Monday 27 February 2017

Tapestry Update

Once a month the little group of us from Sussex Stitchers still get together to do our bit of weaving. You'll remember I started with this - which has a few nice bits, but is basically about learning various techniques. 


I enjoy the colours, and they have a relationship with the photo collage that I started with, but the forms are uneven and don't relate to the design.


"Life is for learning"

Here is where my current piece has got to - shown upside down, as that will be the orientataion when it comes off the loom.


loosly based on the Nazar symbol, but there will be more below. Shapes symbolic of house and home if I have the space.

I'm rather pleased with it so far, though looking at the bottom, lighter area, I can see that I need to rework it to cover the warp better. I either need to loosen the tension on my weft thread or use a slightly narrower weft. I'll see which works, and refer you to the quote above :-)


Thursday 23 February 2017

A loss

Cecil getting ready for her 80th birthday party

Those of you who visit here will have met my Aunt Cecil. Sadly she passed away two weekends ago; sadly because I will miss her a great deal, but for her it was an easy departure, no long illness, just a very brief stay in hospital and a quick end. I was so grateful for that; she was happy to the last, I had visited her in her care home the day before, was with her in the hospital for most of that day and feel that it was an ending to be envied, since we all have to go one way or another. 

She was a geat inspiration to me in so many ways; her love of stitching and gardening; her enjoyment of her many small dogs, always two at a time, always known as "fourfoots"; her forthrightness and above all her graceful acceptance of the restrictions that age brought her. Her two most oft repeated sayings were "well, I just go with the flow" and "as my father said, 'make the best of what you've got while you've got it'". She lived up to both of those with a smile and a cheery waive of her hand, and those who cared for her so very well in her final years at the Normanhurst all said what a pleasure she was to have there, never complaining and always cheerful. I hope I can live up to that if I ever reach the ripe old age of 91

"91?? I don't believe it!!!"

She was a treasure

Cecil with her beloved dog Tatters, the first of many, on Hastings beach