Lots to think about

the inside of my head

how I'd like it to be

Today I spent a very informative time at Heriot Watt University's School of Textiles and Design learning about the fantastic facilities and technical support I could access through subscription to Resource, a new opportunity funded by Creative Scotland. It's open to all artists, designers and makers and you can learn more here. It's a great chance to access equipment and expertise for anyone based in the Borders and beyond.

Hmmmm, need to do some serious thinking...

 

Collage destined for Paxton next week

My days just evaporate

...must be the sunny weather, I reckon. 

When I am out with the dogs and walking through dappled shade I realise that yet again I have failed to bring a camera with me to capture the patterns of the leaves. Having said that, those of you who know our enthusiastic dogs (ill-disciplined? lively? nuisance?) will appreciate that I would need another pair of hands to keep them in check and take photographs. 

Anyway, despite the attractions of the great outdoors, stitching continues as the deadline for our exhibition at Paxton House rushes ever closer. Hugh and I are showing work in the Hayloft Gallery at Paxton from 2nd to 21st July. The House has lovely grounds to walk in and a pleasant cafe so is well worth a visit even if you don't want to tour the house itself, and you can certainly visit the cafe and gallery for free.

 not everything in the exhibition will be blue...

Happiness...

  .... is a sunny day and the freedom to roam in the garden. That probably goes for all of us but none more so than Henry and his girls. He struts about, announcing his presence loud and clear, while they quarter the ground in search of tasty morsels then recline in the recesses of the unpruned blackcurrant bushes. 

Our garden is sorely neglected in comparison with my mother's days but there's an appeal to the ever multiplying poppies and lady's mantle. Just a shame that the march of bishop weed and creeping buttercup et al is quite so quick.  

Work is continuing in indigo and other shades, is preparation for my exhibition with Hugh at Paxton House in July. But June is packed with events too - there the Artist's Book Fair in Gateshead on Friday, World Textile Day on 21st, Woolfest the following weekend...can I justify going to them all?

 

Happily,

I snapped up a sunny Sunday, had soaked yarns in readiness, dug out an extension lead for the electric ring and a decrepit garden table and had myself a dyeing day in the garden. 
The dyeing itself was fun - the delicious anticipation as you lift the yarn from the pot, the magical shading of green to deepening blue, the anxiety as you worry whether resist bindings and knots are tight enough, or then again maybe too tight. More experiments, more luscious shades, more discoveries.
And then the endless rinsing, the cleaning up, the drying - will the rain stay off? do I rush to rescue the skeins dripping on the line? do I keep calm and let nature take its course? 
Finally it's all safely indoors and nearly dry, airing for twenty four hours. 

bamboo dk

Inevitably some skeins are tangled and need to be rewound.

wool/nylon sock yarns

Labels are printed and punched and attached. 

sock yarn lying on merino dk

New stock. 
Wish I could keep it all......
 

little helper - note blur of wagging tail

Stitchery Saturday

Saturday was foggy and wet. Not great for Jedburgh Sevens admittedly, but a fine day to spend stitching Indian-inspired textiles. This was my last workshop in the spring series of Warped Weekends, and my happy participants were all seduced by the Kutchi pieces I showed them. 

Whether it was the bright and cheerful toran covered in elephants they studied or just the universal appeal of these lovely animals I am not sure, by everyone felt a need for one in their work!

  

I had my dyepot out last week too - indigo bubbled away as I dipped and dyed cotton scrim, linen, raw cotton, wool yarns and handmade paper. I was really pleased with the results and think there will be more of this going on through the next few months...

The Ides of May

 and still depressingly cold and wet. Escapism is the only answer.

Last week I finally made time to visit an inspiring exhibition in The Scott Gallery in Hawick Museum. 'A Woven Journey' is a wonderful collection of embroideries, tapestries and felt made by Jane Brunning and Louise Martin, two professional tapestry makers who took themselves off to the Gobi Desert. They lived with nomadic families and returned to produce a tremendous volume of work reflecting the desert landscape and its colourful people. Runs till 26th so get there if you can.

I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop I ran for the East Lothian Embroiderers' Guild. It's always fascinating to see how people's style and approach varies. Here are a few works-in-progress

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The top image shows Mary's take on a recent trip to Venice. 
Rita combined painted bondaweb with selection of stamps illustrating different modes of travel. Jenny's travel images were particularly significant to her family. There were some great combinations of stitch and paper in everyone's work.

Another birthday in the house called for a wee celebratory trip oot to Myreton Motor Museum near Aberlady. We had the place to ourselves and pored over old bikes, cars, vans and toys and generally had a grand time.

Still blue..

 The weeks pass in a blur. Last weekend was Art@Ancrum, with sixteen artists and makers showing their work throughout the village. Hugh's space was a kindly donated living room, complete with wood burning stove which was a bonus! There was lots of interest and comment from visitors and village residents so let's hope it becomes an annual event and keeps on growing.  
I showed my face there on two afternoons, and sat in Hugh's mini gallery stitching away on the top one of these pieces. 

Although it all looks a bit piecemeal when I post images up, I am working through a series of banners which will ultimately be displayed together and make sense. There's a vast volume of work still to be done but I am throughly enjoying the slow process of stitching onto this beautiful indigo-dyed handwoven Indian cotton.

 

Last night I gave an illustrated talk to textile friends and showed off the stitched, printed and woven treasures I brought back from Gujarat. It was a throughly enjoyable evening spent with like minds.

Tomorrow I am off to Dunbar to run a workshop for the East Lothian branch of the Embroiderers Guild. We'll be making stitched paper collages. I have had a devil of a job choosing what not to take with me - the poor car is groaning under the weight of my poor decision making.

Hurray - the First of May!

Well, the sun's shining as I write this, I've been out early with the dogs and then made pancakes for breakfast so I am feeling all virtuous for a little while...

We spent last week exploring Galloway, in an assortment of weathers. It's such a lovely part of the country that it was great to have time to wander through woods, along a deserted beach and over moors. That's in between sampling coffee, scones and the wonderful Cream o' Galloway ice cream of course. (I can recommend gingerbread flavour and the cardamom is very fine too). We enjoyed a trip to the Mull of Galloway, watching a little bird life and lots of army/navy offshore manouevres from the lighthouse. Dogs strictly at home for that trip - too scary for us having them on leads anywhere near the cliffs.

It's ok, they still managed to have a great time, what with all that water to muck about in and a warm stove to return to.

Stitchin'

 
At the weekend, Ali and I led Warped classes in Indian Stitchery (hand stitching with bright colours, beads and more) and in stitching curves (very impressive stuff with sewing machines). It was a lovely day of gentle work and good company and much was accomplished.

Meanwhile I have been continuing work on my indigo block print fabrics. Below is a typical Ajrakh block print design from Gujarat, with a resist applied, and several further blocks and dye processes. The fabric is a fine cotton.

I had a similar Ajrakh block printed onto a coarser weave of organic handwoven cotton - so only resist + one block, then dyed indigo -  and I have highlighted sections of the pattern in a fine cotton perle thread.

Ruth Clifford gives a detailed description of the true Ajrakh process here

Another variety packed week..

...which has seen me travel from here to Rutland, to Reeth and over the snowy hills and dales home again, half a day to catch up with some stitching and then hold a Warped workshop in Jedburgh yesterday.

Tried to be all domesticated briefly this morning but my washing blew off the line and the vacuum cleaner had a hissy fit when faced with a little dog hair.
Well, maybe a lot.

View from The Bridge Inn

Hugh and I were down in Rutland to attend a BORDA meeting which was very worthwhile. Met some great people who are already providing valuable help to him. We broke the northbound journey with a night in a pub in Grinton near Reeth in Swaledale. Fantastic bar food and most extrovert barman made for an entertaining night.

Teesdale

 The next day's drive brought it home to us how much snow still lingers on higher ground.

Creative types at work

Yesterday's workshop was good fun and everyone produced such interesting work. I really enjoyed myself.

 

 

Today I have been adding handstitching with my dyed threads to one of the block print pieces I brought back from Kutch.

What happened to March?

The month has flown by. I've been in Ahmedabad, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dunbar and Sedbergh as well as the rather closer Hawick, Galashiels, Jedburgh and Smailholm, either participating in an event or attending one. And I've managed to make a little new stock for HQ and am halfway through sprucing the caravan up so that I can move my work back into it (now that it's finally above zero at some points in the day).

While I was away I dabbled with some of the photographs I took in Kutch. Here's a small selection of tarted-up images.

 not my yarn, but I could have given it a good home

 one of the resident dogs in the early morning sun at Khamir

 my supplies, beside the loom I used at Khamir

 Ahmedabad rooftop

 one of many weird sights in the Prag Mahal in Bhuj

 

mud wall decoration in museum in Bhuj

Meanwhile, I am gathering essential kit to continue with the dyeing that I was doing in Kutch. An indigo vat and shibori work are on the cards. Would be so nice if I could have sunshine and do the messy stuff in the open air but that's a wish too far, I think

Country Mouse goes to Town

 
From Hawick to Glasgow and Edinburgh and then Galashiels over the next four days.
Tonight it's the third Indian Inspired community workshop at Borders Textile Towerhouse, where we are all embroidering bright and cheerful squares to assemble into a bold banner quilt. Until you've tried it, you have no idea how much fun grown women (and a few men) can have with sequins!

Tomorrow is the start of a ReSIde gathering where Jeni, Swati, Murji and I are all hitting Glasgow to see some talented contemporary textile artists and designers, and then sample the delights of a well known Indian restaurant...

On Saturday I am whizzing back to Edinburgh to participate in the first ever Edinburgh Yarn Festival. It's shaping up to be a tremendous event with masses of quality makers and sellers, and I am really looking forward to it. From 10 till 5 at the Out of the Blue, just off Leith Walk.

Back to Glasgow in the evening to catch up with the others, then more culture on Sunday which will include a tour of Glasgow School of Art's iconic Mackintosh-designed buildings.

Home again Sunday night then we're off to Galashiels on Monday for an all day workshop with the art class at the Academy!

All things bright and beautiful

A wee burst of colour for y'all! 
As I gradually get myself and my textile haul sorted out I will post up more images both here and on Tart's Travels. But first a taster from the last month's travels.

A close up of some exuberant Kutchi embroidery

 The scene in Shakil Khatri's batik workshop. 

A great pile of luscious prints, still thick with wax

And a great new scarf from Murji which I had to have.

Can't be sad with colours like these!

Thaw

So today it's windy and rainy; the snow has transformed into melt water. In a room with a log burner is the best place to be, though I do have to fight two canines to find some heat. 
I am packaging up new stock before carding fibre ready for spinning tomorrow, all in preparation for 16th March. I will have a stall at the first ever Edinburgh Yarn Festival  and I think it's going to be wonderful! There's a great range of dyers, spinners and makers taking part, plus an onsite cafe for sustenance.

Thursday evening was spent at Borders Textile Towerhouse as we gathered to stitch more Indian inspired squares. I demonstrated how to attach shisha mirrors but it's fair to say that neither I nor my willing group are naturals at this...there was much quiet cursing as mirrors slipped from under the holding stitches. Nonetheless they have already produced some lovely happy work.

From the top - Kirsty, Pat, Louisa , Zilla