More printing

It has been a busy weekend in the studio with more of my City & Guilds students joining me for a couple of days of printing and stencilling.

Lots of techniques and art materials were explored to see what effects could be made on paper and fabric.

This is a gallery of photos from the day.

  

 

I had a lovely time as well using one wooden printing block to make these  printed charm squares.

 Now to decide what to make with them

Bev

City & Guilds News

Many moons have passed since my last blog post but believe me I have been busy. 

Nine students have completed their City & Guilds courses and I would like to congratulate them for all their hard work.

Level 1 Hand Embroidery - Helen Macintosh and Helen Atkinson

Level 1 Patchwork & Quilting - Anne Wilkinson, Wendy Harkness, Sue Ives, Clare Raymond Barker and Jon Massey

Level 2 Patchwork & Quilting - Paula Tidman and Deborah Moore.

Their work has been a joy to go through and I look forward to seeing them progress in the future. I will post pictures of their work soon.

Meanwhile I have been kept on my toes my by current City & Guilds students. 
We have been having wonderful messy days in my home studio, printing, silk screen, thermofax, mono printing and block printing. We have also been stencilling and using discharge pastes. 

We are busy again this weekend and I am amazed at all the work that my students produce in such a short time.

Bev

Focus on - Sarah Payne

The third focus on students to completing the level 2 City & Guilds Patchwork & Quilting course is the work of Sarah Payne.

Sarahs patchwork project is a wall hanging inspired by Peterborough Cathedral. The graceful curving lines of the architecture provided a good design source for this beautiful wall hanging. Using the same block pattern in different sizes and orientations has  makes it dynamic and free flowing. The echo quilting adds to the effect.

The fabric was hand dyed on the course.  

I can certainly feel the soaring arches of the ceiling when I look at it.

Sarah's love of peacocks was the inspiration for this unusual peacock cushion which shows her creative use of appliqué, 3D and raw edged.

The choice of colours add a wonderful vibrancy to this cushion.

Congratulations to Sarah on completing the level 2 course.

Bev

Focus on - Jan Abbott

The second focus on students who have just completed their Level 2 City & 

Guilds course in Patchwork & Quilting is Jan Abbott.

Her patchwork project was a very large 80" x 30" bed runner, in a colour scheme chosen from the room it is to be used in.  The block design was inspired by the wrought iron bed it is for. With in the ditch quilting again echoing the bars of the headboard and footplate.

Between the patchwork blocks are areas of sashiko type quilting in the shape of a hydrangea flower, bringing a personal touch to the runner, and adding a contrast to the straight lines of the blocks.

The design for her applique projest was based on a copse of Himalayan Birch trees at Anglesey Abbey. 

The background fabric is 100% Indian silk which was chosen for the texture as well as the colour. The trees are also silk adding a wonderful lustrous sheen to the tree silhouettes.

In both her projects Jan has broken the designs down to a simplicity which is very pleasing and effective. 

Congratulations to Jan for two very successful projects.

Bev

Focus on - Jenny Jones

Several of my students have recently completed their City & Guilds courses and have kindly given me permission to share their work.

This first post is about the wonderful work of Jenny Jones.

Her patchwork wallhanging was inspired by a visit to 78 Derngate, Northampton. A beautiful house which was re-modelled by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in 1916.

Each of the blocks in the wall hanging were inspired by different rooms, the stained glass and the decor. 

She has really captured the spirit of the house and his work. 

Her applique bag shows her attention to detail with hand and machine appliqué and trapunto flowers. The two sides show different seasons which compiment each other perfectly.

It has been lovely to see such wonderful work develop over the last few months.

I hope you enjoy seeing it as much as I did and I would like to offer my congratulations to Jenny on her beautiful pieces.

Bev

Studio Weekend

This weekend some of my students came to my home studio to have a bit of a messy time. Graded dyeing, silk painting and batik were among some of the techniques we explored.

My husband had bought me a wax pot for my birthday and this was the perfect opportunity to try it out

Lots of wonderful experimenting going on

Transfer paints with a stitched resist. I love the mottled background.

Bleach effects on hand dyed fabric and velvet.

Silk painting and salt effects

Folded and pegged fabric it looks like a tiled floor. I am very pleased with this one.

Tray dyeing before rinsing out.  The colours will be paler when it is dried.

Stacks of dyed fabric to take home.

Jenny's silk painting

Sarah's 

And Jan's

I am looking forward to our next lesson to see how the dyed fabric has turned out.

Bev

Friday Catch Up

These last couple of months have been quite difficult. Not having my studio space was more unsettling than I thought it would be so I am in no hurry to repeat the experience. The builder is back again today to finish up - hooray!! I have already stared moving back in but feel there is still a way to go until I am settled in and working properly. However a couple of days out can take the mind off the chaos at home

A trip to Chilford and a spot of wine tasting was just the thing last Friday and the lunch was good too. 

Quickly followed by a trip to London to see how the poppies in the moat display is growing, again with a lovely lunch ( and dinner! ) with good friends. We even managed to find - quite by accident  - the restaurant where my son works. I have to say that I did embarrass him and pop in. Luckily it was his break and he joined me for a coffee and a catch up. The busy life of a chef.

Anyway I am taking advantage of not being able to unpack boxes to browse the internet for quilt festivals and shows for 2015. It is time to be more focused in my work and will give myself some deadlines for next year. 

The Festival of Quilts 2015

Grosvenor Shows 2015

Yesterday was an exciting day with some of my City & Guilds students coming to the end of their courses, and they rose to the challenge I set them. It was a mini sewing bee as they only had a couple of hours to design and make a small patchwork item. Carol and Jennifer have given me permission to share their finished items

Carol's cushion cover using English paper pieced hexagons and echo quilting.

Jennifer's Christmas themed place mat using courthouse steps construction. 

I'm sure you will agree that they have both done a great job on the level 1 Patchwork & Quilting course. 

Happy sewing

Bev