Collage Panel #6

...last one before leaving for Exeter....

Hope to see some of you there...

...come sit and stitch with me :-)

I'll be working on some more of these blocks/panels at the show and will have a "Sit & Stitch" table on my stand.

So...if you need to rest your feet...I'm on G32/G35 (not quite sure which yet!!)...

...except when I'm doing my talk entitled "Work a Theme & Work it Small" at 1pm each day.

x C

Collage & Stitch panel #1

I've been beavering away on some more small medieval tile print panels...

...intending to do "something" with them.

They became more and more intricate...

...and grew a few more layers in the making too.

Here's #1 finished and mounted onto a collaged background...

...on an 20cm x 20cm canvas...

Canvas panel is covered with crumpled tissue that has then been sprayed...

...stenciled.....

....had more embellished tissue applied...

.....and finally given a polish!

I'm very pleased with the outcome and have another three to finish for Exeter...

...where they will be up on my stand...

...and for sale.

x C

An over-abundance of whiskers!!

Here they are...

...bless 'em...

...with their still-drying whiskers in place.

They shall be having a trim later today...

I love the looks on their dear little faces!1 :-)

x C

Dresses for Meeces

...and these certainly will not be poor church meeces!!

I've done some block printing to start...

...then stitched around the designs.

Picking up on the patterns in the blocks, I cut some stencils...

...and used Markal Paintstiks to add to the fabric decoration.

Fleur de Lys on this one...

Little crosses on this one...

...and small five-petal flowers on this one.

I'm going to use the stencil patterns on the meeces' headwear too....

But for today ......

...whiskers.....

x C

Three blind mice!!

Well!

Where has January nearly all gone?!

I've been so tied up with building works and decorating etc...

...that this poor little blog has suffered greatly.

I do apologize.

It's only over the last couple of days that I've managed to get some quality time in the workroom...

...and produce SOMETHING!

The ICHF show in March is beginning to loom and stuff must be done...

...so here's a beginning....

...my three blind mice :-)

Yes...I know that they may look a bit more like moles (apart from the colour)...

...but I promise you that they WILL be mice....and not blind by the time I've done with them.

Fabric printing and stitching now...

...hopefully not such a gap between posts next time.

x C

New design book for latest stuff!!

I'm working into my long, narrow KHADI book with drawings intended for (eventual) lino prints...

...but wanted a smaller, less formal one for scribbles, collage, ideas etc.

So, I got an 8" x 5" book from the Art Shop in Abergavenny...

...and collaged some medieval-looking bits on the front cover.

I may add something else on that brown mica-paper...

....but haven't come across "just the right thing" as yet!

It WILL turn up!! :-)

x C

2017....and back to it!

Well HELLO lovely people!

I hope that you all had a wonderful festive season...

...got through the New Year celebrations...

...and are now back into your respective "grooves"!!

I had a very quiet time as is normal...

...and managed to get some bits during my little escape from "internet-land" :-)

A few more pages in my "Medieval Inspirations" design book (calling it a design book rather than sketchbook - more appropriate methinks)...

Beakheads found at Etton in E.Yorks. last July...

These are fairly new - appearing around the time of the Victorian renovation of the porch area...

...whereas these are 12th century originals from around the tower doorway.

I scanned and enlarged my drawings...

...then draw over the main lines with a Sharpie marker.

I use a lightbox to transfer the design onto fabric to be stitched.

(Fabric has been lightly sprayed with Brusho here..)

This one has been hand-stitched and painted...

...but although it looks ok-ish...it's way to thin and flimsy.

The next ones will have to be done with a more "lofty" wadding!

I cut my hands yesterday evening whilst freeing a roll of square-mesh to use as support.

Damned stuff sprung like a clock spring when it was released!!!!!

Pfffffff!!!!!!

Have a good week ...

x C

Letters from the North #3

That's the title of the cross stitch piece I've been working on over the last couple of weeks...

...and have now finished.

I got the pdf pattern from Modern Folk on Etsy....

...and I have several more to amuse myself with!!

Don't know which one I'll start next, but I'm not too worried about that right now...

...as I need to get out my water-soluble pencils and watercolour paints to work in my "Medieval Inspirations" sketchbook.

The ICHF show in March where I will be having a demo stand will be around very, VERY soon...

...and I don't want to put myself in the position of scrabbling around like crazy at the last minute.

So....

...new (and for me very exciting) work will now get under way. :-)

x C

A serpent...and some Beakheads...

Been doing a bit more in my "Medieval Inspirations" sketchbook...

A serpent from Kilpeck...

...and some beakheads from...

...all over the place!!

I have scanned and REVERSED the serpent drawing...

...ready to transfer onto lino.

(Let's see if I can get THIS one right!!)

The others will get done a bit later...

..after I've been off Beakhead-hunting next week :-)

EXCITED!!!

x C