Monday 7 September 2015

Module 2 Shape

Well I have passed my second module on my City & Guilds certificate in 
Patchwork and Quilting. It has taken up a lot more
of my time than I expected but I enjoyed it.
This Module was on Shape and had an Industrial theme 
and there was a lot more work
involved with this one but I suppose I 
will have to get used to that as I suspect that will
continue all the way through now.
I was really excited when I saw the theme, I find
a certain beauty in rusty old machinery and industrial decay.
I even have some in my garden turned into a sculpture
by local artist Bernie Marfleet.


 My module information pack arrived just before we went off
on a 3 week holiday to Madiera ( which was fabulous )
so I had plenty of time to take photos and do some sketching.



This time I had to come up with 10 designs,
make one into a block that I had drafted myself,
2 had to be foundation pieced , 1 curved pieced block
and one block made with pieces cut with a rotary cutter.

I won't bore you with all of them,- just a couple.
I loved the piles of old chains that were by an old fort
in Funchal quay side and this was to provide the drafted block.
It is a very simple design and was perfect for my first 
drafted block which for those who don't know is when you
draw your block onto graph paper and make templates for
the pieces before working out the best way to put it together.



This is the block I came up with, I tried it in different colours
but actually prefer the rusty coloured one as it looks more
like the original picture.



I took photos of factories, cable cars, electricity pylons
and all sorts of mechanical bits and bobs. The design above
(which is a preliminary mock up not just badly put together)
is from a pylon as is my first foundation pieced design below .



Whereas the one next one is from an
old gas holder which I saw on the M25 driving to the airport.

This is my favourite design and the other foundation pieced
block. I will be using it as a border on my next quilt I think. 



I did the blocks in mainly monochrome colours
as I thought this went with the theme but am looking forward to 
trying it with bright colours.


So now onto Module three which is Colour.

Wish me luck.

Gillxx



Wednesday 1 July 2015

Module One

 Well how about that my first Module is done and passed
so I am feeling very pleased with myself at the moment.

After the Doodle stage you saw in my last post ( too many weeks ago)
I went on to colouring the design in loads of different ways
and in different mediums.
It felt a little like painting by numbers or 
one of those colouring books for adults ( which I love)
 that all the rage at the moment.




The whole idea of the first few modules is to 
get you into the swing of design so  
the next exercise was mark making.
There was a bit more to it than just making a grid of
different marks but I love the look of this grid more than 
some of the sketches I came up with.


This was my final design which I'm not overly pleased with,
I can see things I would changed but the process
is great fun and a total revelation to me.



The work handed in at the end of the module
is a power point presentation showing the
work you have done and the various results and then 
sewn examples of certain patchwork blocks.


4 blocks had to be hand sewn, which are the ones
above, and 4 machine sewn, the ones below.


  So having had a fantastic holiday in Madiera
it's on to module 2 which is all about Shape.

Speak again soon.

Gillxx

Tuesday 14 April 2015

Time for a doodle

What a fabulous day to sit in the garden and doodle.

I'm not just  I have taken the plunge and set
myself another challenge. I try and do this every year and past
challenges have been physical ( mile open water swim
or 26 mile moonwalk for example) but this one is artistic and will last a bit longer.
I am doing a City and Guilds certificate in Patchwork.



There I've said it out loud so now 
I have to make sure I finish it. 

 Am I mad?    

Yes probably but after working
in the public sector for many years and completing countless
courses in all sorts of things from Diversity to driving mini buses
I have left with not a qualification to my name.
Hence the doodling in the garden as I'm doing the design part
which is certainly my first challenge as I'm not the worlds best artist.

So watch this space and I'll keep you up to date with my progress.

Enjoy the rest of your week.

Gillx 






Wednesday 8 April 2015

I can't believe it's April already and I haven't written on here since January.

I have had a very busy year with a couple of holidays, a couple of bouts of
flu and a new casual job but more about that another day, this post is to tell you
about a couple of days I have just spent doing workshops
with a wonderful textile artist .



The workshops were called 
Collage and stitch
and 
Print, Collage and stitch and I loved them.


Day 1

Was Collage and Stitch.



This was my inspirational pictures.


and gradually my picture takes shape




I liked most of my finished picture especially the 
part around the groin but think the 
hut is out of proportion.  



These belonged to my neighbours ...



 This is what we were aiming for.


Day two .

Was Print, Collage and Stitch.


This was amazing fun, like being a kid again
as we stamp loads of paper in our chosen colours


with a huge choice of resists and stamps.




Before arranging them into a long hanging


Stitching and embellishing with
with lace, buttons, stamps, 
the world is your oyster. 



I love seeing the result of these workshops,
the way we all have the same brief and yet the results are
all so different.




Anne is a wonderful teacher and a lovely lady, I'm hoping
she will come back to Norfolk again as I will be front
of the queue for her next workshop.

I promise it won't be so long before my next post.

Gillxx

Tuesday 13 January 2015

Unexpected find.

Is it too late to wish you all a Happy New Year?
Happy New Year anyway!

I seem to have lost my blogging Mojo recently,
I haven't even been taking many photos so I'm making a
concerted effort to remedy that.

Some photos I have taken were in an old cottage
we went to recently.

I opened the airing cupboard and there was the old
wallpaper from when the room was obviously 
a nursery.







I remember having a similar type of wall paper 
in my room as a child but mine had donkeys on.
The Rabbit smoking a pipe rather dates it,
I think this must go back to the 50's.



Wouldn't you just love to have some fabric with this
pattern on.
It is such shame that when the cottage is eventually 
renovated that this will disappear but at least I have
the photos even if they aren't the best photos in the world.




Anyway hopefully I will get myself up and running again soon
and write more often.

Have a great week.

Gillxxx