I really enjoyed the first meeting with the group. It was so interesting seeing what everyone was working on and how different all our pieces were. I am going to use the blog to record my inspirations for the different elements in my Heartlands piece.

I mentioned to some of you about the workshop I did with Lou Gardiner last weekend. Here is the link to the video about her
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/video/2012/may/10/louise-gardiner-collect-2012-embroidery-video

and also her website is http://www.lougardiner.co.uk.

Looking forward to seeing how this blog works out and sharing our thought and ideas as the month goes by!  I will add my finished Heartlands piece once it has its borders on!
Chris Treweek

The winding cable

Stitching based on winding cable

The map of the tin mines under Heartlands

Stitching inspired by underground map of mines

Rusty stains running down a wall inside the winding house

Stitching inspired by rusty marks

Rusty old tank

Stitching inspired by the rusty tank. I was pleased to incorporate anew technique on tis piece, that I was introduced to by Lou Gardiner at a workshop the previous weekend.

Close up of the metal cage that used to take miners down into the mine

I used the structure of the cage to create a piece that I could drop the other images into

First Meeting

‘Textile Maids’ is a group of like-minded Contemporary Artist in Cornwall, providing encouragement; creative direction and the enhancement of techniques, with a view to collaborating in exhibitions.

Well, after months of Sue & I (Beyond Patchwork) thinking about it and weeks of planning, we had our first Textile Maids meeting today at the Red River Cafe at Heartlands.

It was lovely to meet everyone and hopefully it is the start of something special.

Heartlands  was the perfect place to have our first meeting and will be the source inspiration for our first monthly challenge.  We plan on making a 12" square wall-hanging every month in which ever medium we fancy, just so long as it is loosely based on textiles.

We will all be positng on our blog and adding photos as and when we have them.  Our first full day will be in January, so there may not be much activity until them, but we will keep you posted!

Carolyn