Jersey Workshops

We are having a lovely time here in Jersey. The sun has been shining ever since we arrived but the wind has been blowing as well and it's a cold wind. Out of the wind it's positively tropical.

This is where we have breakfast. A very nice cafe called Colleens and it's right on the beach.

Here are some photos of the view you get whilst eating your breakfast.

Yesterday I was at a workshop with Louise Gardiner . We started with line drawings (I hate drawing) for the first one we had to put our pen on the paper and draw a line whilst listening to music. The line had to have curves, zig zags, swirls, texture (created by dense and loose areas of marks) and anything else you chose to draw. We were not allowed to look at the paper though.

The second drawing had to be of the person opposite you. It had to be a continual line and again we couldn't look at the paper.

The third was again of the person sitting opposite and had to be drawn with the same rules but we had to concentrate on detail.

Then we took the third drawing and taped it to a piece of artist's canvas and using just black thread stitched over the lines and again this had to be a continual line. There was a lot of laughter and 'oh no's and 'oh dear's.

Next we used fabric paints to apply colour and then we could go back and do some more stitching using coloured threads.

Here are some of the results.

This is my picture of the lady opposite me, and she really doesn't look like this. She is a lovely lady with a sense of humour- how lucky am I.

Today I did a workshop with Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn

The first sample was made whilst working with Jean. We used sheer fabrics on the embellisher to make another fabric.

The whole workshop was about making another fabric from threads and other fabrics,the samples we made were all exercises from their new book Fragile Fabrics.



After embellishing we then added some hand stitches and were supposed to embellish them but I have decided to leave mine as it is and add some beads.


This next piece was made under Jan's supervision. Using thread and wool we made a grid by laying the threads on Aqua Bond and the covering with water soluble fabric. Next we had to make sure that all the threads were connected by stitching them. I chose to hand stitch mine but we could use the machine.

This is the front of my work. I made two grids one using thick thread and another one using a thin thread. I worked backstitch on my thick threads and where the thin ones crossed I tied them. I am now going to sew beads onto the thick threads where they cross before I dissolve away the soluble fabrics.

This is the back of my work which shows the grid.



Tomorrow I am doing workshops with Jean Littlejohn in the morning and Carol Coleman in the afternoon.

Course Work

This is a book I have made as part of my shape work. We started with a sketch book and played around with various shapes making different patterns. We also looked at how shapes are used in advertising, on food labels and any where else that you see shape.

Then we made a book and are meant to choose a shape and fill the book with patterns made using that shape, I've got as far as making the book.



This is a sample that I made in class using kunin felt, all to do with shape again.

The white side is meant to be the right side but I prefer the black. I really enjoyed making this. You know how it is when you make something because you have to so you just get on and do it (eventually), and then there are times when you make something because you have to but you enjoy the process, this was one of those times.

I have been doing some more work on my hanging but had to stop because I broke the embellisher needles changed them and then broke the new ones. So more new ones are on order.

Slow Work and A Welcome Home

The wall hanging has not progressed very far, certainly not as quick as I would have liked. I had no idea that using the embellisher could be soo tedious. But I'm going to stick with it and keep my fingers crossed that it does turn into a beautiful piece of fabric which I can then turn into a field full of poppies. You have to use your imagination.

Last night we fetched Sparky back from doggy hospital accompanied by this not so small bag! It's a nightmare trying to get all of these into him. One of the capsules he has to take three times a day.

We still don't know exactly what is wrong with him. He has had an MRI Scan a Spinal Tap more X Rays and lots of blood tests. One of the blood tests has shown that there is a problem with his Thyroid. He hasn't got any medication for that yet because the vet is waiting for the results of some of the tests. Some samples of blood and spinal fluid have been sent to a lab some where in Europe and may take another week before we get the results. So fingers crossed we will get him better soon.