Waking up this blog ....

Wow, one blog post at the very beginning of this year and .... well nothing since!!

But much has been happening including a number of hospital appointments and investigations, lots of stitching and some finished projects.  Oh, and I almost forgot, editing my novel and a place on the long list of a poetry competition, see https://www.therialto.co.uk/pages/2018/05/01/nature-poetry-competition-2018-results/.

And what, you may well ask, has promoted me to remember the blog and make a promise that I will try to write more posts. My answer in short notes is

- a discussion yesterday on Design for Stitching Course about Artist's Statements and social media for stitchers (that's me) but of course, others call themselves textile artists, quilt artists, fibre artists etc. etc.

- confirmation that I will be having stereotactic body radiotherapy very soon for two small but unwanted nodules in my lungs so I might have more 'sitting around' time for a while,

and
- well, it's always my intention to be here more regularly and to post bits and pieces that can't be easily shared on other social media.

To that end today here's a few pictures of completed and ongoing stitching projects and the long listed poem -and yes, it is itself long, but its also very thin so please read on.  The pictures await you ...

The Red Admiral in Thirteen Movements 

after Thirteen ways of looking at a Blackbird by Wallace Stevens 

1

At the edge of a Dorset cliff 

a man with binoculars

watches for migrating 

Red Admirals.

2

Crimson streaks edge

and divide the Red Admiral's

seventy mm wingspan.

3

One Red Admiral 

flying

south from the north.

4

At the man's feet 

two Red Admirals 

rest.

5

American scientists 

are making detectors

to fit the Red Admiral's thorax.

6

On the cliff path

Red Admirals drink nectar

from November blackberries.

7

Feeding Red Admirals 

are undisturbed by

interested people.

8

Why Admiral?

No-one knows.

9

Along the wings 

of the Red Admiral,

black and white frills.

10

For inflight warmth

Red Admirals develop

a hairy thorax.

11

Red Admirals rise above 

turbulence, or wait

until it has passed.

12

Orphan travellers,

the Red Admiral flies

alone.

13

From below, the man

watches the Red Admiral's

dark underwings.

Yes, I'm stitching fish or rather appliqué fish and then some bubble free motion quilting. There are 24 on the quilt so I'm planning to go slowly, maybe 1-2 each day  ... thats if the thread, the needle and my fingers behave well.

and here are the makings of a practice sample for a new project about walking the London Loop.

i have an idea about transferring the map on the TFL website to fabric, using confetti quilting. I just now that much trial and error is going to be involved.

So I have some unwanted fabric and net and oh  scissors to cut the lawn squares into confetti  ... result is below ... not sure I like the net but the technique is fine.

I'll be back ... not sure when!