Week 5 Best versus best in time available

Its been another hectic week at uni. On Tuesday, we were introduced to the Trend Hub in the Uni Library- lots of amazing trade magazines I've never heard of before, which predict the trends in textiles/fashion/homeware for the year ahead. We also had a look at a mill archive, which was given to the  uni for students to use in their studies- amazing wallpaper and fabric designs from the 60's and 70's - below is one of the designs and the design fabric.

Wednesday was the last week of the embroidery rotation. I have discovered that the samples I am producing are in fact more akin to finished work and that I don't really know what a sample is! I've been trying to do my best with every piece of work instead of the best I can in the time I have available.  The sample immediately below is not indeed a sample but a more or less finished piece of work. The sample below that is not complex enough- so I need to find a happy medium!

Thursday I spent sorting out my Visual Studies and Contextualising Craft Practice tasks for the week! This involved copying two of the designs from the Trend Hub archive with acrylics and oil pastels and changing the colour way. The Contextualising Craft Practice exercise was to 'Walk the Line' -  a bit of psycho-geography, where I chose an area to study and considered its buildings, people, traffic, textures, scale, sounds and smells and then write a short piece on the experience. For those of you who know Barnsley, I walked around Town End Roundabout! It was more interesting than it has ever been before!

Friday was rug tufting day. We based the design on the group drawing exercise we did and will need to finish the rug as far as we can by Thursday so I'll post a photo of the result next weekend.

I've been working on the craft fair today. Here are a couple of the pictures I've produced for it.

Tomorrow's a university day - lots to do to try and keep up. I'm definitely getting value for money!

Week 4: An interesting response to my sculpture

Tuesday saw the unveiling of my sculpture in the visual studies work shop. It made people laugh- I guess it is a bit mad, but I really like it! I spent most of the afternoon drawing it in different styles, but then we had to swap and draw other students' sculptures. The student who had mine to draw declared that it made her head hurt!

On Wednesday morning we learnt about how to create structure using different materials: holland linen, downproof cotton, silk organza and cotton organdie. In the afternoon, we put the techniques we had learnt into practice. As all the fabrics were either white or neutral, I used white thread, so that I didn't distract from the qualities of the fabrics, but it was a struggle. I do enjoy a bit of colour (which can make others heads hurt!). I need to crack on with my embroidery samples, but the contextualising craft practice and visual studies work seems to take up most of my time. I need to re-prioritise I think as the embroidery module (together with knit, weave and print) has the highest number of credits.

Wednesday evening was a most enjoyable time as I went to a Barnsley Creative Embroiderers (Optional) Dyeing workshop run by Hazel Williams It was enjoyed by all who participated. Above is the result of my efforts. Fantastic bright colours - so thank you Hazel.

On Saturday, I made a last minute dash with friend in tow to the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair. Its quite a small event in Manchester, but with some interesting exhibitors who I am sure will inform my degree work. Today has been spent on Visual Studies work- not embroidery samples again! There will be some through the night stitching going on at some point - I can see it coming!

Week 3 Things continue to improve

This week has been fun! I spent a happy afternoon on Tuesday, starting a sculpture in my Visual Studies class, which provoked an interesting response from my tutor, but wait until she sees the finished piece on Tuesday! It is produced using found objects, in my case found at home and include: pipe insulation, left over curtain lining, various braids, ribbon, threads and wool found in my sewing room, rope purchased from Poundland (ok I cheated a bit) and our fruit bowl (which Mike doesn't know about yet!) For those of you with artistic sensibilities, my inspiration came from the work of Hepworth, Rothschild and Aboriginal Burial Poles (it makes sense to me ok!)

My intention had been to use figure of 8 lashing to lash the elements of the sculpture together, however there is a bit of a difference between lashing reasonably well behaved canes together to make a draining board for washing up at guide camp and badly behaved bound pipe insulation foam which is starting to bend under the weight of its own fabulousness. So, with a bit of lateral thinking, I decided to liberate the fruit bowl (a wedding present from Mike's good friend- but we have been married a number of years now!) and use it as the perfect base for my sculpture. I've added a photo below.

On Wednesday, we had a whole day working on free machine embroidery, using applique and reverse applique and translating marks from our sketch books into stitches. It was great and I could have stayed there all night! I've also finished my first hand embroidery sample, which is of Reg Butler's Young Woman Standing 1951-52 (must practice referencing properly!). See below:


 V excitingly, I have signed up for the once in the lifetime experience of a field trip to New York in January- OMG! Will I survive in a hotel room with two young girlie students for a week? Also may need to sell Mike to pay for it... and maybe some other stuff.

Its lunchtime on Sunday- I promised myself that I would spend all of today working on the Craft Fair- but I haven't quite started yet. Double OMG!.. the fair is what seems about 5 minutes away and I have a very small collection of things to sell. However, I just needed to get my university blog up to date- this records what academic skills we're learning, and reflection on what went well, what could we do differently etc. I have now written a series of what feels like short stories! We have a lecture tomorrow about blogging so I guess I'll be doing some serious editing then! I wanted to upload some images to it- but my nice apple browser doesn't support it- what is any ordinary person meant to do with such error messages? Why is it beyond the wit of those apple genii to provide a link to the bits of the help pages which suggests how I might put it right without just throwing the laptop out of the window?  I will not let it beat me!

Week 2: I feel better!

So, I am still feeling old, but I guess I need to stick that in my pipe and smoke it! But, I am feeling better, but slightly overawed about the amount of time that will be needed to keep up. It feels like more than a full time course at the moment- maybe that will improve as I speed up when I know how everything works.


On Monday, we had the usual Contextual Studies lecture, where a number of tasks were set, including looking up words/phases we didn't know. I now know what situationism is! We were learning how to reference text and images correctly and looking at how to take notes from text. 

On Tuesday, we met some of the second year students, who will help us with any questions we have - like knowing whether we put stuff in our sketch books, visual diaries, independent learning journals  or technical files. They are going to bring in some of their stuff this week, which will help mightily as on Tuesday I didn't know what I was doing. On Tuesday afternoon we had our visual studies workshop- where we explore different ways of mark making/different drawing styles. We were asked to create large wall drawings, working from the images we'd developed from our trip to the Hepworth, moving from group to group applying our given drawing style to the different pictures. The results were really interesting and displayed a lot of energy! My group's initial drawing is shown above. It was a really enjoyable workshop.


On Wednesday morning, we were shown some basic embroidery stitches - running, back, cross, seed stitches and french knots. In the afternoon, we were asked to use these stitches to interpret some of the images we were developing. I am quietly pleased with what I've done so far, but wished I had some more time to put to it.


On Friday, we had an introduction to some basic crochet stitches - we got as far as double crochet and trebles. I helped out with the left handed students as I remember what a struggle it was for me to learn as a wee girl. Whilst it would have been good to motor on and get my samples made, its reassuring to know that we start from scratch on all things, as I can't knit or weave at all. Knitting was always a struggle because of the left handed thing, but we'll see- lots of people can do it!


Friday afternoon came the mammoth, mega email about visual studies. It has taken me all weekend to get the work required done ready for Tuesday. I am going to have to review what I'm doing- we shall see what the rest of the group has produced on Tuesday!


Overall, I feel like I'm beginning to settle in and know what goes where and I'm enjoying the craft parts very much. 

Week 1 BA (Hons) Textile Crafts

Its been a bit of a week. The culture shock continues. I still feel incredibly old and I guess the students wonder what/who I am. We had introductory sessions this week. Tuesday was good as we got to do some drawing, but the course seems to be building in a high degree of self reflection, and rather less of the practical stuff I had hoped for- but it is early days.

On Monday we were introduced to our Contextualising Craft Practice Module- week 1 was about being inquisitive with our reading- searching out references for stuff and automatic writing.

On Tuesday, we were introduced to visual research and development- mind blasting and drawing and the concept of keeping a technical file, as well as a sketch book, a collection of visual material, and a visual diary for each specialism, plus producing samples using the various techniques we are going to learn. It all seems a bit confused at the moment and I'm really not clear about what is expected, but I am sure things will improve!

On Wednesday, we were introduced to the specialist craft module. There are 4 specialisms: knit, stitch, print and weave. I'm starting with the stitch/embroidery rotation which I'm pleased about. This starts next week.

On Thursday, because the rug tufter is broken, I stayed at home and produced 5 drawings/paintings as part of the visual research and development module. This took a few frustrating hours as I wasn't that satisfied with the results; they seemed so superficial. The pictures were about building on the images we had collected from our visit to the Hepworth Gallery. Mike and I took a trip up there at lunchtime, just to check I had collected all the information I needed as the visit will be the subject of my first uni blog (or learning development journal), which is also a requirement as part of our integrated learning portfolio module, where we reflect on the development of academic skills. It is all very different from my first degree experience!

Friday was the introduction to the integrated learning portfolio module, which seems super detailed in terms of the amount of cataloguing of events/learning that we have to undertake.

Yesterday was spent getting my accounts up to date- it seemed odd sorting out what is probably the last of my old career. Today I began a wall hanging 1m x 1m which I am hoping will be good enough to go to the Christmas Fair but it needs an amount of work yet!

Tomorrow we are introduced to the second years, who every week will be helping us with our learning. I feel a bit at sea with it all at the moment, but the only way is up!

Week 0 BA (Hons) Textile Crafts

It is amazing how, such seemingly insignificant decisions, taken at such a young age, can influence 30 years of a life. At 13, when choosing my O levels, I was asked to drop out of the technical drawing class; the class was one too many over subscribed and I was the only girl, so I had been the one singled out to be asked to leave the class. My artistic ambitions had been curtailed, but I was able to take Art. At 15, when my O level results arrived, I got a B  -not the A I'd been hoping for or predicted, and so with my tender adolescent pride bruised coupled with the desire to choose A levels, which would lead to a sensible career and good job prospects, I followed a different path to a career in the arts which I would have truly loved. 


In the ensuing three decades, I made some less than impressive attempts to right the wrong, but no very determined efforts. In the early nineties, after I had graduated as a Town Planner and was working in South Yorkshire, I took an A level in Art and Design at evening classes. I remember discussing with my partner at the time, wanting to go back to university to study art, but it was dismissed as we had a mortgage to pay, beer to buy and holidays to go on and whilst I wasn't earning a fortune, my income was needed.  So my fledging career in Planning took off. What followed was many years of trying to manage conflicting expectations, dented aspirations and often angry people, who really didn't want to discuss such matters with a young whippersnapper. Whilst local government careers are often looked upon as desirable, as even now, for many reasons they are, those early years, with my desire to please people, I found incredibly stressful.  


During this time, I tried my hand at animal portraits and sold a few. I also enrolled in a foundation course at Barnsley College, but working full time meant that I could only devote an afternoon a week to attending classes. It would have taken 6 years to complete the course and for a relative youngster, this was just too long and I dropped out. After that I took another A level in Art History whilst I was living in Leeds. 


What followed was a couple of years of fevered completion of needlepoint kits- at the time compulsive stitching and making curtains! By this point I had moved from Leeds and back to Barnsley. I had managed to land myself a job away from planning and hopefully the stress and long hours, but still in local government. I moved into service reviews, reviled by many at the time, it was a new area for councils, forcibly imposed upon them by the government and I was to be one of the reviewers. I went into this, with the heartfelt belief that I could make a difference to the services being delivered. One of the reasons for leaving Leeds was the large work load. I was putting in a lot of hours to try and get through what was a relentless treadmill of paper work. What I hadn't considered in leaving for a brand new career was that a fledging work load, meant a fledging work force and that the resources available to do the work expected were by no means evenly matched. What followed was increased hours in a similarly stressful environment so after 18 months I hopped from one stressful job with long hours to a better paid job, but with even longer hours and more stress. After 6 months, I jumped again briefly into a paid planning consultancy job, but again whilst the hours were better, I loathed it! So against all my sensible sensibilities, with the support and encouragement of Mike,  I resigned and became self employed. Being self employed of course brings its own pressures, but times were good, the economy was soaring and through a mixture of public sector work and private sector clients, I stayed more than fully employed for the next few years. 


It was during this period that I came across the Creative Embroiderers Barnsley; a wonderful group of ladies, who warmly welcomed me to the group. It was through attendance at this group that my interest in textiles was reawakened from the earliest memories of embroidery classes at junior school and crochet with my Mum and sister, making implausibly large granny square bed spreads. The group is an active one, having regular speakers and trips to exhibitions and I just knew that I wanted to produce work to the same quality as the artists we were exposed to.


When the economy took its nose dive in 2008, I was lucky to secure work at Barnsley and Wakefield as a programme manager later that year. The programme was time limited and I knew that I needed a plan, especially as the economy was unlikely to recover and the demand for planning consultants was very limited. This gave me the push I needed, and I started working with Dougie, my life coach, to come up with a plan. By November last year I had started this blog as a record of my progress to achieving my goal to become a textile artist. At the time, it seemed a lifetime away from my course starting, but this week was Week O- the induction week, freshers week...fresh meat week (though obviously that doesn't apply in my case!). I was excited and apprehensive before the week started. 


I knew the class were likely to be young, but I thought there may be a couple of mature students, given the subject. They aren't, which is ok, but what I foolishly hadn't really accounted for was the whole culture shock of being in the middle of freshers weeks- angst, long queues, a mass of bright young things. I suddenly felt so very old and very very tired and I did have a couple of OMG what have I done moments! However, things had moved on considerably from my first experience of what was then polytechnic life where we just turned up on the day to enrol and then classes started. Now, the university had been careful to arrange a variety of events to introduce us to the library, student welfare services, the students union, independent learning and the most complicated timetable on the planet! The library is incredibly well resourced and  there are Apple Macs as far as the eye can see. I was like a kid in a sweet shop the first time I visited it and I know that I will be spending many happy hours in there.


On Friday, the year went to the Hepworth for a day of sketching. The place was rammed to the gunnels with students of various ages, all sketching away. I was gripped with fear - what if I was no good; I hadn't sketched anything for years, what if I didn't collect the right information? I felt like a million teenage eyes were boring into my sketch book- which of course they weren't and with some trepidation I started to draw. By mid afternoon, the gallery was emptying and the group had disappeared. What followed was the most wonderful hour and a half. I found a delightful little sculpture by Reg Butler of a Young Woman Standing 1951/2 and whilst my sketches aren't the most accomplished in the world, they make me happy and that is what it is all meant to be about. 

Sketch of Reg Butler Sculpture Young Woman Standing

Time flies

It's amazing how time flies. I can't believe that it is so long since my last post. However - I have been v busy since then, attending the Festival of Quilts at the NEC, a trip to Manchester, the Harrogate Quilt show and spending a few days in Herefordshire, testing out amongst other things, the cider of course  and discovering the work of local artists. The Festival of Quilts was as busy as ever, as was the Harrogate show. It was really interesting to see the work on show; I've been particularly drawn to the quilts with bright colours and bold designs, particularly applique. 


In Manchester we went to the Whitworth and saw amongst other things its fabulous textile gallery. We also went to the City's art gallery but didn't do it justice in the time available- another trip must be on the cards!


Mike and I spent a few days in Herefordshire earlier this month. Of the work we came across, I especially enjoyed seeing the work of Sarah Cheese, who lives in the Forest of Dean and whose work is a mixture of quilting and machine embroidery. Sarah Cheese


I also really liked the work of Mark Hearld. His work can be seen at Godfrey and Watt  and St Judes Gallery

I've been producing some work for the Cooper Gallery Christmas Fair; its not materialising as quickly as I would like, but I still have time. I will post images of a selection of stuff nearer the time. The vvvvv most exciting thing however is that the day after tomorrow is my first day as a full time student after a gap of 20 something years-only 2 more sleeps! OMG! Am v v v excited! It is amazing that it is almost here. I have paid my fees, I have bought my student travel card, I don't have any studenty clothes, I don't have pink hair, but I am good to go!

Guinea Pig Sleeping Bags

I have been busy making some Guinea pig (or other small animal!) sleeping bags today, which I may take with me to the Christmas Fair to sell. Pootle has been spending a lazy Sunday in his so I'm sure there are some other GP's or other small furries out there who would appreciate the same facilities! These are the first items that have benefitted from my newly arrived labels, which I am v pleased with. 

The Cooper Gallery Christmas Fayre

Hot off the press- I have today, taken the plunge and signed up for the Cooper Gallery Christmas Fayre, which is in Barnsley on 26th November 2011. It sells locally made arts and crafts and I now have a stall to fill! Best get stitching!

Guinea Pig what's?!!!!!!

We very sadly lost one of our beautiful guinea pigs Boris earlier this year. We had only recently adopted Max to be Boris's companion after his brother Smudge died before Christmas, so there was nothing for it but to now adopt a friend for Max. His name is Pootle and he came with his own sleeping bag which he adores, so of course I had to make him some more! I've also tried them out with Max who also loves them but goes more for the day bed approach, lying on top of them instead of in them. So day beds for guinea pigs may be the next creation. Still, here is Pootle modelling beautifully one of his new sleeping bags, which incidentally are available to order! I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it- but he spends hours napping in them!

Mike's birthday and other events

In March it was Mike's birthday. Not that I wish to divulge a gentleman's age...but he was 44- Droopy Drawers!!! Here's the picture I made for him.

In June, it was another friend's birthday and here she is...and I won't be divulging her age, but she does look well on it!

I also produced a picture to celebrate the marriage of a British chap and his Australian wife. Here is the result:

We have swapped our cars for automatics to help Mike. Mine is just fabulous and has been christened Alan. Mike is yet to drive him! This is a self portrait of me with Alan!

Finally, its my Dad's birthday this weekend and he'll be 85- he will have received a card of my portrait of him, this morning. Not sure what he will have made of this, but I'm hoping he will remember all of those disco dancing lessons we went to in the 70's when Saturday Night Fever was at its height!

Gaudy Quilt Makes Progress!

So, a wonderful time was had by all on our return trip to Quiltworks near Penrith. My wonderful friends really knuckled down to it this time and by the end of the weekend we had 20 blocks instead of 9.5! Here are the before and after photos:

Above are the lively ladies hard at work - you can see that tea is an essential part of the process!

I have since amazed myself and finished off my Celtic Knot. We've provisionally booked for next year so maybe the sashings will be on by 2012!

International Quilt Day Event 19th March 2011

Pre-accident, I had committed to running a workshop at the International Quilt Day Event at the church where our group Barnsley Creative Embroiderers meets, to raise money for Barnsley Hospice. So despite feeling less than brilliant, I did it! It was only a two hour workshop, but everyone progressed really well with their hand applique pictures. Here's where people got to:

Since my last post...

..its been a tough few months. Since my last post, my husband Mike has had a terrible accident, so blogging hasn't been on the top of my list of things to do. However, I have been inspired by my friend Janet's update on her blog A Quilters Journal of our recent stay at Quiltworks, my first trip away since Mike's accident, where my wonderful friends helped move my Gaudy Quilt to a new level of gaudiness! I am now resolved to get up to date....

More planning for Linen Stitches

This week has been busy for Linen Stitches. On Wednesday, long over due, I met my friend Helen for dinner and showed her my Melanie portrait and the new leaflets I've produced to advertise the business. She has now signed up for the International Quilt Day event on 19th March -which is proving to be v popular!

On Thursday, number 1 coach Dougie ran a workshop (a bargain at £15) -ten ideas to improve your business, which proved to be v useful -he's currently developing a programme of other events- Dougie Brown 

Yesterday Janet braved the snow and we set off to Huddersfield for the Dougherty fabric sale - spent far too much money along with a room full of other ladies, but did get fabric for the hair of a lady I'm commissioned to do a picture of! Needed about a two inch square of fabric- came away with several metres!

The afternoon was spent selecting frames and canvasses for the event I'm planning to have in July. The evening was occupied by a trip to the Apple Shop in Meadowhall - most impressed by the service. Will soon be techno-ed up ready for my course to begin- still can't wait!

Today I'm busy with a design to celebrate a wedding - am v excited (again!) about the prospect and feel like my business is realy happening. Further details will follow!

Melanie enters her 4th decade

I've been busy this week spreading the word about Linen Stitches. On Friday I went to my friend's 30th birthday do in Leeds armed with a present for her. Here is the birthday girl:

Pet Portraits

Here are my latest pet portraits of Monty -a most fantastic terrier and Smudge, Boris, Gert, Flo and Mabel- most excellent guinea pigs!

International Quilt Day: Workshop at Emmanuel Church, Huddersfield Road, Barnsley 19th March 2011

Here are some of the samples I've been working on for the workshop I'll be running as part of our International Quilt Day event- more details are available from Janet (see followers).

Top PA

This is a picture I made for my friend for her 40th birthday-she looks exactly like this!

Pet portrait

Things are improving - I've learnt how to add photos! This is Monty. This is machine applique with some hand embroidery. Commissions are acccepted! 

February already

Its amazing that's its two months since my last post. I've been busy with the day job but also making progress on the Linen Stitches front. My new accountant Martin- who is absolutely wonderful has been giving me lots of advice about setting up a new arm of my business, which I am very grateful for and I've been continuing my work with my number 1 coach Dougie to make sure I'm on the right track. In terms of stitching I've been doing more pet portraits and I've been stitching some samples for the workshop I'm running our International Quilt Day Event at Barnsley Emmanuel Church on Saturday 19th March 2011. Our group; Barnsley Creative Embroiderers also had the pleasure of return visits from the fabulous Philippa Naylor for her talk "Travellig across Saudi Arabia to the UK" -a journey and a half and also for a very enjoyable curved piecing workshop.