Kestrel - in progress

Kestrel in progress for our Christmas card this year. Painting on silk and hand stitching.

Field boundary

First walk out after the flu, Monday. Quick sketch out in the field and home to scratch into the thick paper and add colour. Postcard size.

Sampler finished!

Feeling better and the sampler is finished. It was good company when I was ill. The bottom line reads buttonhole, bullion and french knots, tufted stitch, cretan stitch with fly infills.

Circles sampler

The sampler so far. Latest ones are herringbone and chain in a circle ( bottom right). I have been unwell and spent a lot of time thinking about stitching this week rather than doing it. I could at least do the seeding because it didn't need thought or inspiration. What a great stitch seeding is, it makes me consider which other stitches can be used to join fabrics together in that abstract way. Perhaps when the 'flu haze retreats..........

2 more circles with stitches.

Two more circles with stitches on the sampler. Both are detached chain or lazy daisy. I had this sampler with me at the West Country Quilt Show on Saturday in Bristol. Hello to all the lovely people who came and chatted to me on the Brunel Broderers stand. It was a great day out and a very positive feeling to contrast with the tragedy in Paris the night before.

Windhover page.

 Kestrel page in my sketchbook- words from The Windhover- G.M.Hopkins.

 Going over to Guild at 51 today in Cheltenham- taking a few handmade cards and the Strawberry Thief with me.

Kestrel sketch.

Kestrel sketch from the photo posted yesterday. While I am drawing I am thinking how will I stitch this and what do I want to say? Kestrel numbers have crashed in the last 10 years.

I.C.B.P. Kestrel.

Fantastic day out last Friday, despite the weather, at the International Centre for Birds of Prey at Newent. These are my best photos because the kestrel perched right in front of us. This day out was to provide photos to work from for the exhibition in June. (Tudor hunting lodge at Newark Park) I am looking at falconry because they would have used birds in the Tudor hunt. Reading H for Hawk got me very interested. I am now reading The peregrine- J.A.Baker.

Feather printing

 A peacock feather- printed with gold paint. The same feather but it came out different each time. Which makes me think of changing moods, seasons, time.

A swan feather print. Always crisper on paper softer on fabric.

Peacock feather portrait

Peacock feather in progress and finished - the background is parachute silk, light as a feather! I have to work a little into the background fabric to anchor it. I don't know what its destiny is .......time will tell.