UFO's or unfinished objects!

Had an idea for a new workshop, to be called UFO. 

All participants to bring in an unfinished textile to work on.  

Could be great fun.  An opportunity to swap ideas and expertise.

This brought to mind my nemesis, the 'elephant in the room'.

I've been working on it, off and on for the last two years and I am glad

and relieved to say the main body of it is now complete...

Hurrah!

Scource image

  Lichens are a great inspiration for my work.  This photograph

was given me by a friend and I was immediately captivated and wanted

to translate it into fabric and thread.

area of fabric strips

close up of fabric strips with flat area.

I chose rug canvas as the background, which in retrospect was

completely the wrong decision, but once I had started,

 I was commited and had to work with it.

There are large areas of shaggy strips of fabric, interspersed

with flat areas of machine knitting.

aerial view

Put in the last strip last week. 

 Now for the final stages. 

It needs shaping, both the strips of fabric and the whole outline. 

 I'm on the last leg and have rediscovered my love affair with it.

 I never quite know how my work is going to turn out until it's finished. 

 It leads me, not I it. 

 

First signs of Spring and ........ flowering unseen.

Ferns on a wall in the rain.

Herb Robert

Violet, flowering in the most unlikely of places, under the step.

Tree of Life. 

[free machine embroidery in silk and net]

I hadn't realised that the Tree of Life textile was completed until two

of my friends asked to see the back of it and then it all fell into place

and the rest is history.

 These works of 'art', both natural and manmade 

have just come into being. 

 The plants are flowering, despite all the odds, 

in the yard behind our gallery.

It was pouring with rain and there they were thriving,

 in the poorest of conditions.

Nature is wonderful and lights up my world.

"Of shoes - and ships - and sealing wax" and ............ Haberdashery !

It's time to talk about our NEW venture, Ethel's Haberdashery.  

It's all very exciting.

About two month's ago I had an Eureka moment and came up with

 an idea for putting the back room in the gallery to good use.

I have an enormous 'stash' of tools, books and materials allied to 

textile making, that I have been collecting for many years.  

I could offer them for sale along with advice and expertise if needed

 and thus 'Ethel's' was conceived.

It took about a month to sort through my stash and see 

what I could bear to part with but eventually

 it was done and we proudly opened our doors on

Easter Saturday.

Since then we have gone from strength to strength, with lots of 

 'crafters', happy to rummage and explore the many delights on display.

I have a small workspace in which to undertake my latest projects

which at the moment are a selection of handmade buttons, (seen above).

I think Ethel approves !

The Muse has returned

Been playing with the design for a new sweater.

I think Ethel will approve. 

 Hope so as she will be the one to model it.

Love the way the stitches form an undulating line.

Very satisfying to knit.

  Working on this in the gallery as it helps to pass the time. 

     

  Can't wait to see how it turns out.

Post Birthday Euphoria

Out of words today. 

 Still experiencing post birthday euphoria.

Back soon.