Best Christmas present ever!

Amazing news! My present this year is a felt rolling machine from Feltcrafts in Colorado.Having already used one of these in Finland,I can't wait to get to grips with my very own machine,which should have been shipped yesterday.It will ultimately have a permanent place in France and will be used for all the courses this year.Pictures later!
Meanwhile I've been experimenting with using a pasta machine to print small drypoint plates.Pictures of that later too .Christmas is over so should be time to do some work and make some progress.

Felt and fibre

I have been experimenting today with some new pre felt and silk combined which I bought from Rainbow silks-only a small sample so far, but the feel of it is really good and the recycled scarves felted to the surface really well.Trouble is ,my local charity shops all seem to have stopped selling nice fine scarves in deference to the winter,which is here with a vengeance today-sleet and slush!

The bottom sample has Habotai silk,silk Georgette,a scarf of unidentified content and some indigo dyed chiffon,and the first sample has more of the same with some cyanotyped satin at top left.Cyanotype will be part of my summer classes in France and is a technique which I really like,partly because it is an old method of photography and partly because it is so easy to do in a sunny place.

Doesn't time fly?

Can't believe it is so long since I blogged,but I have been busy,honestly! I visited the Ashmolean collection of John Piper works on paper-wonderful to see them in the flesh,so to speak,and to be able to draw there.My sketchbook is filling up,tho I miss being able to use my press to experiment with what I have done so far.Sadly,it is sitting in the French studio,but I can prepare plates here and will be starting on felt versions of my drawings after Christmas.
Then I went to a wonderful lace exhibition at Birmingham museum and Art Gallery,called LOST IN LACE.Very inspiring indeed and well worth a visit.
Hope to have pictures to add to my next blog as I'm about to launch into some felt experiments.