I started this piece of Japanese Boro work at our Zoe Hillyard workshop last year. It was a flat piece when finished and i decided to make it into a clutch bag The pieces of fabric, all old, include a vintage towel and a doily dyed with indigo at a shibori workshop I attended, both belonged to my mother in law. Also some Liberty tana lawn and wool samples given to me by a friend who collected small sample books when she worked at Liberty’s about 45 years ago. I found the hand stitching process very therapeutic and simple. Lovely to make something out of pieces that might otherwise have been wasted as they were quite small. The lining was a remnant of old shirting.

Shibori Bag
© Sue King

Textile Challenge

I have been taking part in the Textile Challenge and have done a piece for every challenge.

Textile Challenge
© Margaret Craig

Landscape Prints

Before lockdown I was looking at the shapes and signs man has left in the landscape, field patterns, stone walls, hill forts etc. On the continuing theme of ‘and those who came before’ During lockdown I have worked up several mixed media pieces and after lockdown I hope to explore further ancient sites and develop these prints that I have been making.

Landscape Prints
© Polly Woolstone

Indigo Tie-Dye Sample

I’ve been working on travelling pages/book for when we get back to meeting again. Here’s one from when I did some indigo tie-dyeing and this was cotton fabric wrapped around a cotton reel, which I then beaded and embroidered.

Indigo Tie-Dye
© Meryl Bird

Gawthorpe Needlecase

This piece was stitched before and during the pandemic lockdown but it was a much more personal and profound Before, During, After project for me. The Gawthorpe Needlecase is designed and kitted by Jenny Adin-Christie. It includes a multitude of beautiful materials and interesting stitches and techniques, some of which were new to me but Jenny's instructions are so clear and comprehensive that I had no difficulty learning what to do.

I wrote more about the project, and what was happening in my life as I stitched it, on my blog.

Gawthorpe Needlecase
© Carol-Anne Conway

Gawthorpe Needlecase
© Carol-Anne Conway

Fish

Taking inspiration from wine labels.... No. 2 My fish don't look as relaxed as the wine label fish. Maybe I should have drunk the wine first!

Fish 2
© Karen Rowe

Fish 3
© Karen Rowe

Indigo Fish

Fish made from fabric printed on my last trip to India, as was the fabric it is swimming on. Maybe the first of many in different sizes?

Indigo Fish
© Jane Treavis

Flowers

Stitched on net, with thanks to Cherrilyn Tyler for showing me how. Has a touch of the canal boat I think.

Flowers
© Alex Messenger

India

Two pieces I did ‘before’ based on our trip to India. Inspired by the patterns we saw and using some decorated papers I did with Polly Woolstone at Oxford Summer School two years ago. Hand and machine stitching, also incorporating some pieces of sari.

India 1
© Amanda Smith

India 2
© Amanda Smith

Fragments of my workplace

A UFO, finally finished! ‘Fragments of my workplace’ is a collection of mementoes from my workplace, Our Lady’s Abingdon Senior School. Including lace fragments made by the Sisters, other ‘needlework accoutrements’ given to me by Sister Gabriel (a fabulously talented needlewoman), pressed daffodils to remind of the grounds in spring, a photo printed onto fabric. Hand and machine stitching.

Fragments
© Karen Rowe

Couching 2

Still being a homeworker, not had a lot of time for stitching. This was just playing around with couching.

Couching 2
© Alex Messenger

Folk Art

This piece was loosely linked to Anne Kelly's Challenge, but I didn't do it exactly as she suggested! It is using lots of off cuts, but especially a piece from my bedroom curtains I made last year. I'm going to frame this piece and put it in our bedroom.

Folk Art
© Margaret Craig