Friday 17 May 2013

Silk Ribbon Embroidery May Meeting



 
Silk Ribbon Embroidery
 
with Elizabeth Gill
 
 
 
 
Our May meeting was a workshop with Elizabeth Gill, who first showed us examples of her lovely work  using silk ribbon. These are small and delicate pieces, beautifully mounted and framed.
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Elizabeth's examples
 
 
We were led through the steps of using the silk ribbon as thread, to make our pictures of snowdrops. Work in progress, below!
 
 

 
 
By the end of the session, most of us had a completed picture. (I had to leave early, so the pictures stop here!)
 
A lovely, relaxing workshop. Thank you , Elizabeth!
 
 
 


Friday 3 May 2013

Three go Felting in Selkirk!



Moy McKay ........Painting with Felt
 
 
 
 
Pat, Marilyn and I had seen her work,  we'd bought her book, and when the opportunity came along to do a workshop with Moy McKay at her studio in Selkirk, we couldn't wait!
 
Actually, we had to wait,  because we booked in the Autumn.......
 
Last Sunday morning, we set off from Cumbria, not really knowing what to expect, and wondering nervously if we'd be in the company of real experts. After a journey on much quieter roads than we expected, we arrived, and joined a varied group of eight, some absolute beginners, and some with lots of confidence and experience, and some in-between.
 
We set to work, having been shown Moy's particular way of 'painting' with felt. Her painting talent and enthusiasm is what leaps from her pictures and  we were surrounded by beautiful work, and a rainbow wall of wool, ready to be worked into  our creations.
 
 
The morning whizzed by as we 'painted' our landscapes.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 After lunch Moy had set up a still life for us. Again the time sped by, we were encouraged, and inspired throughout the day, and finally, we all had two pieces of work waiting to be felted.
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
Ready to roll!
 
The master-stroke was in the felting! We each began the process on our own pieces, but they were all on the table at the same time, so it became a communal process, and then the rolling bit was done all together in two large rolls.
 
The moment of truth came when the rolls were undone, and we could see our work! Everyone had two lovely pieces, and it is fair to say that from the pictures at the end,
it wasn't really possible to identify the novices, or the expert. Everyone was delighted with their creations.


 
Moy's Van, resplendent with one of her pictures!
We had a lovely day, learned a lot, and would thoroughly recommend the journey up to Selkirk to take part in the next series of workshops.

To see our finished pictures, and more of Moy's work, visit her Facebook page, and look at her website....here