on his camera, there are some very interesting angles and closeups...much better than my offerings, so I will add them as soon as I have them.
In the meantime, here is a detail from the work on paper entitled "Darling".

Exhibition Images

My sketchbook and some antique treasures in the showcase....the needlecase belonged to my mother,and is made from blue kid leather with pages of cream wool.
it has a little christian poem cut from a magazine wrapped in celophane paper and pinned inside the cover....it has always been there and must have acted as an encouragement to her...mother's name was Jessie Betsy.

Minories "Darling"

Minories "Quilt Fragment"

Minories "Mother"

Minories "Perception" Wall hanging

Images From My Exhibition...corners of the lovely Georgian Garden Room

All Set Up & Ready To Go

Setting up could not have gone any better...lovely technicians, wonderful friends to transport everything and a beautiful room, it has been stress free and a pleasure.The room still has the original Georgian fireplace and white painted wood panelling and two huge sash windows with folding shutters which overlook the garden.
The building is actually Tudor in origin but was "modernised" in the 18th century so is typically Georgian in appearance.
A friend is going to borrow a "special lense" with which he will be able to capture the whole room apparantly...but I shall take simple photos myself too, and put them up on the blog very soon.

Going Well!!

Set up for the exhibition is going so well...the technicians are lovely and I couldn't have hoped for better.
The wall hangings and framed works are now all up with the technical issues all easily overcome, and the dresses are on their stands.
Tomorrow I shall be installing the three pieces of furniture...small country antique table, chair and a wonderful 18th century wooden rocking cradle I found at an auction last week....these, together with some simple scraps of fabric and needle and thread should help to create the atmosphere I am looking for.....one where it feels as if the maker from the past has only just absented herself from the room.
There are still lots of small jobs waiting to be done like writing, emails and all the odds and ends, so it will probably take the week, but now it is starting to feel exciting....I'll put pictures up before too long now.