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

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

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 

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 .

Anne Brookes (H-anne Made)

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

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