Thursday 15 August 2013

Far too long a blog.

The Northern Ireland Patchwork Guild are having an exhibition in Belfast City Hall next month. The title is Cultural Heritage.
I am leaving it a bit late, but after a bit of thought and a lot of procrastination, I have decided to enter a piece.
I may not make it in time for the deadline, but I will give it a go.


During our summer holiday we spent a day in the Somme area of France. We visited Thiepval War Memorial.


And Hamel Military Cemetary, where my Great Grandfather William Powers is buried.
He died 1st July 1916, first day of the Battle of The Somme.


We took a few grave rubbings.

Cultural Heritage... Remembering our war dead.

Today I started experimenting with ideas for a textile piece. Probably a small piece as time is against me.

This is a kind of tracing of a grave rubbing onto white cotton which had some acrylic paint applied to it.
Too messy. Don't like this.


I traced onto tissue paper, pinned the paper to cream cotton and stitched around the letters.
Then I painted inside the stitching with textile paint.
I don't like this effect either. Still too messy


The numbers have been traced then outlined in pen and painted with textile paint.
This is ok. But not great.


I tried it on grey fabric, and painting the space around the numbers. I think I like this, it looks more like the stone of the headstones.


I want to use the symbol of the cross in the piece. Here I have used a poster, cut out the cross shape and   scrunched the paper to distress it.


I have this poster, and want to use it in the piece. Cutting cross shapes with the images of the faces perhaps.
So that's as far as I got.

I also went to the allotment this afternoon.


Yes the courgette is huge. 



The first sweet pea, but there are so many flowers just about to bloom.


There are a lot of weeds too. Sunday will be weeding day. I wasn't in weeding mood today so they got a reprieve.

This is far too long a blog. 
xx

Monday 12 August 2013

Festival of Quilts 2013.






I bought some delicious fabric at Festival of Quilts.
Carnaby Street from Art Gallery Fabrics,
Scamper for birch fabrics,
a lovely batik
and Wildflower Wood by Lynette Anderson Designs.

I spent Thursday and Friday of last week in Birmingham at the Festival of Quilts.
Thursday was the spending day and the oohing and aaahing at the fabrics.

Then Friday was inspiration day, looking at the quilts on display. 
Here are a few of many wonderful quilts...


Linda Colsh.
Second Hand.

Bethan Ash

Dorothy Caldwell.
How do we know when it's night?
Winner of Fine Art Quilt Masters 2013.

Eszter Bornemisza's work was beautiful.... some of her work and some details....






 Ineke Berlyn

Lesley Brankin
I really liked the straight line stitching. It's called Horizon II.

Vineta Cable, Light Uncovered.
"This work explores the ever changing nature of beauty and is inspired by Hinton St Mary mosaic, one of the earliest works of art depicting Christ"
detail...



Janie Harvey-Douglas.
A Slight Murmur of Starlings.

Unfortunately photography was forbidden in the exhibition space of Willy Doreleijers. She is a dutch textile artist and her work inspired and moved me the most.
go to portfolie to see her beautiful work.
Oh my goodness I want a piece on my wall.

I haven't picked up a pin or turned my sewing machine on for over a month.
So I should be fully charged for some serious sewing then.

xx