This little 3D piece, made from grey Merino and found objects, is the first of a collection of pieces I am planning to make with the theme Memories of Ullapool…
The next piece, Rock Pool, is approximately 38cm diameter made from Bergschaf, Merino and found objects and features shibori, resists, inlays and stitching….
This framed work was made from a very thin layer of black, grey & white Norwegian wool, wet felted and sewn onto white muslin fabric using hand and machine stitching.
Wet felted black, grey & white Norwegian wool. Hand and machine stitched onto white muslin fabric.
Yesterday I went into Lincoln to see the Re-Action exhibition by Feltmaker Moira West being held in the Gallery at St Martins in Hungate. This little gallery hosts a regularly changing programme of art exhibitions from emerging and established artists and I was keen to visit on the Saturday as Moira was going to be there in person. It’s great to have the opportunity to view creative work of any kind when the artist is in residence to talk about how it came about and answer any questions you might have. Moira said she “was delighted to be invited by gallery manager and artist Phil Bowman to produce my fibre art for another solo exhibition. This body of work will stretch me artistically, whilst also allowing a continuing interpretation of human strength and weakness – a recurrent theme of my work.”
It was refreshing to enter a gallery and be encouraged, rather than discouraged, to touch all of the work on display. Moira believes that “art should create a sense of involvement for viewers, and prompt interaction between them and the work itself.”
Thought provoking work based around the subject of consumerism………
Her latest exhibition work relates to consumer excess, trade, and worship of the individual. This body of work is shown alongside some of her more important pieces from previous exhibitions.
“Freedom”, “Choice” and “Order”……. fabric, silk and wool.
“Hallelujah”….metallic threads and wool / “It’s What Shapes Us”…..jute, yak and wool
Moira’s work cried out to be handled as it is wonderfully textured and tactile. My favourite piece is the tall grey vessel entitled “Hallelujah – Leonard Cohen” from a collection inspired by singer song writers. The piece below is a detail from “Purple Rain” which combines steel mesh with British wool.
Detail of “Purple Rain”…..British wool, steel mesh, silver and linen warp thread.
It was lovely to meet the artist and see her work, if you get the chance the exhibition runs until 16th September.
My Nuno felted Autumnal Collar has been left to dry overnight and this is how the finished piece looks……
I was pleased with the shape and size of the grey merino collar I made recently so thought I would stick with those proportions to make an Autumnal Nuno Collar using the “tile” technique.
Colour scheme based on a Charity shop silk scarf.
A shop bought yellow/orange/purple silk scarf formed the basis of my colour scheme. Using a set of Colorhue silk dyes I mixed a yellow and purple to use on Uzbek silk to tone in with the patterned scarf. The colours were incredibly vibrant and brighter than intended but the “Dune” Superfine Merino from World of Wool has knocked it right back and it looks very subtle in the finished scarf.
Uzbek silk painted with Colorhue silk paints
All together there were tiles from four different silk fabrics, this close up shows some of the wonderful textures that have resulted from them.
Nuno felted collar, still wet but looking lovely!
Tomorrow I will post a photo of the finished collar……once it’s had time to dry out and show its true colours.
When I’m teaching workshops I get a lot of satisfaction from motivating students and from seeing their finished work, but not everyone gets to finish their project in class. So I get particularly excited when someone takes the time to photograph their finished piece and email it to me. This week I’ve recieved images of Jane and Pams Tyvek Leaves, beautifully executed and framed, which they created at the workshop in Billinghay last week.
Also Deborah sent me this photo of her wonderful Bergschaf wall hanging which was made at the workshop in East Keswick earlier this month.
My latest Merino wool collar has been created using 23micron wool tops from Bronte Glen. I love greys and neutral shades so was automatically drawn to this particular blend called Storm. It’s made up of Raven, Granite, Mocha and Champagne and, although it turned out darker than I expected, I absolutely love it! The circular brooch is made from the same wool and machine embroidered using Madeira rayon threads.
Yellow Poppies wet felted wall hanging
Earlier this week I travelled up to East Keswick, a small village just a few miles from Wetherby, to deliver the first of a two-day Yellow Poppies Workshop for Nicola Hulme at Simply Stitch.
Nicola with a selection of her work on the wall and my work on the table
14 ladies attended the workshop, some had previous experience of felting while for others it was to be their first time. 
Once the basic techniques had been explained students were given the option to recreate my design or to develop their own and it was good to see some of the ladies working on their own designs and alternative colour schemes.
The time flew by, it was a lovely day with good company and Simply Stitch proved to be a hidden gem! The beautiful studio is large, bright and very well equipped. There is a fantastic choice of classes and courses run by Nicola Hulme, including patchwork, machine sewing, purses & bag making, hand embroidery and much more! The studio also hosts regular visits from well known specialist tutors in a variety of subjects. On sale are up to the minute patchwork fabrics and all the other essentials such as threads, wadding, notions, etc.
Simply Stitch studio
Nicola was a terrific host and ensured that the tea, coffee, biscuits and cake kept flowing! Watch this space for photos from next weeks workshop including images of the finished wall hangings.
Find out more about Simply Stitch visit www.simplystitch.co.uk
I’ve been busy making samples for a Nuno Collar Workshop which I have been asked to do at the Thomas Garrett Rooms in Heighton in the Autumn. I deliberately steered myself away from my usual pallet of greys and muted colours and I’m really pleased with the results. These collars are incredibly lightweight (approx 35gms) making them very comfortable to wear. Each one is held in place with a Tyvek brooch.
A beautifully illustrated book showcasing the versatility of felt.
One of my favourite books is 500 Felt Objects by Lark Crafts. It isn’t a “how to” book…..it’s more of a “wow, just look at this, it’s made of felt” type book. It’s crammed with inspirational photographs of beautiful work showcasing the versatility of felt. It’s a must for anyone passionate about this medium. Page 209 features a fabulous bag created by Irit Dulman using Bergschaf and Norwegian wool.
Irit Dulman bag created from Bergschaf and Norwegian wool
This is my small grey/green Bergschaf clutch bag inspired by Irit’s bag.
My second bag is my favourite. It has a lower relief and a more mottled colouring which I am really pleased with.
Mottled Irit Dulman inspired Clutch bag
Lincs In Stitches 
