Copenhagen, The National Museum    Sunday, January 10, 2010



On a recent trip to Copenhagen, Denmark, I for a change had a bit of spare time. And did I spend that time well, Yes. And would I like to go back, Yes. For quite a while it had been on my wish list to go and visit The National Museum of Denmark (The page will be in Danish, but just click the little English flag at the top, and you'll get the English version). Over the years, when living in Denmark, I have been visiting this wonderful museum on a relatively regular basis, but after moving abroad several years ago, I hadn't really managed to stop by.
In one of my textile groups we are working a body of work on a design brief 'connections'. While focusing in on my design source, I so totally wanted to visit the National museum in Denmark and revisit the prehistoric collection. Not planning on going to Denmark any time soon, I chose a different source for my design work. But the desire to explore my heritage stayed with me, and at the first given opportunity I went, expecting to find great artefact's, but in a rather old fashioned and dusty display. Boy, was I wrong. The whole Danish prehistoric collection dating back to 5000 BC (give or take a few years :-) had been fully refurbished in the most beautiful and informative way. It was so exciting, and I was in totally in awe. I spend several hours looking, reading, sketching just enjoying my self. It was fantastic, and I so want to go back for another look and do more sketching. And the prehistoric collection is just one of many collections, not to mention the children's museum which is great fun and very informative for the young and their parents. So much to see and do in this beautiful old building in the heart of Copenhagen.

Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year    Monday, December 21, 2009



Just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and all the best for 2010. At this time of the year I always feel that Christmas once again has snug up on me by coming around again so soon. That it is truly amazing that another year has almost passed. But what a great year 2009 has been! Lots of traveling, lots of exhibitions, lots and lots of wonderful time spend crafting and sewing, not to mention time spend with my lovely husband and friends. Life is great!
I will be heading to Copenhagen, Denmark tomorrow. I actually tried to fly out on Friday, but after a looong wait at the gate, the plane was finally cancelled due to the weather. Suffolk had been hit by a blizzard overnight. The ground is still covered in snow/ice and it is freezing out there. Hopefully there will be no problems flying out tomorrow, so keep your fingers crossed for me.
Copenhagen is always lovely to visit at anytime of the year, but I've always especially like being there at Christmas time. The city is beautifully decorated and when it starts to get dusky around 3.00PM in the afternoon, the city begins to glow. After a couple of days my husband will join me and we'll all celebrate Christmas Eve at my sisters. I cannot wait! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you. Stay safe and warm :-)


Textile / Fiber Art Exhibition at Lavenham Guildhall, Suffolk, GB    Saturday, November 28, 2009



I know, I'm rather late writing this blogpost, but hopefully you will by now, have seen my tweets and facebook postings about Sindano's textile exhibition at the 16th century, historic building, The Corpus Christi Guildhall in historic Lavenham, Suffolk, England. The Guildhall is a National Trust property and NT entrance fees applies. Our exhibition has been set up to day and the door will open tomorrow Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th November, both days from 11 am to 4 pm. A mixture of traditional and contemporary fiber art will be on display. There will be sales tables with our handmade pieces. While we are stewarding the exhibition we will be working on various pieces and are more than happy to show and explain what we are doing. I'll be working on my handwoven baskets made from folded paper strips. In fact I just finished the preparations for a large bowl made from strips cut from a Danish newspaper that I'll be working on while stewarding on Sunday.
I just watched the local weather forcast on our local television station 'Look East'. The forcast is a bit gray and damp, so if you want to add a bit of colour to a gray November day, then please stop by and say hello. The permanent exhibitions at The Guildhall will be open as well as their lovely tea room, which will make a perfect stop for nice cup of tea and a bite. If you haven't visited Lavenham before with all its old timber framed crooked housed then you are really in for a treat. A great day out, for your husband as well :-)


'Fibrefusion' exhibiting at 'Knit and Stitch', Harrogate 2009    Thursday, November 12, 2009



Are you going to The Knitting and Stitching Show at Harrogate, England, next weekend? The show is on from Thursday 19th - 22nd November. Every year for several years, I have made my annual trip down to the Knitting and Stitching show at Alexander Palace, London. Every year I have left totally in awe of the amount of creativity, my head full of inspiration, my bags full of wonderful stuff and my wallet empty.

This year is slightly different and I so excited. As I've mentioned in earlier blog posts, I joined the very advanced textile/fiber art group 'Fibrefusion' this summer. 'Fibrefusion' will be exhibiting at 'The Knit and Stitch' in Harrogate next weekend! Our stand will be downstairs in Hall F as you come down the stairs, and across from the schwissing area (sorry, I'm not quite sure how to spell that). I don't have the exact stand number at the present time, but I think we'll be hard to miss. Please be sure to stop by, say hello and FEEL FREE TO TOUCH OUR EXHIBITION PIECES. They are MEANT to be touched. Usually it is the biggest no no to even think about touching items on display, however much ones fingers are itching. Fiber art is so tactile, and 'Fibrefusion' therefore decided to break the norm, and make an exhibition where you have that added tactile dimension of touching and feeling. It will be very exciting to see, how it is being received. I promise you that the work on display is superb.
If you want to know more about the group, and our work please visit our web site Fibrefusion On the website, you will as well be able to find more information about our very well received inspirational work books on contemporary, free style machine embroidery, that has been published by the group.
The bowl in the photos is not the piece that I'm exhibition at Harrogate. That piece will remain a secret until then :-)

'Out Of The Fold' Textile Exhibition, Bury St. Edmunds, update...    Sunday, October 25, 2009



Friday evening, the 23rd October, we officially opened our Out Of The Fold with a private viewing. The ladies, who had been setting up the exhibition in the morning, had done a fantastic job! I just couldn't wait to get there in the evening to see the result! And it was lovely!!! The exhibition is in the down stairs gallery in the very center of Bury St Edmunds at Cavern4. The building is very old and the exhibition space has a lot of rustic character with white walls and black wooden beams. One of the ladies sold her stunning 'inside out' piece on the opening evening. I'm so happy for her. She is so talented.
I was stewarding the exhibition Monday morning and it was lovely chatting to the people who took time to stop by on a dull autumn morning. I will be stewading again, Friday afternoon (1pm-5pm) and all day Saturday the 31, which will be the last day the exhibition is open.

One of the themes for the exhibition, was that we were all to make a long slim quilt 18 inches x 48 inches on the title 'inside out'. I know that I'm biased, but it was superb to see all the 13 quilts hung side by side. Having all worked to the same size really had a strong visual impact, and for me emphasised the group identity. As a wonderful 'add on' these 13 long art quilts will be traveling to Australia in April/May. Annette Morgan, the groups mentor, has been invited to teach and to bring some British art quilts Down Under, and has asked if she could borrow our quilts. It is so exciting!!! The Australasian Quilt Convention 2010, Melbourne, Victoria
The quilt in this blog post is my 'inside out' quilt: "Through The Layers".



Stars, lots of stars....    Tuesday, October 20, 2009



Did I have a lot of fun last night :-) I belong to a quilting group called 'Material Girls'. We meet once a month for two hours at a community center. I have been coming to the group since we started it about 10 years ago. It is mainly a quilting group, but others crafts are represented as well. Everyone is welcome so we have the absolute beginners and new to quilting/patchwork to the very experienced. Usually about 15-25 ladies show up when we meet. Sometimes we have a lecture or a workshop, other times we help each other, if somebody has come to a grinding hold with a project. Last night I taught the 24 ladies. It was such a good laugh.
I had been asked to teach them how to make the very traditional Danish Christmas ornament, an origami star folded in paper or fabric. When I told my sister that I was going to teach star making to the group she just looked at me and said "you are a very brave lady!" She claims that she is yet to figure out how to make the stars after countless unsuccessful attempts. Anyway... All I had asked the ladies to bring was a small pointed pair of scissor and patience! I would provide a kit with pre cut strips and instructions. And I'm proud to say that most of the ladies went home with a star and a big smile on their face and no one broke down in tears..... :-)


'Out Of The Fold' at Cavern 4, Bury St. Edmunds    Monday, September 21, 2009



Have I been busy lately. YES!! Even though my blog has been neglected, I'm happy because I'm almost done preparing work for two different, upcoming exhibitions in one October with 'Out Of The Fold' and one November with 'Sindano'. Actually I'm taking part in a third exhibition with 'Fiberfusion' in November as well, at the Knitting and Stitching Show at Harrogate. That is why I've been pushing my self to get all the other exhibition work done, so that I can concentrate on that piece, which I haven't started yet. Mind you, I only did join 'Fiberfusion' recently, so that's my excuse. I'm not bored that's for sure :-)
We, the 'Out Of The Fold' Textile Group is having our second major exhibition of stitched and dyed textiles. This time it is a week long exhibition at 'Cavern 4', Whiting Street, in Bury St. Edmunds , Suffolk, England. The exhibition is on from the 24th-31st October. All new work from the 13 textile artists will be on display. I've seen group members working first on their design work and then on their pieces this last year and stunning work is being produced! It will be very exciting to see the exhibition finally hung. Please contact me for more information.

Do You Know 'Wordle' ?    Thursday, September 3, 2009

Tag word cloud:

The website 'Wordle' was recommended to me sometime ago. Kind of forgot about it, but the other day found the little note with the link, when I was tidying up my desk. I love incorporating words and text in my work. More often graphics is more important to me than the actual meaning of the words, so finding 'wordle' has been a lot of fun. On the web site you are able to create word clouds. You can either write/copy and paste a text, import an URL, or import your tags from Delicious. The word clouds that I have created here for this blog post are based on imports from my Etsy shop and my tags on Delicious. The results are just stunning. Don't go to the site unless you have more than a moment to spare. It is so addictive. (Don't say I didn't warn you :-) If you don't want to create your own clouds, then browse the gallery, for some stunning examples, that changes all the time.
The other day I mirror imaged a wonderful word cloud before printing it on a transparency (for ink jet printing). Painted some acrylic mat medium on to fabric, while still damp (you have to work quite quickly), I pressed the printed text transparency with the rough side down into the medium. Rubbed it with a spoon. And presto. The word cloud was transferred with the writing the right side up on to the fabric. Pretty neat. I could get carried away with this..... Here is the link you you want to have a play: Wordle

Etsy shop cloud:

    Monday, August 31, 2009


More Festival Of Quilts 2009    Friday, August 28, 2009

At 'The Festival Of Quilts' and at the 'The Knitting and Stitch Show' at Alexander Palace, London one of the many highlights is always the 'Graduate Show Case'. I find it so exciting talking to the graduates, looking at their work. Pure bliss when workbooks are on display. I love other peoples work/sketch books. It is so intriguing to follow the process from initial idea to the finished product. The creative energy is just mind boggling.
At 'The Festival Of Quilts' I just loved Fiona Wilson's work. It was so light and airy. So delicate. Her layered, stitched and lightly distressed pieces were just beautiful. I bought one of her pieces. It just had to come home with me and I love it! If you go to her lovely blog Fiona Wilson you'll find a lot of info about her work and you'll see what I mean
While browsing the huge and very tempting vendor area I stopped for quite a while to listen to a demonstration by Textile Artist Brenda Boardman. She was giving a superb talk on how she uses heavy weight Lutrador in her beautiful free style machine embroidered work. Lutrador is one of the products that I have never really gotten around to play with, so this was perfect getting all this inspiration and learning about it's properties. I bought two long and quite unhandy rolls of the 'stuff' and was logging them around for most of the day. Not particular smart, but I didn't want to waste my precious time going back to the coach. You can see Brenda Boardman's work on her web site: Brenda Boardman
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