Flowering loveliness and new techniques.

Viv had also been looking out old photos, some taken in Cornwall and some taken closer to home on the edge of the Gorge.She was enlarging them and using a window to choose areas to concentrate on.No doubt we'll soon be seeing some of her lovely work involving flowers.

The next item involved a technique found on YOUTUBE.....dinner fork weaving!

We were a little bemused and wondered why anyone would bother .Viv had given it a go and produced this pink flower.It looks like a lot of effort for so little a return, but we're all different.

She had also taken one of the double -eyed needles Jane had brought in a previous meeting and trialled what it could do.

She was a little underwhelmed and thought she could probably do without one, saying she preferred a twin needle.Others have taken them so we shall see if the general consensus is the same.

Favourite beach

Ira's husband is an excellent photographer.She makes full use of his talent by getting him to take photographs she then uses to inspire her pieces.These are a favourite beach where they have spent many a happy holiday.

And you can see some work in progress from them.

She has been sorting through work for UWE and came across this piece done while she was an artist in residence in Nature in Art some years ago.

It was to do with Rock,Sand and Skyscapes and involved her painting on fabric and burning back, some of her trademarks.

She also brought along this quilt ,not something we associate with Ira.

which she  has been working on off and on over a number of years. She  wanted some advice as how best to finish it.She got lots, about the binding ,hanging ,quilting and who to use if she didn't want to quilt it herself.

Perhaps next time we see it, it will adorn a bed or a wall in all its glory.

She also alluded to her work for UWE, which questions what is art? A very wide ranging subject, and one which instigates much discussion.We wonder what the viewers at UWE will conclude.

More to do with plastic.

With her piece on fracking finished ,apart from how it will hang, Deryll had continued to move on with her collected plastics.The majority is made up of the flimsy thin stuff which covers over goods contained in plastic cartons.She has been experimenting to see exactly what can be done.She has heated and shrunk them above,

This plastic resisted heat so she twisted ,knotted and screwed  it into shape ,stitched and gathered it up.The one below melted and shrivelled.

She took some garden fleece, painted it and applied heat. It reacted a little like Tyvek Why these experiments you may ask .......well she is thinking about "a sea of plastic' Pun intended and a very potent message.

Finally some images of her first piece.

We hope you'll come and visit our different exhibition in UWE on Thursday.Friday and Saturday August 29th, 30th, 31st 2019.

July Meeting.

The day was very different from our June meeting,Summer seemed to have passed June by but we have had some lovely July Summer days and this was no exception.We met at Sally's and were indoors for much of it venturing outside at lunchtime to see her glorious poppies .See her instagram for pics ,sallysparks35.

Jane is on holiday for a few weeks so is spending some time trying a pattern for a Bargello lap quilt.Above is a seat of a chair worked by Sally and is an example of Bargello.

Jane is using 2"strips which are left over from other projects.This is a practice to perfect the technique.

The underside, which is as neat as the front.

This looks special enough so we wonder what the 'Real ' one will be like

She had recently used a Christmas present to visit Hampton Court to do a class with the Royal College of Needlework.

She chose a crewel work class with Lizzie Pye and received this box of goodies.

Far more than was needed to work the bird.Jane had a thoroughly good time ,working stem, long and short, chain, trellis and satin stitch.She also came away with some useful tips ,such as stabbing the needle through then pulling the thread from the back.It gives a smoother finish.Also making two tiny stitches in the front of the work to secure then snip.

Perhaps next time, this little bird will be completed.

More clever boxes .

Liz has a friend in Devizes who teaches bookbinding that she goes to regularly.Liz had played with magic boxes previously and wanted to see if she could change the dimensions and still get them to work.

Theseare her results so far .She is not pleased that they are not quite perfect ,they catch instead of opening smoothl.You can be sure she will fix this little glitch that none of the rest of us would have noticed had she not pointed it out 

She decided to make a piece for wearing for her Festival of Quilts eco exhibition as the oak offers protection, being the tree of the warrior.She decided on a poncho type garment but was dismayed to discover the neckline was much too wide .....another solution to be found to rescue this promising piece.

Jenn had added to her printed collection of pieces and had begun to add in stitch as well as appliqué.

There was some concern that her message would not be understood.

So some discussion was had about the best way to proceed to make it plainer.

Medieval inspiration.

Ira enjoys all things historical and finds inspiration from her studies especially the Medieval period.

This piece was inspired by stained glass and was drawn freehand onto her base fabric..She has then begun to pick out areas with metallic paints.In the image you can see her pencil drawing that she worked from.

She has split her inspiration into sections which have been fitted together .

 

Below are more of her drawings using Tintern Abbey as her focus.She loves to draw as well as stitch and is very good.

The last image shows some computer wizardry ,scanning and using distortion filters to experiment with .

Little boxes but not 'made out of ticky -tacky'!

Sue has really taken the boxes and made them her own.

They are quite sturdy and made from a whole lot of different papers, many made by Sue.She has experimented using print on them ,and trapping leaves within tissue papers strengthened with laminating.Lots of scope for inspired papers .

Talk turned to what she might want to do with them in the exhibition. Jenga like plucking one from the pile without toppling the rest?This done over and over might lead to them being damaged though.

Thoughts were another idea ,allowing participants to hide a secret within a chosen box.Or for them to be used to contain a memory .She thought the sentiment 'Love is ........' might be her message.

She brought her cockerel along ,which she found had grown and grown as he was added to .Here a detail of his 'feathers'

and here the beginnings of his comb and wattle.He will be magnificent!