I just have to say, I couldn’t think what to call this blog as it’s really just a little catch-up but back when I was doing Kim’s Experimental Textiles course, I made something that I fondly named ‘The Thing’! It emerged from a knitting and weaving exercise and amidst much frivolity with the others in the group, soon arrived Alison’s ‘This’, ‘That’ and ‘The Other’ creations. So if you are ever stuck for a name….😁

Well welcome to April’s catch up! Workshops started up again this month and it’s been lovely to travel in lighter and better weather.

First up was teaching ‘Re-Imagined’ at Susan Chapman’s Granary Studio in Hampshire. As I have family nearby, I was able to travel from there and combine some time with mum and dad with teaching.

We had a wonderful couple of days creating work inspired by and abstracted from well-known historical works of art. Unusually half of the group had chosen to use Klimt but as is always the case, each piece of work was uniquely ‘theirs’ by the end of day two. Some finishing off to do, but wonderful results!!

Then it was further south to Fareham to work with a group called Fimbria. As we were by the coast (at least by my standards as I live about as far from it as possible in the UK) it was apt we were exploring ‘Sea and Stone’. This workshop is always fun and generates lots of happy chat as well as wonderfully textured pebbles.

I had five minutes to look at the sea and I needed five days! The storms had brought all sorts onto the beach. I photographed one particularly smelly but beautiful little shell with a seaweed adornment…

As for me, I have a bit more to complete on my ‘Earth’ cloth before creating the final set of tiny Stitchpots. It’s been challenging finding motifs and stitches to represent Earth in ways different to another set I have about stone. I’ve played with notions of soil and earth around the globe such as reds and ochres from other countries, cracked earth, seeds and seedlings, roots and soil layers.

I feel like they are my final babies and I’m probably working slower than usual so I don’t finish. I know stopping is completely self-imposed and I can do more if wish but I want to resist for now as I feel the need to move on. They are my familiar, easy ‘go-to’ and it’s too easy to choose them over anything else. Much like chocolate in the cupboard! Ooh dear, I wonder if I may get withdrawal symptoms if there isn’t a familiar cloth sitting on my sofa table after three years!?

Anyway, another painting course coming up for me to attend and the start of some new textile work, so hopefully more to share about that next month. Whether you are working with comforting familiarity or the unfamiliar new, I wish you happy creating 🙂