Tuesday 19 July 2011

Texture and Transfers

Just a quick line or two, mostly to tell Gilby how Jane makes her lovely figures - see comments.



I have just realised that the Festival of Quilts is only a few weeks away and I haven't ordered any of the stuff I need from the printers. Likewise I have two new talks to give (they are getting booked up, so do go to http://www.twistedthread.com/ if you would like to come) and they need a bit of polishing.


Plus I'm doing a two-day stint at Sutton Coldfield which I am really looking forward to - it is called Stitched Up and I'm giving another new talk on Friday 5th and demos on Saturday.


Added to this is the September Workshop on the Web which is our tenth anniversary issue and really special. It doesn't seem possible that it is ten years since I took that bath and dreamed it up while soaking! One of my better ideas and we've made so many friends through it.


My article for the next WoW is on landscape, using transfer (disperse) dyes. This one is waiting to be stitched.

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I would have shown you the whole piece but blogger will only let me put up portrait photos at the moment. If I try landscape it rotates them!


We took Jane Lemon to lunch on Sunday - she has been very poorly but is on the up now and ate a good lunch. You may know her better as head of the Sarum group of ecclisiastical embroiderers - they make breathtaking frontals. Jane has made some panels for Amnesty International and they are just so wonderful. I'll show you soon.


Comments

Thanks, Heather - still haven't finished the lampshade due to the FoQ stuff. It will come, one day.


JP: we thought we'd finished renovating and were going to leave the sitting room until next year but then decided that we'd put in a woodburner because of the huge gas increases. When we installed one at the last house, we cut our gas bill in half. This means redecorating, totally replastering, etc. However the painting is going to be done while we are at FoQ. The day after we get back it is in with the stove and the PV panels. Must be mad.

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Gilby - Jane Wild says that the method for her goddess fiigure is very simple as she just uses kitchen roll and wallpaper paste! She makes a wire shape first and reinforces it with a little chicken wire around the bum. Then wets the kitchen roll with paste until squishy (technical term) and moulds it around the wire. I think when it is dry you'd need PVA but not certain of this. Then it is painted. I can't help feeling that her knowledge of anatomy - she's a superb artist - plays a big part. I'll ask her about the PVA.


4 comments:

Heather said...

You seem to be just a tiny bit busy! The landscape piece is going to be lovely - beautiful colours. Great idea to have decorator's in while you are away.
Who would imagine that Jane's figure was made with such simple materials? She is a clever artist.

gilby said...

Hi Maggie,
Many thanks for the information on how Jane makes her figures, i shall have to found my books on the anatomy of the human figure and have a go.
See you at the NEC.

JP said...

I like the look of the Landscape - good luck with the sitting room - at least you will be cosy this winter!

Aussie Jo said...

Thanks for the info on the figure, it is very expressive.
Have you thought of putting your talks onto DVD for us poor people on the other side of the world who miss out??
Cheers
Jo