Twining

Twining, a photo by stitchworks-jackie on Flickr.

Trying out twining at City Lit last Sunday using rush.

City Lit Basketry Taster

City Lit Basketry Taster February 2014 by stitchworks-jackie on Photosynth

Last Sunday I went to a taster course at the City Lit. College in London. We learned how to make a diagonal weave basket out of newspaper. I must tell any of you who have never tried this process that it is much harder than it looks. I felt a sort of panic that I would be the only one to fail to make a basket until the tutor, Annemarie O'Sullivan, assured me that there was nothing wrong with my weave, it only needed tightening; this involves tugging quite hard on the strips of paper, and something one would certainly not do without the tutor showing you how. The baskets are surprising strong. So a process that is nice when its finished!
Next Sunday we try twineing.
City Lit Basketry Taster by stitchworks-jackie on Photosynth

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'Paper Play'

Next Saturday I will be leading a workshop with a group of local calligraphers and we will be making decorative papers.

 I have needed to practise some of the processes which can get a little boring; the workshop is called ‘Paper Play’ and repeating things is no longer play, so I decided just to play and made a brown paper piece which I then machined to newspaper.

 I wetted the newspaper and rubbed it away in places before adding some paint. I then ironed the whole onto a piece of grey interfacing. I thought I would try ironing on some foil which I presumed would stick where the interfacing was peeping through.

 You can see that the foil attached where the little dots of glue are on the interfacing, so I was pleased. Did you think I had painted all those dots individually?  So play was resumed.

Rust and Flowers

Recently I went through my favourites list of blogs, and looked at some that I had neglected for a time; I found Leah Day's ‘Earth Flower’ motif and as usual impressed by her skill I had to have a go. The idea sort of hung around for a while and then I saw a piece of rusted fabric hanging on the ‘line’ in my room and thought nothing would be lost by quilting the motif onto it.

Before adding hand stitching and more details.

 I got quite hooked and actually have found more pleasure in working on this little piece than I have done for a while.

 I am going to seed stitch all around the motifs and then make it into a front for a cushion using an off cream silk dupion.