Coming Up - 2

As you can see The Material Girls are working towards their next Exhibition in October at Craft Arena.  Lots of exciting and innovative ideas to be revealed.
And keep this in mind, as we will back at Rainham Hall in February 2020.
Meantime at Rainham Hall, the Denney Exhibition has opened, with The Material Girls making three floor cushions which can be seen in the reconstructed Library.

So you can see, between the last post and this, I've lots to keep me occupied.

2018 Already!!

Happy New Year

Here we are already good way through first week in January.

Last year was quite full on, lots achieved and done, but not always to my personal satisfaction.  Record keeping of all sorts has gone amiss, inc in blogland.

I won't say its a Resolution to write more, but let's just say the intent to do is there.

2017 saw

The Material Girls with FOUR Exhibitions

John Harle at second venue

Essex Environment shown at two venues

and a very successful Exhibition Goodnight Children Everywhere

My Embroiderers' Guild Branch

held a very successful Exhibition

then there was the National Day of Stitch

which was packed out all day

and I received a Certificate for being a Member for

25 years.

On a personal level

Once again had work in Rochford Art Trail

September, October and November

saw attendance at Workshops

Art Van Go

Seth Apter

Dali Graham

Phew, a lot there,

2018 may be a quieter year as lots of organisations seem

to be taking a break.

I do have plans and commitments to things, and await notifications of

any new opportunities.

September Whoosh

September was mega busy, it always is, but this year seemed exceptionally so, at one time 20 appointments booked in.  It gets more complicated for a one car household, having to work out logistics.
So let's take a look at it, in pictures.  Hopefully if you click on they will enlarge for better viewing, click on any highlighted links too.

First week of September attended a Workshop

Art Van Go

Now I think I've done 2 of these in the past, may be 3, but years ago.

Its play and experiment with paint products.

The following week it was time to set up

Rochford Art Trail

The next week with the Trail still on

time to set up and open

The Material Girls

'Goodnight Children Everywhere'

at Rainham Hall

In amongst lots of stewarding, here and there and trying to keep track of

where I'm doing what, and him indoors with his own art display too

So on Sunday 1st October everything was down.

OK so its now October, but the finish to the mad rushing about

on the Monday night, 2nd Oct

Seth Apter Workshop

50 Ways to Leave Your Layer

This was about base layers and how to layer up
so both of these samples may have a way to go,
but it was about process.
I loved this workshop came home buzzing with excitement.

I've had lots of thoughts comparing the two workshops at either end of this busy time., both with backgrounds, different approaches. There were differences in content, product, delivery, lots of similarities and differences.  I may commit my thoughts on these to another blog post.  So watch out.

Now that October is here, The Material Girls have one more Exhibition for the year at Loughton, which is all in hand.  Otherwise breathing space, which is good, time for the ideas to pop and be acted on, instead of a lot of reaction which is how its been of late.

Trials, Trails and Exhibitions

September is madness month - at one point between us we had 20 appointments.  Some of them simple, but not so much when you are a one car household and its working out who is where and when.

Today is the 16th... and so far I've attended a Workshop, an AGM, set up work for the Art Trail, been to a finance meeting, a launch party, done two lots of stewarding, answered the 'can you just' which crop up.
Next week, we set up work for The Material Girls Exhibition which opens on Wednesday.

Hopefully I will have pics of it all later for you, but in the meantime, let's have a look see...

My piece for The Material Girls

whilst under construction

Storyjar Preserve

see below in window display

Work on display in Art Trail

So currently my work table/area looks like this

Coming Soon

Next Exhibition from The Material Girls.
This is a new body of work, not seen before, lots of personal stories entwined with when the Hall was a Nursery.

Racing Through January

Wow, we are racing towards the end of January already.

I've completed my commitment of taking the Meeting at our local Embroiderers' Guild, and new year brings a flurry of information and notices to share out to the Members, so the computer has been occupied for a while.

I've already started with my online courses, though of course I should have realised, that one which is committed to videos no longer than 15 minutes, doesn't mean it only takes 15 minutes to replicate the technique!

The Material Girls have now removed the exhibition work "With the Compliments of Capt John Harle" - however, not only is the work to be shown in another venue, the Exhibition time as been extended.
So now you will be able to see this body of work from 29th March - 8th July at Havering Museum.

Take a look at The Material Girls website and blog to see what is coming next, because the Group will be back exhibiting at the Hall in September.

I still have a piece at Rainham Hall, and it will be there for, an as yet, unknown to me, time period..  This is because it (purely unintentionally) fits in with the display of the original Will its based on.  My work in the fireplace.

Its the entire Will of Capt John Harle, machine stitched onto paper.  From memory its over 20m long.

I would love to show you other things, but let's think.... new work for The Material Girls, no can't share that.  New work for the Embroiderers' Guild, no can't share that.

Don't forget though the Essex Open Exhibition is still on, until 11th February - and the CD Project at the Inchmore Gallery in Inverness continues until March.

Hopefully I will come back next time, with pretty things to share, but thought it was time for a catch up.

As I update the sidebar to the right, and any of the individual pages, I do add a notification to that effect at the top of the blog page, so keep an eye on that.

Stitched Words - by the (several) dozen

So here is the information on my pieces made for TheMaterial Girls project with The National Trust property, Rainham Hall.

Each of The Girls were asked to produce three pieces of work, all based/inspired by the first occupant of the hall, John Harle, so our researched centred on the first half of the 1700s.

A whole variety of themes sprung up, from costume to trade, people to decor, gardens to my choice, documents/writings.

So here is the last piece I made, but I'm showing it to you first.... 

you won't find it on display within The Material Girls 'A Studio in Action' - this is because its on display in the Hall itself.

So my last piece, what can I make..... mhmmm. Then suddenly it occurred to me, I know I will stitch out the Will of John Harle.  The original exists, I have a transcript.  So following on from previous technique used, I machine stitched it in one continuous piece.  At a rough measure its 20m long!!!  It was only when presenting all our work to the National Trust, to give them an idea of everything, that they asked for it to go on display in the Hall, in the same room as the original Will on display.  I certainly never made with that intention.

The first piece looked at letters, how paper was folded, the salutations and signatories.  I found letters which are extraordinarily polite and yet highly insulting at the same time, formal business letters and family exchanges.  These were machined on strips of paper.  The opening and closing format hand stitched on paper which was folded to become its own envelope.  With a nod to wax seals, these were dipped in wax.

The second piece I decided to make an 'Essex Girl Will' - a tongue firmly in cheek joke.  A parody which nods back to the letters which raise such a smile to our modern reading.

Thinking of letters being opened and refolded, potential cracks or holes which might appear, informed the construction, this time, the whole piece is dipped in wax.  You will have to visit 'A Studio in Action' and look in my notebook to read the transcript, words all of my own making.

I challenged myself in all sorts of ways with this work, and am very satisfied with my efforts.  20m long..... OK less than 2cm wide, but the 'biggest' piece of work I've ever done.  Mhmmm wonder if it will be like bookbinding, where I keep making successively longer books. 

A Studio in Action continues to be available from

Wed 24th - Sun 28th Feb. 11am-3pm

In the Hall itself you will find my piece and also one from Miriam.

Please connect to The Materials Girls Facebook page

and/or Instagram to see more images

A Studio in Action

The Material Girls latest Exhibition.  Actually the work has been ready for months, however the allocated space still isn't, and so Plan B was put into action, and we have arranged a display to not only show the work, but also give background to the creative practice.
There are other photos on The Materials Girls, website, blog and facebook pages, and also we have a new Instagram account.  Please visit, Like, Share, and do return as more images are added.

Here's a selection of over views from my day stewarding, to give you an idea.  Details of my pieces will follow on another posting.

Open 11am-3pm until Sunday 28th February

FREE - closed Monday and Tuesday

With the Compliments of Capt. John Harle 17-28 Feb

The Material Girls, The National Trust and Rainham Hall

are pleased to announce

The National Trust property, Rainham Hall

 is now open to the public

where you can visit and see work made by the Group

"with the compliments of John Harle"

Sunday 11th October 11am-3pm

its FREE

Community Festival

(organised by The National Trust)

Meet The Material Girls with a community project to share

This is the group I am a Member of, we've been eagerly awaiting being able to share with everyone the work we have made for this venue.

Looking back in my notebook, earliest written notation I have, dates back to June 2013, but I am sure this was mooted long before that.

Take a look at this article from the National Trust's own website.

You can also use BBC iPlayer, search for BBC London News on 7th October and approx 15 minutes in you will see an item on the Hall.

One amongst many articles which are being published at this time, here.

The Girls have undertaken extensive research, adorned hard hats and his vis jackets, and have been involved with this project from its earliest days, earning their position as Creative Partners with the National Trust.

Our research projects cover all sorts of aspects of Georgian life, from shoes, to gardens, documents to decor, trade to leisure.

What you will be able to see is only part of our work, there is a lot more ready and waiting to be shared.

Please take a look at our own Facebook page here..... as well as The Girls blog and website.

If you cannot come along on Sunday, Rainham Hall current seasonal opening times: Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-5pm (admission charges apply)

The gardens and cafe are free to access and open 10am-5pm daily.  (check before travelling)

Situated at The Broadway, Rainham, RM13 6YN