Owl Moon

Owl Moon, 2018
Hand and machine embroidery on metallic fabric and naturally dyed silk and linen

Sometimes I have an idea for a piece of work and I get started and make it right away. More often though it takes a long time (years sometimes) for an idea to become a reality. On our first night in Islay on holiday three years ago we were lucky enough to get very close to a Tawny Owl. It swooped down and landed on a fence post right in front of us as we gingerly drove down a track to what we hoped was our accommodation for the week. It wasn't terribly impressed with us stopping to admire it but the experience stayed with me and since that moment I've been wanting to make a piece about that owl.

Tawny Owl, Islay 2015

Layering up fabrics

Layering up fabrics

As much as I love owls, I've resisted making any pieces with owls for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I only really make work about birds I've seen and been able to observe properly as I want my work to capture a bit of their spirit and to do that I have to get to know them. It's hard to observe owls in the wild as they mostly come out at night and they're very stealthy! Secondly, owls are very popular (I own many owl embellished items myself) and I didn't want to fall into the trap of making a 'cute' owl.

Building up the owl, using my drawing as a template and photograph as reference

Rust dyed silk for owl wings

Starting to add machine embroidery

For our exhibition 'Wingspan' at RSPB Geltsdale Visitor Centre, Mr. Stitches has written a poem about an owl hunting, called Owl Moon. This poem captures the wildness and skill of the owl and inspired me to finally get around to making my owl piece. As I mentioned, the idea for the piece had been in my head for some time so Nick's poem was just what I needed to kick start the process.

Detail: Owl Moon, 2018
Hand and machine embroidery on metallic fabric and naturally dyed silk and linen

Detail: Owl Moon, 2018
Hand and machine embroidery on metallic fabric and naturally dyed silk and linen

Detail: Owl Moon, 2018
Hand and machine embroidery on metallic fabric and naturally dyed silk and linen

I'd found some interesting metallic fabric on a trip to Bombay Stores in Bradford and I knew that's what I wanted to use for the moon. I also knew that I didn't want it to be too shiny so I experimented with layering up pieces of silk organza that I'd dyed with logwood, giving a beautiful deep purple colour. I also used some indigo dyed organza and used some indigo dyed linen as a base as I felt the piece needed a more solid ground than the organza. For the owl I used pieces of organza that I'd dyed with rusty pins as it had just the right texture and patterning for an owls wing.

Detail: Owl Moon, 2018
Hand and machine embroidery on metallic fabric and naturally dyed silk and linen

Like a lot of my work this piece was built up in layers. As always, I started by drawing and sketching my ideas before I started to play around with layering up fabrics. Sometimes the pieces of fabric come together really quickly and other times I spend a long time arranging and re-arranging until I'm happy. I used running stitch and star stitch to secure the background layers and chose to leave a lot of raw edges as I think this emphasises the wildness of the subject.

Detail: Owl Moon, 2018
Hand and machine embroidery on metallic fabric and naturally dyed silk and linen

Detail: Owl Moon, 2018
Hand and machine embroidery on metallic fabric and naturally dyed silk and linen

I then moved on to making the owl. Again working in layers I built up pieces of rust dyed organza, using my drawings as a template to cut out specific areas such as the wing feathers. I then worked several layers of machine embroidery in various shades of thread to build up the pattern and texture of the feathers.

Detail: Owl Moon, 2018
Hand and machine embroidery on metallic fabric and naturally dyed silk and linen

Detail: Owl Moon, 2018
Hand and machine embroidery on metallic fabric and naturally dyed silk and linen

I'm really pleased with how this piece has worked out, I think that it is starting to marry together different parts of my practice;  the work I've been doing on my feather banners, my bird portraits and drawings and my increasing interest in and experiments with natural dyeing. For me this piece feels like the start of something, as well as the resolution of an idea that I've had in my mind for a long time.

Crochet Swaps

The squares I made for my friend

At the end of last year my friend joined me up to a crochet granny square swap group on facebook. I thought it sounded like an interesting idea and so decided to roll with it. The basic idea is that every month you get a different swap partner and you make each other four 6 x 6 inch granny squares which you swap by post. Over time you will build up a collection of squares to do with as you will, I'm planning to go all out and make a blanket.

The squares my friend made for me

As luck would have it my friend ended up being my swap partner and so we decided it was a good excuse to meet up to swap our squares, which tied in nicely with my New Year's resolution which is to spend more time having tea and cake with my friends. I'm really pleased with the squares made for me, if all my swaps are this lovely my blanket will be very beautiful indeed.

Owl square detail

Circle square detail

Circle square detail

Talking to people about this group has been interesting; one person asked why do it and what do you get out of it which got me thinking about the value we place on certain goods and skills and the way we feel about sharing, both goods and knowledge. When I signed up for the swap it never really occurred to me to think of it in terms of how I would benefit, I just liked the idea of sharing something using a craft I love and I also saw it as a good way of getting me to do a bit of crochet each month. I think that there is something very powerful in sharing something hand made; it takes time, thought and skill to create something by hand and sharing that with someone else creates a very personal connection. I'd be very interested to hear what other people think, do you agree or not?

Owl Embroidery

Owl Embroidery

I started this owl way back in the year as a 'working sampler' for some embroidery workshops I was running. I used a wooden hand carved printing block to take a rubbing using fabric crayons and then I began embellishing the rubbing with stitch. Over the year the sample has grown as I've done various workshops and this week I got it finished off. I always like to have a work in progress when I'm running sessions so that I can use it demonstrate techniques on a piece of work rather than just a plain piece of cloth.

Ear detail

Head detail

I really love the block that I used and have made several prints and rubbings from it for other projects. This is probably one of my favourite things I've done with it though as I think the stitching adds to his quirky and slightly scruffy appearance. I used my favourite colours and the stitching is mostly chain and feather variations.

Body and wing detail

Body and wing detail

Body detail

Easter Antics

Owl woodblock

I've been having a nice rest over the bank holiday weekend as I was totally worn out (and I want to be rested for my holiday in just over a week!) However, that doesn't mean I've been sat on my elbows doing nothing. I've been working on finishing the James Rennie rag-rug, preparing lessons and workshops and doing a bit of printing and stitching.

Patterned woodblock

Patterned woodblock

The continental markets were in Carlisle this weekend and I got myself some lovely woodblocks. They look lovely in themselves and they make great prints, it's a win-win. I was just going to buy the two patterned blocks and a little elephant but having handed over my money I spotted the owl and decided I needed him!  Today I have been using him to print t-shirts (pictures to follow) and then I started experimenting with doing rubbings using fabric crayons. I didn't think it was going to work too well but I was pleasantly suprised; the colours are quite dull until you apply heat (from an iron) which makes them much more vibrant. I think these rubbings would look great with some added stitching.

Printing with the owl

Rubbings with fabric crayons

Rubbings on calico bag

The other side of the bag

I also made some cards using recycled paper. I made some basic origami shapes and then mounted them up on card to make greetings cards that are beautiful, green and simple.

Recycled newspaper and envelope card with bow

Recycled newspaper card

Recycled newspaper and envelope card

More Doorstops

Green and purple elephant doorstop

Front view of elephant

I thought I'd share with you a picture of the finished green elephant mentioned in my last post and a few owls, just for good measure.

Button free owl

Eyes not made of buttons

This owl was made for a friend who has a fear of buttons. It seemed strange making an owl without buttons but I decided to face the challenge head on and he's actually one of my favourite owls so far. I really like the layered felt and stitching and the fact that he's very purple helps!

Green owl

Tartan owl

I have also listed a couple of owls in my Folksy shop, a green fellow with very large eyes and a seasonably tartan chap.

Sweetheart Owl Pincushion

Owl with pins

I've had such a lovely day today-no visitors, no work and no jobs and I've been able to get back into my little studio and make stuff! It's been great. One of the things I've made today is a little pincushion owl. He's based on the project I designed for my textile group at Heathlands last year, a simple introductory project to basic sewing skills. I was looking at the pictures and I thought I'd make another, if you like him (or her) I'm going to put him in my Folksy shop.

Owl without pins

I've also been up to some other exciting stuff today but it's not quite ready to be shown to the world. Watch this space...

Wigton Craft Sale

My stall at Wigton

My friend Helen and I did a craft sale at Carlisle Youth Zone on Wednesday evening, it wasn't very busy but you've got to try these things. In a similar vein we went to Wigton Market Hall today, again it was very quiet but I sold quite a bit and got chatting to some very nice people which for me is part of the fun! Anyway, here are a few pictures, if you like my work please have a look at my Folksy shop www.folksy.com/shops/delicatestitches

Keyrings and earrings

Swallow Cushion #2 I liked the one I did as a commission so much I've made another!

Owl hot-water bottle covers

My stall at Carlisle Youth Zone on Wednesday

Penrith Craft Stall

Some of my crafty stuff

My friend Genevieve has been doing a few craft stalls recently and told me about one at St. Andrews in the centre of Penrith. Unfortunately I didn't have enough stock or time to make enough stuff to be able to take a stall. Gen very kindly offered to share her table with me and I'm really looking forward to doing the stall with her tomorrow. Gen makes, amongst other things, beautiful scarves and I will be taking various bits and pieces including brooches and bags. I've also come up with an ingenious way to display the earrings I've made using wooden picture frames and sequin waste (see picture.) So here's hoping for a sunny day!

Owl key ring and brooches

Earring Display