A Transfer of Affection

 

Another precious find from my Mother's collection of saved 'stuff' are these blue embroidery transfers. Some are dated from 1934, several years before she was born in 1942 and so must have been inherited or passed on.

These are the starting point for a new piece of work for the Spotlight Textiles exhibition planned for April 2023 called "Spotlight on...........Heritage"

Amazingly the blue transfers still work wonderfully well and I hope to give them a contemporary twist whilst fondly remembering my lovely Mam in every stitch.

Crazy Notions

 

Crazy Notions series

'Notions' is a word which has passed from general usage being at first the word used in the USA to mean a great idea or clever invention.

Later it passed into use by haberdashers to describe sewing notions - fastenings and embellishments.

This piece is just a bit of fun really. Combining crazy patchwork squares with lots of ways of using notions.

I had a lovely time in the haberdashery department of Wallis and Mcculoch in London https://www.macculloch-wallis.co.uk/c/717/haberdashery picking out a selection of notions to use

Cotton organdie in both white and black is perfect for crazy patchwork using the pojaji piecing technique

Using pirns as hanging devices gave a nice link to the weaving theme of the exhibition.

Pirns are wound with the weft thread and then inserted into the shuttle. 

'To have and to hold' series  

The 'To Have and the Hold' series of work made in the summer of 2022 were all inspired by the discovery of a Simplicity dress pattern when clearning out my Mother's house as she moved into residential care.

Mam now has dementia and no short term memory. My father died in 2009. They had a very happy marriage and through the stitching of this series I thought about and remembered the very many happy times they shared together.

The dress is made using the actual Simplicity dress tissue laminated to a fine silk for strength and combined with silk organza, cotton organdie and net. The net underskirt was from my daughter Katie's wedding - a nice link through three generations of women.

The dress and veil were first exhibited as part of the 'Monochrome' exhibition by Out of the Fold in September 2022

The whole series was exhibited as part of my solo exhibition 'Wool - Cotton - Silk' in October 2022

They can be seen again at The Guildhall, Bury St Edmunds in October 2023

The Simplicity dress pattern was not the one used for my mother's wedding dress. Her dress was much plainer. I think this was the bridesmaids pattern. A swatch of the white/yellow brocade silk satin used for the bridesmaids dresses was found with it. 

There are 5 layers of fabric in the skirt. Each layer has stitching with words from the wedding service. Much of it hidden. 

Drawing a veil

The 'Drawing a Veil' piece uses the First Holy Communion veil worn by Katie. It was the wedding veil from my sister-in-law's wedding and passed on to be re-used. This was only recognised once the veil was made and hanging in the gallery. Thank you Julie!

Some words from the wedding service are stitched on the net. Hard to see white stitching, on white net, on a white wall. But it reads

"For richer or poorer" and "In sickness and in health". Appropriate words for most marriages but especially poignant for my brother Stuart and his wife Julie. 

The Weaker Vessels

Also using pattern tissue I made these three vessels inspired by some words from the bible

1 Peter 3:7

Ye husbands, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and being heirs together of the grace of life.

The vessels are made of paper tissue and should be weak but through the addition of lamination, stitch and connections like buttons, zips and other fasteners become strong enough to stand

Pattern of Life

 The Simplicity pattern tissue is also used for this hanging. Playing with some of the words and instructions on the pattern. 

'Gather together here' and 'insert zip matching notches' instructions have been followed

I am fascinated how words from textiles and tailoring have passed into general usage. 

Pojagi pieced using laminated tissue and cotton organdie (and notions)

A little bit of something does you good

 

The exhibition is NOW OPEN!

All the work at the 'Wool - Cotton - Silk' exhibition will be for sale and there will be some smaller pieces available for those with limited wall space and pockets

Cards from £3

Mounted pieces ready to frame from £15

Hoping to make a connection

 

Dressmaking pattern tissue and all sorts of sewing notions; fastenings and connections, feature in my latest series of work.

You can see the completed pieces at my exhibition 'Wool - Cotton - Silk' at the Quay Gallery Snape Maltings from 21st - 26th October 2022

https://brittenpearsarts.org/visit-us/snape-maltings/art-exhibitions/mary-mcintosh

For those not able to come along images of work will be added to my website after the exhibition closes http://www.marymcintosh.co.uk/

At least two reasons to be cheerful

 

I am really delighted that the Fibre Fusion textile group will be exhibiting in the Pond Gallery at Snape Maltings at the same time as my solo exhibition in the Quay Gallery.

Two great reasons for a day out with lots of other lovely things to see, eat and buy at the Snape Maltings site. 

https://brittenpearsarts.org/visit-us/snape-maltings

I do love a dyeing day............

 

Natural dyes work well on wool and silk but for really vibrant colours acid dyes work really well. Quick too with only 5 minutes in the microwave!

Lots of wool fabrics including old blankets 'rescued' from my mother's airing cupboard and still smelling of mothball, dyed to give a good range of colours.

Some silks too as acid dyes work well on all protein fabrics (but not cotton or other cellulose fabrics)

These will be used to create work for my forthcoming 'Wool - Cotton - Silk' exhibition at Snape Maltings from 21st - 26th October 2022

https://brittenpearsarts.org/visit-us/snape-maltings/art-exhibitions/mary-mcintosh

Wool - Cotton - Silk solo exhibition

 

Just five weeks to go until I will be hanging this exhibition at The Quay Gallery, Snape Maltings.

Whilst I have exhibited many times as part of a group it feels quite daunting to make enough work to fill a whole gallery.

The inspiration is my research into the weaving and textile industry. I was born in the Scottish Borders, where wool weaving and especially tweed, was important to the agricultural trade. My father was a hill shepherd.

I lived for many years in the Pennines, where the cotton trade was the dominant industry for a century.

Now I am lucky to live near Sudbury, Suffolk where 95% of all the woven silk is made in the country. 

https://brittenpearsarts.org/visit-us/snape-maltings/art-exhibitions/mary-mcintosh

I have a notion.......................

 

A visit to the notions department has inspired a new piece of work

Really enjoying playing with a range of clasps, fastenings and embellishments

This new piece will be exhibited at my forthcoming solo exhibition at the Quay Gallery, Snape Maltings, Suffolk IP17 1SP from 21st - 26th October 2022

https://brittenpearsarts.org/visit-us/snape-maltings/art-exhibitions/mary-mcintosh

To have and to hold

 

One of the 'treasures' I discovered when clearing out my mother's house as she moved into residential care was this Simplicity dress pattern. It was not used for my mother' wedding gown but I think for the bridesmaids.  The pattern pieces for view 2 had been cut out. I wanted to use the pattern tissue as one of the materials for my piece.

This formed my inspiration for the 'Monochrome' theme for the Out of the Fold exhibition in September 2022

Married in 1962 my parents had a wonderfully happy marriage which only ended after 47 years on the death of my beloved father in 2009

The words of the marriage ceremony really does reflect their life together through the many up and downs of life. 

At a three day workshop with Amanda Clayton earlier this year I discovered silk crepeline fabric for the first time - the lightest sheerest silk I have used. This has been combined with the paper pattern tissue, silk organza, cotton organdie and nylon tulle as the materials. All stitched with white cotton thread. 

Experiments with paper lamination also played a part as did pojagi piecing  techniques and the Amanda Clayton method of joining sheer fabrics (but by machine and not by hand)

Stitching onto such lightweight silk fabrics and net was a new challenge for me. Using soluble fabric and a washaway pen proved useful.  

The piece changed many times during the making; emerging from the planned wall hanging into a full sized three dimensional mixed media piece of work. 

'To Have and to hold' will be exhibited as part of the Out of the Fold exhibition at the Pond Gallery, Snape Maltings, Suffolk IP17 1SP from 30th September until 5th October 2022

No Festival of Quilts for me this year

 

Metallic Magic 

Well this was the workshop I was planning to teach at the Festival of Quilts this year but I am very sorry to announce that I am going to have to miss the entire event. 

I regret that I am completely out of action for the whole of  August and September 2022. Nothing to worry about but I just need to take some time to recover from a recent procedure.

A big thankyou to Helen Moyes who is taking over my workshop and will put her own interpretation on the theme of 'Metallic Magic'

Also thanks to Pat Archibald for filling my 'By accident or design' talk spot with her own talk on design tips and techniques.

Most of all a big sorry not to have my Quilting in Action stand on QIA10 next to my lovely friend Mel from Mellymade Designs. I will miss seeing so many old friends and past students from all around the UK.

I will be back in 2023!

Stitch21 'Legacy' exhibition

 As part of the Creative Stitch Graduate Show 2022 new exhibiting group Stitch 21 (made up of students who completed the Advanced Stitched Textiles course in 2021 - hence the name) had a small exhibition with the theme of 'Legacy'

My 'Legacy' pieces are inspired by the weaving industry. 

I was born in the Scottish Borders in the heart of the wool weaving industry. Each one of my 'Legacy' pieces includes a piece of wool blanket woven in Hawick and given to my parents as a wedding present in 1962

The wool blankets were used for many years on beds to keep my family warm during the very cold Northumbrian winters until the arrival of duvets in the 1980s. 

The blanket, liberated from my mothers' airing cupboard, has been dyed using natural dyes. Logwood, Madder and Weld.

Each piece also contains a piece of silk woven in Sudbury where I have lived for the last twenty years.  

'Logwood Legacy' shown here was first made for the STARS Challenge in 2021

'Madder legacy' was made in the same way using a variety of dyed wools, cottons and silk fabrics which are embellished to the blanket base.

With the very hard water in East Anglia it if difficult to get a natural madder dye to be truly red - mine have an orangey tone. You can see how the different wool, cotton and silk fabrics take up the dye differently with the silk viscose velvet being the richest colour

Hand stitching and beading is added for additional texture - I really enjoy this part of the process

'Weld Legacy' is my least favourite of the three. Weld gathered from the  hedgerows near my home dyes the most vibrant yellow. This was combined with another piece of Sudbury woven silk but needed the addition of another colour to make it work - hence the blue indigo dyed fabrics. 

These 'Legacy' pieces will form part of a large exhibition on work on the theme of Wool - Cotton - Silk at my solo exhibition at Snape Maltings in October 2022

Creative Stitch Graduate Show 2022

 I was very proud of all the Creative Stitch students who completed their course and exhibited work at the Graduate Show 2022. Here is just a sample of a few of the exhibits by my Advanced Stitched Textiles students.

Final piece by Heather Evans. Inspired by a flint stone.

A nuno-felted caplet as part of a fantasy costume by Irmgard MacAskill

Final piece by Phillip Rees. Inspired by the pneumatic bone structure of bird skeletons. Wax resist and multiple layers.

Fantasy costume by Penny Evans inspired by the Eri silk moth. This piece is featured on Fibre Art Now magazine summer issue 2022

The next Advanced Stitched Textiles course with Creative Stitch starts at the beginning of October 2022 in Nowton near Bury St Edmunds. More information at www.sefwi.org.uk/creative_stitch or from me by email maryelmcintosh@gmail.com

Eco printing with CQ Iceni

 

Multiple leaves

We had a hot and steamy session on one of the hottest days of the year with 16 CQ Iceni members all having a play with eco printing.

Six pans steamed away all day and then the bundles taken home to be unwrapped. Hopefully we will see the results at the next meeting in July.

The one of the left was a demo only, a new departure for me, but giving some nice colours. I am still learning about eco printing and enjoying the whole process of gathering, printing, unwrapping and then stitching. 

I was pleased with some of my fabrics with the ever reliable rose leaf on mordanted fabric giving nice clear prints. This one on cotton.

This was on un-mordanted silk and an unexpected pink colour from raspberry 

Creative Stitch Open Day at The Cosy Cabin

 

If you might be interested in taking a one year course to advance your design and stitching skills then this is an idea opportunity to come along and meet the tutors and discuss what course might be right for you.

Applications welcome from those with some stitching experience who wish to create original work. 

Entry to the Advanced Stitched Textiles is now possible without a first City & Guilds or equivalent qualification but by the submission of a portfolio of work. If you have taken lots of courses and workshops but want to now focus and use those skills to create a body of work then this might be the right route for you. 

Sarah has shrivelled (and dyed)

 I love it when having taught a workshop someone sends me a photograph of their finished item. As a tutor it makes it all worthwhile. 

Sarah Lally 

 I taught the 'Shrivel Up and Dye' technique at Alex   Waylett's Elm Farm Studio https://alexandrawaylett.com/earlier in the year to a very talented group including Sarah Lally from Bedfordshire.

This is Sarah's completed piece with the Shrivel Up and Dye panel inserted into the linen fabric background we dyed in the same dye bath.

I love how Sarah has used the additional pieces we dyed too to add the circles. All brought wonderfully to life by the stitching to give great movement as well as the colour and texture.

If you would like a pack of materials to try out the Shrivel Up and Dye technique yourself it is available in three ways:

- Just the wool shrinkable base fabric 18" square for £5

- The wool base plus 12 different fabrics inc silks, velvet, linen and cottons for £15

- The whole pack plus linen to make up into a cushion or panel as above for £20

Please email maryelmcintosh@gmail.com to order 

Text and Context Gallery at Festival of Quilts

 Well I was feeling a bit pathetic at another year going by without me entering anything into the Festival of Quilts 2022 However it was a lovely surprise to open the latest edition of The Quilter Magazine to see that a piece of my work will be included in the Quilters' Guild gallery 'Text and Context'

This gallery is jointly curated by the collection curator Heather Audin and a guest curator Judy Fairless from the Contemporary Quilt

https://www.thefestivalofquilts.co.uk/the-quilters-guild/

The pieces are all selected from the QG museum permanent collection and feature the written word. 

My piece "Forty years of progress - Thatcher to May" was made for the 2019 Spotlight Gallery celebrating 40 years of the guild. 

I was honoured to represent my region (Suffolk and Essex) and to hang alongside quilts made by a member of every region and specialist group of the guild.

These were all taken into the museum as the  'Forties Collection'

The 'Text and Context' exhibition will be on stand TG5 at the Festival of Quilts at the NEC Birmingham from 18th - 21st August 2022

I will also have my own small stand in the Quilting in Action zone on QIA10

Advanced Stitched Textiles Foundation Course

 

 Applications are invited for the Advanced Stitched Textile Foundation Course. 

This is a one year course designed to enable students to design and make original and innovative textile art.

Some previous textile training is required. This might include:

- City & Guild courses in Patchwork and Quilting or embroidery 

- Creative Stitch courses in Creative Patchwork and Quilting or Creative Stitched Textiles

- RSN courses

- Quilters' Guild courses

- Embroiderers' Guild courses

Applications are also invited from those who have not undertaken a formal qualification but have experience gained through practice and personal study. Application would be supported by a portfolio of work*

*A pre course assessment in person or online would be required and additional support could be given if required.

The next Advanced Stitched Textiles Foundation course will begin on Tuesday 20th September 2022 at Nowton near Bury St Edmunds

For more information please see https://sefwi.org.uk/creative_stitch/courses or contact mary.cs@sefwi.org.uk 

The Foundation course can then be followed by an optional second year of Advanced Stitched Textiles Extension course

Creative Stitch Graduate Show 2022

 

The Grad Show this year will have fewer students exhibiting - 5 Advanced students and 8 Creative Stitched Textiles students. However we will have the first exhibition 'Legacy' by the alumni group Stitch 21 made up of students who completed their advanced course last year. 

The event is co-hosted by Suffolk East Federation Women's Institute who will have their Suffolk Showcase display of arts and crafts by WI members (usually at the Suffolk Show) 

Our traders will be The Cosy Cabin https://www.thecosycabin.co.uk/ and Mellymade Designs https://mellymadedesigns.com/

Plus student makers with work for sale by current and past students and tutors, stash sales table and our ever popular tombola.

Refreshments provided by the WI - the cheese scones are highly recommended.

Entre on the door is £5 or advanced tickets for £4 through the booking link below

Creative Stitch Grad Show advanced ticketshttps://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing?eid=29278&

Stitch Magazine Project

 

Issue 137 of Stitch Magazine is published on Thursday 26th May and includes my 'Shrivel Up and Dye Cushion' project.

I pay tribute to the wonderful C June Barnes whose work introduced me to the concept of shrinking wool fabrics when I studied her as part of the City & Guilds diploma. It is a technique I have gone on to explore with different fabrics and stitch treatments. 

The version in the magazine is dyed with  violet cold water dylon dye but procion, direct or natural dyes could also be used.

A pack of all materials (exc dye) to make the cushion is available for £20 plus £2 p&p

Please email: maryelmcintosh@gmail.com