These bowls and sculptures are made from scrap thread and tiny fabric snippets, all waste material from previous projects. It's a technique I learned from a workshop led by Meredith Woolnough, which basically comes down to using water-soluble fabric and a lot of machine and/or hand stitching.
I love this way of using every last scrap of material as in the Japanese concept of mottainai : a caring culture in which you try to use something for its entire effective life.
This collage got made while I was reading “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett, what a wonderful book! I tried to capture the enchanting story, the magic of nature and of place, using fabric, paint, paper, transferred images and stitching. The atmosphere is calm due to the muted colours, but at the same time it’s buzzing with life, adventure, and possibilities.
The piece grew organically during the reading process, which I love. I think I will try this with other favourite books; it’s an intriguing way to make!
This project was part of the speedcrafting sessions with Helen Robertson from Shetland. I joined these crafting sessions during the pandemic and they were an amazing way to tackle feeling empty and isolated.
The patchwork clock is made from an old vinyl record, covered with fabric patches.
It’s all retro vibes here!
I decided to make a hanging plant pot from the glass shade of a broken lamp. I used a bit of the wonderful Ard-thir yarn from Kate Davies designs (in the Glamaig colourway) to crochet a structure in which the glass shade fits and added a small tassel for fun. Even small recycling projects like this deserve nice yarn in my opinion!
This collage piece is a stitched story about the kitchen in my childhood home. It took rather longer to plan than usual, because I first made a mind map to set free my thoughts and associations.
The technique of mind mapping is something I learned from Ali Ferguson. I found it to be very useful and insightful.
Starting from this mind map, I selected meaningful materials, words and motifs.
For the materials, I chose a piece of an actual cushion cover from that time, some jeans fabric (we wore jeans all the time back then), fabric scraps from a pair of slippers I had, some pieces of kitchen textiles and random fabrics that remind me of the atmosphere of this eighties kitchen.
As the motif I picked a whisk, which my mum often used, among many other things for making mayonnaise. This was a job that required a lot of attention and we often chatted as I watched her.
By stitching together the words and this image I’ve tried to capture a cherished memory of peaceful, secure and happy times.
I had so much fun with this project! I decorated this cardboard cactus I once bought in a craftshop with decoupage paper. For the pot and the soil I used coloured pencils. And then the real fun begins : glueing pieces of green sea glass to the cactus! I used sea glass that is not top quality, with sharp edges etc. (kind of fitting). They are all the result of a seaglass hunt in Lyme Regis, on the south coast of England. Collecting it is such a fun, relaxing thing to do, but be careful, it is also addictive!
Like many other people, we used the lockdown period to clean out our attic. I came across this doll that a dear, old relative gave to me as a present in the seventies. I was a little girl back than and not very fond of the doll, but I’ve held on to it because of the person who gave it to me. I still think it is rather ugly and even a bit scary... But I’m also still not able to get rid of her, so I decided to give her a make-over, using fabric scraps from old clothes and a beaded necklace. Now she looks nice and happy and keeps me company in my workspace.
Projects like this I find the nicest and most rewarding. You get to be creative, look for creative solutions, use your stash to make something you are attached to beautiful again.
(And I hate throwing stuff in the bin š)
This glove is the result of an assignment set by Jennifer Collier, via TextileArtist.org. At first I was not that thrilled about making a paper glove, because it didn’t seem to make much sense to me. However, the process was very enjoyable because I love paper and finding the colour combination was fun. Besides, I found yet again that stitching through paper is great.
I used a wallpaper sampler, a bit of decorative paper from my stash, a soap wrapper, a bit of plastic waste, three small buttons and some ribbon, and of course some thread and wool yarn.
This made me think about how I can use more paper in my work. There are so many more possibilities than you might think at first sight!
Our much-loved tajine broke into pieces. I really wanted to make something from them. The two biggest ones I glued together using the Kintsugi method. I then filled out the sphere with lots of textile balls in different shapes and sizes. This is an idea I got from Clarissa Callesen who often makes artwork using these shapes.
I saw a rocky landscape emerge with a smoking volcano in the distance and added some more golden sparkles with paint and also some wonderful wooden creatures and mushrooms. This miniature world was the result : I call it "Mount Hope".
I recently participated in a series of online speedcrafting sessions hosted by the Shetland- based artist Helen Robertson. What a great experience it was, especially in these times of social distancing, to make something in a group, in this international setting. And a lovely group it was too!
We got the materials sent to us in advance and on Wednesday evenings we crafted, via Zoom, some very nice original things for two hours or so.
Some of the crafts I never did before and were a very lovely surprise. Because of the time limit, you don't think too much and just get on with it. That in itself is liberating.
We ended up making some jewelry with seaglass and sea pottery, some broches from wool fabric and tweed, a fabric landscape, some little knitted houses (on these I'll write a seperate post soon) and a scallop shell decorated with decoupage.
Helen also hosts knitting workshops and retro and Christmas-themed speedcrafting sessions., which I highly recommend joining : you get to work on original pieces, with great materials and in a friendly atmosphere and you learn some great new skills!
the broches:
seaglass jewelry:
Meet Greta the very very good witch, who has a predilection for flowery dresses. She is busy brewing a cure for every wrong in the world...wouldn't that be something?
She is needle-felted and I sewed some clothes (flowery fabric, naturally) and a hat for her. She has her cauldron with steaming brew and her broom, of course.
Let's not disturb her further, do go on Greta!
and taking a little break:
