A new obsession

Earlier this year I attended a short course on book making at New Suffolk College. On the course we learned to make books using paper covers but I wanted to use some of the fabrics created whilst teaching surface design techniques.

The books are all completely handmade including stitching papers into signatures. This means that the inside papers can be varied too.

This one uses some breakdown printed fabric. 

The cover boards are made from free mount board off cuts from my local framer.

The bookbinding cloth for the spine does need to be purchased and shepherds London have a great range of lovely colours

The end papers are from my paper box and each one is different. Again as a result of teaching design work to create complex decorated papers.

In this case the end paper was printed in the same breakdown printing session as the cover when I ran out of fabric!

 

You will recognise my 'Life's a Bleach!' fabric. I have quite a lot of this!

The discharging technique can be done onto black paper too and is particularly effective on black tissue paper so I will use that for future versions. 

But for this one I have used a paper found in my paper box.

I have a lot of paper - another obsession

The vilene from eco printing used as an iron blanket for that process and now converted into a book cover

Fabric printed using a melted crisp packet!

Eco printed fabric

Ice dyed fabric 

So I have become a bit obsessed making these books. 

They will be offered for sale for £15 each at the Textile Connections exhibition at burystedmundsguildhall from 2nd - 7th July 2024

Monoprinting fun

 

I spent a fun afternoon first foraging for foliage and then monoprinting onto cotton organdie. 

Using paint and acrylic inks to build up several layers of shape, colour and inplied texture.

I chose some horse chestnut leaves for this series. The combination of an interesting shape and the precise ribbing on the underside of the leaf makes for good prints

The result from an afternoon's work was a range of printed fabrics all related in theme and sharing a similar colour palette. These will now be pieced using the Pojagi technique into a double-sided panel.

This work is in preparation for the 'Monoprint Magic' workshop at eaubrinkstudio on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th June 2024.

There are still a couple of spaces left if you would like to come along. Please book direct with Anita at Eau Brink. Telephone 01533611009

A bonus are the papers used to test the prints and with multiple layers of print. These will go into my paper box for  use in multi media work or as end papers for my handmade books

These are the poor old horse chestnut leaves after all the printing. I did try to think how I might be able to resuse these, but told my self not to be so silly and put them in the bin!

Monoprint Magic workshop

 

I have designed a brand new workshop especially for Eau Brink Studio which will take place on 28th and 29th June 2024

We will collect leaves and plants from the lush surroundings of the studio an use these for mono printing and to make stamps. Combining paints and inks with the semi transparent cotton organdie fabric to create unique pieces of cloth. Students can choose to work in their preferred colour ways.

Having created the fabrics on day one we will change out of our aprons and set up machines for a 'clean' day of stitching. Using the contemporary Pojagi piecing technique and combining mono printed fabrics with plain and dyed organdie.

These stitched panels will grow quite quickly and make up into double-sided, semi transparent panels which 'glow' in the light. Ideal to hang in a window or against a light wall. 

These organdie pieces use the warm pink/red/organge palette but I will be doing lots more exploration using different colours before the workshop. Now that spring is finally here and the leaves are plentiful

To book the workshop please contact Eau Brink Studio directly.

Website www.eaubrinkstudio.co.uk

Email: admin@eaubrinkstudio.co.uk

Telephone: 01553 611009

Thinking Outside the Box

 

I was never happy with the 'Cross Words' piece made for the Out of the Fold exhibition in September 2023

The cotton organdie, already crisp and further stiffened through the paper lamination process to newspaper, just didn't hang right. 

The discovery of a spelling mistake, only pointed out when up and hanging in the exhibtion, could have been easily fixed. The great thing about stitch is that it can be unpicked!

But instead I decided to deconstruct the whole thing and repurpose into a new piece of work

There were 169 squares in 'Cross Words'

It took a surprisingly long time to cut these up again. And yes I did use a rotary cutter not a stitch unpick.

The left over edge strips have potential too

Sorted into piles of six. What is the significance of the letters chosen?

Stitched into a box net format by machine

Cubes stitched together by hand. To stuff or not to stuff?

Two made and another 16 to go for the project I have in mind. Would still have some left over. Could make at least 24 from the squares I have.

The aim is for this to be an interactive installation piece so people can rearrange the cubes to form words and phrases

It will be called "Thinking Outside the Box" and can be seen at the Textile Connections exhibition in July 2024

E.A.S.T. exhibition at Grundisburgh House Gallery

 

I  visited the E.A.S.T. exhibition "Bridging the Gap" at the beautiful Grundisburgh House Gallery near Woodbridge today.

The setting, in a lovely Suffolk village, with it's very own wild swimming pool, is idyllic. The gallery is beautifully light and airy. 

https://www.thegrundisburghhousegallery.co.uk/

The exhibition is excellent, among the best I have seen, with every member creating a highly accomplished body of work full of depth and meaning.

Every piece of work has a story to tell. 

Felicity Borwick (detail)

 Here are some sections from some of the pieces to entice you to see the work as a whole.

The exhibition is highly recommended and continues until 7th May. Open 10.30 until 5.30 daily. FREE entry.

Lynda Monk (detail)

 I have just joined E.A.S.T. as a member. I am so looking forward to working with the group. Not a little daunted as the standard is so high but excited too. 

In two years time there will be my work on display too. Gulp!

 

Please visit the E.A.S.T. webiste for lots more infomration about the exhibition and the group https://easttextile.co.uk/ and sign up to receive the regular blog updates https://easttextile.co.uk/blog/

 

Jeanette Bright (detail)

 

Last Spotlight contribution

 

Spotlight Textiles exhibited this piece at the Big 24 Quilt Show this weekend. It is inspired by a photograph of Framlingham Castle.

The image was enlarged and sliced up into seven sections - one for each member of the group. These sections were then interpreted in stitch and reassembled. 

The next Spotlight Textiles exhibition will have the theme of 'Spotlight on.......Architecture' and this piece will be shown again there. 

I left Spotlight Textiles in January 2024 but not before completing my strip for the quilt. Mine is the one on the far left.  

This is the original photograph used for inspiration.

I really enjoyed my time with Spotlight Textiles and wish them every success for the future.

 

Not everyone's a winner

 

Ghost Nets

Now that the Norfolk Makers Festival is over I can share my piece which was not selected for the juried exhibition.

The theme was 'Under the Surface' 

My work is all made from plastic - bubble wrap, plastic bags, plastic water bottle, fruit net and laminating pouches

Ghost Nets (detail)

It was inspired by reading about the so called 'Ghost Nets' which are large fishing nets which have become separated from their vessels and are now in the world's oceans scooping up plastics and posing a threat to marine life.

Conservation groups are trying to locate these nets and remove them from the seas. 

Ghost nets (detail)

The close-up images show the layers of plastics captured under the surface and held together by fusing with a soldering iron and machine and hand stitch

The work is quite large 12" x 39" and is tray framed on a deep edged canvas

Whilst disappointed that it was not selected for the Norwich exhibition I do understand as it was difficult to photograph; the plastic is very shiny and reflects the light. The jurors only had two images on which to base their decision. However I do intend to show the work as part of the 'Textile Connections' exhibition in July 2024