clarabella

blue and white

2012-02-10T12:16:00.000Z

Indigo dyed cotton from last summer, finally rinsed and airing on the line.

Ready to be used at a printing workshop taught by Dionne Swift this Sunday.

We're having a proper cold snap here, but I've had a letter this week that has had me planning for Spring. After being on a waiting list for years, I've finally been offered my own allotment. More space to grow, including indigo plants. I'm very lucky.

saturday

2012-02-04T14:48:00.000Z

Outside.

Inside.

murasaki

2012-01-30T22:21:00.000Z

I used the low impact indigo extraction method described by Sachio Yoshioka when procesing my indigo plants last summer. This film about his natural dye practice looks amazing. I'd love to see it.

[added later] Does anyone know how to get hold of a copy in the UK? Thanks.

weekend workshop

2012-01-29T12:38:00.000Z

Naturally dyed fabric, reclaimed scraps, bright new needles, hand-stitching and great conversation. Thank you to Lesley, Clary, Maria, Vera and Rhiannon for making the Slow Stitch workshop such an enjoyable day.

recent reading

2012-01-26T21:58:00.000Z

I've been doing some interesting reading lately. Textiles: The Whole Story by Beverly Gordon is a wonderful book, which I would recommend whole-heartedly. The social, cultural, historical and the spiritual aspects of textiles are all covered here. A vast remit, and yet the way she draws themes together is so beautifully done and very accessible. She writes persuasively on the universality of textiles - "to be human is to be involved with cloth."

I've had the Twyla Tharp book for a while now, but am dipping into it again. I'm struggling to reconcile my teaching and project-based workload with time for my own practice. More hours in the day would be the solution, but in reality, acceptance and better planning might be the way to take things forward.

Finally, Making is Connecting by David Gauntlett, which looks at the connections we make when working with materials, the social dimension of making (with a particular emphasis on online communities), and the way that making and sharing increase social, educational and environmental engagement. This is a really optimistic book and and quotes Ivan Illich, "making changes everything". As I'm very much valuing the connections that blogging gives me, it's a timely read.

I'd be interested to know of books that anyone else would like to recommend.

limits

2012-01-20T10:35:00.000Z

I've spent most of this week writing course materials and planning my teaching schedule for the next few months. Some really inspiring books have been on my desk, which I'll post about another time.

I've also been making some simple patchwork samples and a few resolutions as I sew. Overfaced by the amount of stuff in my workroom I've decided that in my own practice I am drawing a line and will not accumulate any more materials this year. Working with really familiar fabric has always given me the most pleasure and I'm wanting to explore the way I engage with the materials I use, and why I choose to keep, use and re-work them.

I'm hoping that imposing limits can build and inspire creativity.

Lotta and Sonia have both posted recently about similar resolutions. I'd be interested to hear if anyone else is thinking this way.

saturday

2012-01-14T16:35:00.000Z

A winter walk in the sun.

Small stitches on linen.

Threads rusting in the back yard.

new year plans

2012-01-05T12:24:00.002Z

Gradually adjusting to the pace of a new term and new classes. Doing lots of planning for courses in patchwork, natural dye and stitch that are coming up in the next few months.

I've added some new dates for my Sustainable Stitch workshops, based in my own work space.

I'm remembering on the busiest days that I need the change of pace that hand stitching brings. A little goes a long way.

Matthew Harris exhibition

2012-01-02T19:20:00.000Z

I've blogged before about the work of Matthew Harris, an artist I find very inspiring. The Beetroot Tree gallery in Derbyshire is currently showing an exhibition of his recent work including textiles, prints, and mixed media studies, called Discordant Imperfection, and I went to see it today. No photography allowed but here is a video clip made by the gallery.

From his Artist's Statement:

'I am not interested in 'perfect' textiles but rather in a cloth that is made imperfect as a result of tears, patches, darns and frayed edges. Held together with a utilitarian stitch, those random and chaotic interruptions in the pattern and surface of the cloth provide the impetus for my work.'

This is a wonderful collection, exhibited in a great space. The exhibition ends 8th January, go if you can.

slow and quiet

2011-12-26T10:33:00.001Z

In sharp contrast to the last few months.

Getting to grips with my mending pile. Spending some quiet time.

:: I hope you are having a peaceful end to 2011. Many thanks for all the support you have given my blog this year, all the comments and the emails. I'll be back here soon.

red

2011-12-16T12:11:00.000Z

Red thread on silk, breaks up the dark and grey of these last short days of the year.

potential

2011-12-09T10:07:00.001Z

Sometimes thread holds greater meaning to me than fabric. It's all about the linking, the joining and the connecting. I'm quite particular about the thread I use, and the needles I work with. Skeins of silk have gone into all my recent dye baths so I'm building a naturally-dyed collection. I'm excited about the possibilities and potential work they suggest.

I've been very inspired recently by the work of Judy Martin and particularly the stitch journal that she has been keeping for a year and a half. A daily meditation on time, using thread and hand-stitch. She shares her beautiful body of work, past and current, on her blog.

:: Hello to new readers and followers. Thanks so much for taking the time to visit here.

saturday workshop

2011-12-04T09:41:00.001Z

Naturally-dyed samples from the first Sustainable Stitch workshop this Saturday. Thanks to Katherine, Anna and Rhiannon (and Edie and Joe) who made the day so enjoyable. We used locally grown elderberry, walnut, onion, and also indigo and madder; made a collection of samples and had some really interesting conversations.

:: I'm running a Slow Stitch day on January 7th here in my home workshop, a few places are still available. Using naturally-dyed, recycled and reused fabrics and old threads, we'll be using traditional stitch and patchwork techniques as inspiration. You will come away with the beginnings of a unique piece of work to continue to stitch in your own time.

this week

2011-11-25T19:47:00.001Z

Old cotton lace prepared with alum, drying in my workroom.

I've been getting ready for the first of my Sustainable Stitch workshops next week. One space left on the natural dye day if anyone is interested. Details here.

It's been a busy week, with little space for stitching but I did manage a very brief visit to the Knitting and Stitching Show at Harrogate. The exhibition that stood out for me was by The Textile Study Group and in particular the embroideries by James Hunting and the dyed, patched and pieced work by Jan Miller. I'm hoping there might be another opportunity to see this group exhibition at a different venue with some space and quiet to view the work properly.

stitching and reading

2011-11-18T13:40:00.001Z

:: Stitching - the tiny hexagons from my last post, onto some old wool blanket.

:: Reading - a lovely book by Seonaid Robertson called Dyes from Plants (out of print but I found it here).

"[dyeing with plants is] a way of leading people, especially children, out into the world they live in, to observe it more closely and to find a new set of relationships to it, to lead them to have a care for it through the wonder at its variety and complexity."

tiny hexagons

2011-11-13T21:28:00.001Z

The beginnings of a small stitched gift. Colours dyed this summer brightening a very grey day.

recently

2011-11-06T13:23:00.000Z

I spent a day teaching in this museum. The session responded to items in the collections, and we used some locally grown plant dyes. My now flowering indigo plant also got an outing.
.

Rolls of mordanted fabric waiting to be used.

Locally grown walnut dye. A very enjoyable day.

:: Thanks for all the positive comments about my new workshops. I'm really looking forward to getting started.

:: I went to a talk by the artist Chen Hang Feng about his practice and new exhibition. He has been involved in 1 Square Mile, an international mapping project that explores ecological and cultural diversity through creative activity. I became aware of the local walnut tree I've been using for dyeing through a local ecologist who is involved. A great collaborative project.

:: My first issue of Hand/Eye arrived in the post, along with the most recent issue of Embroidery. Inspiring stuff, now to find the time to read them...

new workshops

2011-10-31T21:43:00.000Z

Updated natural dye colour chart, begun here.

I'm beginning a new series of workshops this Winter, taught in my workroom here in West Yorkshire. Join me to explore natural colour using sustainable dye techniques; and slow stitching, using found materials and naturally coloured fabrics. More details in the link on my sidebar.

light and dark

2011-10-22T12:27:00.000+01:00

Saturday morning and a few quiet minutes. Walnut-dyed wool crepe with white silk stitches. Light onto dark.

These are teaching samples for a November workshop.

work in progress

2011-10-13T17:31:00.000+01:00

I'm continuing to work on my slow squares. This one uses scraps of silk, cotton and linen, dyed with walnut, weld/indigo, and rudbeckia flowers. Stitching time is precious but limited at the moment.

2011-10-09T20:51:00.001+01:00

Natural dye ink from here.

rudbeckia

2011-10-02T20:16:00.000+01:00

Summer had a final fling here, so I harvested some rudbeckia flowers in the sunshine.

testing

2011-09-29T09:37:00.000+01:00

Print tests using madder paste. I'd love to hear from anyone who uses natural dyes for block or screen printing.

I'm finding the dyeing here, here and here very inspiring at the moment.

retracing

2011-09-22T14:06:00.000+01:00

Some teaching about patchwork and mending is coming up shortly.

These pieces were in need of some work. I've been joining them back together in the darker evenings. A useful way to think and to plan. Retracing stitches, thinking about the processes.

Thank you to everyone who commented on my indigo dyeing post and all those of you who visited via Jude. Thank you so much for reading and supporting my blog.

home grown blue

2011-09-16T09:31:00.000+01:00

It's been a week of blue. At the community dye project I co-ordinate we harvested our indigo plants and had a really great day processing them. The story of our 'indigo in a season' is over here.

I was totally inspired and repeated the process at home using a Japanese Indigo plant grown from seed. The extraction method is based on a low-impact process that uses fresh leaves. Japanese Master Dyer Yoshioka Sachio pioneered this method. Information about the process available here, found via Wild Colours (where I also bought my indigo seeds). On silk and wool it makes turquoise shades.

There is such alchemy in producing these colours from a plant that at first glance promises little. It's been a good first year, and I'm looking forward to growing more.

snippets

2011-09-14T22:15:00.000+01:00

:: Teaching begins in earnest next week, so I am busy with final preparations. My courses for this term are all fully booked and I am very much looking forward to meeting everyone.

:: After several requests I've decided to offer some one day workshops. This series, Sustainable Stitches, will have an emphasis on natural dyeing and sustainable textile practices. If you are interested in participating, then please contact me at claire at clarabella dot co dot uk for more details.

:: I'm really excited to see the fabrics I dyed put to such beautiful use by Montse.

:: Hello to new followers and wanderers over from facebook.

Random snippets and updates over. Normal service will resume shortly.

walnut browns

2011-09-09T21:34:00.000+01:00

Collected on Wednesday - windfall from a local tree.

Soaked on Thursday.

Dyed today. Delighted with the richness of these shades. I've done a lot of dyeing this week. It feels good to use the harvest from this season, preparing cloth for winter stitching.

:: more walnut dye over here. Beautiful.

violas, silk

2011-09-07T11:59:00.000+01:00

Making the most of the final flowers on my viola plants. I'll definitely grow these again next year

slow square

2011-09-01T21:53:00.000+01:00

Linen, hand-dyed silk and cotton scraps. Old thread, small stitches.

Colours made from plants I've grown this season. A way to record and reflect.

shift

2011-08-22T19:17:00.000+01:00

These colours have taken a season to develop.

Finally unwrapped and lifted from the dye-bath.

You can really feel the beginnings of a shift into Autumn here.

summer break

2011-08-07T17:24:00.000+01:00

Lots of things to finish off, to plan, to think about. I'm going to have a late summer break now but will be back here soon.

corners

2011-08-04T20:51:00.001+01:00

Some corners of my workspace. I'm currently engaging in a huge end-of-teaching-year clear up. Back soon with more stitching.

Festival of Quilts and a winner

2011-07-31T15:06:00.001+01:00

Some corners of my Green Study, finally sent off earlier in the week to be exhibited as part of the Festival of Quilts next month.

Thanks again to everyone who entered the giveaway. The winner of the naturally dyed silks is Montse! Email me your address and I'll put them in the post...

portable

2011-07-27T22:21:00.000+01:00

More stitching with these coloured cottons. A portable home for my latest pair of sharp scissors. I paper-pieced some random shapes, quilted through some alpaca wadding and made a simple wrap secured with cotton tape and an old button.

There is room inside to pin a few needles and to fit a spool of thread.

The current work in progress is sadly not so portable...

:: thanks so much to those readers who have already entered my 100th post giveaway, and for your lovely comments. The giveaway is open until Sunday if you'd still like to enter.

100

2011-07-24T16:13:00.000+01:00

This is my 100th post! I'm really enjoying writing about and photographing my work, and sharing it here. So, to thank you for all your interest, comments, emails and visits to this blog, I'm having another giveaway...

I've put together a bundle of 15 small squares of naturally-dyed silk produced in my work room here in Yorkshire. Enough to make a little patchwork piece. To enter, leave a comment on this post, and I'll draw a winner on Sunday 31st July. I'll post anywhere in the world.

slow work

2011-07-21T12:21:00.001+01:00

Mordanting fabric has been steeping in pans all over my back yard. I've read in lots of places that traditionally mordanting would be done in one go, to prepare all the fibres needed for the coming year. (Page from here).

Metres and metres of recycled cottons, scoured, soaked for a fortnight, stirred every day, and then hung out on the line for a weekend getting an extra rinse in the rain.

Dried and ready to store in my basement for dyeing later. I'm enjoying this slow process and the promise of colours to come.

Other news...

:: I've nearly made it to my 100th post! Planning another giveaway to celebrate. . .

:: Local workshops and classes starting in September are now updated. See link in sidebar.

::Hello to new followers and any visitors from my facebook page. Thank you for looking.

evening light

2011-07-17T20:58:00.000+01:00

triangles

2011-07-13T12:00:00.003+01:00

My madder dye bath has been going all summer, the pink shade is the final soak, all exhausted now. Contrasting triangles dark brown from onion skins overdyed with elderberry.

Yellow from buddleja flowers, purple from logwood. Not sure what I'm making, but enjoying putting the colours together.

end of term

2011-07-09T19:27:00.000+01:00

It's nearly the end of term and some of my teaching is coming to an end until September. The ten week Eco Textiles course at Kirkgate Studios has been an absolute pleasure to facilitate. We've spent lots of time outside, used many different plants and flowers in our dye baths, and had some good conversations.

I'll be a little less busy for the rest of the summer and hope to catch up a bit on some dyeing and stitching of my own. Workshops and courses starting in September will be updated on this page in the next few days.

Big thanks to Lesley for letting me photograph her beautifully dyed and labelled fabrics for this post.

coloured cottons

2011-07-02T21:31:00.000+01:00

Organic cotton ordered from here - really lovely fabric to work with. And finally some better results in mordanting cellulose fibres for my natural dyes.

Very pleased with this palette. I used the buddleja flowers I froze last summer to get these yellows and browns. This season's blooms are just starting to appear in my backyard.

The colours are less dynamic than on silk, but the fabric more functional. I'm planning to use them in some simple patchwork pieces.

familiar

2011-06-29T09:31:00.002+01:00

Familiar materials and techniques. Old thread, naturally dyed silk, paper piecing, hand stitching.

I've produced a lot of vibrant and varied colour in my dye bath this season. So much choice felt a bit overwhelming yesterday, so I picked the most monochrome selection for this little sample. The cream silk was dyed with rhubarb leaf, the grey from a saddened berberis dye bath.

new pincushion

2011-06-19T17:11:00.000+01:00

I've been looking at all the fabrics I've dyed this season, and really liking the way that wool crepe has taken the colour. Madder, viola, and logwood patched together for a simple pincushion.

logwood

2011-06-12T10:00:00.047+01:00

Some very dark shades from a logwood dye bath. Exotic for me, but useful preparation for some work I'm doing for a project called Precious Cargo: Stories of the World for Bradford Museums and Galleries. We are using the museum textile collections as inspiration for some workshop based sessions as part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

:: I'm really looking forward to listening to this radio programme. More details on the taking time blog.

:: Finally had time to read the most recent Selvedge and found a very interesting article about the history of madder dye.

alchemilla mollis

2011-06-12T09:51:00.022+01:00

Looking through a copy of 'Nature as designer: a botanical art study.' by Bertel Bager. Striking black and white photographs of plant forms and seed heads. This page jumped out as I have a very healthy alchemilla mollis (Lady's Mantle) spreading all over my front garden.

The leaves produced this rather delicate yellow in the dye bath. I also fished out the silk from my viola solar dye and got an vibrant pea green colour. Picture on flickr.

drab

2011-06-08T12:32:00.050+01:00

Button-hole silk twist found at the Hebden Bridge Rag Market on Sunday. Drab would sum up today well - 'lacking brightness' - grey skies and now pouring rain.

I've been finishing off this little green study. The colours are pretty drab too, faded and dull, but in a way I like.

colourful week

2011-06-03T20:14:00.000+01:00

A welcome few days at home after a very hectic May.

Solar dyes - dried weld, peony petals, sweet woodruff roots (a relative of madder), viola flower heads. I'll keep these going for a while longer.

Colours from the dye pot I've had on the stove on and off all week - bronze fennel, damsons (from the freezer), woad, sweet woodruff and those saddened violas.

Stitching in the evenings, outside all day. It's been a good week.

exhibition weekend

2011-05-31T11:17:00.000+01:00

I've had a great weekend at Saltaire Arts Trail with the Out There project exhibition. We had lots of visitors and some fantastic feedback from the local community and from those who had travelled from farther afield. The colours from the dyes we've produced looked amazing. More images on flickr and the Out There blog.

viola blues and greens

2011-05-28T21:26:00.000+01:00

This week I dead-headed all the violas that live in pots in my yard. I was inspired by Lesley, who comes to my classes, and who brought a piece of beautiful blue/green silk that she had dyed this way.

I used silk (alum mordant), wool crepe (alum with cream of tartar) and got these shades.

I've saddened this dye bath with an iron modifier and am leaving some more silk and wool overnight to see how they respond.

Out There exhibition

2011-05-25T20:26:00.000+01:00

Out There, the project I co-ordinate for Kirkgate Studios and Workshops is exhibiting as part of the
Saltaire Arts Trail this weekend. Our exhibition will focus on the work we've done using natural dyes and will include photographs taken at our allotment.

If you are in the area it would be really great to see you there.

natural dye workshop

2011-05-22T21:01:00.000+01:00

I spent yesterday in London teaching a natural dye workshop for Bricolage as part of their Print and Patch Craft course.

We talked about the history of natural dyeing, the amazing colours that can be found in nature, and methods of using them in the dye pot. I also spoke about Out There, the project I co-ordinate, and the benefits that working with plants can have for well-being.

We spent a few happy hours dyeing silk, wool, cotton and hemp, using madder, indigo, weld and elderberries.

Some beautiful shades were produced in the dye baths.

I thoroughly enjoyed the day, and particularly meeting the participants, including Lynda whose hands are pictured above.

Big thanks to Clara and Katherine from Bricolage for making the day run so smoothly.

on the kitchen table

2011-05-15T09:54:00.000+01:00

Preparing teaching samples for upcoming natural dye workshops. Busy weekend, hoping to get a pause to stitch these together later.

blogger trouble

2011-05-13T19:30:00.000+01:00

I posted yesterday but the post and comments seem to have vanished into the ether...apologies. Will be back when I sort it out.

reading list

2011-05-09T12:37:00.000+01:00

It's all teaching for me at the moment. The summer is my busiest patch. Lots of sessions outside (when the weather permits) with dye baths and natural inspiration. This is just a selection of my current reading.

What are you reading at the moment?

Big hello to new followers!

Saltaire Arts Trail 2011

2011-05-05T20:35:00.000+01:00

Very please that Out There, the community project I co-ordinate for Kirkgate Studios & Workshops is exhibiting as part of the Saltaire Arts Trail at the end of the month. We will be displaying photographs and textiles from our natural dyeing project. Fantastic work from artists and makers will be exhibited all over Saltaire Village (a World Heritage Site) from Saturday 28th - Monday 30th May. Come and see!

workroom wall

2011-05-05T20:33:00.000+01:00

I've been building quite a collection of wooden boxes, drawers and cases lately.

Lots of these came out of skips, including the library filing drawers. This large (60 compartments!) cupboard came from a car boot sale. I've been trying to work out what it was made for. What kind of a collection it housed. I have plans for it, which I'll share here once I get started.

patched up

2011-05-02T12:46:00.001+01:00

Using the greens from here and here and also a rather subtle colour made using fresh comfrey leaves.

I've been piecing and patching in a meandering fashion. I tried to increase my stitch size, but they gradually get smaller and smaller as I work, so I'm going with it. A very busy May begins here, so this piece might do the trick for me. I can stitch one square at at time when I have the time.

:: Last few spaces available on a natural dye workshop for the Bricolage Collective. More info here.

beach stitching

2011-04-28T11:09:00.000+01:00

I've been away for a few days and have managed a spot of stitching on a Northumbrian beach.

Listened to this great Radio 4 discussion about craft and community on the drive home.

onion skins and eggs

2011-04-21T20:44:00.000+01:00

Duck eggs dyed with onion skins and new foliage picked in the back yard.

Dyed silk as a happy extra. Instructions in Eco Colour by India Flint.

Very much enjoyed. I'm having a break now for the Easter weekend. Happy Easter!

more hexagons

2011-04-19T20:19:00.000+01:00

Back to hexagons and handkerchiefs.

The handkerchief was old, very fine cotton lawn, shredded in the centre, but pin tucks at the edge still intact.

The light here was very beautiful at 7 o'clock this morning.

small scale

2011-04-17T12:55:00.000+01:00

I went with the red thread in the end. Working on a small scale is tricky though. These stitches are tiny.

silk scraps

2011-04-14T09:21:00.001+01:00

Not much sewing going on here this week. I've been spending my evenings armed with my tailors shears cutting up fabric scraps to sell this weekend at The Big Craft Sale at the studios where I work. I'll have lots of other lovely things for sale, and there will be many other sellers, so if you're local come and join us.

I need to make some space in my workroom, that once looked like this, and is now so cluttered I'd be embarrassed to post a photo of it.

handkerchief find

2011-04-13T12:03:00.000+01:00

Got lucky in a charity shop on the handkerchief front after wondering where I'd get any more from. There were about forty of them - should keep me going for a while.

I'm debating whether to use them in an entry in the miniature quilt category for the Festival of Quilts this year.

:: I love these Siddi patchwork quilts and the story behind them (via Sri threads)

2011-04-10T15:57:00.000+01:00

All sorts of vexing technical problems with cameras and computers this week. Back soon I hope.

Print from here.

preparation

2011-04-04T21:18:00.000+01:00

I'm pleased that it's April. Some of my teaching has ended and I get a break to plan and prepare for my classes in May. I'm particularly looking forward to beginning a 10 week community class in natural dyeing. There are a couple of spaces left if anyone is interested. We're starting off with some sessions using an indigo dye vat. I've been tying lots of knots, gathering and wrapping, getting my teaching samples ready.

This week I'm also sifting through my incredibly messy workspace having a bit of a purge. I'm selling some materials including hand dyed fabrics, thread, books and much much more at The Big Craft Sale on 16th April. I'm particularly looking forward to the craft pick-and-mix stall, though this probably means I'll come home with more stuff than I set off with. . .

madder patchwork

2011-04-01T13:50:00.000+01:00

A new square of paper-pieced patchwork is in the hoop waiting for some quilting. I've used some madder and pomegranate dyed silk. This book just arrived in the post, and I'm looking forward to learning more about the history of this wonderful red dye.

Experimenting with different coloured thread. I'm always surprised at the difference it makes. This version is so muted.

And this is so vivid in comparison. I keep changing my mind about which I prefer.

So busy at the moment I'm meeting myself coming backwards. Not much thinking time available. So I'm keeping it simple - natural colours on old cloth, old thread, hand-stitch.

Right - I'm off to wake up the indigo vat for the spring. Lots of teaching prep to do this weekend.

Infinite Variety

2011-03-31T12:37:00.000+01:00

Collection of Joanna S. Rose

How much would I have liked to have gone to see this exhibition? Infinite Variety was on very briefly at the American Folk Art Museum this week, and featured 650 red and white quilts spanning three centuries, all from one collection.

Joetta Maue has some fantastic images of the exhibition on her blog.

Bricolage workshop

2011-03-28T13:11:00.002+01:00

I'm very pleased to have been invited to lead a natural dyeing workshop for the London-based Bricolage textile collective in May. This is part of their Print & Patch Craft series that also includes block printing with Clara Vuletich, and patchwork and quilting with Katherine May.

We'll be dyeing sustainably produced and repurposed fabrics with madder, indigo and weld. A beautiful range of natural colours can be produced using these ancient dyes. I'll be bringing lots of inspiration with me from the community dye garden project, books, and also fabric samples.

For more details and booking information visit the Bricolage website.

outside

2011-03-27T14:34:00.001+01:00

A bit of stitching in my backyard, with the cat for company.

this week

2011-03-23T19:40:00.000Z

I've been doing a lot of running stitch when the opportunity has arisen.

Spring has suddenly arrived and stitching on green silk has felt right somehow.

I'm still working with the silk I dyed last summer. Nettle and elder mainly. Can't wait to start working with plants from this season.

::Getting outside at work has been great.

::I liked this post about running stitch over at Missouri Bend Studio.

::And these amazing botanical drawings over at Sophie Munns.

a winner

2011-03-20T19:00:00.000Z

Miriam from ayearabovetheshop. Email me your address and I'll pop it in the post!

Thank you all so much for taking part, and for the comments, which are so encouraging and sustaining.

I'll be back later in the week with some new stitching.

recent finds

2011-03-17T22:09:00.001Z

These things have arrived in our house recently.

One of my students brought me some heavy silk satin from an old dress. She thinks it dates from the 1930's. I'm thinking hard about what to use it for, and think it will be very lovely to stitch into. Thank you Ann.

I liked the shape of this piece of oak. The man in the charity shop told me that it had come from the ceiling of York Minster after the fire in 1984. Very strange if true.

A piece of linen pulled thread work. I'm liking geometric patterns at the moment.

Remember to comment on my last post by this Sunday if you want to take part in my little giveaway.

giveaway

2011-03-14T10:38:00.000Z

To celebrate my handkerchief piece getting accepted for a local exhibition. And to say thank you for reading and commenting on this blog, and booking onto my workshops and courses - I've put together a little giveaway.

A bundle of madder dyed fabric. Silk and wool, plus a little yarn. Gathered from all stages of the dyeing process so lots of gorgeous orange and red shades. And I'll add a pincushion too. Re-purposed cotton fabric, hand-dyed wool blanket backing, with an old button in the middle.

I'll post this parcel anywhere in the world: to enter the draw leave a comment on this post and I'll draw a winner next Sunday (the 20th).

a quilt

2011-03-11T20:42:00.000Z

This is the other thing I brought home from Manchester at the weekend. I found it underneath a table on one of the stalls and got it for a ridiculously low price.

'It's a bit worn' said the bloke who sold it to me...

You can kind of see how worn on this photograph. It's hand pieced and quilted, the edges have been machined. It is double bed size. A big quilt, but too fragile to be used, and if I'm being realistic, too worn to be mended.

So what to do? There is a section that could be re-made into a child-sized quilt. And I have child-sized people who would like that.

What about the rest? Any suggestions?

manchester finds

2011-03-07T13:33:00.000Z

My visit to the Manchester Antique Textile Fair was quite a day. So much to look at. Wonderful stalls of vintage clothes, haberdashery, fabrics, and quilts. All incredibly tempting, so I was glad I'd set myself a tight budget.

I found lots of worn out scraps.

Hoping to re-make these into something new. I also found something on a much bigger scale that I'll post about when I can take some better photos.

weekend plans

2011-03-04T14:03:00.000Z

Pomegranate and tea dyed wool and silk, in bowl made by my friend the hopeful potter.

This weekend I'm hoping to...

:: visit the Manchester Antique Textile Fair.

:: read the new issue of Selvedge (with an article about craft blogs) that just dropped through the letter box.

:: plan a little fabric giveaway - watch this space.

:: catch up on some sleep. One lives in hope...

patchwork books

2011-03-01T20:32:00.000Z

Shelley from the lovely meadowstitch blog asked me if I could recommend any patchwork books. I had a look on the bookshelf and found evidence of many many charity shop purchases over the years. I spent the grand sum of 25p on one of these, the price label is still on. All date from the 1970's and early 1980's and are now out of print, but I had a quick look at this great second hand book site and found that my favourites are listed and not that much more expensive.

I love the fact that the instructions are very clear, and the projects simple, if very of their time (I'm thinking of the gents satin patchwork dressing gown...). All of them would be a very useful introduction to paper-piecing.

Anyone else have any patchwork books they can recommend?

Thanks again to everyone for all the lovely comments on my last post.

finished

2011-02-24T20:51:00.000Z

What started as a teaching sample for a patchwork workshop grew into a bigger piece of work. Grey northern light not much of a help with photos today.

I incorporated the very frayed edge of the orginal handkerchief to finish it off. Stitching through layers of well worn cotton lawn has been so lovely. I've been foraging for more old gents hankies but with no luck. If anyone has a secret stash of them let me know ...

I've tagged the development of this handkerchief piece if any one wants to see how it began.

Hello to new followers, thanks for visiting here and giving me such encouragement.

patchwork blocks

2011-02-22T19:08:00.000Z

More inspiration from the toy cupboard. This time the wooden building blocks.

Wrapped up.

Stitched and stacked (there are still plenty left for the baby to play with).

liking these things...

2011-02-18T09:30:00.000Z

::This amazing boro textile over on Sri threads.

::An interview with Edmund de Waal over here. I'm about half-way through The Hare With Amber Eyes. The story of his family is fascinating. The connections he makes with the netsuke as a maker himself are described beautifully: thinking, making and telling a story, all brilliantly interwoven.

::Revisiting this book and feeling inspired by these quilts and the lives of the women who made them.

waiting

2011-02-12T22:18:00.000Z

I had to do a lot of waiting these last few days. Took my hoop with me and stitched in the quiet moments.

The waiting is over, and the news was good. I really needed to stitch to keep myself sane. Back to some sort of normality this coming week, I hope.

green

2011-02-04T11:55:00.000Z

It's blowing a gale outside this morning, but the weather is mild and I spotted some green shoots when out and about. I've been planning planting schemes for dye plants at work this week too.

Looking through my silk samples from last summer I stitched some little patches. These are dyed with nettle leaves and rhubarb leaves. We were experimenting with the rhubarb as a natural mordant. I liked the colour it produced too. The darker green is onion skins overdyed with indigo.

I'm really looking forward to spring now.

layers and luck

2011-01-28T13:03:00.000Z

After worrying that supplies of old thread were running low recently, I spent a bit of time in the local charity shops on my day off. My timing must have been just right. A riot of colour, and some lovely old wooden spools. Tiny little embroidery scissors too. These have come in handy cutting through some layers.

Not a riot of colour at all, but it's coming together.

this week

2011-01-23T19:30:00.000Z

I'll be taking inspiration into work with me from this thought provoking article about craft and well-being (via abigail doan). In the groups I facilitate we often talk about the activities that can bring a bit of calm to our days.

For me it's always picking up a needle and thread so I'll be doing some more of this.

inspiration

2011-01-21T20:46:00.000Z

From daughter #3's doodle pages book. I used to love these when I was little.

more thread

2011-01-16T16:42:00.000Z

Starting to quilt this. Old thread obsession continues apace. The Oriental Glacé (such a great name). Lovely optic white cotton thread, very strong and shiny. Not designed for quilting but still nice to sew with.

I've backed the handkerchief cotton hexagons with another hanky and have some alpaca wadding in-between. Liking the tacking stitches.

January is not easing me into the year gently, nothing ever seems to get finished around here.

mending

2011-01-12T21:21:00.000Z

This cloth comes from Hungary and was made by a family member, probably in the late 19th century. It looks pretty well preserved at first glance. The characteristic red thread has faded a bit but

whoever stitched it had a confident hand and the embroidery is beautiful.

When you look closer though, the linen edges tell other stories. As a tea drinker I like to imagine my female relatives sitting around this cloth having a chat and a cuppa.

This cloth was so well looked after and every attempt was made to preserve it. A few years ago I was contemplating cutting it up for a cushion cover to show off the more intact parts. I'm very glad I didn't as it speaks a lot more to me with its stains and darns so visible.

:: There are still spaces on the 22nd January Simple Patchwork course available. See the workshops and courses page for more details.

:: For local folks who would like to meet up for some stitching (and tea and cake), send me an email (claire at clarabella dot co dot uk) or leave a comment.

:: A big hello to anyone who has wandered here from here.

weekend reading

2011-01-09T20:22:00.000Z

One of the benefits of my job. We subscribe to Crafts and Fiberarts. The new issues of both arrived in the office and I borrowed them over the weekend.

Article in Crafts about Matthew Harris and his wife, mosaic artist Cleo Mussi. Really interesting interview and beautiful images.

And in Fiberarts India Flint and eco-dyeing. A treat.

in colour

2011-01-04T20:32:00.000Z

It's so grey here at the moment. I've been stitching away on this for a while, picking it up when I have a few spare minutes, but felt I needed a bit of brightening up to welcome the new year.

More local silk thread, this time from Lister Mills, a couple of miles down the road, once the largest silk factory in the world.

My supplies of all this lovely old button-hole twist are running low. Hoping for another charity shop lucky find soon.

pomegranate dye

2010-12-29T12:03:00.001Z

I found some beautiful pomegranates in the market in Bradford.

One has been gracing the mantlepiece for the last few days.

I collected the skins for the dye bath and used some pre-mordanted scraps of fabric and yarn. Boiled it all up for an hour or so. I like the slightly pinkish tone of the silk.

The snow has all gone now. No more enhanced brightness from outside the window for my photographs!

2010-12-24T10:12:00.000Z

Thank you for all the kind comments and emails this year. Hoping you have a happy and peaceful end to 2010. See you soon x

a present

2010-12-19T16:50:00.000Z

A present from one of my students. Collection of plackets and buttons from mens cotton shirts. Thank you Judith.

counting down

2010-12-11T17:41:00.000Z

Our advent branch.

Card making production line.

Patchwork beginnings from old calendar tea-towels.

go slow

2010-12-04T16:43:00.000Z

Our strange weather interrupted week continues. I'm wondering how it can be that i've managed to do more of my own work with four children in the house than I ever get done when I get dedicated time to myself. It's been great having a bit of time away from the daily routine and the chance for some peace and quiet.

I've been doing patchwork samples for a work project using old gents handkerchiefs, lovely soft cotton lawn . I quite like the deconstructed leftovers.

You can find me over here with another weather related post.

the view from here

2010-12-01T15:56:00.000Z

A lot of snow. No school, no work.

A pile of small skirts in progress for the smallest girl.

workshops and courses

2010-11-26T19:54:00.000Z

The workshops and courses page is now up if you want to take a look. See side bar for link. I'll be updating this as and when. Thanks for looking.

(crazy) patchwork

2010-11-18T09:00:00.000Z

Following on from my recent post about a patchwork project I'm currently involved in. I've been looking again at a piece of crazy patchwork that I've had for a few years. It was given to me in a large bundle of fabric (mainly old sheets). Sadly the person donating the fabric had been concerned about moths and had put the coverlet (it isn't quilted) through a hot cycle in the washing machine...

I think this accounts for the shredding of some of the silk patches, and the pinkish hue of many of the lighter coloured fabrics (something red ran).

I've found this piece useful as a teaching sample at workshops. The backing fabric is falling off and you can see the construction. I absolutely love this. The tacking stitches are still there in parts and you can see the back of the decorative feather stitch from the top of the quilt.

Katherine May writes a great post about paper piecing, and about patchwork generally, on her blog circles.

Big thanks for all the lovely recent comments.

pins

2010-11-14T18:30:00.000Z

Found in my cellar. All these boxes of pins. No idea who they belonged to, or why they left them behind.

Useful find!

pauses

2010-11-10T12:11:00.000Z

Spare moments. Bits of stitching. Anyone local interested in joining a local sewing circle email me or leave a comment.

pincushion

2010-11-07T20:46:00.000Z

My grandmother was a keen stitcher. She was one of four sisters (must run in the family) and I inherited all their sewing boxes. Quite a collection and I might post more about them another time. The image above is the lid of Grannie's sewing box. Even with my love of keeping things until they fall apart, after the lid fell off for the umpteenth time and there was nothing really left of the box to reattach it to, I admitted defeat. Couldn't bring myself to throw it out though, I love the wear and tear on the pincushion lid. And that these are Grannie's pins.

In my beginning-to-be sorted out work room I've found a spot for it above my sewing-machine table, a happy bit of recycling.

'recycling'

2010-11-04T12:32:00.000Z

In attempting to organise my life/work/home I visited the local tip and recycling centre to get rid of stuff. I was just putting a bag of old clothes in the textile recycling area when I spied something old and quilted spilling out of a brown paper packet.

I think it's some sort of old cotton mattress cover. Very well worn, lovely ties, and some nice raw edges on the back.

Also in the brown paper: cotton wadding, all age spotted.

And some lovely printed cotton chintz and a green woolly jumper. Cruel to leave it there, so I took it all home. My mind is now wandering back to the tip, wondering what other treasures might be hiding amongst the bin bags.