Time Passing

Sometimes it seems like a long time has passed in seconds, at other times a short time takes an age.  It depends how full to the brim that time is or how pleasant.

I seem to have started this year with a Monoprinting class at the local college &  delighted at being asked back, I have ended with a class at the same college. I sense a sort of concertina effect but in remembering details I can elongate the feeling.

Lovely work from all of my willing students -

I booked our local hall for a month of Wednesdays in September - I wanted to offer relaxing taster classes of Monoprinting

weaving on a frame

making background papers

and last but not least, some reconstructed fabric making

We got a lot done in each 2 hour session with potential to carry on at home as all these methods are very low tech.

I went to a couple of classes myself in the summer, one on indigo dyeing with shibori (I've mislaid those pics) & another on Botanical printing - so good to see it in action from an excellent teacher North Child in Plockton with my own eyes - now I might understand better (the scientific bits in) the books by India Flint!

the pic above is a 5x5 square out of some of the pieces - I've yet to put the little squares of paper into a sketchbook, I'm sure I will if only to stop them catching the breeze in the studio whe I open the door!

So now I'm working on some memory hangings. Its not an origional idea but the thought came to me as I was sorting out my parents house ready to sell in the Spring. There was 30 years of stuff to go thru which I managed in 3 stages before the house sold in the summer. I decided to hang on to some of it in a creative way.

My mother was ill so it was good to be able to be with her & my Dad, of course at these times & I did ask myself would I still be able to make a hanging if the worst happened? I spent the last 4 days with her before she died, 3 weeks ago. I did manage to stich a little with her, for her & I shall continue.

She loved herons so today I decided to see what would happen if I took a photo with my phone simply perched on the eyepiece of my DH's scope - intriguing I thought. So in her memeory, I say Merry Chritstmas & a happy new year that brings you alll you wish for.

Spring Forward

I've had a fabulous few months, busy of course, getting ready for my second go at having a stand at The Creative Craft & Scottish Quilting Show (used to be called Creative Stitches) at the SECC in Glasgow.

 If you remember last year I bludgened them into sponsoring me with a demonstrators stand - I just felt that the time had come, it was a step in the right direction, as I myself had been inspired by people like Lynda Monk, Kim Thitichai & Wendy Dolan, who were there last year but missed them this year - I think the same show was at the NEC the following w/e. Val Hughes was there tho along with Helen McKenna & Bex Raven, a great selection of textile peeps, also so many beautiful quilts but guess who was too busy talking about their own work to take any pics?

 
Sorry! If I'm invited back next year I will take some, I promise ;)

'A Summer Meadow' above,  was finished just in time, on the stand of course ;) I made over 90 flowers, it turns out, just while relaxing with some tv over the last few months - lots of them were made chatting with  the family over Christmas in Ireland & the Youngest said he couldn't go anywhere without a flower being attached to him somehow!

At last year's show I was given at the last minute a corner stand, open on 2 sides  with a metal pole in the corner - it meant I lost a wall but had more 'people passing' space, but i had to do something with that pole! I made bunting of course, above, a 1/4 poles worth for each of the 4 days, just gathering bits of fabric together & stitching away.

I enjoyed looking at it over the summer but by the end of the year I decided it needed to move on so it became 15 kinda crazy cards - they did well, I'm glad to say.


I'd been watching on fb lots of beautiful examples of snow dyeing on Maggie Grey's Workshop on the Web Group page but was quite envious simply because we had no snow up here, well, a smattering ages ago, see my lovely snowdrops below.

I didn't dare go to the actual course page (for those who are members ) as I had soooo much prep to do & I might have been just a little distracted. On arrival at the SECC in Glasgow, tho, I spied piles of deep unmelted snow (just there on the middle left by the white canopy)

& inspired by my textiley friend Jenny visiting me, I said that if i could find some Procion Dye at the show, I'd give it a go in my hotel room. GillianCooper Studio did not let me down.

Jenny, who very sensibly had gloves & I shoved some snow into the (ex display) basket & into a bag. It didn't leak in the lift, thankfully

& it all washed out of the bath in the morning

It was a bit 'peeley wally' as the Scots say up here but the fun this time was in the process.

earlier  in the year, when we actually did have a tiny bit of snow, the Knit (stitch) & Natter group got together a few lengths of knitting & fabric

& it somehow made it's way ont o the posts outside the cafe at our wondeful community building to greet the customers when it reopend in January - graffitti knitting in Camuscross! they've now been made into scarves to keep lucky peeps nice & warm in this chilly March.

I was delighted to be asked to run a couple of classes at the local college, the first was an afternoon of monoprinting - the best comment I heard was 'how have I managed to get this far in life without monoprinting' We did a bit of a comparison between a glycerine & gelatine plate made by me a la Linda Germaine  who I've been following for years & the bought Gelli Plate -both are very generous in sharing fabulous clips, mesmarising to watch & learn.

Not bad for 3 hours work - I had only 3 ferns in my garden & they gave some beautiful results along with lots of other bits & pieces I had fun finding in my studio for the class. I provided cloths for mopping up & one student really took the value of these precious cloths to heart, below. The next pic is a piece of lace from a blind, so guite strong,  piece of art in its self.

The next couple of classes I gave was based on my meadow piece - there were 5 but one got away. Great fun making lots of flowers from recycled ribbon, straight stich & 'ruched' against a knot, so satisfying & my favorite, simple straight stich in a circle in a square or 2 of recycled fabric, pulled against the knot & it becomes a flower, magic. Lovely work.

So that's the end of my quiet winter, B&B season starts next week! I have the great excitement tho next month, of visiting my grandson for his first birthday, Deacon is one already, unbelievable......I just can't wait.