There has been rather a lack of both creative work and blog posts here, due mostly to the aged Mrs Molebags' eyes giving up the ghost. I have glasses which are good for 'seeing' with, but not for close work in low light, which has meant not much hand sewing lately.
So Mr P and I have had an extremely expensive trip to the optician, and we both await new specs which will hopefully transform our lives, particularly as my new ones will feature cool black and purple frames!
Can't wait for them to come, as I really enjoy some therapeutic hand stitching and fabric 'collage'. Here's a velvety pouch bag that I finished just before Christmas. Just the right size for an evening out, with or without the detachable handle. I'm so pleased that somebody liked it enough to buy it, although I almost kept it for myself.
This similar one started life as a large shopping bag, but it just didn't 'work' so out came the scissors to chop it down to size. A good lesson- never be afraid to hack and slash , you never know what joys you might end up with...
I am still thinking about hands,
and this is my first 'handy' purse:
Made from vintage fabric, and backed with soft blue velvet and a little crochet covered button. (Modelled here by Ruby).
Next time- new specs, and a kick start to creativity...
Maybe it was the wet and gloomy Christmas weather, not to mention a surfeit of stollen and stilton, but my artistic inspiration seems to have completely deserted me for the moment. Happily though, today was the first of the post-festivities life drawing mornings, and I was hoping for a good model to start the year. None better than this man, who can bend himself like a pretzel and stay that way for ages.
Not the best drawings in the world, but it was good to lose myself in colour and form. Life drawing is like a form of meditation, other thoughts cannot intrude when concentrating on it.
My other inspiration has been from our visit to the V&A Museum to see the Fabric of India exhibition. Such fine delicate fabrics made using methods as old as time, which are still being produced in exactly the same way today.
We where amazed at how old some of the pieces were, and how lively and playful some of the designs. Look at these elegant hands from a wall hanging showing dancing ladies, printed in 1450-1500.
I could have stayed all day, admiring the workmanship and making drawings but that's not really practical when visiting with friends. One of the only good things about living in London would be being able to just amble along to any gallery or museum for a second look, but we absolutely wouldn't like the London crowds and hurry!
Those ancient hands made me think more generally of hands. Here are some drawings of my own, and I have an idea for expanding them into sewn art when I get my mojo back.
Here's hoping for a drier and colder spring, and some sunshine, especially for all the poor people who have been flooded this winter.
