Stencils,felt ball, printing and tea bread...

As you will see by the title of this post, our November meeting saw a very creative mix of techniques.
Still on experimental mode, we started with Jane and Margaret giving us a demo of their stencil cutting machines, then we were able to draw our own designs to use with Markals and paints.

Here are a few of our stencils...

Rosemary

Chris

Debbie

Sue

Here we are adding paint and Markals

Jenni

Sue

Jane

Rosemary

Rosemary decided to rearrange her design

Margaret then demonstrated how to make felted balls to sit inside acorn cups...

Margaret

Jane

Of course it wasn't all about playing, we've had lengthy discussions about our next challenge. Obviously I can't reveal any details yet, but in the New Year we should have some creative bits to share with you, we'll keep you posted.

Before I finish today, thank you to those interested in joining Textile Maids, currently we are closed to new members.

I almost forgot the honey tea bread, I had a photo to show you but sorry to say I deleted it by mistake, (new camera's fault). But I can tell you it was very delishious and covered with a layer of real butter.

I'll leave you with that thought, back soon.
Sue

Felting day...

Since our very successful Cornwall.Collected exhibition, we've been gathering our thoughts and having a few experimental sessions.

Below you will see a few snaps from last month when we had a felting day by machine and hand. As you will see from my photos I thought the colourful soft wool and threads were just as exciting as the felt making itself. As for the embellisher machine, I think I'd better stay well away as that is something I could get hooked on.

Thanks for visiting our blog, back soon.
Sue

My final pieces for the "Cornwall.Collected" exhibition

I was really pleased that I managed to finish seven pieces of work to exhibit at The Poly in Falmouth last week. Here are my final pieces. One was sold last week and there is interest in a couple of others, and for the first time in my new stitching career I think I feel ready to let them go! 

I hope you enjoy seeing the work, and thanks for reading our blog, Chris

 St Ruan’s Holy Well 

Chris Treweek, 2015

 Summer Pond

Chris Treweek, 2015

 Spring in the Watergardens

Chris Treweek, 2016

Clay Country Pools

Chris Treweek, 2016

Beach Pool

Chris Treweek, 2016

St Madron Holy Well

Chris Treweek, 2016

Reflection in Holy Well Pool

Chris Treweek, 2016

Daily treat...

If you haven't checked out our Facebook page yet you're missing a treat, Chris is posting a detailed photo showcasing a different Maids exhibition work each day.

Here's our exhibition flyer again with all the details...

Hope to see you there.
Sue

Counting the days...

Just over a week now until we hang our Cornwall.Collected. Exhibition. 13th - 17th September at the Poly, Falmouth.

If you'd like a sneak preview then check out our Facebook page where Chris will be posting detailed pictures each day.

As you will see below my project is on the Clay Works. I was also inspired by the patterns on broken china found by my children, Troika Pottery and Carn Pottery.

Here's a few pages from my Poll Pri sketchbook, which I'll have with me on the days I'm stewarding.

Cornish Alps

Mixed media page with clay pit names

Inspired by China patterns, Troika Pottery and Carn Pottery

Looking at texture and track layers 

Cornish Alps with fabric samples

Being a Cornish maid I would love to be able to say I could speak the Cornish language, but unfortunately not. However, all my pieces have Cornish titles and Poll Pri means clay pit.

Hope you'll be able to visit and say hello.
Sue

Exhibition focus...

We're keeping our exhibition pieces under cover for the moment, but below you'll see small sections of work some of the Maids brought to this months meeting. I have to say it's going to be a wonderful diverse exhibition once again.

Margaret G

Barbara

Margaret P

Liz

Rosemary

Debbie

Jane

Thanks for visiting our blog.

Sue

Cornwall.Collected.

Our 2nd exhibition is getting ever closer and things are starting to come together now. We're on the home leg, finishing off pieces in our chosen themes.

Chris has once again produced a wonderful flyer showing a small section of each Maids work.

We will be showing a diverse selection of mixed media textiles and two Maids will be stewarding each day, so please make a note of the dates and pop in for a chat.

Bye for now
Sue

Where has April gone?

April 28th

We've been a bit quiet on the blog front recently, possibly due to us all being heads down with needles in hand! Or making the most of the sunshine in the garden, even if it is cold!
At the beginning of the month three of us had a jolly at Westpoint, to see a selection of work from our previous exhibition, Stitched Art,  with a few new additions, on display at the Spring Quilt Festival. We overheard some lovely comments, and also appreciated others' work on show. Plus of course had chance to purchase those essentials from the traders, you understand how we all needed to buy some more fabric!

Mid month saw some of us together again for a lovely sunny morning of coffee, cake, chat and the odd stitch or two thrown in! It's really good to see how each other's work makes progress. And helpful suggestions from a friend can help resolve a piece that might not be going quite as well as intended!

Then yesterday we all met up at our regular meeting, when it felt like things are really coming together for our next exhibition, Cornwall. Collected. showing at the Poly, Falmouth, from September 12th to 16th 2016.  As always multiple techniques are in use, and the tables were covered by felt, scrim and velvet, sheers and beads, stitched painted wallpaper, rusty fabrics, trapunto quilting, finest of hand stitching, and machines zipping along. I haven't any photos of work in progress, but the theme of this new exhibition covers Cornwall from Tamar to toe!

We'd love to see you in Falmouth, so do pop along if you can!

Bye for now,
Debbie

A Teaser Trailer of things to come

Another busy and productive meeting of the Maids yesterday.
We spent some time preparing for an exhibition of some of our past work at the South West Patchwork and Quilters Show at Westpoint Exeter April 1st - 3rd. It was lovely to see the pieces again and quite an inspiration for our current efforts. After a brief struggle with a compass and then a borrowed bradawl (thank goodness for a fully equipped caretaker - thank you Victor) some eyelets and some length of picture wire, we were operational once more and ready for the show.
I am attaching a photo of one of the three collections  that will be on show in April.
 We would love to see you there.
Margaret P

Monochrome

New Year New Inspiration

Textile Maids met for the first time in 2016 and there was definitely a sense of renewed enthusiasm in the hall. Everyone brought at least one finished item and once again  I was blown away by the skill of these amazing ladies. I really am looking forward to seeing the exhibition in September in all it's glory. We had a great time with lots of work in progress, plenty of chat, a bit of business and of course some cake. We are already thinking of life beyond the September exhibition at Falmouth Polytechnic and have a few ideas of where we want to go but nothing set in stone yet. Debbie took some photos for me and here they are. Just a tantalising glimpse of what to expect from later in the year.

Liz

Margaret P

Sue

Margaret G

Debbie

Rosemary

Jenni

Barbara

Barbara again

 

Liz again

Thank you for reading the blog, keep checking back on us please - you ain't seen nothing yet!

 

Margaret Pellow