Monday 30 June 2008

A New Kind of Felting

Aussie Jo you will certainly have to buy him a shed - a man needs a shed, or three!

Dale - all sport is considered a vice in this house (except the Wii variety).

Maggie-Tom - good idea about the garage sale. Seriously thinking about that. I have some Gizmos and some Flower stitchers to give away on the blog later in the week - watch this space.

Cherry - you are too kind and you are right, I do love doing it. I like playing with words and I think that is why I love writing books so much. And you all thought it was because of the stitching! Well perhaps writing insurance stuff wasn't so much fun, so OK, it is the stitching.

Hope you've reached Gwen, Pascale: we're still having problems with a couple of addresses.

Had a wonderful few days with Lutterworth and Lincoln branches of the Guild. They were super audiences for talks - and that really does make a difference. As a speaker, you can feel the response and it does lift you. Felt like a 'proper' author signing so many copies of my book - very flattering. Have eaten too many naughty things and now trying for a strict diet.

Went to the Fabric of Myth exhibition at Compton Verney on the way but was rather disappointed. This tapestry from a Henry Moore design woven b y Pat Taylor and Fiona Abercrombie was wonderful but it was one of the few good things.



A couple of other wonders - a series of tiny, perfect embroideries from a guy who unpicked socks while in prison and then did the most amazing hand stitching and a good piece from Alice Kettle but there was a preponderance of installation. Yes, I could understand the meaning of the thread of life running from chairback to chairback but it didn't do much for me aesthetically. I do enjoy some installations but they are tricky to pull off, I think.

Great acanthus designs on the sphinx who was guarding the bridge. I feel a sketch book coming on.
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Lovely to be back home - Stevens had thrown up and I feared the worst, but it was an overload of hair. She is moulting like mad. There was so much hair that I think she has discovered a new way of felting - it picked up like a mat! Possibly spewmo felting.

Sorry about that - what a picture to leave you with. Here's a nicer one, of Lincoln Cathedral's doorway. Another one for the design sketchbook.

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7 comments:

Guzzisue said...

I do like Lincoln Cathedral, wonderful source for design, used it in C&G part one, Thanks for reminding me to dig out the photos

Aussie Jo said...

What a shame about the exhibition. I read the article about it in the Guardian and thought it sounded interesting. Perhaps the ideas were better than the execution.

chrissythreads said...

Love the new variety of Feltmaking or perhaps not. It really made me laugh amidst an otherwise lacklustre day. It also so nice to hear someone who doesn't see installations as the be all and end all. I too am always saying that - 'yes I can see what they are getting at but it doesn't always please me aesethically or uplift my soul'- and then getting funny looks that indicate I must be some sort of idiot because I don't think its wonderful. I always feel it can be a touch of the 'Emperors new clothes'.

Jane said...

I do like your cathedral photos - oh dear,so much inspiration, so little time. I heard the feature with Ray Materson (the sock man)on radio 4 the other week and thought it sounded interesting; it is good to know creativity can change lives.

Cathy said...

Wonderful 'photos!
Have you seen the new PSP magazine recently launched? Called "Paint Shop Pro Photo". Some good tips and techniques shown.
Love Cathy.

Wabbit said...

I thought I'd comment again and let you know (if you didn't already) that Golden Paints has three new mediums out that will let you prepare any substrate that will go through your printer for ink jet printing. I just read about them today and can't wait to find them for sale so that I can try them out. http://www.goldenpaints.com/mixmoremedia/index.php

artisbliss said...

Oh, gorgeous textures here Maggie. What a wonderful resource!