Festival of Quilts 2026

 

It will be another busy Festival of Quilts this year which is on at the NEC Birmingham from 31st July until 2nd August 2026.www.thefestivalofquilts.co.uk/exhibitors/mary-mcintosh/

My stand is QIA15 in the 'Meet the Teacher' zone in the link between halls 8 and 9 - the usual spot.

On Friday afternoon I will be giving a brand new talk "Textile Art - how to tell a story" in the main theatre. There are tickets still available to book ahead of the show or on the day. £16

thefestivalofquilts.seetickets.com/content/workshop-options?day=&type=general

I will be demonstrating in the Creative Textiles Studio on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. Using Lutradur to stitch, colour, and burn.

There is no charge for the Creative Textiles Studio - just turn up and watch textile artist demonstrating their skills for free. 

There is a great line up of demonstrators every day throughout the show.

www.thefestivalofquilts.co.uk/creative-textiles-studio/

And, finally, if you missed seeing my "Wearer Unknown" installation as part of the EAST exhibition it will be on show in the Quilt Creations category. Hopefully on a plinth the size requested (fingers crossed)

So if you are coming to the show please come along and say hello. 

Out of the Fold Collaborations

 

Out of the Fold were one of the alumni groups exhibiting as part of the Creative Stitch Graduate Show

We unveiled our 'Material Dialogues' collaborations work as a taster for the full exhibition later this year

Pairs were drawn at random and challenged to work together to produce a piece of work for the show

These images give a sense of the range of work  - each one completely different. 

You can see the collaborations as part of a much larger exhibition of work at St Margaret's Gallery, St. Benedict's Street, Norwich from 23rd Sept 2027

 

End of an era

The final Creative Stitch Graduate Show took place this   weekend. 

 I began my time with Creative Stitch in 2007 as a student signing on to do a City & Guilds in Patchwork and Quilting with tutor Annette Morgan. 

In 2011 when I completed the Diploma Annette invited me to teach alongside her. 

When Annette retired in 2018 I stepped up to become Principal Tutor and teach the Advanced Stitched Textiles course.

It was great to have Annette there to present the certificates at our Preview evening. Alongside her is the current chair of Suffolk Federation WI who have supported the courses for 20 years and made it all possible - a huge thanks to them.

Pandora's Box by Jen The Stitch

There has been some fantastic work produced by students in this time. A huge variety of themes, techniques and materials, have been used. 

The originality and creativity shown has been brilliant. 2026 has been no exception and Jen Scott's work could not be more up to date, today of all days. 

Ali Phillips

The Fantasy Costume assessment is a challenging brief for students and some amazing garments have been produced over the years.

Ali Phillip's moth inspired costume this year is a great example. 

The invented characters who might wear these costumes has been a great way to help the story telling of the work and bring them to life. 

Out of the Fold

That so many textile exibiting groups have been formed as a result of the Creative Stitch courses is a huge source of pride. Six Alumni groups exhibited this weekend as part of the Graduate Show.

My own group Out of the Fold had some work on show alongside Spotlight Textiles, Feed Dogs Down, Fibre Transformations, Textile Connections and the newest to emerge from Diane's students - The Gap.

Class of 2024

And the very best legacy of all are the friendships forged in the classroom, cemented by the mutual support to overcome the creative challenges, and the lasting relationships. 

The class of 2024 are no exception and plan to stay together and form a new group.  

A visit to NCCS summer show

 

A thoroughly enjoyable visit on the opening day to see the Norfolk Contemporary Craft Society summer show

St Margaret's Gallery, St Benedict's Street, Norwich NR2 4TU

Open daily 10am - 4pm until 28th June

My visit to the Norfolk Contemporary Craft Society summer exhibition was to see the work of three Out of the Fold members. Penny Evans is a member of the society and Nicola Whayman was her invited guest to exhibit at this show. Frances Overy was invited by NCCS member Jill Sharp. 

Nicola Whayman

Nicola Whayman works with natural materials to weave 3D structures. Nicola's stand opposite Marian Eve Williams and her display of eco-printed silk scarves was a happy pairing. 

Caroline Hyde-Brown's work, also using natural grasses and plant materials, were framed. This use of natural materials and a muted palette ran through the exhibition with the stonework of Louise Tiplady and woodwork by Jonathan Southwood

Kate Vogler

Kate Vogler's beautiful ceramic vases are made from clay but have the look of a soft felted textile, inviting the touch. 

These were some of my favourite pieces in the show.

Penny Evans felted columns also induce the urge to caress. Their placement underneath a large window and lit from within made them glow. 

Penny continues to innovate and experiment with some new wall pieces hung too. The sight lines in St Margaret's down the aisles allows work to be seen from several views

June Gentle

There was a lot of 3D work in the exhibition and imaginative ways of displaying these off to advantage. 

The show of small ceramic pots by June Gentle were displayed at different heights. 

The series of ceramic ammonites by Jackie Watson on plinths with additional ferns placed to add meaning. 

Dennis Hales

The stunning wood turned and gilded bowls by Dennis Hales were very simply hung against the plain white boards and on a plain white table.

Frances Overy

The most colourful exhibit in the show was the work of Frances Overy whose triptych Primary 1, 2, 3 had the advantage of being seen at a distance and then up close as the viewer approached to see the stitched detail. 

It was great to see textiles displayed alongside other craft disciplines and earn their space as art. It was also extremely useful to see how other groups use the space and resources available at St Margaret's gallery to help plan our own Out of the Fold exhibition there this autumn.

The Norfolk Contemporary Craft Society summer exhibition runs until Sunday 28th June. Open daily 10am - 4pm. Free entry. St Margaret's Gallery, St Benedict's Street, Norwich NR2 4TU www.norfolkcontemporarycraft.co.uk/

Highly recommended. 

 

Side by Side with Mellymade Designs

 

I am delighted to be sharing exhibition space with the lovely Melanie Missin-Keating at the Quay Gallery, Snape Maltings, Suffolk in October 2026

For several years we were 'Side by Side' in our little stands at the Festival of Quilts and so will be again at this exhibition

Expect a riot of colour from both artists at the exhibition with wallhangings, framed work, 3D structures and much more.

Thursday 23rd Oct until Wed 28th October 2026

Open 10am - 4pm each day

FREE entry

And on to the next......

 

Out of the Fold are preparing for a large exhibition of new work on the theme of 'Material Dialogues' which will be shown at the St Margaret's Gallery in Norwich from 21st Sept until 4th October 2026

As part of 'Material Dialogues' we are working in collaborative pairs, drawn at random. 

My partner is Frances Overy and we are holding a material dialogue between the traditional woolen, red madder dyed fabric of Norwich where Frances lives and the silk, blue indigo dyed fabric of  Sudbury where I live

We have both dyed a mixture of woolen and silk fabrics in madder, indigo and mustard and shared these to create pieces of work

The range of colours we have acheived is amazing - the same base fabrics have dyed in very different ways. The water of Norfolk has produced much deeper, redder colours whilst the limey Suffolk water has given me a more orange palette - but they all tone in together

I am using sections of old woolen blanket resuced from my Mother' airing cupboard as the base to embellish and kantha stitch.

The results will be displayed on wooden spools turned by Frances using chestnut wood from her garden

Out of the Fold are one of the Alumni Groups taking part in the fnal Creative Stitch Graduate Show 2026 and all six of the collaborative pairs will be showning their results

Sat 18th and Sun 19th July 2026

Needham Market Community Centre

School Street

Needham Market

Suffolk

Wearer Unknown installation finally on show

 

After two years in the making 'Wearer Unknown' finally went on show as part of the EAST exhibition Paradigm Shift at the Grundisburgh House Gallery near Woodbridge in Suffolk.

The work is made up (so far) of 12 plaster cast shoes inspired by my original discovered clogs which walk on a path of 24 (so far) hexagons

As they are all separate pieces they can be moved around and shown in different ways depending on the venue

In a smaller venue just the shoes could be shown

Each shoe has been cast from one of the originals and then 'crusted' and rusted to give an antique feel

Each hexagon represents a shoe recorded on the Concealed Shoes register held by the Northampton Shoe Museum and includes the CSI number or location of the find.

The hexagons have also been rusted

'Paradigm Shift' will move to The Minories Gallery in Colchester in April 2027 and be shown in a much larger space. So the plan is to continue adding both shoes and hexagons over the next few months.

I will also contact the Northampton Shoe Museum to see if they might be interested in showing the work

Eco Print Silk Scarf Workshop

 

New workshop for 2026  Eco printed silk scarf

Learn the skills of mordanting and eco printing onto a 100% pure silk scarf using gathered fresh leaves. 

I will provide all the equipment needed - pans, stoves, drainpipes, iron water etc. A 100% ponge 5 silk scarf 28cm x 114cm with a hand stitched rolled edge from George Weil can be supplied for £6 if ordered in advance.

Date: Saturday 4th July 2026   10am - 4pm

Venue: The Cosy Cabin

Cost: £55

To book please contact The Cosy Cabin  01284 811 222 or visit www.thecosycabin.co.uk/

Handmade Book workshop - another date added

 

New workshop for 2026 Handmade Fabric Book

Learn the skills of basic bookbinding to make an unique A5 sketchbook from scratch. We will print the fabric for the cover and paper for the endpapers before making up the the book. Suitable for all levels

All materials provided for £10. Choice of colourways.

Date: Saturday 27th June 2026  10am - 4pm

Venue: The Cosy Cabin, Risby Barns, Risby, Bury St Edmunds

Cost: £55

To book please visit https://www.thecosycabin.co.uk/workshops-events/ or telephone 01284 811 222

Textile Discovery Day In Ipswich

 

I will be just one of the many textile practicioners demonstrating at the Textile Discovery Day at Christchurch Mansion in Ipswich on Tuesday 26th May. 

This is a FREE event from 10am - 3pm

www.ipswich.cimuseums.org.uk/events/textile-discovery-day/

Out of the Fold members Nicola Whayman and Sarah Boardman will also have stands at the events

Beyond Stitch, an exhibiting group based in the region, will have a display in the kitchen

You will also be able to see the 'Constable250 Set of Characters exhibition www.ipswich.cimuseums.org.uk/constable250/#characters

First Lutradur Lantern workshop - a success!

 

Video made by Lizzy Curtis showing off her Lutradur Lantern

Although I have been working with Lutradur for many years, and teaching it as part of the Advanced Stitched Textiles course this is the first one day workshop making the Lutradur Lanterns. 

I must acknowledfe Amanda Neville for the idea when she made a tea light holder when we used Lutradur on the Bridging the Gap course in 2024 and, with her permisssion, I 'borrowed' her idea and developed it into a larger version.

The students at the Cosy Cabin workshop created some lovely examples, in lots of different colourways

We first painted papers with transfer dyes and hund them outside to dry

After stitching and colouring with the transfer papers, and foiling to add extra bling, it was time to get out the heat tools

Here Juliet is using her soldering iron to make marks and holes in the lutradur

Juliet's completed vase

We also used heat guns to burn the lutradur so it opening up into a filigree look surface

Here is Teresa in action

If you would like to book the Lutradur Lantern workshop then please contact me by email

maryelmcintosh@gmail.com

I can provide the materials for £6 and provide the soldering irons and heat guns for class use

£240 per day for a group up to 16

Out of the Fold collaboration

 

The theme for Out of the Fold's 2026 exhibition is 'Material Dialogues'

For our group challenge this year we are working in collaborative pairs, drawn at random, to make new work on the theme

Some pairs are producing a single piece of work with both artists working on different elements

Other pairs are 'swapping' elements throughout the process and incorporating these into separately produced works

Some are discussing ideas and interpreting them using their own choice of materials and artistic practise.

The process is challenging and stimulating in equal measure. 

My partner is Frances Overy who lives near Norwich. The city was famed and made wealthy by the woven wool industry and the use of madder to dye the vibrant red cloth.

Norwich has many landmarks in the city which record it's textile history including the Madder Market.

I live near Sudbury which has a great tradition of silk weaving and whose mills still produce woven silk of the finest quality.

Sudbury also has architectural evidence of this past with streets such as Weavers Lane. Sudbury blue, also known as Lavenham blue, was achieved by dyeing with woad and indigo

Out third dye inspiration also comes from Norwich and the other product produced in the city -  mustard

Frances and I have both been dyeing a variety of wool and silk fabrics and are sharing these for the joint collaboration

What will we do with these fabrics? And how will the theme of 'Material Dialogues' be translated into finished work?

The other materials we are exploring are paper (Mary's favourite) wood (Frances is a wood turner), and plaster (a new material for both of us)

Weaving  is the link between Norwich and Sudbury, and so we will present our joint installation on a series of spools inspired by those used on the looms.

You will be able to follow the progress of our collaborations on this blog and on the Out of the Fold website where you can read regular blogs posted by group members www.outofthefold.com/category/blogs/

The whole series of work from the collaborations will be seen first at the Creative Stitch Graduate Show 2026 where Out of the Fold are one of the invited alumni groups

Venue: Needham Market Community Centre, School Street, Needham Market, Suffolk IP6 8BB

Dates: 18th and 19th July 2026

And then at our main exhibition in St Margaret's Gallery, St Benedict;s Street, Norwich NR2 4TU in Sept 2026

NEW Machine Embroidery short course

 

A brand new 6 week machine embroidery short course is now booking at The Cosy Cabin, Risby Barns, Risby, Bury St Edmunds IP28 6QU

A different technique will be explored each week, practising the skill in the morning session, and then applying it to a panel in the afternoon.

The outcome will be a finished panel mounted on canvas measuring 12" x 24" (30cm x 60cm) demonstrating several machine embroidery techniques.

Skill level: some experience of machine sewing would be desirable.

The course will run on Fridays, 10am until 3pm 

To book please contact The Cosy Cabin on 01284 811 222

Week one: Line (trees)

Explore programmed stitches for creativity and free motion stitching techniques  to 'draw with the needle' to create the structure of the panel and line detail.

Looking at different ways of transferring a design

Colouring the background ready for stitch

Week two: Colour (bluebells)

Free motion zigzag - learn how to 'sketch and scribble' with the needle. Using stitch to colour, shade, blend and infill to dd areas of opacity and detail.

Week three: Shape (leaves)

Working with sheer fabrics and applique techniques to build up layers of tranlucency and shape. Free motion stitch for detail.

Week four: Layers (more leaves)

Using soluble fabrics and sheers to create elemts to add to the design and create 3D effects. Making slips and plaques.

Week five: Texture (bark)

Learn how to raise the surface using couching, making and stitching cords to add bold line and texture

Week six: Finishing touches (more bluebells)

Using cable stitch to add further texture to the foreground.

Finishing off the panel and mounting onto a canvas

All the skills acquired and practised on the course can be used for future stitch projects.