Autumn Fruits

Over the last few weeks I have watched the berries adorning the hedgerows growing plump and glossy. Higher up in the foliage they contrasted beautifully against the green leaves like sparkling jewels in the early autumn sun. The weather has been glorious and the rain on Monday was refreshing and welcome indeed. Many of the branches have become so laden and full that they hang low, dancing in the Fen wind. Some birds, like redwings, fieldfares, thrushes and blackbirds will find most of their winter food from this year’s great profusion of berries.

An image of a cornucopia, the horn of plenty occupied my thoughts for the remainder of the morning and I thought I might make a version to celebrate the fruitfulness and abundance of the countryside around me.

I decided to continue working with merino wool fibres and made a piece of Nuno felt in the deep rich colour of the hawthorn berries. The finished piece had some lovely distortions and edges which lent itself to embellishment with beads, wired coils and hand stitching. A very satisifying process.

A Little Vessel

Without too much persuasion the felt coiled neatly into a freestanding shape.The next step was to add further interest in the form of hand stitching, beading and covered wire. I felt that the top edge was a little harsh so I added a toning piece of chiffon which was then distressed with a heat gun giving a softened more pleasing rim. I now have a permanent reminder of hedgerows laden with ripening blackberries.

   

I used the remaining felt to make some more samples to add to my collection. The first four are simple machine lines and grids. The second four are free machine stitching, all giving an interesting mix of raised surface distortions for future work.

Work in Progress 

On my walk today, I found a hedgerow of beautiful blackberries ripening in the sunshine, a ready made colour palate. My journey home was spent contemplating how best to use the colours.

The embellisher was my machine of choice and very quickly I had a base colour of ripening blackberries.

More colour was added along with some scrim to give a little extra texture to the finished felted fabric.

A little experimental sample before stitching with purpose. I made the felt over a medium weight silk so it was soft, pliable and lovely to stitch into.

Lastly, a little steam and some magical distortion gave a raised and textured surface. The fabric is naturally curling and seems to want to be 3D, so tomorrows task will be some surface embellishment to see where it leads.

Horse Chestnuts in the sunshine

 

The colours around me as I walked this morning were enhanced and intensified by the September sunshine.The low sun in the sky was both warming and uplifting and so good to feel after the grey clouds covering everything over the last few days.

The Horse Chestnut trees are just beginning to show their autumn colours on some of the leaves nearest the ground. When the production of chlorophyll slows down the lush green fades and the yellow and red pigments are revealed. The colours are quite beautiful to look at and the camera is a wonderful tool for exposing the finer details. 

September 1st

I found the colours of autumn very inspirational last year and from what I saw on my walk this morning – this year is set to reveal some beautiful autumnal colour palettes.

I walk 5 miles every morning come rain or shine. Walking in the beautiful countryside which surrounds my home fills me with the greatest joy. I have many routes that take my feet on a huge variety of terrains from bluebell filled woodlands to fields, hedgerows and if it rains enough a babbling brook or two. So much to see and no day is ever the same visually. It is quite simply my very special time when I can think with peace and clarity.