Happy New Year to all...

After two weeks getting rid of bad cough and cold, I have at last got myself into gear and started my new project based on the traditional foods of cornwall... here is my first attempt to do something about Cornish Cream!

Feels good to have made a start at last - my plan is to do lots of sample pieces to remind myself of techniques I have learnt, and also try some new ones!

This piece was made on handmade silk paper made with cocoon strippings, painted with Koh-i-noor and then appliqued and machine embroidered. The table cloth is vintage and given to me by my cousin Franny who was clearing her stash prior to moving house.

Best wishes, Chris

Season Greetings

Merry Christmas Dear Reader from us all at Textile Maids.

Thank you for taking the time to read our blog throughout the year, we appreciate your company.

Wishing you a joyful festive season and a happy & creative New Year.

Best wishes 

Sue and The Maids

Meeting together

Hello again
We had a really lovely day on Wednesday. Seven Maids round the new table layout which meant that instead of paired tables down each side of the hall they were in a large square with the Maids looking toward each other. It worked really well and meant that during the show and tell session those that wished to could keep sewing. I liked it very much. There is not a lot of work to show yet as everyone is busy researching their chosen theme but what we are seeing looks very interesting indeed. It is great that we have been inspired in very different directions but within the overall confines of Cornwall.
I am looking forward to seeing how Chris tackles her choice of Traditional Cornish Food and Jenni's Portraits is really intriguing.
I took a photo of some of the samples being worked on. There should have been a piece of 'shrink polyester' work but Debbie had an iron malfunction so maybe next time.
Keep looking, the Maids will be blogging in from time to time and once again, Thank you for reading.
Margaret

November session

ST. MICHAELS MOUNT

DAWN BREAKING

I lost my way a bit this month, my mind has been a buzz with ideas and I am guilty of starting several projects without finishing off one first.  So you can imagine my cupboards and drawers are empty and all my textile and art stuff is out on the spare bed, the table, oops even the floor.  The beige carpet got covered with bright turquoise Brusho powder.  Which took my husband days with the aquavac and gallons of water to reduce to a shadow.

I had an idea to do St Michaels Mount in the sunset.  So off we went to get some pictures. It was a miserable day but all of a sudden the sun came out, bright behind the island in a strange watery light throwing it into a silhouette even though it was daytime.  

 

So out went the oranges that I intended to use, and instead I painted some Water Taffeta with pale blues, pink and purples.

 

I added a silhouette of the island, a boat and grasses (artistic licence).

 

I did get to the point of lacing and framing it - but badly, so I have now to do that again because I am not pleased with it at all. 

But it seems to have been put on the back boiler because my weird fish have taken over.

 

Janex

Reporting for duty!

Dear Reader
I am sorry I have left it so long without a report but life, as they say, has got in the way- big time.
I thought long and hard about an aspect of Cornwall that would really grip me and keep me interested for the two years we have to work on it. I wanted something I didn't know a lot about so that I could have the pleasure of researching and exploring, so I chose Cornish moors and heathland. I have never been a great fan of the moors - a bit bleak or the heaths - too samey, but dear reader I was so wrong. I have borrowed several books from the library, bought some, walked on the moors, taken photos and generally immersed myself in all things moory and heathy and am amazed at how much there is to look at. From blogs to in depth archaeological studies, through suggested walks and websites, there is a wonderful world of untapped information for me to enjoy.
I started my work by preparing some good quality watercolour paper by various ways of colouring it - rag rolling, sponging and cling filming the wet paint into pooling. I will be making my own book to use as a scrapbook/ideas journal and have chosen quite a large format- almost A3 landscape. I am not sure yet how I will join them together but have plenty of time to think about it.
My first page is about some of the amazing fungi I have come across. Apparently this year is an exceptionally good one for all thing fungi and I have seen toadstools and mushrooms of all shapes and sizes. Some Beech trees at Golitha Falls (where my camera battery ran out five minutes after I got there!) were covered in beautiful orange/tan/russet fungi.
 I saw these beautiful fly agaric under some conifers last week and just had to use them in my work. I made some potato prints - not too successful, and some pizza base prints - very pleased. Here are a couple of photos of work in progress and today I will start writing on the page!

Thank you for reading the blog
Call back soon, it is our monthly meeting next week and I will encourage the Maids to leave a message here.
pip pip
Margaret




Work Table

Golitha Falls.
Just on the very edge of Bodmin Moor this is the most beautiful place to visit but wear good boots!  I love the reflections in the water and can see great possibilities for textile art work here.


close up of the prints on paper and various fabric



New Challenge...

We're back with new vigour fuelled by the success of our exhibition, so I thought it was time to up-date you on our new challenge. You will have seen from Jane's beautiful piece on her last post that we have moved forward from the monthly 12" challenges and decided to work on a two year project. This will give us the opportunity to produce an exciting and varied body of work towards our 2016 exhibition.

Our Topic will be based on 'Cornwall' and each member has chosen their theme. We will work in multiples of 3" with the artist choosing how their pieces will be displayed.
I'll leave it to each member to explain their theme, but here's a taster - Moorland, Heaths, Coast, Surfaces, China Clay, Bark, Beaches, Harbours, Portraits and Country Houses. So, as you can see, there is a wealth of inspiration to look forward too.

Although we are in the very early stages of our 'Cornwall' challenge, when we met yesterday there were already beautiful sketch books and samples to drool over. We may not have as many finished pieces to share with you at first, but hopefully you will enjoy the process as each member develops their own theme. So, please pop back often and watch our journey.

I'll be back soon to share my theme with you, bye for now.
Sue

STORMY WATERS

Thought I would share my new piece with you.  Its based on the Tall Ships Regatta in Falmouth this year.
I went - together with my husband, dog and hundreds of other people to the point to watch the ships sailing away.
I can hardly describe the atmosphere of the moment the sails started to unfold in any other way but breathtaking.

I started by hand painting some silk, which I sprinkled with dishwasher salt and some table salt. Which was very successful.

I then nearly had to go out to buy a wig, as I was tearing my hair out trying to deal with the tiny foundation pieced mariners compass that I had challenged myself to do.  

It is under 3" diameter and has 32 points.

Next came the sails.  After what I had been through these were the easy part.

So all the elements were ready so it was time to put it together.  I layered it up and I did some machine quilting.
I then wrote some of the lyrics from a Rod Stewart song on the sails.  Some metal fixings and a bit of bling on the compass.

Finished !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and I am really pleased with the result.

janex