Myself in A Chinese Skirt

This beautifully embroidered, dyed and pieced skirt was amazingly heavy. This would be a 'best' overskirt and there would be two underneath this one. Embroidered Skirt panels would be on the top of this. Costume pieces would be passed down through the family and often recyled into another textile depending on it's owner. Judith's collection had so many beautiful pieces I will post some of them and how I have developed the stitches and layers in the future. So watch this blog! I felt very priveledged wearing it.

Thank you, Judith for such an inspiring experience.

If you would like to have more inspiration visit

http://www.gzcyts.com/

there is a translation button, click on the main page and then click on costumes.

This shows you a selection of Chinese Textile Costumes.

Judith wearing a Chinese Neckpiece

Southern Chinese costumes are worn in many layers. Each piece is made in sections and assembled into elaborate textile pieces. Judith is showing me how this collar piece is worn. The more decorative beaded and embroidered section is at the back not the front!

Every piece of textile is covered in an extroidinary amount of stitches and folded patchwork.

Breath taking.

Judith is a very creative lady herself and she showed me some of her pieces she has made and her sewing room which is being re-designed at the moment.

It was a lovely afternoon,

Thank you Judith.

Map of China

Went to visit Judith today and her collection of Southern Chinese textiles.I first met Judith when she came to give a talk about tese textiles to The Kings Lynn Embroidery Guild. She has visited China five times, incuding a tour of the Silk Route. Her photographs and stories of her visits are wonderful with the accompaning textiles.

Thank you for sharing, Judith.

Lady Jane

Look what arrived

"Lady Jane"

Made and sent by Judy Ferguson, a fibre artist from America.

I feel a very special recipient.

Thank you Judy!

Visit her website http://judysfiberart.blogspot.com/

Inside the front Cover

Inside my newly covered sketchbook for March 2010. It feels pristine at the moment so I will show you what it looks like in the future with my creativity of 'sticking and glueing'.

See other sketchbook inspiration of mine at http://www.art2inspire.co.uk/

Embellished Sketchbook Finished Cover

Today I spent hours at the sewing machine doing the embellishing stitch patterns. This has given the embellished felt a hard wearing surface, ideal for the work I put my notebooks through. It feels all new and pristine at the moment! I'll show you what it looks like at regular intervals so you can spot the differences.

See other sketchbook inspiration of mine on my site http://www.art2inspire.co.uk/

Allyson's ATC

Allyson from Africa sent me this unusual ATC. It arrived this morning.

Allyson has been very clever, it's called 'Snake Skin 2'

See other ATC's that I have made and received on my site

http://www.art2inspire.co.uk/

At The Gallery 2nd March

Today everyone got started on their new projects that they wanted to do.

Pat was making book pages around the theme of Spring, combing mixed media techniques she hadn't used before.

Carol wanted to learn how to do patchwork and is starting a Quillo,

(a quilt that folds into a cushion)

Margaret is making mixed media postcards to learn the layering of medias.

All in all everyone had a lovely morning with visitors and customers of The Gallery looking on and asking questions.

visit The Gallery at

http://www.thegallerydereham.co.uk/

New Sketchbook Cover

This is the base of my cover for my new sketchbook. Yes! I am onto another sketchbook so I want it's cover to be inspirational rather than the hard black one it has at the moment.

I've got more machine stitching to do, the hand stitching and then the attaching to the sketchbook. Do you like the gilding foil?

For more of my sketchbooks and inspiration look at my website

http://www.art2inspire.co.uk/

Linda's ATC

Linda's ATC was inside her card. Very clever and on the back it has her details and is colourwashed dyed, beautiful!

Linda's Card

This card arrived today from Linda another Norfolk fibre artist who is inspirational and will be blogging soon, so look out I will publish her blogsite when she's up and running. This is a photograph of her work she taught in America in January.

Card for Lorna

With every ATC I send, I try and make a different sort of card with the remnants I have on my table from making the ATC's or the work that is in progress at the time. So with Lorna's ATC goes this card.

See some of the ATC'S I have made and received on my website

http://www.art2inspire.co.uk/

ATC for Lorna

This ATC went off to Lorna, lets hope she likes it.

Lorna's ATC

Look at what arrived in the post. A beautiful ATC from Lorna,

it is even more beautiful in real life.

To see more of the ATC's I have made and received visit my website

http://www.art2inspire.co.uk/

Rose Bonnet Pattern

Listening to Norma Bean's talk at our Embroidery Guild meeting last night about the women sent to Australia for crimes as little as 'stealing a loaf of bread', looking at the display of bonnets representing a few of the women's lives.It brought home the emotional thoughts of women torn from what they knew and never to see their family again. It was emotional because it is the history of human suffering which is often forgotten and still going on today!
The project for this memorial is the quest of artist Christina Henri who lives not far from the female factory in Hobart.
As you can see I brought the pattern and the 3 linen packs. I was determined for my Mum and daughter to be inspired too! 3 generations of women stitching together.
Now to do some more family history!

If you would like to make a bonnet which will be a tribute to a 'Rose' and on permanent exhibition in Hobart.
Please email Norma Bean Norma.bean@ntlworld.com (this is not a link, put in your address bar as normal)
or visit http://www.femalefactory.co.au/ or the artist http://www.christinahenri.com.au/

A plea from Norma Bean, please if you have had a pattern, please make and send your Bonnet tribute.