Sorting fabric

This is the preparation stage that takes the longest, the sorting - gathering fabric for making sewing kits and tool rolls. Recently I found a bin for these fabrics - and at the end of the day the bin gets put away in the cupboard, rather than everything left lying around. Or at least that's the theory! I've only been doing this for a few days, and that clean-up stage does add extra time at the end of the day - but oh how wonderful to come in to a tidy room, a bit like going to a workshop somewhere else, except you're in total control of what's going to happen (or at least that's the theory). 

I'd got to the stage where All Was Confusion so needed to sort through the bin, if only to remind myself what was already there. Sorting out dark and light, big pieces and little ones, plains and prints ... too many categories already! And then there's the woolly bits for the pockets, and the ribbons for the ties -

A bit of a rummage in a few drawers (to fill in the gaps of needed fabrics) turned up forgotten treasures, with new possibilities. For instance, this fabric bought in Australia (2005) will be jolly as the outside of a tool roll -

and this print on glazed cotton, which has been mellowing in the drawer for a mere two years, could become part of three sewing kits. It's a gorgeous vivid (but not too overpowering) yellow which the camera doesn't capture -

I'd love to get started now but have to be elsewhere this weekend.

Treasure chest

A gift from a friend - his mother's sewing chest. It stands about 50cm tall, and in its five drawers are a collection of patterns, implements, and - buttons from the past 50 years or so. I'm not ready to explore it yet - it feels very personal. Also it raises uncomfortable thoughts ... one day my own son will have a similar task; I hope to have whittled my sewing gear down to such a containable amount!

Poetry Thursday - Belgrade by Vasko Popa

Belgrade

White bone among the clouds

Your arise out of your pyre
out of your ploughed-up barrows
Out of your scattered ashes

You arise out of your disappearance

The sun keeps you
In its golden reliquary
High above the yapping of centuries

And bears you to the marriage
Of the fourth river of Paradise
With the thirty-sixth river of Earth

White bone among the clouds
Bone of our bones

by Vasko Popa, translated from the Serbo-Croat by Anne Pennington (from World Poems on the Underground)

Shoe storage

The downstairs hall, which is narrow enough already (80cm), is often littered with kicked-off shoes. Not a serious problem (not like having two bikes in the hall!) but disturbing to the tidy mind.

Also, my own shoe collection gathers dust in the bedroom -

An internet search for shoe storage solutions found some alarmingly huge shoe collections, with equally huge cupboards to keep them in, but also some suggestions for smaller spaces. First, the hallway -

A narrow hall, but tidy and bright

This type of shelving could be installed above the radiator (the door is sheer luxury)

Very 1970s, very flat-to-the-wall, very boring ... but hey, I can make it myself

Now this is FUN - could you make this out of wire coat hangers?

Aha, someone has used wire coat hangers - these could go on pegs on the wall

Now, the bedroom - those once-capacious cupboards are full of fabrics and papers in bags and boxes. One possibility is a rack on the back of the doors; another (which won't need the attention of the Resident Carpenter, who is often busy elsewhere) is to purchase a few of those see-through shoe boxes -

Hmm, which one....?

Back to sewing kits

With the pattern for the Binders Keepers tool roll pretty much stabilised, I'm trying to reach a similar equilibrium for the sewing kits. There seem to be two main problems - keeping the little scissors from falling out, and providing somewhere to hold needles. Perhaps other issues are yet to appear?

The latest version has kept the woolly pockets for the needles (wool because it's nice for sticking needles into). Maybe it doesn't need to be wool? I like the combination of different textures of fabric, though. The pockets are convenient for hanks of yarn, scraps of fabric, things in packets, that sort of item. Inside the pockets are secret pockets, a continuation of the white strip.

It also has a flap held down by a button, under which the scissors nestle. At the top of the flap is another secret pocket, useful for a thimble, I thought -

The outside of this prototype is a bit of furnishing fabric - rather dull, I think - chintz would be more cheerful -

Binders Keepers tutorial

Should you wish to make a portable and pretty tool roll for bookbinding tools, illustrated instructions are now on my website - http://www.margaretcooter.co.uk/binders-keeper-tool-roll.html

The instructions are for the "plain" version above, and variations are suggested, as in the one below -

The technique can be adapted to tool rolls for other tools - paintbrushes, knitting needles, sewing kits ...

Another "olive" JQ

"Olives in the sky with diamonds"

This journal quilt took a couple of hours to do - and really I should have spent longer on it, instead of rushing.

For one thing, position the elements and leave to sit overnight - reconsider in the morning! Not just the angles of the olives, but also the angle of the Little Dipper, could be improved.

For another, use silver thread for the diamonds, for better contrast against the already-busy background. And if the diamonds are meant to be stars, make them different sizes.

And then - consider the colour of background.

And also - do those blobs at all resemble olives?? (You may well ask, what are olives doing in the sky...)

Still, it's done, and it's been a learning experience. Back to the drawing board ...

At Turn The Page

With a bit of distance in time, I can say that Turn The Page was, this year as last, a good experience. And - the sun shone, and there was no biting cold wind! 

The setting is great - the glassy atrium is the forecourt of the city library. Approaching, you see the old church  reflected, and from inside, it's constantly in the corner of your eye -

The space is wonderfully light and airy -

Later, when more people arrived, it was too busy to take photos, but never felt unpleasantly crowded.

Four people sharing a table made for a rich mix -

and we were able to spread round to the back -

Janet's "Three Rosas" book arrived in time, and she also brought her Existential Crisis jars, which attracted the curious -

Karen's creatures made from the pages of the books had people bending forward to look more closely (see them here) -

It was a delight to watch the smiles on people's faces as they held the tiny teddies and rabbits -

Another view from "behind the table" -

A few of my smaller "memory balls" were on display (for handling), and nine of the 15 Binders Keepers went to new homes.

Some of the things I liked - Jeremy Dixon's series of micro-books of photos, and the way he uses paper that's coloured on one side -

Joanna Holden's Wastepaper Project - answer a question, tear out the page, crumple it up, throw it in the bin; she flattens them out, photographs them, and makes a book -

 The book that reads itself - on screen - mesmerising -

And now, on to the next deadline - a shared Open Studio in Kensal Rise, 22-23 June.

Historic buildings at Kew Gardens

Queen Charlotte's cottage is open at weekends -

It was built for her in "the German style" because she was homesick - she had come to England at the age of 17 to marry King George II. The cottage was used for picnics in the 18th century.

Downstairs is a room lined with prints mounted on board and framed with printed paper frames -

Upstairs is "the bamboo room", from which the river would have been visible (trees have grown up since). The furniture is bamboo-style -

and the bamboo theme extends to the painting, and even the door frames -

A temporary exhibition is a collection of embroideries showing the history of the royal connection with Kew Gardens, stitched by Fine Cell Work -

The Pagoda - built in 1762, and nearly 50m high - is now closed to the public, but here's a man who has climbed it, back when he was a lad -

Not quite a historic building, this disused gate shows the old turnstiles where you put in a penny to enter the gardens, way back when -

The entrance fee is now £16 - about the same as some blockbuster museum exhibitions. It now includes entry to Kew Palace, which was beautifully restored and reopened in 2006.

Quote for the day - happiness

“The true secret of happiness lies in the taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.” -William Morris

I'm happy to see my mystery tulips open at last!

Quote for the day

To banish imperfection is to destroy expression, to check exertion, to paralyze vitality. 
- John Ruskin, The Stones of Venice

Quote found in this post from Steve McCurry's photo blog; photo is mine ... his are so much more interesting!

Once upon a teapot

Back in January I had a little crochet craze, making a tea cosy for a gift. My own teapot was slightly too small for it, but even so looks quite jolly. The pattern is at crochethealingandraymond.wordpress.com is it's such fun to crochet with different colours, so I started another in a different colour combination (same 4ply, same teapot) which despite changes to the pattern still turned out too big. It languishes in a bag somewhere, awaiting its finishing touches. This belated blog post is a record of intention, should that bag ever turn up...

Metal "quilts"

Linda Leviton's work is on metal, small pieces of metal, joined to make a larger surface. The finish resembles fabric, and the object resembles a quilt -

Go to Linda's website to see these in detail

Kim Eubank, too, creates quilts out of pieces of metal, exploring the idea of form vs function. See images of her work (etched copper and enamelling) here.

Detail from Kim Eubank's "Everyday Use" (from here)

Poetry Thursday - "A Collector" by Erich Fried

"all the words I have found"

A Collector

The things I found

But they'll scatter them again

to the four winds

as soon as I am dead

Old gadgets

fossilised plants and shells

books broken dolls

coloured postcards

And all the words

I have found

my incomplete

my unsatisfied words

Erich Fried

translated by Stuart Hood

(representing Austria in World Poems on the Underground)

Off to Turn the Page

I'm heading off today to the Norwich book fair, at the Forum Friday and Saturday. If you're in the neighbourhood, do drop by!

Here are photos from last year -

It's a great space and should be a really interesting event.

As well as the "binders keepers" (of which you've probably heard enough, on this blog) I'm taking some clay books - 

and the memory balls (of which you've also heard and seen enough!).

Adjustable and portable

So useful at a book fair! But my domestic carpenter is working 12 hours a day at the moment, so I've whipped up an alternative out of mountboard and a couple of small books with shiny covers -

Disassembles quickly to be carried flat - and cost nothing.

Binders keepers, closed and open

 The latest bunch is 18 cm high, or rather, most of them are ... they just need some bookbinding tools in them. The tools in the dark grey one show how they will look when filled.

Instructions for making a "basic" tool roll (five pieces of fabric, rather than 13-15) are on my website - photos for the various procedures are to come.