Creative Stitched Textiles course - last few spaces

The Creative Stitched Textiles Course will run on Wednesdays at The Cosy Cabin, Risby Barns, Risby near Bury St Edmunds from 19th September 2018

Sample of design work by Annette Morgan

 The course includes (non scary, no drawing required) design work, surface design, and lots of machine and hand embroidery techniques with the aim of developing the skills of students to create original work.

Tutor: Mary McIntosh

This Creative Stitch course replaces the City & Guilds level 3 certificate in Machine Embroidery and is verified and supported by the WI

For more information please look at the website http://sefwi.org.uk/creative_stitch

or contact maryelmcintosh@gmail.com

Opinion(s)ated on tour

Opinion(s)ated detail

The CQ Challenge exhibition 'In Print' continues to tour the UK. Having already been exhibited at the Needle Museum in Redditch and the West Country Quilt Show in Bristol the next stops will be:

2nd - 30th October 2018   The Curve Gallery, Carnegie Gallery, Bangor, Northern Ireland

6th - 15th February 2019   Quilt Fest, Llangollen, Wales

26th Mar - 25th April 2019 The Old Chapel Textile Centre, Newbury, Berks

Festival of Quilts 2018

The theme of the Quilter's Guild Challenge at The Festival of Quilts 2018 was 'Stitched through Time'

This is my piece made for the competition entitled 'The Colourwheel of Time' inspired by the idea that colour is woven through the cloth we use and the work we make.

Colour Wheel of Time 2018

 Made from recycled calico. Stitched, painted, stiffened, dyed and discharged. Hand dyed cotton fabrics 'woven' through stitched and cut buttonholes.

Colour Wheel of Time (detail)

I am continuing to develop the ideas of adding more colour to my work and plan more pieces using this technique.

Cornucopies

My aim is to design and make original work. However, earlier this year Tin Hut Textiles invited the fantastically talented Debbie Lyddon to give us a workshop exploring forms.

We had two great days playing with ways of stiffening cloth and manipulating it in various ways to create 3D forms. 

My very simple cornucopia shapes in no way ressemble the wonderful sensory work made by Debbie but I acknowledge her teaching and offer you my own humble 'Cornucopies' - not actual copies but started on the workshop and added to at home. Part of the Tin Hut Textiles exhibition at Snape Maltings 31st August - 5th Sept 2018.

A selection of 'Cornucopies' 2018

Made from starched canvas and emulsioned linen. Painted, markal oil sticks, boot polish, wax. Simple machine and hand stitching. 

The next hundred years

As part of the Tin Hut Textiles exhibition 2018 members wished each to make a piece of work to mark the centenary of some Women first being given the right to vote in 1918.

My contribution is called 'The Next Hundred Years' and is inspired by a 1918 banner which read 'Women's Rights are Human Rights' and highlights the work still needed to bring true equality and freedom.

The Next Hundred Years 12" x 24" 2018

 The techniques are those used in my 'Opinion(s)ated' piece made for the In Print exhibition earlier in the year.

Paper lamination using newspaper headlines (these were taken from only 3 days papers in August this year) onto layers of polyester voile, stitched, and coloured from the reverse using acrylic paints to seep through the stitching. Only the suffragette colours of white, green and purple were allowed.

The Next Hundred Years (detail)

Hexperiment III

'Hexperiment' began in May 2017 made for an exhibition at the East Anglian Museum of Rural Life in Stowmarket. 

Made in response to an old patchwork quilt on display in the museum my piece was made from recycled household linens, lined with newspaper, and all handstitched in the traditional manner to make lots of 8" hexagons. Joined by large washers.

Hexperiment - hanging at the Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket May 2017

Hexperiment (detail)

 Hanging outside the rain was supposed to gently rust the metal washers over the summer. Unfortunately the wind caused the hexagons to swing and the metal washers rubbed and sawed through the stitching - so we had 'Failed Hexperiment'                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

It was rescued and remade as 'Hexperiment II' and continued to hang outside for the summer of 2017. Again returned to me as a pathetic pile of torn tape and hexagons after being used as a swing by a small boy!

But the rusting was very disappointing so I decided to give it a helping hand and the hexagons spent the spring and early summer 2018 being gently rusted in a tea/vinegar solution and lots of old rusty junk

Washed (stacked in my dishwasher like plates) and dried and then reassembled as 'Hexperiment III' for the Tin Hut Textiles exhibition at Snape Maltings Sept 2018

Installation at Snape Maltings as part of the Tin Hut Textiles exhibition 2018

The piece is not for sale as I wish to continue to play with the idea. What next? Watch out for 'Hexperiment IV'

Once More unto the bleach! workshop in Fornham All Saints

There are just two spaces remaining on the 'Once More Unto the Bleach!' workshop on Friday 5th October 2018.

We will be working with decolourant*, dye-n-flow and fabric paints to remove and then add colour back into black cotton and linen fabric. You will go home with two unique layered cloths ready to stitch.  

Life's a bleach! sample on black linen

 Venue: Fornham All Saints Community Hall,
             Bury Road, Fornham All Saints, Bury St Edmunds IP28 6JZ

Date: Friday 5th October 2018

Time: 10am - 4pm (doors open 9.30am)

Cost: £40 to include all equipment and resources for the day. Tea and coffee provided. Please bring a packed lunch. 

Fabric: 0.5 metres of black cotton can be pre-ordered for £4
            0.5 metres black linen can be pre-ordered for £6

To reserve your place please email: maryelmcintosh@gmail.com

* this technique can be quite messy and smelly and may not be suitable for those with breathing problems