Impromtu post

I have just seen this   Scroll down to the sewing machine cake- It is amazing!!!!  While you are there rummage around the site for some of the worst cakes ever- so funny

enjoy...

Trying to find my inner embroiderer.....

I've done no embroidery  for a long while....so I needed to put some jump leads on my creativity.  Feeling dull and bereft of ideas, I scheduled a morning at my table. ( literally put it in my diary a week ahead, and treated it like an appointment- so I didn't find myself starting to to clean the bathroom, or refold laundry , or any of the other time stealing diversionary tasks that we do instead....)

I  had no new ideas , so I dug out some old drawings I made years ago when I had been working with images of wrought iron gates.

I painted some satin, traced the design onto some calico to back it, and machined the design. The result was inoffensive, but a little dull.









So I pinned on a few scraps of gauze and painted scrim,









ferreted out some hand- sewing threads,











A few rows of running stitch, and I cut back the  scrim-
much better......

I shisha'd on a couple of recycled dental mirrors-(well washed!!!) and added a raised wheel...a few beads....and there it is.










Its not the most exciting or cutting edge piece ever made.... but I'm pleased with it

 I've got my inner embroiderer back!!!!!

Can't wait for our day out at folk museum!

.... and we're back!!!!!

After a short illness I'm back- well, nearly!  Apologies for the long gap in blogging, but I haven't been doing anything worth blogging about.

Olive, on the other hand... It seems her holiday in Cork was cancelled so she decided to make an "art journal" instead.

She sent these images from it- the first is an experiment with lutrador.

I REALLY like the spiral page-.theres a lot one could do with that  image as a starting point.

I never used Lutrador... can't say I ever even handled it.... Perhaps we should ask Olive to lead an afternoon of messy play with it?

Mr Pringle

Christine did the residential course at Drumalis house, a weekend devoted to machine embroidery led by Carol Naylor. Heres a couple of pics of her work

The pieces were stitched on unprimed artists canvas in reverse - thick threads in the bobbin,and stitched"upside down" with heavy impasto type stitching. 

I particularly like the impressionist style of the top one.- (must have a go at this myself!)

Christine also sent a snap of Mr Pringle-

 a monkey made from a pair of socks- a real character. 

Olive's been busy again!

Olive has sent some photos of her latest work. She says

"I have spent the last week doing some work using holiday photographs taken in Italy and I have managed to finish 5 pieces and frame them !!!! . (Bet you are all impressed!!!)   I painted the background , applied painted bonda web, chiffons etc and then stitched into them, using the photographs as a source. They didn’t turn out too badly – even my daughter was impressed – and that’s saying something"

Shes right- I'm impressed!



a long way in a short time

This blog was started just over a year ago to chart our progress as we worked towards a major exhibition. In the last 14 months we have achieved so much - works completed, 3 exhibitions, workshops, not to mention welcoming 3 new members to our fold.  And coming up, new themes to work to, possible inclusion in a craft book, all kinds of things.....

Thank you ladies, for your all hard work, practical assistance, good advice, organising effort, and all the cheerful support and encouragement.   We make a formidable team!

And looking forward to the next year

Who knows what we will accomplish.....!


In the meantime a few pictures from Bangor





Alma's Wallhanging and cushions 



Bangor here we come

As I announced in a previous post , Bangor Library  are hosting our exhibition in their exhibition space, The Curve. We're having a bit of a do to celebrate- If you're in Bangor, Co Down at 2pm on the 2nd April please come and join us- we'd love to meet you!  and there's a cup of tea and and a nice biscuit as well.....