Dog,banner,birds, book and new workshops

Nice clear title that - says what it does on the tin (not quite right that - but unable to see why right now). Good check list for me too. So - starting with Dog ... I was down(up?)loading some images from my 'old' camera, which has been nosed aside by my acquisition of a lovely Canon (needed for book photography - honestly). I was surprised to find this photo, which was taken last year  and shows Dixter watching his favourite Quilting Arts...

and with Sean smiling for the camera. He truly does like Pokeys voice (Dixter, not Sean), and turns up every time I put her on. Good taste I think. Weirdly  the two triptychs hanging on the design wall behind him, are the first layouts of the very two pieces that sold at the last exhibiting of my quilts. Obviously a golden time.

Enough chat - on to business .... The regional banner has been coming along. I think that it was last seen with the background fabrics down and quilted. So here is the next stage ... adding the applique detail:

I started with the outer four panels, as I planned to use painted Nottingham lace for the tree in the centre (the Nottingham Oak). So having got this much down, I felt I could go ahead and paint the lace in the colours I thought would work:

 Worked well and I'm pleased with the colours .... and the drop cloth! ....

So next up - cut a couple of bits out and try them on the panel:

Sorry about the dodgy picture ... but maybe you can see, as I did ... that although the colour works well, the different texture of the lace is distracting and makes that one panel stand out form the rest  Not good. So lace was abandoned and the tree made up with the same fabrics as the other panels. No doubt that lace will come in handy though ...

And then with all the applique stitched .. which doesn't look very much different on here (gnash gnash) ... but honestly does in real life ( and took hours!!)

 

So it is now blocking and will be left for a few days to settle into a good shape before I unpin it and start on the silhouettes. Theses will lay on top of the panels - hopefully still leaving plenty of the background showing. 

After that, I decided to have a quick break and visited a local garden centre and swan sanctuary  The sun went in as soon as I arrived of course - but I got loads of wonderful photos ... which you will no doubt be seeing at some point. But for now, three irresistibles ..

This girl greeted me on arrival and accompanied for about the first 20 minutes, until she realised I had not got any hidden food. Isn't she gorgeous?

These two geese were also very friendly and not a little concerned that they might be considered 'ugly' because of their big bulbous beak tops (they had heard name calling - can't birds be cruel?). But worry not - I reassured them that it was an obvious side effect of a very big brain and as such, looked clever and distinguished. I am sure they felt happier.

And then this boy ... mega show-off, lots of 'crockadoodledoo'ing, but then, with those colours, who can blame him?

I feel some bird work coming on.

I also finalised arrangements with Anne at The Bramble Patch last week, for a series of workshops in 2014. These will be 6, two day workshops, held bi-monthly, starting in January. The course will be called 'Make it Personal' and will be all about making and using personal fabrics to make unique and individual work. I will tell you a lot more about it in another blog, and post some images, but I just had to mention it, as I am so looking forward to being able to follow through ideas with individual students and really see them gain confidence in their own ideas and abilities. It will be such an exciting venture I think. 

And finally - another book page, although we have actually changed the layout now, so these will have to be altered. It has not got text on yet either .. but gives a flavour of the work I hope:

I think you can also see how much fun it is doing these ... even of they do have to be changed!

Talk again soon - Hilary x