Things starting to gel....

Over the last 10 days lots of lovely photos have come in of completed work for Strule..... I am impressed indeed... and I found my missing camera lead!   My tip for the day:-

If you lose anything- just do some housework- Whatever it is always turns up as the chaos recedes.....

I took these pictures of Catherines work at our last meeting

Beautiful precise handwork.... ! these photos don't ( can't!) do it justice.

Alma sent these panels

Inspired by the colours of the seasons

and some cushions

And Christine has sent some gorgeously sumptuous textured pieces-

Congratulations Ladies!

This is going to be a really fine show! 

My Stuff

I gave myself a sharp kick where I needed it and got down to finishing the last of my stuff for Strule.

Its all about where City folk with only a tiny patch of gritty front garden go for " refreshment of spirit"

The Public Park.

A wonderful Victorian tradition that looks as if its going to die out under the weight of budget cuts and box ticking target achievements....

But in its heyday... neat paths at exact angles through properly shorn patches of lawn, dotted with towering specimen trees, beautifully laid out flower beds, and for my 10 year old self - space to run!

(Its obvious to all I haven't moved faster than a dignified stride since!)

I hope these meet with approval

Lots of nice things...

Happy New year Ladies!

And WELCOME to our newest members.....

 5 weeks to hanging up at Strule......(GASP!)

Olive has been busier than an orchard full of beehives and has sent some lovely photos... So many I'll do them in two lots....

I particularly like these Van Gogh inspired ones

These stunning views of Castle ward ( which I believe are destined for the exhibition) 

and

This gorgeous moonlit snowfield!  

and a couple of flowers just in case they're needed!

I know I have some other images on my camera from our last meeting....Catherines goldwork in particular .... I'll put them on as soon as I find the connector

(I know I had it when I was tidying up at Christmas.....)

See you all soon

Finally I get something finished!

I was feeling quite guilty after the last meeting- I hadn't a stitch done that was fit to exhibit.

So as Guilt can do what good intentions can't, I knuckled down and got stuck in. I'd been messing about with embellishing patches of wool fibre and waste threads into a backing fabric, using a hoop to keep it from buckling and warping.





I then overlaid it with machine stitching.

The scale of the thing is fairly large (for me) its about 30 inches by 18, and despite my best efforts it has warped a little- but its currently damp and drawingpinned to the back of the studio door so I've good hope of it smoothing out a bit.

The design is based is drawings I've made when walking in public parks- neat patches of grass and specimen trees...

I'm quite pleased with it all things considered- my camera and artificial light doesn't do the colours much justice

Just 3 more to go.....

Hillsborough

We got together on Saturday to discuss way and means for Strule . Its surprising how much fiddly detail is involved in just putting a clatter of stitched pictures on a wall! But its now all sorted and should be plain sailing ( except for the small matter of actually producing the work!)

The ladies brought with them some of the work accomplished so far- I think it will be a good strong show if this is a representative sample-

Jennifer has made some exquisite jewelery- as modelled by her glamorous assistant, Olive

Alma has taken her weaving off in another direction, pausing only to slash this sunflower

Catherine is doing something experimental with closeup photographs on linen



Lila made this lovely painted and stitched, layered piece 





Olive came over all experimental again

  



 





Ruth has created some  soft sculptured spirit figures- this one seems quite relaxed.....

Strule gets closer

Olive has sent some shots of her first piece for Strule

An exciting piece she calls "florish and fade"



Very Olive, its all burnt chiffon shapes , stitched and distressed. Shes doesn't tell me the dimensions but its looks like it could make a clear bright statement across any crowded room!

I hope we get some clear winter sunshine to show it at its best.

On the other hand I have only got 3/4s of a piece done so far- I may have to put in a little overtime in the sewing room.

If you need a little inspiration  I recently found this blog- This lady has a genuine eye for colour and takes some really ineresting pictures

See you all at Hillsborough

Olive has been busy

Olive has sent photos of some altered books shes been doing for a workshop

She says

" I have spent the last 3 weeks making books complete with embellishments for a craft weekend in Drumalios in September. The theme is 'gardens and the outdoors' so it has given me loads of inspiration for stitch - now I just have to do it. I have been doing a bit of mixed media stuff on canvas and then stitching into it. Will forward photos of those when I get them done.Unforunately I left it too late to book on to the Ards tour on the 7th so I am having to go on the 14th now - my own fault for leaving things too late.

Off to Italy this weekend for 2 weeks of sun. See you all when I get back"