Welcome to my new blog, I initially started back in 2014 writing about my embroidery, book mking and printing, and have continued to regualry document my exploits ever since, so make sure you bookmark the page.
Disruptions – 11th January 2021
If I had had a plan then life hasn’t gone that way. I had hoped in these early days of 2021 I would form a plan for the next few months, but it snowed. So I moved into the house with books, paper and textile fragments to wait for it to get warmer. I haven’t… Continue reading Disruptions – 11th January 2021
A Bit of Everything – 28th December 2020
There have been so many distractions over the last few days that I’m almost amazed that i have achieved anything. My new plate worked and that was pleasing. I had printed trial samples of various colour percentages with my new silver ink and ended up with silver plus a little Winter Grey ( such an… Continue reading A Bit of Everything – 28th December 2020
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back – 14th December 2020
During my reading of the text books on my shelves, the words “vulnerable to alteration” stuck in my mind, it related to C18th dresses. In the past I have focussed on the reusing of textiles, often until they had become rags, but these words seemed to present a slightly different meaning and I had a… Continue reading One Step Forward, Two Steps Back – 14th December 2020
All Sorts of Things – 30th November 2020
I completed the book “Lace, Woven, Print, Stitch” and was happy in the way it turned out, a long book can be difficult as it becomes loose and floppy and the structure feels weak, but by stitching the 32cm pieces together so that a compact concertina style is constructed there is strength. Into each end… Continue reading All Sorts of Things – 30th November 2020
New Project? – 16th November 2020
There was a rush to the studio yesterday – we had decent enough light for me to take some photographs of the books that I had recently completed. So many days have been dark, damp and dreary lately so it was good to get that task out of the way. These three images are of… Continue reading New Project? – 16th November 2020
Two Yards Of Memories – 2nd November 2020
It has been a somewhat mixed fortnight with a bit of this and a bit of that. My red madder print, that is part of the Half a Yard series is now folded but I felt that as I liked the print and only two prints seemed insufficient usage of a plate I would print… Continue reading Two Yards Of Memories – 2nd November 2020
Continuing – 20th October 2020
Working 2 yards of print does take application! Following on from my last blog and the idea to create a book inspired by bringing together my ‘half yards of memories’ books, of which I had four, hence the 2 yards, I completed my printing plates. All the designs from the previous books were scaled down… Continue reading Continuing – 20th October 2020
Challenges, challenges – 5th October 2020
This is an image of the last double page in my notebook – I complete one a year and this is my 28th! I realised that normally by this time of the year I would be wondering if I would run out of pages, but not so this year, there are no exhibition flyers, no… Continue reading Challenges, challenges – 5th October 2020
Seeing it Through – 21st September 2020
My “Half a Yard of Memories” series is coming to an end, this I’ve decided will be the last one and it focuses on Print. I am viewing the sections of my collection of antique textiles as lace, woven, stitch and now print. Next time I look at the idea of my collection there will… Continue reading Seeing it Through – 21st September 2020
Research – 7th September 2020
I have begun to think about another in the series ‘Half a yard of Memories” I hadn’t thought that i would do more but a larger project started to emerge and it depended on me expanding on the subjects of lace, woven and stitch which were the subjects in the last few books and so… Continue reading Research – 7th September 2020
Exhibiting! – 24th August 2020
As the weeks pass by there has been the dawning on all of us that ‘the new normal’ will be with us for a long while and that was, I think, behind the desire to evaluate where I am now. I have missed exhibiting and having a stand at events, discussing the antique textiles that… Continue reading Exhibiting! – 24th August 2020
Still Small Steps – 10th August 2020
I had an idea that fell within the “Half a Yard” series, so I went with it. Like many people it was, and still is difficult to settle and it had taken me until the 1st of June to begin the series. See here. Before I printed my third plate I used the plate to… Continue reading Still Small Steps – 10th August 2020
What to Do? – 27th July 2020
I am pleased with the print that resulted from my last plate, which featured in my last blog. All those edges that needed to be clean can be difficult but, I am now putting the ink on with an old artists paintbrush and it’s working well. As with many of my plates I cut them… Continue reading What to Do? – 27th July 2020
Following On – 13th July 2020
It has been quiet, the days have been steady and somewhat predictable. There has been little art because I have been painting walls and wood work and digging in the garden. Not exciting but essential and I’m a practical sort of girl!! I did complete the book this book, it’s part of the Collections series… Continue reading Following On – 13th July 2020
What Plan? – 29th June 2020
After several attempts at ‘Half a Yard of Memories IV’ I decided that I was trying too hard, I was fiddling and rearranging the design I had worked from samples of C18th whitework embroidery and although I had started to construct a plate I wasn’t happy so I just let it go. There has to… Continue reading What Plan? – 29th June 2020
Trying Too Hard? – 15th June 2020
Twelve weeks ago when it seemed that everything had taken a jump into an unknown and insecure world I like many people found it difficult to rebalance and creativity had taken a jolt, I had this idea of ‘Half Yards of Memories’ memories seemed to be an important part of everyday life and half a… Continue reading Trying Too Hard? – 15th June 2020
There are more Memories – 1st June 2020
From the last two half yard prints I have found my way back into a creative frame of mind and developed a third which became quite complicated and it was certainly a challenge. Cutting the grey board plate took several attempts as it is hard going, one slip and there is a problem! The image… Continue reading There are more Memories – 1st June 2020
More Half Yards – 18th May 2020
Currently I’m taking the view that any time spent in the studio is good and constructive, my mind is thinking and so far there is very little displacement therapy! My ideas exploring the theme of memories are progressing, see above for my second print. Whilst it’s a theme often explored it seems particularly pertinent at… Continue reading More Half Yards – 18th May 2020
Half a Yard of Memories – 4th May 2020
Here we are several weeks into lockdown, will I remember how to drive the car? Lots of walking and gardening and I’m pleased to say that being in the studio has become part of my day and each day I spend some time there, taking small steps. My current plate, “Half a yard of Memories”… Continue reading Half a Yard of Memories – 4th May 2020
Small Beginnings – 20th April 2020
Like many people in these difficult times I am finding it hard to settle, weeding the garden is fine, not too taxing, but to follow a constructive path has been challenging. I decided to paint some papers I set it all out I was taken by my mixing trays and was pulled back… Continue reading Small Beginnings – 20th April 2020
Finishing and Completing – 6th April 2020
I still haven’t been able to settle and I think that this is the case for many people. We are all affected by the events throughout the world and on our doorsteps, so all I can do is my best and be kind to everybody. New ideas and themes have passed through my brain, but… Continue reading Finishing and Completing – 6th April 2020
Slow Progress – 19th March 2020
The difficult and challenging times that we are all living at the moment can frequently invade our thoughts and it seems to me to be important to enjoy being distracted and think about other things so that we can more cheerfully cope on a day to day basis. My printing and bookmaking have been slow… Continue reading Slow Progress – 19th March 2020
Practicalities – 27th February 2020
Now that the euphoria of being selected for Printfest and Turn the Page has slightly ebbed there are practical things to be dealt with and the last couple of weeks has seen me concentrate upon books that are to be placed into frames to be hung on the wall and my stationary and packaging. I… Continue reading Practicalities – 27th February 2020
Interesting Times – 10th February 2020
I am still pursuing ideas around frayed edges and unpicked seams and I hope extending my printing practice. Above the curved edge of the print, which is 30cm long I have embossed three lines of thread, not sure as I’m typing this whether they will show up. When it’s dry I will stitch a blank… Continue reading Interesting Times – 10th February 2020
The Past is always Present – 23rd January 2020
Over the last couple of months I have been exploring, along with ‘Unpicked Seams’ the theme of ‘The Past is always Present’ and I have now completed two editions of 2 and 3 books. I began with a piece of Indian embroidered silk which had been imported into England in about the year 1620, this… Continue reading The Past is always Present – 23rd January 2020
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