Monday 15 August 2011

Festival of Quilts, Birmingham - 2011




Had a wonderful day yesterday at the Festival of Quilts - met up with my good friends Fiona Wilson and Dionne Swift who were giving talks and workshops there.

I went with my friend Carol Wilson (Fiona's mum) and we shared a stitching session within the Studio 21 exhibition called "A sense of Place" in which we were able to add a small piece to a larger textile banner. The table was full of goodies - lovely hemp threads, printed fabrics etc we could have stayed there all afternoon (but there was just too many quilts to see...). Above is my tiny added piece, people put their date and place of birth (Horror.......) The main work by Studio 21 was beautiful - a landscape created by different artists.

The person who stole the show for me was Mary Lloyd Jones http://www.marylloydjones.co.uk/ and I hope she doesn't mind me putting on an image of her work which was stunning. Some of it was done in the 1980's and it was so exciting now - but apparently not everyone was ready for it then! It just made me stop and stare that is the best comment I can give.

Work by Mary Loyd Jones.
(copyright ML Jones of course)

I was very disappointed with my quilt - it was meant to be displayed double sided but ended up hanging on black fabric which killed it really. Of course it wasn't a conventional quilt - so looked out of place I felt - I will have to try harder next year!

All in all a good show.





Wednesday 10 August 2011

Great Big Stitched Postcard Swap - BLOOM



I have finished my stitched postcard and it will be posted tomorrow to Vanessa Beylea in New Hampshire, USA.

My 'Bloom' is a Sea Holly 'Eryngium Maritimum' which I love to see in the sand dunes walking along the beaches in Cornwall. The photograph below shows it in full bloom and colour on the beach - mine is based on when it dries and dis-colours but its beautiful in each stage.


Can't make to receive mine now.

Monday 1 August 2011

Mister Finch - Leeds


http://www.etsy.com/listing/77709629/soft-sculpture-beetle-made-from-vintage

This is Mister Finch's Etsy shop and I hope he doesn't mind that I have copied an image - I love his work. He makes amazing jewellery but his embroidered insects are just beautiful (which can be worn as jewellery or framed).

The Great Big Stitched Postcard Swap

Titled "BLOOM" this year. This is the first year I have taken part but I love the idea of exchanging something creative with a "swap partner" and mine is with Vanessa Belyea is from in the USA (people from 20 countries taking part) so I am really looking forward to the swap now which needs to be there for 14th August so let the postcard commence!