Catch-up - Part 1

It's been ages since I have blogged....and although this is largely down to lack of time, I think it's also because I got out of the habit of blogging and the longer I left it, the harder it seemed to start up again but I'm here now and hopefully this is the start of more regular posting. 

So let's start with what's happening at the moment....The Taking Textiles Further (TTF) Group that I belong to has an exhibition on at Courtyard Gallery, Hertford and is well worth a visit and whilst you're in Hertford why not visit the Theatre Gallery which has another textile exhibition on, both exhibitions are on until 24th August 16. Here's a couple of shots from the exhibition to whet your appetite.

In the gallery photo, you can just about see my Desert Blue piece which I had framed, not something I usually do with my work and although it cost and arm and a leg, I was pleased with how it turned out but if I've learnt anything it's that I need to try and make my pieces a size that can fit standard frames, to keep the costs down.

I also finished the the collograph print on fabric and entered it into the Regional Day competition...nothing like a deadline to get something finished.

Heartland

I cut the fabric along the horizon line and inserted additional fabric for emphasis and added paper 'rocks' to add a 3D element and of course some stitching.

There's exciting things happening at home too....we're in the middle of an extension, most of which will be a studio for me but also includes an utility room, which means I 'need' a new kitchen and probably a new patio...and so it goes on. This side of the extension will be my studio and where the doors and the blocks of wood are will eventually be replaced with sliding patio doors. 

I'm very happy with how it's looking and with the workmen but it is taking longer than I'd hoped but I think I'm probably not the first to feel this way about an extension. Thinking through the detail of the design, investigating options etc has been quite time consuming but it's been a job I've been happy to do.

Even though you can't see all of it, you can see it's quite spacious and there'll be lots of storage space, a sink, print table and somewhere where I can leave my sewing machine permanently up. I can't wait!

I've also been doing some dressmaking and here's two of my makes and although the shapes look similiar in the photos, one is looser with set in sleeves and one more fitted with dropped shoulders. Only after I'd taken the photo did I realise that the dress on the right was on back-to-front, so it's even more fitted when the darts are in the right place! 

In a previous post I showed you how I had over dyed some commercially bought fabric and the dress on the left is made from that fabric. I wore the dress on the nice sunny day that visited the Festival of Quilts and I have never had so many comments from strangers about anything I have worn before. At first I was flattered and then I began to wonder whether I looked ridiculous, especially when someone asked to take a photograph of me....all very strange. My Mum said it looked nice so I guess it must have been ok? 

Well I'm running out of steam but not of things to tell you about, so I'll leave details of my summer school to another post. Until then....