Strength and fragility…

I searched back through for this post about a beautiful quilt I have – patched and pieced

It lies nowadays draped over my making table with the creamy white backing face upwards, and I often glance down and rest my eyes on the hand stitching and think

The sun shone through it’s fragile layers this week – areas are disintegrating and revealing the inside and the softness and melting colours were so restful

It could stay folded quietly away, but I love it’s ageing qualities – out of sight would I really be caring for it more?! I prefer to keep it with me, alongside me..

The white thread patterns texture the surface – stitches as strong as ever – the even rhythm of their work is quietly astonishing to me and connects me to so many stitching hands – I linger as I Iook, wondering about it’s making

It had an outing this last summer when family children were all camping in a yurt nearby and I thought why not?! I wonder if they will remember it in years to come…It came back smelling faintly of woodsmoke from the wood burner..

Queen bee quilt…

I love seeing these seams – the joining that holds it all together and the light shining through in the early morning as I watched it move in the breeze from the window where I left it overnight so I could look at it as I woke…

Pinning, stitching, pressing in a relaxed rhythm – growing the quilt

No set pattern for size apart from the same width for the strips, pieced with continual reflection – strips joining to search for balance – I prefer to work this way, to stop and look – to try out and think why some choices work..

Running stitch – beautiful, peaceful rhythm texturing the layers of cloth – the quilt lying warm and comforting across my body as I work – welcome as the mornings grow chilly with Autumn..

Why Queen Bee? Because this is the year I spent more time watching the bees, thinking more about their ways, hearing them, tracing their flight in drawings… I think the quilt holds some of this in its choice of cloth, its feel as I worked on it outdoors in the sun whilst watching the bees..

 

the sanity of making…

These tiny hexagons fill a tin – they measure 1cm face – 2cm diameter

A gift from a special person in my extended family – offered generously and lightly but with astute consideration

They created a miniature scene at Bees Knees

Last week a visiting artist friend exclaimed the making at such a scale would drive her insane… However interestingly they were offered to me with a narrative explanation that the making of these tiny precious pieces – the repetition, the need for precision and concentration, the careful piecing and selection of strings of pattern – all this and more about the nature of handwork were made in order to keep sanity, to stay sane at a particular time in her life…

 

 

 

 

A delicate rhythm

Delicate Ryhthm 2 from Susi Bancroft on Vimeo.

Walcot Chapel Working Studio – 15 – 21 July 2013

Building on ‘a delicate rhythm’

pieced and patched comfort…

Not originally a family quilt this one I hold close

So loved and pre-loved  …

It is threadbare – worn, faded, torn – the wadding showing through, so beautifully soft to touch – those are the qualities I treasure. The colours are delicate and subtle, mixed with strong indigo blues.. The piecing is balanced, soothing but always offering interest where the eye rests..

When I was a child and ill, I would lie on a sofa by the fire wrapped in a quilt or eiderdown

I used to gaze at the patterns and colours and stitching. I find I still do.

The quilting, in white cotton thread, is so rhythmic, so meditative. And then, on the borders, best seen from the back, the stitching flows – how it flows!

a mention and mending…

Lovely pics from Scrapiana about ‘Curiously Enough’ – have a look here!

Also look at the details of The Big Mend – brilliant idea – I will be going – hmm, what to take – tears, patches, seams, holes, buttons…?!

Piece in a Paper!

Matty Airey is the Arts Editor at Stroud News and Journal

She contacted me about my work for ‘Curiously Enough’ and we chatted on the phone. The article is in the paper and the link to the online version is http://www.stroudnewsandjournal.co.uk/leisure/9737701.Mum_s_unfinished_quilt_inspires_Susi_s_artwork/

Thank you Matty for such a sensitive and piece – I am so delighted!

Setting up today ready for opening tomorrow – see you there if you can – pictures to follow!

a delicate rhythm continues…

Curiously Enough opens at Ruskin Mill this Saturday!

We do hope you will pop in – see more details on the Brunel Broderers blog

Ruskin Mill is a beautiful place to be with lots going on

Setting up pics will follow – my work re-framed is ready and waiting. In Frome last year at the Silk Mills it looked like this and …

photo credit to Dominic Hewitt at Needlevision

In the making last time it was often helped on by a special friend

The work I am showing this time is a part of this – the paper, wax and wire pieces – they are fragile…. As the delicate rhythm continues, I wanted these caught and held, framed suspended between 2 panes of glass – hanging with the light shining through them – somewhat like stained glass… hope it works out!

 

Curiously Enough

I am busy preparing part of A Delicate Rhythm for the Brunel Broderers next Exhibition ‘Curiously Enough’ at Ruskin Mill in the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Space (click to see details of opening times)

Curious what skills need to be learned to frame work – the wonderful drill in this picture belonged to my father in law who was a skilled craftsman – I want the piece to be suspended in a frame between glass, hanging by a web of threads with the light shining through both panes…

photo detail from our exhibition at the The Silk Mills Studios, Frome Sept 2011

more sounds of making – a delicate rhythm

Photo credit: Kay Swancutt

Today’s audio is also from Tweave – this time a short audio where you can hear the sounds of me stitching the pieces for A Delicate Rhythm…..