A fantastic day out

Lost in Lace...and I literally was...

This will be one of my click the link posts...

This week Mum, Dad and I visited BMAG to experience the Lost in Lace exhibition. The museum was buzzing (numbers possibly enhanced by visitors to the 10 daVinci drawings currently on loan) with a wide range of ages. We approached the LiL hall via displays of traditional lace, from BMAGs textile collection, and information about its history, techniques, and makers. Whilst interesting and informative it could not have been more different to our exciting experience in the main exhibition!

The information leaflet invites you to

'Step into a world of lace like you've never seen before. See how the patterns, materials and cultural traditions of lace are represented through radical new approaches by UK and international artists. Featuring large scale, theatrical and visually spectacular work, this exhibition challenges perceptions of what lace can be, involving the visitor in an environment where spaces become fluid and thread creates entirely new boundaries.' ...and we did just that - we were challenged to think out of the box (and in it in a couple of installations!), it was certainly theatrical and visually spectacular!

On entering we were mesmerised by the sparkling beauty and ingenuity of Atelier Manferdini's Inverted Crystal Cathedral glimpsed through the magnificently tall yet delicate  Cosmos Series by Naomi Kobayashi. 

There was an amazing video installation by Kathleen Rogers of a piece of black lace (donated to BMAG by Lady Cadbury) magnified by an electron microscope accompanied by a soundtrack of noisy silkworms munching on mulberry leaves.

I loved walking in and out of Piper Shepard's  Lacing Space exhibit enveloping and complementing the architectural structure of part of the hall.

However we were all blown away by Liz Nilsson's The latticed eye of memory. It was amazing on so many different levels and angles! Patterns and colours came and went as you walked around, up close or far away, shadows were cast and moved...you could see all sorts of images and they would change as you moved a fraction - just as the artist describes.

Each exhibit had a desk with information about  the designers and their approach, relationship with or philosophy about lace.  I particularly liked Reiko Sudo's definition of lace. Most also included a sample of fabric so you could add the dimension of touch to your overall experience.

I could enthuse so much more about each piece - however some of you local to Brum may wish to catch it in the next week  and I'd like you to form your own interpretations...
..alternatively  the Lost in Lace website gives you some glimpses of the background to the exhibition and fabulous artists..

I have a fascination for peering through holes (!)(framing the items within and beyond) and watching the patterns shadows cast on objects ...

this exhibition was a dream come true for both of those preoccupations - even the grates in the floors were a feature!

Quoting from  the booklet again  'The works in this exhibition play with the ideas around the holes, spaces, boundaries and structures that lace creates.'

I realise that this has been a text heavy post and without much space or holes! I regret not taking my camera as photography was permitted...but I will add a few lace-y images from my own archive..

The guide talks about lace continuously evolving -
and I can convincingly say it is..... and how cool is that?!

Appreciating Design!

One of my favourite occupations is to admire creativity - whether it be in the form of words (written or spoken), pictures (2 and 3D), sounds, textures, aromas or tastes!
I love catching up with blogs, facebook statuses, on-line crafty shops, and being antisocial with a good book!  I am intrigued by knitting and crochet patterns, inspired by tutorials, calmed by photos, delighted by illustrations, and prompted to think by musings...
I know how much time, dedication and thought is put into designing each and every  post, project pattern, perambulation, piece and product..

I have mentioned before that I have a scientific background, 

however, I might not have said out loud that my early attempts at  creativity were frustrated by the finished article not bearing a suitable resemblance to the fabulous image in my head! 

I know I have confessed to wanting to run before I can walk... 

and have been thinking about all of this a lot recently... in particular the fact that in the past I seem to skip the experimental or design part of a project entirely, in a sprint to finish, and consequently land at a less than satisfying final product.

I was enabled to appreciate design earlier in the year when I made a birthday cake - easy peasy..round cake, white icing and a green X  - sorted! 

It wasn't until I looked closely at the iconic logo that it is so much more than a green X on white! (Maybe I was subconsciously avoiding the white box that generates so many emotions and gobbles so much time!) 

I'm sure the multi-talented design team that produced the logo would have been disappointed in my dismissive initial impression, but I hope to rectify that by saying how much more I appreciate their work now that I have studied it carefully!

The silvery wool top was great to needlefelt with  - I'm not sure what it was as it came in a bag of mixed fibres from Sara's Texture Crafts....

It was a well received birthday card!

On another designer subject...the process of wet felting is liberating and I have been really pleased with all of my pieces so far, especially as there is still an element of surprise in the finished product.  Some fibres disappear when wet and slowly reveal themselves as they dry, some move or wriggle or wiggle and others change shape as they are felted. Colours blend and different tones appear depending on neighbouring hues.
I have been having fun designing and experimenting; choosing colours, techniques and textures for a project a friend has requested..this week she's hopefully going to see some of the ideas I have so far..and maybe I'll have the confidence to reveal them here too! I am hoping that the element of surprise will be reduced slightly in the finished piece..as I have another one of those fabulous pictures in my head....

In a bid to encourage my stages of  design-ability  (and to aid my sieve like memory) I do now have a bulging sketch book full of scribbles, hastily jotted notes of quantities, colours, things to improve and what worked well, and lists of what went where so the same item is not given to the same person twice!

Speaking of designers...Jenny over at love and peas* designs the most amazing mixed media and fabric creations...she is currently running a giveaway for a custom made embroidery...if you hurry you might catch it!

I'm off to appreciate some more designs...thawing footprints in the snow and snowpeople!
and later this week I'm going to (get) Lost in Lace at BMAG....

Festive Felt!

Way back in November I was considering posting an item everyday through Advent, however it soon became apparent that was going to be tricky, increasing the blog writing at the busiest time of year..so here's a bumper blog bundle of festive feltiness!

the thick slices of felt became these snowy trees, with sparkly angelina fibres and silky bits

 some were double sided:

with sari silk spatterings

Festive felty cheer:

 The red wool was left over from Tracey's felted bag...

There are two types of Robin flying around the country!

2d

 and 3d

did you guess that's what the brown spheres were going to become?!

Every one is totally different  - the last one is an alpaca version.

All finished off with some wonderfully red teeswater curls.

My technique varied as I made them. Some had small splits or flaps - most of which were felted in however I took advantage of this one and made it into a design feature!

We wish you a Merry Christmas!!

Hope you all have a peaceful and happy Christmas

xx

Preparations...

As the season to be jolly fast approaches I have been beavering away making exciting festive felt - hence the silent nights on the blog front! 

There are lots of things still to be finished and as many of my makes are presents I can only reveal small snippets!

The eagle eyed will be able to spot the very useful rainbow pins from Becky's givewaway.
(I have also been putting the rainbow embroidery cotton to very good use, although not for stitching!)

 Can you guess what these shetland merino mixed spheres will transform into?

I love the thickness of these wet felted sheets, which were designed to be double sided

. 

It took me a while to build up the courage to slice them but what an unexpected treat when I did! 

I'd like to say it was part of the design to have a striped side.....but it was just a happy accident which I will be repeating!!

You may just be able to spot the angelina fibres in the top ones and the sari silk in the ones below.

There has been lots of experimenting with how to hang some of my felt pictures, this is the newest idea...glad its on the back as my sewing isn't as neat as I'd like it to be!

Over the last few weeks I have had great pleasure and fun making and wrapping items for my swap partner Jay as part of the snail mail holiday swap.

My parcel is ready for the post....

I'm also really excited to say that when all the festive creativity is over I will have something to start the crafty New Year...a commission!! I'll be sharing lots of ideas with you about this piece as I know it will involve some new skills that I am keen to try!

In the meantime - Happy Advent to you all hope you enjoy the preparations for Christmas! x

Chirpy Charlie Chick!

I wanted Charlie to have his own post... he has had to wait til today....I often save the best til last...so without further ado I introduce to you Charlie the chirpy cheerful chick:

He's a bit shy I'll see if we can get a bit closer....

....and closer still....

Charlie started life like the other chicks...as a wet felted ball. 

I am really grateful to  Jamie Lewis

for sharing his technique one freezing  Friday in February at a Craftspace event, so that I could take my needlefelting onto 3d shapes. 

However Charlie is extra special as he was designed, photographed, named and mostly made by Random Wooliness Junior!

One night..probably trying to delay his bedtime..he took an interest in my needlefelting and had a stab! To encourage him to get to bed I suggested he could create his own chick the next day... which he did and here he is up even closer!

I'm really proud of his first needlefelting...he had definite design ideas and had a good go...with a bit of adult supervision to finish off! When my health and safety alarm bells rang he had even worked out that the sponge was too thick for him to stab his leg if he pushed the needle right in....

My sketch book also has some of his cool ideas in too...so there may be more from Random Wooliness Junior in the future!

Happy Easter!!

Remember these?

With some yellow and red Teeswater curls they have been transformed into these:

Give us a twirl!

...and shake your tail feathers!

Before hopping off to their new homes they had an trip into the garden!

Happy Easter Everyone! 

Ali x

Nests!

I love making little nesty bowly things!  I had been itching to make one with this amazingly fluffy blended silk and merino, Falling leaves from Wheeldale Woolcrafts

.....so here it is:

...bottoms up!

and full up:

On the subject of nests.......

these won't be hanging around long.....

Eggclectic mixture!

Its been a busy week trying to get some projects completed before the Easter holidays start....

These eggs look a bit large....perhaps they belong to a  chocolate cuckoo!

 

I have finally had a chance to try some medium sized wet felted balls! Having been shown how to do it a few months ago I've been itching to have a go....its my  very first go at any wet felting... and I am pleased with my quirky results:

I know what I'll be doing with them...and the bumps, cracks and wibbly bits will hopefully add to their character....

Hope the sunnny weather continues ....happy weekend folks!