Committed to Cloth

As a thank you for demonstrating printing techniques at the Festival of Quilts the team was invited to spend a day or days at the Committed to Cloth studio.  I had 3 days available but ended up only using two of them, spending the third day as a day out with Roger.

I took with me all the fabrics that I have printed using breakdown printing, either at Committed to Cloth or at Urban Studio North with Leah Higgins.

Leslie and I looked at all my fabrics and took out those that needed more work.  So on day one I printed over the existing fabric using procion dyes.

Above: the original printed fabric from C2C 2018   Below: Over printed and dyed.  Still not a fan of the fabric

1m x 1.5m

Above part of the origianl fabric printed in 2018 which I thought was too bright.

Below mark making with black dye.  The photograph doesn't show the true colour of the fabric - it is much nearer the colour of the original.

1m square

Above: the original print which had too much white.

Below: with added texture

1m x 0.5m

Above:  the fabric was too pale.  I think the photo above was taken before the print paste was washed out as the fabric was definitely paler than this.

Below: added turquoise and a different screen

1m x 1.5m

Above: part of the original print.  Photo taken before it was washed out.

Below: added colour.  Not sure about it, but I expect it will be fin once it's cut up.

1m x 0.5m

 

Next time: all about the fabrics I cut up and reassembled!

Thanks for joining me today.
Bernice

Down South

I went to Committed to Cloth this week. I was going on my own but the weather forecast was good so Roger came with me.  He went walking whilst I went to the studio.

Today I'm going to tell you about the day we came home rather than what went on at C2C.  You'll have to wait unti next week for that!

On the way home from East Grinstead we drove towards Guildford in Surrey.  On the way we did a detour to Watts Gallery - Artists Village.

We walked through the grounds to where this beautiful Arts & Craft house had been built.  Sadly you couldn't visit inside.

Then we walked up to the Chapel which was rather too ornate inside for my taste.

This is a basketry installation.  We sat and had a drink just by it.

Then we moved on to Guildford.  We picked up an Historic Trail guide and wandered through the castle grounds with its amazing flower gardens.

This is the Guildhall clock.

The river Wey and the Wey & Arun Navigation run through Guildford.  I rather liked this sculpture.

A cast iron bridge

An old mill.  We could hear the mill race.

A canal lock.

We had lunch in a pub during our walk.

We drove home across country to the M40 rather than using the M4.

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice

More Book Binding

Saturday was a great day.  Jude taught us several new books and helped us if we got stuck.  She very kindly finished my coptic binding book which I had not enjoyed maleing.

Here are all the different books I made over the three days.

Closed

Open

Very tiny book.  Pen to show size!

It was very enjoyable and very tiring.

Can you tell that zigzag books are my thing!

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice

Creative Book Binding

For the past two days I have been on a Creative Book Binding course taught by Jude Kingshott.  Here are some of her lovely examples.

 

On Thursday we made the covers for our book and on Friday we sewed the signatures to the front cover.  Today we will be adding the back cover.

I made two zigzag books which I forgot to photograph!

I also made these books

Come back on Tuesday to find out what other books I have made.

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice

Notice what you notice

Notice what you notice with Christine Chester started this week. I wasn't sure how it would work being on zoom with some of the participants whilst some others were in Christine's studio, but it worked really well.  There was a mix of Christine talking, small group interaction, whole group interaction and individual working.  The three hours zipped along.

After making notes on what I had observed in the photo above we had a small group discussion about what the other ladies saw in the photo.  We each had a turn at looking at the images or items the others in the group had chosen.

After this we were challenged to use only paper, scissors and paint to experiment with ideas inspired by our item.  I looked first at the roof tiles and cut a strip of paper and shaped it.  I wet the paper in order to make it curve.

I painted some strips of the paper using the pattern of the roof tiles in the brush strokes.  The paint wasn't quite the colour I meant it to be!  I made cylinders with the painted paper.  We were allowed to use glue!

 

 

I cut another strip of paper and after painting it I tried making a spiral - potentially a 'book form'.

I don't know where this experimentation will take me.

Watch this space!

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice

September - A new start?

To me, September 1st often feels more like a new start than January 1st.  I think it's probably because the UK school system conditions us to this, as the new school year starts in September.

I haven't had much motivation the last couple of months to be creative.  Left to my own devices I haven't worked on much.  I have kept my journal going and worked on ideas for a creative 6 week course at church.  But I need something to give me real impetus to make stuff.

So I've signed up for two online classes.

First Notice what you notice with Christine Chester.  I've done other classes with Christine so I'm really looking forward to seeing how this works with some of us on zoom and others in her studio.

Poetry of Decay (2016)

Secondly I've signed up for Hilary Beattie's Sketchbook Saturdays which sounds like fun.  I've also done classes with Hilary before.

Sense of Place (2018)

Plus there's a new theme Textile Explorations for the Art Textiles group at Littleheath Barn.  It will be great to do an in-person workshop at Littleheath Barn.

Wall hanging from the last group workshop

I feel there's some comfort in working with people I've worked with before.  I realise I need both the impetus for new plus the comfort from knowing the tutors.

What are you planning to do this term?

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice