Covid 19 - July 2020

This is my fourth posting since we had to cancel our Guild meetings back in March so it is great that things are starting to get back to the "new normal".  What a blessing that most of us have a work/play room and loads of "stuff" to fall back on but why is it that you never have just the colour thread you need?

This last week we had a mini Committee meeting in the grounds of Kennet Valley Hall to discuss future plans.   Shame about the weather - Ann and Clare will be in touch shortly.

Last month we set a challenge to members to produce a postcard with the hope that we will be able to display them next year at our exhibition.  Here are the ones that have been sent.

Contribution from Clare R.  Thanks Clare!

Contribution from Ann S.  Thanks Ann
​Using the colours of summer, painted onto linen, my postcard is embellished with old stamps from around the world reminding me of exotic holidays of the past, and giving me hope for all the holidays yet to come.  At the moment i will continue to enjoy my holiday in my garden and beautiful Wiltshire!

Contribution from Judy J.  Thanks Judy!
​Here are my 2 postcard efforts. In the first one I  tried to depict flowers through a window but I  was not happy with the result so I did a second. This was the result from adding small piles of rock salt to painted silk.

Contribution from Linda W.  Thanks Linda!
If this were a real post card it would read “ Welcome to my world “

Contribution from Robina.  Thanks Robina!
​

Contribution from Annie J.   Thanks Annie.

This week's textileartist.org challenge was from Sue Stone. Choose some strips of fabric and weave them to make a background for an embroidered picture.
I used leftover linen and Cornish tartan from hats I made for my in-laws - they sent me a photo so I’ve turned it into my challenge piece.    Annie's Cornish postcard.

Contribution from Maria.  Thank you Maria!
My husband and I love everything Greek and have spent  many happy summers there.
We have done much exploring off the beaten track over the years, but what I most love are the half derelict villages with their vegetation ravaged tumble down stone buildings with once ornate doorways and balustrades.

My stitched postcard is based on a photograph of a once magnificent doorway taken by Georges Meis, a well known Greek photographer known for his avant guard depictions of Greek life, buildings and landscape. 

The design was drawn onto and stitched from the reverse side using a heavy floss thread in the bobbin to give depth to the outline. The background fabric comprises pelmet vilene to which white gesso, treasure wax and coloured embossing powder has been has been applied prior to stitching to give the impression of age and weather.

Contribution from Vernice.  Thank you Vernice!
Block printing and hand stitch

Contribution from Annie F.  Thank you Annie
I loved the idea of something postcard sized and had great fun doing it. Mine was inspired by a bug hotel which gave me enormous scope to play with textured threads and stitches on a hessian back ground.

Two postcards from me, Ros.   
Memory Lane!  Left is of a photo I took several years ago of a family having a paddle in the Bay of Bengal at Mahabalipuram, India.  Hand stitching.
Right is of the inner courtyard at the Diggi Palace in Jaipur.  We spent a week here when Peter and I went on the Wonderful Workshops several years ago.  Mixture of hand stitch and free machine embroidery. 
Happy times, but I do wonder if we will ever return.

Contribution from Liz R-W.  thanks Liz
Hand stitched applique on a scrap of gelli printed fabric rescued from the fabric bin.

Contribution of hostas from Lindsay.  Thank you Lindsay!

The following are contributions to the blog but not related to our postcard challenge.  

I must apologise to Ann S as I should have posted this wonderful piece of work last month. R
This is inspired by a holiday in Greece quite a few years ago! The first two images are my collage of paper/fabric and stitch layered. The bottom image is a play on the colours using Photoshop imagery. 

Contribution from Annie F.  Thanks Annie
On the knitting front I am using up all sorts of odds and ends left over from other projects to make a scarf.

I hope everyone is keeping well under the circumstances.

Contribution from Lindsay.  Thank you Lindsay!
...............
'My Garden' is coming along. 
The purple linaria were the next major task after the iris. How I wish I hadn't put in three!! The stems and leaves take forever 
The flowers are scraps of 'Silk Route' hand dyed sari ends stitched with circles and vermicelli in two shades of purple. 
The general idea is shown in the 2nd picture although exact placement of the poppies will come after I have stitched the oxeye daisies.
So still a lot to do but hey, I have all the time in the world. 
I do hope everyone is keeping well. ​

Eyes from Ros
The next chapter from my Sue Stone course.   I was only asked to do four - looking back on it I did give myself rather a challenge when but having said that, I have learnt a lot! Some eyes are considerably better than others so don't look too closely!

That's all for this month.  Please keep in touch and if you would like to share photos of some of your work, it would be great to hear from you.

Ros - 6 July 2020