Displaced Translation

This is the second time I have written this blog. I had spent over an hour working on it, saving as I went and when I published it just disappeared. Couldn't get it back through edit, either. GRRRR. So excuse me if I don't answer all the comments and please believe me - I did do it last time.

Thanks for all the positive comments about the on-line classes to extend the book. I think it is a great idea and that we will have loads of fun.

I have been editing the Julia book and it is wonderful. Lots of helpful practical stuff as well as Julia's work. Mouth watering. I'm not going to Harrogate, Julie but I expect that the traders will have the book. I'm sure that Art Van Go will have it.

I've been working on the last piece - quite a large one. It is based on this Displacement map which you may remember.

I changed the colours as I am on a blue/grey kick at the moment. Went to PSP Adjust menu and then Hue and Saturation. Like this.

Then I flipped the design as it read better with the heavier part on the left.

Having madea simplified paper pattern I cut it out in four parts from Craft Vilene.

Then the motifs were added - made from cast paper and Model Soft (Hearty Clay) in the shapes of fossils and leaves. I stitched a fossil fish. These were all applied to the Vilene and bedded in with gesso. At this stage I had an assistant. Took ages getting it off his paws.

It looks very splodgy at this stage as the gesso shrugs off the page. The book will have lots of ideas for getting around this.

Finally I applied more paint and then used Liming wax to blend it and bring out the detail. This gives a grey/white effect but allows the bright colours to show through.

Jane Wild and I used this a lot in our Paper and Beyond CDROM. It is great fun and smells lovely.

This technique will be featured in one of the workshops to make a vessel. I'm really excited about the results.

Must go now and meet Michael Wicks somewhere on the A303. Back soon.

Exciting News and an Idea

I have been longing to share some exciting news with you - Michael Wicks and I are going to put together a book for Julia Caprara. It is to be called Exploring Colour and anyone who knows Julia's work will know how fantastic her colour sense is. The format is great, too, as there will be 'Colour School' workshop sessions after each topic covered. These suggest practical assignments to put into practice the ideas that have been discussed. I feel very honoured to be part of this and the photos are just fantastic. Here is a piece of Julia's work.



My book is progressing well and we hope to have both books ready for Ally Pally. I've just finished this triptych piece and it has gone to Michael's for the photos.





I have had such a good idea for my book. Do hope you all think it is, too. I keep getting asked to do on-line classes but haven't had the time recently. Then I thought - why don't I expand some of the ideas from this new book - the mixed media one? Everyone who buys the book will get a password for the free classes, which will take some of the book ideas a lot further. What do you think? I am having such fun with gesso, kozo and grungeboard that I can go on for ever. Well, not quite that, perhaps, but a lot further. Maybe we'll have a Yahoo group as well.



Michael is also doing a woodworkers. book with my WWSIL (wood working son in law) so, as you can imagine, he's rather busy just now. I don't know how he keeps his good-humour. Clive has also been overloaded as he has had to set up a web-site in double-quick time due to the fact that the WWSIL is demonstrating his skills at a show at Westonbirt and needed some flyers for his book. It is fairly basic at the moment but we all have loads of plans for the future. Find it on http://www.d4daisy.com/


We are going to see WWSIL at the show tomorrow with Fiona and Sophie. It will be fascinating to compare it with our stitchy shows and I love Westonbirt arboratum. Hope the weather holds.

Smdge went outside properly for the first time yesterday and lost another of his nine lives when he got stung by a wasp on his paw. He was only playing with it but it took exception. Thank goodness he didn't try to eat it - as it was, the swelling soon went down. Clive says he is now in negative figures with his lives. Last week he got out of a bedroom window on to a high ledge that runs the width of our house and had to be rescued by the man next door, up a ladder, as Clive was in the bath!

I bought him a collar with an identity tag and forgot he was a boy (we have always had lady cats). So he is in the pink and looking rather effeminate, I'm afraid. Good news is that he is not being so nasty to Stevens. She has really told him off and has been demonstrating her parsel tongue (read your Harry Potter) abilities. She has raised the art of hissing to Olympic standards.




Clive may have escaped the ladder work for Smudge but he was in full climbing mode when I lost a little precious piece when it blew out of my workroom window yesterday.





It was a wispy piece of Tyvek, like this one, so I don't think he had a hope of finding it. It didn't take long to make but it was just the perfect shape to go on this little book cover with grungeboard hinges. Isn't it annoying when things like that happen.



One of the joys of WoW and Quiltwow is that I sometimes get exciting parcels of work to photograph. This detail from a wallhanging by Katharine Guerrier shows just how scrumptious the article will be. We decided to put it in September, which is a particularly good issue. We did well at the show so I think all the new subscribers will be happy.





Sorry, rather late answering comments, got a bit carried away.

Thanks for the cake, Gina - I really enjoyed it but will have to work extra hard on the wii-fit now.

T'other Maggie - Smudge has to be removed for health and safety reasons when I use the sewing machine as he chases the needle (that was another life nearly lost).

Jude - so envy you seeing the Klimt. Can't see any way we'll get to it. Boo-hoo.

Judy - InkAid - I can't complain. Both Ario and AVG are very good to me.

Gilby - so glad you enjoyed the talk. I've never given one there before but I shall certainly do it again. The techies were great. Like the sound of that sweetie wrapper. I like InkAid just painted on fabric - going to try using drawing ink on it next.

Festival of Quilts

Taking work to Michael for a photoshoot only two days after the show might explain why I haven’t got back to blogging as quickly as I would have liked. But here I am and I promise to get back into my normal posting rhythm very soon. I have missed you all.

The Festival of Quilts was really wonderful and the best part was meeting so many bloggers. Too many to mention, but it was great to see Margaret R, the other Maggie, Jude and Gina, Francoise and so many more. Guzzisue gave me a lovely ATC - here it is.

We had a very good show - so many visitors and lots of kind words about the book. I was demo-ing InkAid and found so many exciting things to do with it. There were some heart stopping moments as I tried to put exceedingly unsuitable stuff through the printer (yes, I took a printer!) Both Art Van Go and Ario ran out of InkAid. I should have been on commission. Here is black fabric painted with white matte InkAid and printed. More on this later in the week.

It was good to welcome the European quilters and surprising to see so many folk from the USA. They all said it was better than Houston but I think they were just being kind. It is true that the FoQ really has grown into a superb show and continues to get better. One delightful surprise was meeting Gloria Hansen, the American expert on all things digital. She did us a wonderful article for Quiltwow. She was over just for the show and was raving about it. Here’s a pic.

Laura and Linda Kemshall were doing a fascinating project - quilting their family tree. They were working on it all through the four days and it was wonderful to see it grow. The finished pieces were being pinned on the wall - as you can see here.

Another really interesting project was the joint exhibition of Sue Chapman and Terrie Hitchcock. This was a ‘quilter meets embroiderer’ theme based on figures. I loved all the work but I’m only going to show this one piece by Terrie as I am going to do a big interview with them for December WoW.

I have some exciting news for my next post but must go now as I can hear Clive telling Smudge off. Better go and see what damage he's done.

The Sunday Before

Another crazy week, getting ready for the Festival of Quilts. Complicated this time by the fact that I am teaching an academy session and we are also doing a talk. Teaching is not easy, as I want to paint and stitch but there isn't room to do both, so I've had to do all the painting first. Hope everyone is into walnut ink! We are working on frescos and fragments so a pale parchment colour should be good. Here's a quick sample with a 'grungeboard' top border. Not sure if I can get this material to use at the show. I do like it. More on the FoQ later.

It has also been the big renewal time for Workshop on the Web. I don't put 'Aren't we wonderful' letters in the mag unless they have other relevance, but I do so appreciate the comments that you make about how much you enjoy WoW. On a busy day, they really give us a lift so thank you so much. Poor Fiona has been working like a trojan - doing the renewals and getting all our printed matter ready for the show. All in the school holidays, too.

Comments on comments

Smudge is a ragdoll cat, Jackie. I'm not too sure what this means as far as breeding is concerned but they are supposed to be very docile and lay in your arms like a doll. Unfortunately Smudge hasn't read the manual. He is a pale cream now but will develop a pattern over the next couple of years.

Jacqui - I used to edit that magazine. Jo does a great job with it and I still get it. I have loads of back numbers and don't know what I'll do with them when (if) we move. Perhaps the Guild will take them.

Ibbygee - I'll certainly carry on and will hopefully find more possibilities while demo-ing at the show. I an going to concentrate mainly on transfer methods but I expect a bit of design will creep in. I'm going to take a printer instead of a sewing machine, so that will be a change.

Yes, Elli, we used to love doing those courses but the venue closed and evrywhere else wanted too much money to hire a computer suite. They were good courses and we used to do messy stuff too, using the printouts.

Artisue - just been reading about your Amazon purchase. I have had some silver clay for ages. Must try it - does it go off?

Maggi - your seven year old plant eater fills me with dread. Smudge was going to stay with Fiona, who has his sister, while we were away, but trial day yesterday was not a success. He terrorised his little sister so he will go to my other daughter who bred him - and therefore deserves to suffer!

I love your 'At the Lake' quilt, Twila. I'll have to get you to write a workshop for Quiltwow. Contact me on maggie@workshopontheweb.com if you are interested.

I have some lovely stuff to display on the stand. Recent Quiltwow pieces include this one (Bursting Rainbow) from Jane Coombes. Wonderful colours.

It was designed using Electric Quilt which I used to play with years ago. I love the intricate look of the piecing.

And the machining is so accurate.

Here is Springtime Stitching by Olga Norris - I'm sure you all know her blog - http://www.threadingthoughts.blogspot.com/ She poses such interesting questions and is an ace reviewer. I count myself very lucky to have her in my book and she did a great article for Quiltwow.

Plus a detail of the hand stitching.

We will also have work by Jill Packer, Angela Bentley and Yvonne Brown - the latter two are great Workshop on the Web favourites. So come and say hello on stand L29 (if they don't change it at the last minute). I love it when people come up and tell me their blog name. It sound as though we are a secret society - Spooky Stitchers, perhaps? Back blogging after the show when I hope to get back to more frequent posting.

Froth and Feathers

A long gap, but a quick week - mostly filled with house selling stuff. We have only got to check the printed details and then hope for visitors. It's such a funny market that we are trying to resign ourselves to a long time with not much happening, although houses are selling around here. We're not going to look at anything else in case we get too excited. All the people who came to measure and check our energy efficiency etc. have been assisted by a small energetic cat and they have been very good about it. Some of them wanted to take him home and, after this episode with a feathery kitten toy, we nearly let them.






It was in the cat section at the supermarket and Clive told me it would be a mistake. He was right. Here is the demonic feather boa destroyer. I deliberately left off the red eye reducer on the camera. He has such big pupils that the reflections are truly scary.





Smudge is getting much bigger and his stripey markings are beginning to show. Meanwhile his Auntie is very po-faced about his antics.





Isn't she looking well? All on kitten-food.



Back to your comments:


Lovely to see Ellie blogging. Welcome - I shall keep an eye on your blog. I'm still planning a trip to your holiday cottage one day - the details are still pinned up on my wall.

Wabbit - you can always buy it from us through the secure site. Due to the reprint copies are becoming harder to get. I'm glad I bankrupted myself buying my stock for the Festival of Quilts early on.

Hey, Maggik1. Welcome to you, too. Your blog is looking good. It's very addictive, isn't it? I'm sure the Chester course will be great and will look forward to keeping tabs on you to see what you do.

Guzzisue and W in R - glad the hardware arrived. Tell me how you get on with it. Hadn't seen the Barcardi bat. Perhaps I should try again having had a couple of glasses. I fear that asI get older my bad habits are giving me up. I can only manage two glasses of wine, on an occasional basis, these days.


Judy - so glad you are enjoying the book. I have had such lovely comments and emails and some brilliant press reviews. I've been trying to persuade Batsford for years to let me do a book on computer design and only got this one through by saying it was about digital cameras!


Jane C: good that you got the btinternet thing sorted. We have been having a conversation with them that is based on the old song - There's a hole in my bucket! We keep asking them how to tell our subscribers about the problem. They say - just email and tell them. We say - you've blocked all our emails from their inbox. They say - tell them ...... So it goes on. Can't tell you how much time we've wasted!


Penny: so glad you like it. It didn't photo well as there was so much dense stitching. Better that than the other way round.


I am getting on with the book and just have two big pieces to make. I made some books yesterday based on Translucent Liquid Sculpey used in all kind of weird ways. This one needs more stitching.

This is a design from one of my drawings from the Earth from the Air book. I put it through a displacement map filter using one of their built-in maps.

I've cut the basic shape out of craft Vilene and now need to build the surface up with gesso, scrim and stitch. I'll keep you posted.

Going Bonkers

I have to tell you that we have really gone mad this time and we've put our house on the market. We were going to do it early next year, when I'm not teaching and we had more time, but we saw a place for sale in the area we want. Not that we are expecting to sell quickly in this funny market but we thought it was worth a try. We are very much of the opinion that, if it is meant to be, it will happen and we are not getting excited.

So now we have two mags getting to deadline, a book, also close to deadline, two big shows coming up and a looney kitten. I expect we shall survive - lets hope Smudge does, too. He is positivly suicidal in his desire to go outside and runs at doors just as we are shutting them. I am thinking of getting a tiny dog harness and taking him for walks.

Exciting news! The Image to Stitch book has sold so well that they are having to reprint already and they printed more than usual to start with. I have good stocks for the shows so shouldn't run out. I have never known a book to provoke so much comment - I've had lovely feedback. Thanks to all of you.

On to Comments.

Many thanks to you all for birthday wishes.Fiona has found a Wii Fit so I am now Eddie the Eagle on the ski jump. I have password protected my wii fit age and such details as weight and BMI.

Lorraine - you are quite right that we should revel in birthdays. I shall just stop counting.

Writer in res - you were the only one to sing to me and it was much appreciated.

Kate - no. Not sending passwords yet so don't panic.

For any BT users having problems, Clive has put details of what to do on the WoW website FAQ page www.workshopontheweb.com/faq.htm

I want to make a vessel for my MM book. One of my sources is rocks and cliffs so I scanned in a quick, on location, drawing made with pen and Graphitint pencils.

It was a surface with lots of circular pebbles so I though I would emphasis this with a displacement map.

The I used the Balls and bubbles filter, with these settings.

This produced this effect. Rather fun, I thought.

To make it into a vessel I used the Polar co-ordinates.

Liked the result so I copied and pasted it a couple of times to produce this bowl. I shan't be covering computer stuff in the next book but I do find it useful for ideas.

In which Maggie has a birthday and Smudge gets an ASBO

It's my birthday today and the family are out in force - although personally I'd rather ignore birthdays from now on. I've had an IOU for a Wii Fit from Fiona and her brother (impossible to buy at the moment), plus a super necklace and some smellies. Clive went mad and got me a bracelet with black onyx stones to match the ring I bought in Oz many years ago. I've been looking for a match ever since.






Awaiting the other daughter, plus the four kids, for more pressies. And I've been out to lunch and had a day off. What more could one ask?


Aaaah! The day has gone downhill as I have just spent hours 'talking' to BTinternet about why so many of their customers (our subscribers) have not received their passwords. Apparently, BT has taken upon itself to decide that all group messages are spam and then put them into a folder that their clients cannot access without asking BT to unlock it. Once you are blacklisted within that folder all emails from your server are withheld from the subscriber even if you hit the reply button from a received email from their client. I shall have to contact all our BTI folk to tell them this and I'll have to do it by post! The wonders of the internet. If any Btinternet subscribers are reading this, let me know that you're on the case, please.


Then I had a phone call from the folks who do the furniture hire at the shows asking us why we hadn't booked our tables. I had and I sent a cheque so that is another muddle, not of my making. I think they are out to get me.

Interesting comments from you all.


Sue - it was the illustration and sculpture that we felt lacked oomph this year. Also the Asian arts.



I do think you are right about going every other year, Jackie. It was a biennial show until quite recently and better for it. I do agree that the ambience is a big part of it - the sitting with pancakes, Pimms and music is priceless. I also think that it was partly me - I was very tired when I went and just walking around seemed exhausting. Walking on grass is hard work. I think the brain has to keep re-adjusting for the surface levels. Interesting that the experience of viewing can be so affected by ones own mood and state of health.

Karen, I think you are right about the source to design not being covered and the success of the recent book by Leslie, Claire and Jane bears this out. Mine will also cover techniques - both for sketch book and stitched piece so, hopefully we'll cover all the bases. I am enjoying working on it and yes, I have been working on the Earth from the Air book, Sue and the designs and work will appear in the new book. Will show some pics next week, so I'm not teasing too much.

Chrissy, I would love to see the kozo ruff. Can you put a pic on your blog?

Diana - I'm inclined to agree that Interpretations is a bit heavy. What about Textile Translations? Any other ideas from blooger unanimous gratefully received.
I am collecting work for the Festival of Quilts - here are a couple of details of Naomi Renouf's wall-hanging. She was in the last Quiltwow. I found her in Jersey and I love her work. May even start quilting. Actually I am making a large 'quilty' piece, with lots of gesso, for the book.















Smudge has been given an Anti-social Behaviour Order and excluded from the sitting room. This is due to his habit of launching himself from the sofa onto a pot plant - now a late pot plant. Added to the chewing of TV wires, attacking Stevens, running up the curtains and coming perilously close to knocking over a laptop. All of these we thought were beyond his reach - some hopes. On the plus side, he still has three rooms to run through and Stevens, who is a glutton for punishment, goes in to keep him company.