Exhibition at Festival of Quilts 2015
I was put forward for the Quilters Guild C&G Bursary Award by my tutor Barbara Weeks of Missenden Abbey, and exhibited together with 10 other tutor-nominated artists at the 2015 Festival of Quilts. Our galleries proved popular with visitors who enjoyed our design books, craft items and sketchbooks detailing the creative processes involved. As the eventual winner of the Bursary I was invited to show the work resulting from the bursary at the 2016 Festival of Quilts.
Extract from 'The Quilter', Autumn 2014:
Charlotte with tutor Barbara Weeks. Hanging 'Memories of Nepal', hand quilting and applique on silk.
Extract from 'The Quilter', Autumn 2015:
Extract from 'The Quilter', Winter 2015
Works in the exhibition
Design elements 'Shape', 'Texture', 'Line', 'Colour':
'Memories of Nepal' quilted hanging
'Memories of Nepal', hand quilting and applique on silk
Design books showing inspiration for applique deriving from the traditional weaving patterns on Nepalese men's caps (above and below right).
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Work in progress. From initial sketch to finished hanging: applique derived from the Nepalese sacred 'third eye' weaving motif being fused onto panels of different coloured silk, then hand quilted in running stitch with variegated thread.
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The colour harmonies for my hanging were inspired by Nepalese dress fabrics (top). Above: experimenting with shape and colour (applique and stencilling). Right: design inspiration derived from traditional woven Nepalese men's hats (topi)
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Design element 'Shape':
Research subject: the Artichoke
Studies in line and colour (above and right)
Silk cushion (front: above; reverse: right). Technique: Layer, Stitch and Cut.
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Trying out different graphic effects with hand-made stamp cut
from 'Funky foam' mounted on foamboard
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Printing experiments using the trimmed top of a fresh artichoke as a stamp
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Design element 'Line':
Quilted silk evening bag inspired by research subject 'Earth from the Air' (Paddy Fields)
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Paddy fields as inspiration for exploring 'Line' and 'Texture'.
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Hand made origami-type folding book on 'Line' and its properties (above). Studies of contour lines from maps and photographs (left). Samples of texturing stitches on silk satin (below left and right)
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Design element 'Form':
Fabric vase covers concealing Japanese plastic flat-pack vases. When water is poured into the flat-pack, it bulges out into a stable 3D container capable of holding a bunch of fresh flowers without any trouble (see below)
Hand sewn fabric vases containing collapsible plastic inners bought on the internet (below right)
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Vase cover with glued side panels and gusset using hand-made Nepalese paper
Left and above: new life for plastic supermarket packaging! Moulded plastic pouches for soups, sauces and grated cheese make ideal inner layers for fabric vases, above.
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Experiments with folded patchwork, kantha stitching and strip piecing inspired by the iron age fort of
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Inspiration for strip pieced hanging: Paul Klee's abstract colour harmonies derived from nature observation
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Design element 'Colour':
Wall hanging 'Spring' Cathedral Window (Secret Garden) patchwork:
Close-up of one Folded Patchwork (Secret Garden) element
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Design book showing various sources of inspiration for the hanging 'Spring': collaged photographs, Van Gogh oil sketches of spring greenery
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Design element 'Form'. Research area 'Containers'
Sewing Machine Organiser
This equipment organiser, tailor-made to fit under the machine and designed to store everyday sewing equipment efficiently and safely, has changed my workroom for the better. The detachable plastic 'waste bin' (front left) has proved useful when sewing away from the workroom.
The mini ironing pad has proved useful for small ironing and applique jobs. Three suction cups underneath the back edge of the organiser hold the organiser firmly in place when the machine is lifted off
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Pin cushion, needle book and magnetic strips hold metal items securely in place
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