Summer School 1

The theme of this year's Summer School at Littleheath Barn Studio is Buildings.  If you've read Getting Ready you will know I was struggling with choosing between in canalside redbrick buildings and the beautiful architecture of Venice.

I chose Venice.

We started with making marks on fabric.  I used stencils, thermofax screens, procion dye and white acrylic paint.

I also tried marking making with hot wax.

And drew with charcoal procion dye. I also used a screen for breakdown printing.

All the above photos were taken whilst the fabric was wet.

My usual complaint when I've washed out my dyed fabric is that it is all too bright or too dark.  Not this time!

Very washed out!

One side

The other side

When I get back to the second set of two days of the Summer School I think I may make more marks on the two very pale cloths with fabric paint.

I also need to decide what I am making with these fabrics.  I don't want to make hangings and if I make a book it needs to be different from all the others I've made lately.

Watch this space!

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice

Festival of Quilts 2023

Festival of Quilts is over for another year. I didn't take many photos this time.  In the past I've taken lots of photos and then don't look at them, particularly those I take for inspiration because it's a risk that you end up making a very poor copy.  However I did take a few.

Steph Redfern

I loved this idea from Laura Kemshall for displaying sketchbooks.

Laura Kemshall

As it was the show's 20th Anniversary there was a gallery of winners quilts from over the years.   'Flight' won first prize in the Art Quilt category in 2013.

Jill Exell

This was the prize winner in this year's Modern Quilt category.

Vendulka Battais

Outside the Creative Textiles Studio was this beautiful tribute to the wonderful Christine Chester.

Christine Chester

I worked a half day in the Creative Textiles Studio for each of the four days - on three of which I showed my fabric books.  And talked and talked and talked!

I was so encouraged by all the lovely comments I received about my work.

The show is an amazing opportunity for retail therapy.  The majority of stands have massive stocks of patchwork fabric but probably 20% sell haberdashery and other items.  The only thing I really needed was some iron-on interfacing and maybe some machine threads.  The show offer made buying 3 reels of cotton cheaper so guess what!

Lady Sew & Sew sell the most amazing fine soft calico.  I still have some left from last year but I'm saving the postage if I bought some more.  (It's amazing how you convince yourself you are saving money!)

And then!  There were Paintbox Threads, Perle from Little L's and the beautiful Valdani threads.  The Valdani threads are from a wholesaler in Australia and the FOQ is their only retail outlet, so of course I have to stock up.  There are some stockists in the UK apparently!

Next year's Festival of Quilts is Thursday 1st August to Sunday 4th August.  Put it in your diary NOW.

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice

Exhibition Days Away 2

In my previous post we had arrived in Ruthin.  The next morning after breakfast at Wetherspoons we had a wander around the town.

 

 

We were amazed to find that the public are allowed to wander freely around the grounds of the Ruthin Castle Hotel.

The Gatehouse

We moved on to the Ruthin Craft Centre to see the exhibitions there.  There was one room dedicated to the textile work of Matthew Harris.

And in a much larger space the exhibition Natural (Re)Sources which had work from 14 artists using a variety of different materials.

Work by Claire Benn

We then travelled to Ellesmere.   We had visited the town once with my parents but only remember viewing the Mere.  This time we walked along the canal and into the town.

After lunch at The Boathouse overlooking the Mere we drove towards Whitchurch, visiting Grindley Brook Locks on the way.

 We had a little walk around Whitchurch.

And then we drove home.

We packed a lot into our two days away!

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice