Back to work

Once again, the  couple of weeks since my last post have just flown by.   At the felting group, this month, we didn’t actually make anything other than samples using the nuno technique - where wool is felted onto fabric.   It is very rewarding when it works – the wool shrinks, but the fabric doesn’t, and the effect is that the fabric gathers and puckers making a lovely textured surface.   I made two samples – one on scrim which is now waiting to be made into something arty – perhaps with stitching added.   For the other one I used a piece of the  most gaudy, unattractive, synthetic fabric which has worked wonderfully well – it has a gorgeous texture and looks like something from under the sea – so that’s destined, in the fullness of time, to be something ‘watery’.

We’ve taken some of our felt to a gallery in Warrington  (we exhibited there last year)https://www.facebook.com/BestofNorthernArt - Joanna and Marje do a wonderful job making it look really attractive – I hope this new exhibition is the success it deserves to be – it’s well worth a visit.   On 20^th, we went to a Fibre Fest at the Grove Centre in Burscough – it was quieter than we’d expected but it was lovely to meet up with some old friends – Lazy Kate https://www.facebook.com/Lazykate-Handspun-Yarn/150686551664405, Myra https://www.facebook.com/KnitWise  and Tamsin http://www.wickerwool.co.uk/index.html#&panel1-2,   who fell in love with a beautiful yellow and green  ‘ruffle’,  the first of those I’ve sold.    I do like making them so I’ve made a red one today and it’s drying as I write.

I had a little go at making some paper weights using stones  over which I felted mostly white merino wool with little strands of black/grey wool to look like veins in the rock – they are very tactile.  I’ve made a couple more bags as well, some people use them as knitting caddies.  The alpaca preparation still goes on each time there is some decent (warmish) weather – I’ve actually finished picking over all the brown wool now – only the white to go – I wonder if the weather will be kind and let me finish before the Autumn is over.

The reason I haven’t been very productive is that I had to have a massive tidy and put a lot of my equipment away so that the house was safe for two of my grandchildren who came to stay.   It was lovely to see them and we had quite a busy time.    I’ve promised myself that I won’t get everything out again, but will try to be strict with myself and finish off some things before starting on new ones!!!

On Saturday, we went to Lark Lane, it was busier than it has been lately  and, once again, it was a great atmosphere and, among other things, I sold one of the little purses I’ve been knitting - it was a beautiful variegated mohair yarn – I can’t believe I didn’t photograph it!. Also, and here’s a sobering thought, I made my first Christmas card sale of this year.     Before we came home, we went along to Arts Hub 47 https://www.facebook.com/artshub47communitycooperative to see the exhibition of felt work by Nic of Feltipedia https://www.facebook.com/#!/Feltipedia.uk - it was really good, I particularly liked some of the hangings made from Norwegian wool.    

We’re looking forward to going to Scorton http://www.britevents.com/whats-on/lancashire/preston/scorton-christmas-market/508492/, one of our favourite venues, on Sunday – Joanne and Nick make us so welcome.   We’re also looking forward to a return visit to Inglenook Farm, (the Lavender Farm) http://www.inglenook-farm.co.uk/e-craft-farmer-s-market-details-2544.html for their Craft Fair and Farmers' Market, on 10th November  but the really, really exciting news is that our application for a stall at the Winter Arts Market  at St. Georges Hall on Sunday, 8^th December, has been accepted – back to  work now to get ready for that.

Felt, Photography and Fibre Festival

Prototype bag from last week's post

Another ruffle and brooch fastening for it made – I really must stop now and make some other things.

 

 

On Saturday, we went to The Villa, Ormskirk, to sell our wares at their craft fair.   It’s a lovely venue and, despite being in a marquee, we were not too cold.   There weren’t a lot of people about so it was quite quiet but I sold a photographic print of the Liverpool Waterfront to one of the other stallholders who is going to send it to a friend in Australia as a wedding present.  It makes me feel really good to think that it will bring fond memories of Liverpool to someone who lives so far away.    The mother of one of the other stallholders bought my lovely single bed patchwork quilt, she says she’s going to snuggle up under it on her settee – so that’s gone to a good home too.   I’ll be off to the Villa again on 9^th November for their Art Show.

On Sunday, Liz and I went to Wilkinson Camera’s Digital Splash show in Preston.    There were lots of tempting cameras, bags, tripods etc. crying out to be bought.   We did some research into equipment we might buy at a later stage, but managed not to spend a fortune.   There were some good demonstrations also – Damian McGillicuddy was on the Olympus stand taking portraits – and generally entertaining the crowd.   David Newton was on the Canon stand showing some of his safari photos which included some brilliant cheetah and lion shots.  We also managed to glean some really useful information from the Colormunki rep about black and white printing – we’ll probably try it out on Friday.

I’ve been knitting some little purses which I intend to felt, one’s finished and felted already and there are more, in different yarns, in the pipeline.   My other project this week was to complete some cards with felt leaf shapes and some more bookmarks which will go with us to the Fibre Festival in Burscough on Sunday

Christmas is coming



Frozen Loughrigg Tarn

So what have I been doing this week?   First, last Monday morning rush to get prints ready for my camera club’s competition night.  Didn’t fair terribly well, but there was some strong competition.   I thought my picture of a frozen Loughrigg Tarn deserved better but heigh ho!    On Tuesday,  we had a meeting at the other photography group I belong to discuss how our exhibition had gone and about arrangements for next year.   I can’t believe we’re making plans already for next September, but we are – so many days blocked off on next year’s calendar for labelling, mounting, framing, hanging etc.

 

I have, at last photographed the two Ruffles – I’ve decided that’s what I’ll call my frilly neckpieces -and made fastenings for them both.     I’ve also made some small felt brooches for a local shop – I’m going tomorrow to see whether the owner wants to stock them.   I had a little ‘heart’ attack the other day and made a selection of small cotton hearts decorated with buttons and ribbons – they make pretty decorations.   Today, I’ve made a prototype of a bag I’ve been thinking about for a few weeks – it’s quite successful and with a few tweaks it should be good to go.

We had our flu jabs at the weekend, so now I know Winter is looming and, what’s more, when we were waiting for the car to be serviced this Monday, we started our Christmas shopping!

 

 

Home to Stay

We’ve been away, yet again – we hardly seem to have been home this Summer, however, we are not proposing to go away again  for ages, so I am intending to me much  more productive.   We shall see!

What have I been doing since my last post – which seems like months ago?   Well, Friday Felters started their new term and, on our first get together,  led by Stella, we all tried out a new technique.   We made frilly neck pieces which are really unusual and very pretty - see photograph.   Mine is made from merino wool with some silk decoration.  I was so enthusiastic that I couldn’t wait to try it out at home – however, as I had other commitments, I’ve had to wait until today to have a go.    I made two more neckpieces – I prefer to call them scarves – and they are at the moment drying out – I’ll have photos of them for next time.    

Our last little get-away was to Glasgow with some friends for 4 nights.   I’ve been a fan of Charlels Rennie Mackintosh and his wife for a long time and was looking forward to seeing lots of their work.   Our hotel was just outside the city and we were able to take the train (about 10 minutes walk away)  one stop into Glasgow Central so we didn’t have to battle with traffic and parking.   Glasgow is  full of beautiful buildings and we were all very impressed.    On our first day there, we enjoyed an open topped bus tour to get ourselves orientated and then visited the Gallery of Modern Art and the Lighthouse.    The Gallery of Modern Art was a total disappointment – I didn’t find one exhibit which appealed to me – it was certainly modern but not my idea of ‘art’.   The Lighthouse – the former Glasgow Herald building (Mackintosh’s first public commission), has been transformed into a centre for Design and Architecture.     We climbed the spiral staircase right to the top for panoramic views of the city – it was well worth the effort.   There was plenty of information and photos  but disappointingly few actual examples of Mackintosh’s work.

The following day, we decided to spend the morning at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery  and Museum, a very imposing building.   How naïve! – it took the whole day and then, I bet, we didn’t see everything – there were natural history exhibits as well as paintings, sculpture, militaria, ancient culture, and even a Spitfire.   There were also some Mackintosh and Glasgow Style exhibits so there was more than enough to keep us interested.

On our final day we decided, as it was close by, to visit the Burrell Collection – another full day – what a wonderful collection – and housed in a modern building set in beautiful woodland.    We had a conducted tour round some of the highlights of the collection  and then wandered on our own.   After lunch, the same guide, Wilma who was excellent, guided us round the current exhibition of impressionist paintings.   My favourite was an evening snow scene, which I'd not seen before,  by Henri le Sidoner.

Suddenly, we were on our way home again – not having seen as much Mackintosh as I’d hoped.     So, the good news is, we’ll have to go back again – perhaps next year.

Saturday saw us at at Lark Lane again https://www.facebook.com/CalidadEventsArtandCraftFairs - a couple of new faces – some beautiful jewellery and lots of old friends.    When it was over and we’d packed up, Liz and I went to see an exhibiton by Tina Leahey www.tinaleaheytextileartist.co.uk at Arts Hub 47 http://www.artshub47.co.uk    It was so good, I particularly liked the Liverpool skyline denim picture and some of the framed textile pieces.   I hope it has been a howling success, it certainly deserves to be.

On Sunday, the highlight of the week – Liz and I went to Skipton to ‘Yarndale Wool Festival’.   It was brilliant, everything from alpacas and angora rabbits to felt, spinning, weaving, knitting, dyeing, even some ceramics.   It was truly inspiring and I came away with my head buzzing with colours and inspiration.   I also came away with a bag full of ‘stuff’ which, of course, is essential!

 

 

It's all go

Once again, not very much to show for the last week in tangible form.   However, we’ve been far from idle.    Last Monday and today, Liz and I were curating the SRGB photographic exhibition at Dobbies Garden Centre in Southport http://www.dobbies.com/find-a-garden-centre/southport/.    It is well worth a visit if you’re in the vicinity – approximately 200 photographic prints – the best of the 800 or so competition entries in the SRGB First Print Celebration – a national competition.   It was great to be able to actually look properly at the prints – previously we’d been so busy labelling, mounting and framing that we’d only had time to glance at each one.    The images are so varied, from stunning Creatures of the World, Environment, Human Race, As Shot (unmanipulated) to Step out of the Box (Creative).   It would be really hard to choose just one favourite – there really is something for everyone.   Next year, I think I’ll try to raise my game and enter some myself!

It was lovely and warm on Thursday, so  I spent all afternoon in the garden, , picking through some more alpaca fleece – I’ve actually finished the big bin bag full of black fleece - there’s a bag of brown and a bag of white to go (not to mention a couple of boxes from last year still in the loft!).   It’s a bit messy to card it inside so I’m hoping the weather will be warm and still for few weeks so that it can be done in the garden or we’ll have to do it in the garden shed.    

I did have time to make a needle felted leaf shaped brooch which I’m very pleased with and at last I've photographed the bow shaped one I made ages ago.     I’ve also  put together some cards using needle felted and wet-felted hearts and leaves.    When I think about it, I started a nuno scarf – it is wool squares on chiffon and I’m hoping to decorate it with embroidery or beads, or both, so I have actually achieved quite a lot in the time I've had.   

At the weekend, my husband and I went to visit our daughter in Holland so, as well as being away from Friday to Monday, I spent Tuesday trying to catch up with myself – it all takes time.  I’m looking forward to catching up with the other branch of the family - our eldest grandson will be home from College for the weekend so we’ll see him and we are also singing in a concert.   It’s all go!  



scarf - work in progress
 

 

This and that

Where did that week go?    Very little ‘crafty stuff’ achieved – I don’t really know where the time went.  Although, last Wednesday, we did spend the whole day with two very old friends from my husband’s university days.    We hadn’t seen them for a whole year so, understandably, there was lots to catch up on.   At the end of the day, we promised not to leave it as long before we meet up again – how many times have you said/heard that?

On Sunday, Liz and I went, for the first time, to sell our wares at Inglenook Farm on the Rainford Bypass.   There were lots of stalls selling everything from food to crafts and it was very well attended.    We met lots of interesting people and a couple of them asked for cards so that they could contact me to teach them how to make felt.   That will be a bit of a new departure – I have done it a couple of times before and found it great fun.

Monday was spent, with Liz, curating the SRGB Photography Exhibition at Dobbie’s Garden Centre, in Southport – although it was quiet, we met some very interesting people and it also gave us a chance to study the photos in detail.     With nearly 200 prints to see, it’s hardly surprising to find the odd one that you hadn’t spotted before.     

So, apart from some knitting, finishing off some bits and pieces, and sorting through a lot of photos to find something suitable to submit to some photo competitions, I have been most unproductive.   Must try harder!

 

Socialising

What have I been up to in the past week?   A lot of socialising and not too much work!   We did however, do a short stint blackberrying and then made them into jam - I had to scrounge some jars first though!.  

Wednesday was a lovely day, a couple of us met up with another old friend from City and Guilds days and had a lovely, long, gossipy lunch and I got home just in time to pick up my husband for a family barbecue.  Our eldest grandson would be leaving home to start a Sixth Form course at Chethams College of Music in Manchester so it was a little farewell to him with family and friends.      It was lovely to relax in the garden eating and drinking until well after the sun went down and we had to go inside.    

On Friday, Liz and I spent the whole day with Dianne Owen mounting and labelling the 200 or so successful prints for the SRGB Print First Print Celebration exhibition at Dobbies Garden Centre, Bentham Way, Southport, from 7^th – 21^st September.     Today, along with several other members of the group, we framed them up ready be hung before the opening on 7^th.   What a mammoth task!

 

background and painted bondaweb

 

bluebell wood

 At the weekend, I actually got time to ‘play’ so I made a picture of a bluebell wood using painted bondaweb and hand and machine embroidery - it's actually mounted and framed now.

  I also managed to finish a couple of fabric book covers.   On Monday, keeping up my efforts to use up some of the fabric scraps I collect (hoard), I painted some quilted fabric which I hope to use to make needle cases.   The fabric was left over from the ‘Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’ I made for one of our granddaughters for Christmas 2011.