She isn't blogging - oh yes she is!

Too much panto’  making going on to allow time for blogging. 16 costumes to make from scratch, 11 to adapt from existing wardrobe stores, numerous accessories to make - rapier frogs anyone?

New making experiences this year:

Dyeing swan’s feathers ( gathered legally in Hyde Park, at the Serpentine). Dyed using Dye-na-Flow dyes and a foam brush. Not sure how permanent this will be, but as long as the stage roof doesn’t leak, it should be fine.

Sewing leather - who knew this was so straightforward!

and a reason to get out my floral mini-hammer!

Stitching fun:

Bling for the directors to wear at the first Sunday rehearsal

Garters for the adult leads, male and female

Bling for shoes and hats

When the sewing gets busy, even my work computer is used as a surface

Chaos in the sewing room - I always start off saying to myself that I will work in an organised and tidy manner - it never happens.

A set of musketeers

For anyone with an interest in costume, there is a terrific exhibition by and about the costume department at the National Theatre, free and on until the middle of 2020.

Old friend..........

I needed some stitching time this weekend, so returned to the Ricky Tims Kaleidoscope quilt. One of my favourite threads, Superior threads, Rainbows

Freehand feathers

The corners of this quilt have been a conundrum for some time, but said butterfly wings to me this weekend. A lovely diversion in to images of wing patterns, led to 

How long is a generation?

I have been pondering this question for a few weeks as I see publicity for revivals of three theatrical / dance productions that I saw in 1982, 1990 and 1992 respectively. Two of these have been publicised as “ not seen on stage in the UK for a generation”.

All three of these stand out in my mind after all this time for different reasons, and it seems important to me to embrace these works again as we are in such troubled times as a species sharing this planet.

So I would encourage anyone reading this to go and see:

"Ghost Dances’ by Christopher Bruce, performed by Ballet Rambert, touring and at Sadler’s Wells, London. A first exposure for me to contemporary dance when I saw it in 1982 and a  production that has stayed with me -  for 34 years: music, movement, costumes all superb - tickets booked.

“ The Trackers of Oxyrhynchus” by Tony Harrison at the Finborough Theatre, London, on until 28th January.  This was my first exposure to performed verse in 1990 and I have never forgotten the experience. Brilliantly updated, and in this 50 seat setting, an intimate encounter with very physical theatre.

“Angels in America” by Tony Kushner at the National Theatre, London. Such a moving, but occasionally baffling, pair of plays when I saw them in 1992. They were staged in the Cottesloe, which then seated around 350 people. The new production will be in the Littleton, seating 890 people, therefore presumably all to be done on a much larger scale. It will be fascinating to see how well this play translates to 2016, particularly as it starts in April, 3 months after the start of Trump’s term of office.  The National box office have already warned that these tickets will sell out quickly.

And the drawing? Yes it continues:

Feather from the “nature table” that seemed to have been attacked by some sort of mite, leaving a big gap along the shaft. Pencil and ink pen.

Serendipitous charcoal rubbing of the back of a section of last week’s collage of vases and jugs made me rub over the whole lot. Charcoal.

Corn cob and husk, pencil and charcoal. I could not get my eye in for this at all. Too much going on , so I then focused on a tiny bit of one of the husks.

Tip of a corn cob husk. Pencil. I was very pleased when I “saw” the hole in the husk and the light falling through that in to the cast shadow.

Paint can, pencil. Two in one day as I knew it would be difficult to fit in drawing time the day after.

Waiting for a break in the rain, to run to the Finborough Theatre. The reflective tray was very difficult. Pencil.

And the sewing? There is another shirt underway - yes for my younger son, he hates boring clothes.

Perfect placket, thanks to Off the Cuff.

Cuffs with contrast inside fabric - amazing what I find in the fabric stash.

Land of plenty - meat - vegetarians, go no further

It is a very long time since I have seen so immediately the realities of eating meat - butchered carcasses on display at the organic butcher in Oxford.

Drawing and domesticity

The art tutor took us to see a free exhibition of work, mostly drawings, by Maggi Hambling at the British Museum, called ‘Touch’. Maggi Hambling divides opinion, but I like a lot of her work particularly the Scallop sculpture. The exhibition is on until 29 January 2017.
Photography is allowed.  The intent of the visit was for us to study Hambling’s mark making and to study, through copying, those marks. As some of the work was mono printing, that was difficult to do, however just looking at the range of marks on the print of this figure was inspiring.

There are some very touching drawings of her friends and family close to death.

My own attempt at that figure, head and hand. Nowhere near, but closer than I was 2 years ago.

The next week, a replacement tutor catapulted us in to portraiture -aaarrrggghhh!. After I calmed myself down, I’m pleased with this ( A2 size, charcoal and chalk on a coloured paper), as it is recognisable as the sitter, though he said I had made him look much younger.

Stitching for the past few weeks has been very domestic.
Replacement curtains and cushions for the bedroom to replace the “temporary” curtains and cushions that had been put in 22 years ago. After 21 years of family life, including the dog choosing one of the cushions as his favoured favoured window-viewing spot, they finally had to go.
The pattern matching along the front of the past of cushions took much measuring and swearing to get correct.



Inherited Ercol chairs have arrive in our house ( let’s say that ours have more of the patina of age about them). Their cushions were also in a sorry state, so while my piping skills were honed by the 30 degree corners on the bedroom cushions, I could tackle four replacements for these. Not in the original style, but a lot more comfortable.

The swan has also been finished. Faced rather than bound and waiting for the right wall space to show it to advantage.

Exhibitions to lift the spirits

October Gallery, until 30th July, Eddy Kamauanga Ilunga.  Very thought-provoking use of circuit diagrams on the human body, and fantastic depiction of African fabrics.

Morley College, textiles foundation until 7th July, wonderful work by all students, beautifully staged, and with a chance to pore over sketchbooks.

 Debora Jedwab

Nikki Sims

Bridged Hall

Margaret Scott

Liz Clamp

Textile Alchemy, Waterloo Art Centre, until 02 July, where the influence of new Morley tutor with an interest in dyes form natural materials is very evident.