New tech and ancient land.

Jane is thinking about how she is going to present her piece for Newark.She had thought about having it free standing but is giving herself some time to think over options.

She is fascinated by technical wizardry and had received this, above for Christmas as she said a 'silly little present'

However,it has serious uses as the thread is conductive and is used to introduce electronics into clothing for a variety of uses.She has put the little brooch together which lights up.She had also managed a visit to the Balenciaga exhibition at the V&A.

Meantime ,Deryll had received a very interesting book for Christmas.It offered ways of manipulating clothing ideas and examples of how they are put to use by its author Ann Small.

Deryll was taken with some of the examples feeling she might use some of the 

different techniques in exploring the landscape she has chosen to depict for Newark.

She had put together some fabrics, heavily machine stitched

and was talking about using thirds ,dividing into grass, trees and sky.

Blue and white

Debby had been thinking about her possible inspiration for Newark Park.She had visited the MADE BY HAND fair in December and had picked up these china buttons .

and this dear little cup made by one of the potters on the last series of "The Pottery Throwdown", Richard J.Parker.

As is evident they are both  blue and white

She had also dug out a plate she had purchased many years ago in a Bring and Buy sale, which also happens to be blue and white.

She has looked up the information on the back and it was produced by Brownfield and son in Beeston Staffordshire between 1871-5.

She is enthused to do some research and base her work on the blue and white items at Newark.

She said she has plenty of blue and white fabrics she has printed and coloured and lots of unresolved pieces so she is determined to resolve them by using them in some way.

She had been tapped in to something called Live Art -Wanderlust.It was a series of prompts you used in a page of a sketchbook.

This was the very intriguing result ,layer upon layer.

Possibly present but hopefully not seen !

Apologies for the awful out of focus shots but hopefully you will see how adorable these are anyway.

Kirsten stated that she thought an old house like Newark would have such residents so is going to add to their collection.

She plans to display them in old china receptacles.At least these won't multiply without a human hand to help

Carpets and cockerels.

Viv had been working on her 'carpet'piece.

She had put it on some tea dyed huckleback and wanted our opinion.

She wondered about couching and hand stitching/embellishing around the pieces.

We liked the frayed edges and thought less background would be so much more effective, drawingthe eye in to look at the pieces.

Sue had been making a sample book

to house her experiments with silk ties and the embellisher.Such a good idea to have a record to refer to.

She had also unearthed some past work with cockerels, done with enamels

and print.She was taken with the fowl at Newark Park and is currently researching, drawing and producing textured samples to depict feathers.

She made a wonderful cockerel which was displayed at Sidcot when we exhibited there.We look forward to seeing how these are resolved.

2018

First an apology for the poor quality of the photographs this month.The photographer decided she should get to grips with the workings of her camera and not just use auto.............bad move .Lesson learned play on days when the photos can be discarded .

Sally had been thinking how she might use her postcard size pieces .She had decided not to create a book but to make hangings ,perhaps two? She thought of making three separate pieces in each joined with hooks and eyes.As usual there were other ideas put forward, one of which might have possibilities.As she had concentrated on the kitchen at Newark it was mooted that aprons might be fitting.....we wait and see.

She showed the progress she has made with her concertina garden book.Adding fabric and stitch to the pages.

It is a really lovely and very individual record of her garden.

Church Vestment making

Liz has been busy making a Christmas / Easter Chausible and Stole in memory of her Mum for her family church- St Mary's, Walsgrave, Coventry. It's all silk with appliqué of lilies, gold work and strip piecing. The symbol of Mary is 3 lilies in the form of a fleur de lis hence depicting 3 lilies on the vestments. The 3 lilies are also to be found on each stained glass window in the church. 

Here's a picture of the Vicar wearing them on Christmas morning.

Bits and pieces.

Carol is still ruminating on what will be her focus for Newark.In the meantime she undertook a little challenge for Quilters Guild.They were each given bits  of Kaffe Fassett fabric and challenged to create something.Her little offering is the sweet little brooch pictured above. 

She had also been beavering away making flower and garden cards.

Debby has an idea that she will base her work on the blue and white tiles at Newark,maybe incorporating lino cuts on fabric.

As is usual she brought alongside interesting finds.

This is a new  ribbon shop in Bath 'VV ROULEAU'

Lots of delicious, but be warned EXPENSIVE ,ribbons,braids and laces.

Tick tock

Ira had continued exploring the clock pieces.

Using some torn photographs and her 'melted'foils before adding stitch and beads.

She had been clearing out a chest at home and  turned up these pieces .

We likened them to the work of John Piper.

They relate to Medieval tiles.

She has an article relating to some of her work in the latest 'Be Creative with Workbox'

Photos of interior spaces.

Sally said she was directionless.......ha!

She had taken photos,especially within the kitchen,and had made postcard size mixed media pieces.Her inclination was for a strip book,we thought they would look very good grouped together as one larger piece.