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spring cleaning...

1/2/2019

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Although it's cold here the sky is clear, the sun is out and there's a beautiful heavy frost; a perfect day for a winter walk.  We're very lucky as the InStitches Studio is  in the countryside and we only need to walk out of the front door, turn left and stroll down the lane.
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It was such a joy to reach the ford and spy lots and lots of perky snowdrops showing in the winter undergrowth.  As we walked back up the drive we could see the daffodils buds  beginning to swell and underneath the bluebells  beginning to push through.  Each season brings it's own delights, but I'm hoping spring won't be too long coming.
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Last year we'd been given a couple of older sewing machines which we thought would be useful for studio use, but with everything that's been happening recently we've not been able to sort them out.  Until yesterday: time to give them a spring clean and see if they worked. 
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Hmmmm...looks like the previous owner didn't clean out this machine very often!  
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It was weirdly satisfying, however, poking about in the (unplugged!) sewing machine collecting all the, broken threads and years of built up dust and fluff.  A quick lubrication and the machine is running smoothly now.

How often do you clean out your machine?  I've a little rule: every change of bobbin means a quick fettle around with the cleaning brush,  and every now and then I take the vacuum cleaner nozzle and give the whole machine a 'deep' clean.  Remember, a machine that's full of dust and fluff isn't likely to run well and could have tension issue. 

A clean machine is a happy machine and a happy machine means a contented sewer!

Hazel & Terry
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Tools of the trade: the credit card

14/12/2018

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As you would expect at this time of the year our flexible friend is very much in use, but here in the InStitches Studio perhaps not in a way you would first expect! 
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 'Retired' plastic cards (credit, debit, store, gallery or Premier Inn keycard!) are definatly our favourite creative tool.  Whether it's for mixing and printing, mark-making and scraping or using with a silk screen, the humble credit card is hard to beat. 
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We seem to have an ever increasing supply of these small rectangles of plastic but the two pictured above are my favourites - thanks V&A!  In  Bringing Colour to Life  this week they were being used for simple mark-making with thickened Procion dyes.
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But first of all it was used for mixing and blending,
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then it was used to scrape down broad strokes of dye as students began to explore colour.
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Here the basic cool and warm primaries are being lightened and darkened by either the addition of extra manutex or brown dye.
And then they were off - exploring the mark making potential of this humble piece of plastic!

What's your favourite mark making tool?

Hazel & Terry 
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Creative warm-ups: limited tools

7/12/2018

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Last week when I was up in London I popped into a large well known art shop with the intention of buying a few bits and pieces as a treat for Terry and I to use in the Studio. There was so much choice and I felt overwhelmed; In the end I left empty handed.

​With so much choice these days it's good to sometimes go back to basics and keep it simple and this week in the Studio we did just that!
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As you can see - I gave the Inspiration to Stitch students a selection of mark making tools - all three of them: half a wooden tongue depressor, half a lolly stich and half a cosmetic bud plus 3 inks - Quink writing ink, a drawing ink and Indian Ink; in any colour they wanted - as long as it was black.
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At first the mark making was safe

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    Welcome to our blog! Here you'll find out what's been going on, plus plenty of ideas and inspiration and the odd cake recipe!

    Check back often to see what we're up to - it's great to have you along

    Hazel & Terry
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