Circular cushion

Do you remember this from an earlier post?

It is called "Springtime Throw" from the beautiful Cute & Easy Crochet book by Nicki Trench.

 

Well, it is growing slowly, slower than I would like.

 

 

The trouble is, I got a bit distracted! A friend very kindly gave me a big bag of yarns she will no longer use, lots of hanks of gorgeous Rowan wool in lovely shades. So I started to make this...

 

 

...from the same book. It really is incredibly easy, although I don't think I'm joining in each colour in the neatest way possible and my central circle went a bit awry.

My sitting room is decorated in shades of cream and very milky coffee with a hint of duck egg blue. I have two large pictures on the wall of  the deepest blue sea with a tiny, reddy, orange boat. I really wanted to use the orange to lift the other colours, which on their own are a little too subtle for me. My children like the small circle of turquoise, though I'm not too sure if it jars with the blue. I only had a scrap of that, so the other side of the cushion won't include turquoise!

What do you think?

Antibodies and Armchairs

Thank you for your kind wishes- I am on the mend now! My little pal has been keeping me company while I was sleeping on the sofa.

 

He hasn't complained about his shorter than usual walks, nor has he pestered to play in the garden.

He was happier this morning, walking further in spite of the rain.

 

Today I should be working on my Ten Plus textiles pieces...I am thinking about it, honestly. This is where I'm up to so far.

 

 

My embellishing machine has finally seen some action, needle felting strips and blocks of fabric onto wadding. It takes a while, but I find it really therapeutic and I love the texture it achieves.

 

 

The armchair was machine appliqued onto the background and I'll be adding newspaper print text, but I need to experiment with resizing the letters. I've been inspired by some "abandoned" garden chairs I see on one of my dog walks along the canal and I began collecting phrases from the memorial benches along the walk. I've been thinking a lot around the image of a chair where someone habitually sat, after they have got up, gone, the impression of them having been there and their lasting presence.

 

 

Well, I better get on so I can have more to show you. Have a lovely weekend xx

 

Bugged!!!

I'm under the weather today, some kind of virus has invaded my joints and throat, sapping my energy! I've spent most of the day in bed, but I got really bored and dragged myself up to try and do something constructive. I'll try not to pass the bug on to you!!

I wish I could have gone to my meeting at Ten Plus Textiles as I wanted some feedback on my new work for the coming exhibition at Bankfield Museum. I'll show it to you after I get a few photos.

Instead, I've been looking through my pictures from Lisbon.

 

I'm hoping to print this onto fabric and see where it takes me.

 

 

These colours and shapes could translate into patchwork. I love that a little plant is growing out of the graffiti.

 

 

More colours and shapes.

 

 

The cat makes me smile.

 

Well,  that's all for now. Hoping to be back on form tomorrow......

 

Moment to Moment

I'm trying to find a new way of being, experiencing where I am now,

accepting my pain

living each moment as far as is possible

being kinder and not striving.

I'm trying to let go of the stream of thoughts of what needs doing next,

of what others think,

the "should" and the "ought to."

I'm trying, (but not too hard) to feel the sun on my face,

 the wind in my hair,

 birdsong,

 the taste of each mouthful,

 fear, sadness, happiness and peace.

I'm hoping to live in this moment, the only moment I own.

The Colours of the City

More from Lisbon...

We came across plenty of vividly colourful graffiti. I'm hoping to be able to use some of the images in my design work for textile art.

 

Many of the larger pieces (and these were huge!) had a political message and the textures they created were wonderful.

 

 

We even found some yarn-bombing!

 

More to come soon......

Lisbon

We have just been very fortunate to spend a wonderful week in Lisbon.
I have been very aware of how precious these family times are as the children grow nearer to flying the coop!

 

We walked miles, saw so many wonderful sights and of course, took time to sit outside with a drink, watching the world go by.

 

 

 

It is amazing how much good a little sunshine and blue sky can do!

 

I was really excited by the sight of orange trees growing in the city.

 

        They taste so lovely when they are glowing with sunlight!

 

 

REMEMBER

Ten Plus Textiles are having an exhibition at Ordsall Hall in Salford. Some of the members have also been working on a community project with a local youth group to produce "creatures" which may be lurking behind the wattle and daub of the old building. Ordsall Hall is beautiful and well worth a visit.

 

 

My new work, "Remember", is on display. It combines many elements of my recent work- fabrics printed on the computer, graffiti and applique. The background was pieced, then needlefelted with an embellisher machine to distress it a little. The tree was cut from fabric that I had put through the printer to print an image of graffiti. I liked the idea of  blurring the boundary between a natural element like a tree with something more urban.