I've been looking forward to this theme coming in and it hasn't disappointed! As always there are cards that are quite similar in their interpretation - several bridges with willow trees in this swap - but also the ones that leap out at you for being slightly different. The work here is so varied and this has also been a great opportunity for the right fabrics to shine. A couple of them have been specifically chosen for their watery appearance and it's interesting to see that the overall colour theme that I notice here is a blend of blue, pink and green. Lots of pink waterlilies, with a couple of white and yellow ones thrown in for good measure.
Friday 14 July 2023
June Waterlily Pond ATC Swap
Sheffield Park Waterlily Festival
Thursday 13 July 2023
Birds Eye View Bonus ATC
This ATC is a one-off, started as an example for the Brighton Embroidery Group ATC workshop a few weeks ago. Amazing how time flies as it only seems like the weekend that I was there.
The workshop was focusing on the July Patchwork Fields/A Birds Eye View theme from the Stitchscape Swap and really the whole point of the workshop was to encourage some of the ladies to join in with the swap so we will have to see if anyone will. It all came about when I emailed all of the embroidery and stitching groups I had spoken to or did a workshop with last year to see if they wanted to share the information of the swap around to their members. The Brighton group decided that they'd like to learn more about them first so invited me back for another workshop which was really lovely of them. I've already shared their work made during the session in a previous post.
Wednesday 12 July 2023
Brighton Embroidery Group ATC Workshop
I had a wonderful time a couple of Saturday's ago with the Brighton Embroidery Group. They'd asked me back to run a workshop specifically on Artist Trading Cards and we were focusing on the July Patchwork Fields/A Bird's Eye View theme in case anyone wanted to join in with the Stitchscape Swap afterwards.
When I visited them previously for a seaside themed Stitchscape workshop I'd made little packs they could purchase for the day with all of the fabrics that they needed in them and I was asked to do this again for the ATC workshop. I spent a happy couple of hours choosing all of the fabrics I could find that would hint at water, green fields, ploughed fields, wheat fields....mixing up the patterns with stripes, spots, batiks, plains, sheep! We were only going to be making one ATC during the workshop but I wanted the ladies to have lots of options so they each got seven fabrics in their packs and two backing cards as well as the backing fabric. Interestingly, there were a couple of comments about how tough the backing fabric was which I haven't had before. It's the same calico and the same weight that I always use for kits, workshops and personal use and I've never had any issue with it before. Is there any other feedback from kits or workshops about this calico? Do you find it too tough? It is literally called 'good quality calico'!
Then again, that slight stiffness sometimes helps with the stitching and perhaps the problem was slightly saggy hoops (argh), or well used and slightly less sharp needles? Who knows!
Monday 10 July 2023
Patchwork Fields ATCs
I could have carried on stitching these little ATCs forever! There are so many little details that could have been added, the options were fairly endless. I could have attempted walkers in the field, rows of electricity pylons, lily pads or reeds in the water, clouds in the sky, a tractor!! I did try a boat in the water on one of them but I couldn't get the shape right so I pulled it out again.
These are just so joyful and I love that each one is different. The shapes were all randomly cut out and placed on each card then tacked down but the cards are the same in that they include those same fabrics, albeit in different quantities and compositions, and each fabric has been treated the same way.