Circling the Square

My afternoon workshop at the Embroiderers' Guild was well received I believe.  We had a nice mix of regular Members, from Members who now live long distances away, and we welcomed many new faces.  The word Guild had put them off, they were of the view that the Guild is very old fashioned.  Not sure what they made of my painted and dipped in wax piece!!!

The term 'guild' has been a source of discussion as long as (and likely before) I've been a Member.  (24 years).  Perceptions are always made whatever words and phrases are used.  Best advice give it a go and see.

So I can reveal that my Workshop involved using the puzzle page from newspapers as a design source.

I am in this photo, but which one?

Mwah ha ha.....

Photo courtesy of Penny

Last week was the regular monthly meeting of The MaterialGirls.  As always, moving forward with new ideas to explore, tentative plans for many months ahead are starting first thoughts. Sometimes its tough, but I joined to challenge myself and it provides that, in many varied ways.

You may have noticed, reference to the Eastern RegionTextile Forum has disappeared from this blog.  I have not renewed my membership, having been a Member since inception and played a large role in the creation of the current website.  Its been Eight years and simply I've changed, my needs and wants are not the same, and the organisation has moved and changed, so we are no longer a good fit.  I have met some lovely people, enjoyed their company, but I think I've found my natural end point.

I've not done much creating this week, however I have been watching some daily real time videos of making, from those who use paint and paper and others who stitch.  I like the quirky reality, the mistakes, ie the dropped brush, the unthreaded needle, in real time span.  I wonder if this is the way things are going, many people offer video tutorials for free, and others are doing these webinar things, ie watch as live and join in via comments.  As a severe (getting a little better, see above) photophobic, videos would be a long way off, unless its just hands!!!! 😀. Plus we perhaps are an unusual household, don't own and have never owned video cameras, just have the facility which comes on mobile phones and cameras.  But cameras.... we could open a shop!!

I have a new toy....

 a flower stitch foot

I've been looking at them for a long time.  For my machine the cost was prohibitive.  Last year I looked again and saw I could buy for £15-£20 but still hesitated as to how much use I'd have and was it just indulgence.  Then last week I found I could buy one for £6 with no p&p - well rude not to.

Had a little play and these amongst first trials - love it!

Current task - work out how to cobble together a quilting guide for the lefthand side of sewing machine, and still keep the right hand side guide.  It likely involves wire, paperclips and pliers..... whoever thinks textile art/embroidery are refined genteel exploits.