Colourful sock........and more blue and white.

Marilyn brought her very colourful and warm hand knit socks which were very useful in our recent run of cold and snowy weather.

She showed this beautiful blue and white silk piece.She was unsure as to whether it could be displayed as a piece ,but we soon persuaded her that it would be beautiful with its sheen and glorious randomness.

She explained that the warp is white while the weft is skeined and half is dyed ,so that the result produces a random effect rather like draped ribbon.

She had also been working on this textured piece in a mercerised cotton with a dyed warp.Each piece is different and also different lengths.

She had the idea of creating a white border ,rather like a frame ,around the pieces.

We loved the  way the blue 'bled ' into the edge.It would be lovely to hang them together and allowed freedom of movement.

It shows how the same inspiration can be interpreted by different people,Marilyn is using the blue and white seen in Newark Park too.

As yet we do not know if the exhibition will go ahead.The house is still closed so it can dry out and be assessed for damage.Keep checking back for updates.

MARCH ......Debby's been very busy.

Debby has been at Spike Island taking a course in Fabric printing.

It has included Transfer printing and Screen printing with Mary Gamester.She had lots of super samples of the different processes.

They had used a press for the transfer colours which had given a real depth to them.She had used vilene and synthetic felt and synthetic fabrics ,as the transfer colours do not work well with natural fabrics.

The screen print used a black and white photocopy of cracked earth which sparked associations with the cracked surface of the Delft tiles at Newark.

She made links with the scales of Spike the dragon and 

created a mermaid from a St.Ives story.

She is continuing with the blue and white theme

using some polystyrene plates to create some prints.

She has been using them on a Gelli plate as part of a daily practice.Little and often so that the brain ticks over and keeps developing ideas.

More inspiration for scales.

She is a lesson to us all as she just keeps working!

NEWARK

Due to the recent snow Newark Park suffered a burst pipe and water ingress and have had to close the house while the damaged is assessed.

At this moment in time we are unsure as to whether our exhibition will take place.We are keeping our fingers crossed .Please keep checking back here where we will keep you updated .

Tryptych

Since last month Deryll has tried out the chenille work from the book she was gifted at Christmas.She concluded that she didn't like the effect and it took too long,so she has gone back to her tried and tested ways of working.

The view will be worked in three pieces with a small gap between each section.

They are almost ready to be assembled,just finishing touches to be added like textures and surface stitch.

Right at the end of the meeting Sally presented these seat pads

wondering what she might do with them?She had worked them over twenty years ago for her sister's dining room.The stitching is exquisite and the colours unfaded but they are no longer wanted as the seat have been newly recovered .

Any ideas anyone?.......seems a shame to confine them to a drawer.

Ta....da !

Jane presented this fabulous finished piece.

She had decided it would be free standing and had found a firm online supplying

perspex cut and drilled to her specification.It looks good from all angles.

She had also been experimenting with her electronic cutter and 

'click and cut' software to create theses Celtic shapes.

She had some old transfer paper that only partially worked . By mixing it with some new she achieved  a two tone effect which is very pleasing.

She had also been using some slides belonging to her father,using Photoshop to pixelate them.She thought to use these to create quilts I think.