- map showing journeys of delegates attending the TFSW conference
Last weekend all the samples for the Mending at the Museum project was exhibited for the very first time. They were exhibited at a conference, ‘Mapping – Where Are You Now? – held by Textile Forum South West. Dawn Mason, my collegue and I have been out and about lately giving papers and exhibiting the work achieved by the Stitching and Thinking group. Two weeks ago we gave a joint paper at a symposium on current textile reseacrh for the Textile Society (where we were applauded for developing new methods for practice based reseacrh)and then Dawn gave a presentation at the conference that had the joint themes of mapping and networking.
The conference was very lively and most interest early on revolved around Chrome Yellow Books – even as they were setting up people were browsing and buying – including me.
This was really more than a conference as we had many hands-on opportunities to network, notably Kirsty Hall the blogger who helps you to blog better – if you want help to get started or develop your website or blog – visit her sites – or just visit her sites for really lively ideas and projects.
The mapping project was a good opportunity to show everyone present just who was near to them within the south west – the big pompom in the middle is Taunton where the conferecne was held about the centre of the whole region. there was a whole pom pom vibe throughout the day – to find out more go to our TFSW website
And there was also a fascinating small set of strings of hanging hearts from the Heart Felt Project, run by TFSW member Jan Connett
But for me the tiny exhibition of the Mending Samplers was a major triumph, it has taken 2 years to get the Stitching and Thinking project to the point where we can see just what we can make together as a group and Dawn and I were amazed by the way the samples really came together as a group show.
The group were obviously all influenced by a few samplers , a red and white rolled stitch sampler bougth by me at an Oxfam shop years ago and an ethereal darning sampler form the Bristol museum and Art Gallery’s collection.
The small exhibition caused a lot of interest and comment within the audience – and people were wanting to join us for more workshops and future exhibitons.
Janet Haigh : Her Work 
I was directed to your post by a member of “Distant Stitch” an on-line embroidery course. I have looked at lots of blogs about embroidery but i have to say yours was the most enjoyable and interesting I have seen for some time. I enjoyed reading your information (which I usually skim and look at the photographs!)too. Relaxed, honest and informative, all worked for me. What a great project. Perhaps one day I will be involved in something similar. Thanks
Elaine
Hi Elaine,
thank you for such a lot of praise – I sometimes sit here writing and wondering if anyone ever reads what I say, as pictures are obviously what I build my posts around so try to keep the captions informative. I am intrigued by Distant Stitch and aim to check it out. I often wonder if I should give more in-depth info on how to do things or even set up a video about different techniques – but feel that my blog is more about the huge variety of things that textiles encompass, not just the techniques but the thinking as well as the stitching….
I am intrigued about the long distance course though. I taught for many years as a lecturer in textile design and drawing on a BA course and have always felt that this type of critical education is a very personal interaction between the tutor and the student so I am interested in hearing your reaction to long distance tutoring.
What is gratifying about most comments to my blog – and I do not receive all that many really – is that they are usually from other makers or teachers who use the format of blogging as a method of getting their students to keep a record of their thoughts around their work – like a reflection on practice. so maybe i am still doing some form of teaching after all.
yours, janet