Monday 9 March 2015

Fun with fabric

I am often drawn to fabric projects and feel fortunate to have been sewing in various ways since I was little.
Sadly my first little needlecase, made when I was about 7, disappeared in the painful years of divorce and moving but recently I came across my old needlework file and realised what a sound foundation the needlework lessons gave me. I really enjoyed sewing and 3 friends and I made history when we insisted on taking both Needlework and Art at O level. We had to see the headmistress about it but stuck to what we wanted and the whole exam timetable had to be changed for us. Interestingly, one of those friends is Alison Wilding, now a world famous sculptor.

This file cover was the first thing we made at Senior school. Here's the first page in my needlework folder.
I remember being scared the first time I used an electric sewing machine but by O level was making my own dresses and enjoying it; heres my Olevel Practical paper - a trip down memory lane!
More useful things we learnt!
My grandson's quilt has been fun, about to start the machine quilting.
NOT my favourite job!
I've used up some more 1970's strips to make a table runner for my sister Liz, or it could be hung or put on a bed or chair.
Nearly finished.
Exciting news is that my hare prints will be in a lovely new book.  It was March 2014 when I first heard about this project and now it's nearly there! Very exciting. It is called The Artful Hare by Alan Marshall. Publication will be early May, books available from www.mascotmedia.co.uk and selected bookshops and galleries, price £27.50 (hardback, 275mm x 245mm, 208 pages, work by 73 British printmakers, 370+ prints).
Here's the cover, I'm looking forward to holding a copy! More information on my fb page. Please share my post if you can to spread the word. Thank you!