New embroidery framed, better picture soon.

Detail from my beautiful bedspread I found at the lovely Gilded Lily Totnes, Devon.

I went to Budapest recently for a friend's Hen do, which got me thinking on more traditional folk style motifs.

I've really enjoyed using my Blackbird and the Owl pouch, so triangles seem an inviting shape at the moment. Plus the sunny weather London's been having has made stitching in my spare time all the more enjoyable.

Getting bored of these simple block geometric patterns I've been stitching.  So in a bid to investigate some more decorative embroidery techniques, I reminded myself of Australian textile artist Sera Waters use of blackwork.

 

The Evil Banana 2008

Blockage 2008 

Naughty Neighbour 2008

So I had a look on the Royal School of Needlework's website for starter courses. 

Blackwork by Jessica Grimm

fluorescent thread... gonna start a new one soon with some choral and lavender blue threads I've purchased. whoop.

Sera Waters

Australian artist, teacher and writer Sera Waters draws inspiration from the uglier, shocking side of life. After her studies, she received a grant which enabled her to attend the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace, where she furthered her embroidery skills. 

 

 Butchering : Meat Series 2009 

thread, felt, sequins, beads, cotton on linen (260 x 220 mm each)

 Much of her current work uses traditional embroidery techniques.  Black-work with its meticulous repetitive patterns gives light and shade to her chosen subject in the Butchering series. 

Just got me a signed copy of Tilleke Shwarz new book 'New Potatoes'. Inspiring.

I want..

March/April 2012 Embroidery Magazine

On the Kent coast

This weekend I visited a few places along Kent's east coast, and came across a beautiful shop in Margate's Old Town called Blackbird, owned by textiles artist Maxine Sutton.

Margory 2008, Flower/back 2008, Cowtree/Tufty 2008 screen printed, embellished and embroidered tea-cosy

If you ever get a chance to visit go next door to The Greedy Cow deli, (which serves amazing homemade burgers), and like the Blackbird boutique it also celebrates the old and the new with it's eclectic interior and contemporary artists work on the walls.

I couldn't afford any of Maxine Sutton's framed pieces but was able to buy a screen printed cushion I'll take a snap of soon to share.

Sad Bird 2009, Hungry Bear (detail) 2009 screenprinted, needlepunched and emroidered textile

Riffling through Sutton's achieve images I am reminded of an old course mate at Brighton who's work is inspired by folk style imagery, and bold yet selective use of pattern. www.silviakceramics.co.uk

linen envy

Working in the Linens section at a department store, being a lover of textiles & surface print, and mad for colour, it's becoming hard not to spend my pay cheque on our own products.

This Australian company Kas have some really punchy designs and they're youthful unlike some of the fussier florals we stock from the longer standing brands. The strip of machine embroidery running off centre caught my eye, that and the pintuck detailing used to balance it out. Gonna get me some fuchsia pink indian cotton to make a quilted bed runner from - I like it loud.