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New Beginner’s Course Starts

The new Beginners’ Course will start on Thursday 17th October
at Talgai Hall in Llandygai Village, nr Bangor, N Wales.

Dates and times are on the calendar below.

The course will run over eight sessions with strategically placed breaks to give sufficient preparaton time for the next stage, especially when we arrive at hand quilting.

A section from the 2013 Beginner's Quilt

The finished quilt measures 38”(96cm) x 50”(126cm)

The image above shows just one of the possible blocks which form the quilt design everyone will be working on, but each finished piece will be very different once individual fabric/colour choice and block selection is taken into account. I love to see how much variety there can be on each course.

I’m really looking forward to getting down to work and seeing the skills developing – with each new block bringing another system for piecing/layering/quilting and finishing.

I look forward to meeting everyone on Thursday 17th.

Dorothy

Beginners Course

  • 9:30 – 16:30
  • Thursday 17th October 2013
  • Thursday 24th October 2013
  • Thursday 7th November 2013
  • Thursday 21st November 2013
  • Thursday 5th December 2013
  • *Christmas break to make sure all the blocks, sashing and borders are ready.
  • Thursday 9th January 2014
  • Thursday 23rd January 2014
  • *Break to give time for hand quilting to be complete enough to bind/label and add hanger.
  • Thursday 27th February 2014

“…how quickly the year is going…”

It’s hard to believe how quickly the year is going: already the Intermediate/Advanced Course is well under way. It’s always lovely to see everyone again after the summer break.

Lots has been happening over our summer – it was very busy, and not a break at all!

First there was my exhibition, ‘Chocolates and Emotions’ at Ucheldre, in Holyhead; then the Region 13 quilt exhibition at Bangor Cathedral; finally we were very involved with the traveling exhibition ‘Spirit of the Celts‘ which came to Oriel Ynys Mon, where it opened on Saturday 3rd August and had its final day on Sunday 15th September. Spirit of the Celts exhibition at Oriel Ynys Mon Aug/Sept 2013 It got wonderful reviews and visitor comments. ‘Spirit’ is now in Scotland and will open at the McLean Art Gallery and Museum, Greenock (on the River Clyde) on St Andrew’s Day, Saturday 30th November. I hope the people of Scotland get as much from our exhibition as residents and visitors to Anglesey did. I spoke to some lovely people in the gallery and some of them made two, three or even four visits, which is wonderful!

Spirit of the Celts exhibition at Oriel Ynys Mon Aug/Sept 2013

Great to see no age barrier!

Thank you to everyone who came and a big thank you for all your lovely comments. The textile work in the exhibition was produced by 27 artists belonging to three different groups: Loose Threads from Northern Ireland, Turning Point from Scotland and last, but not least, the new kids on the block, Cwilt Cymru from Wales.

Members of Cwilt Cymru are well spread across Wales, living in Cardiff in the south, Anglesey in the north, Aberystwyth in the west, Ruthin in the east, and several points in between. I’m the member who lives on Anglesey. Currently we are preparing work, with guest artists, for our next touring exhibition which has the theme ‘Connection’.

 

I’m also working towards a one-woman-show at Oriel Ynys Mon (the Anglesey Gallery) in 2015 and there don’t seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything done. It’s good to have a deadline. I’m really enjoying experimenting with new approaches to my work.

This weekend, 5th and 6th October, I’ll be giving a talk and workshop to Region 15W of the Quilters’ Guild in Cumbria: the talk is ‘The Butterfly has Two Wings’ (I know they have four!) and I’ll be teaching Free Machine Quilting in the workshop. I’m really looking forward to it – I love meeting people, especially quilters, and it’s ages since I was in the Lake District – always a treat!

Dorothy

Spirit of the Celts Exhibition. 3rd August to 15th September at Oriel Ynys Mon, Llangefni.

Branwen1 exhibited as part of Spirit of the Celts at Oriel Ynys Mon Llangefni Aug/Sept 2013

Branwen1 exhibited as part of Spirit of the Celts at Oriel Ynys Mon Llangefni Aug/Sept 2013

An exhibition of textiles by:

Cwilt Cymru (Wales)

Turning point (Scotland)

Loose Thread Quilters (Northern Ireland)

These three textile groups have taken the folklore and history of the Celtic lands as their inspiration. They celebrate their quilting traditions with fabrics such as cotton, silk, or wool, but also explore new media such as paper, metal, plastic or paint. Stitching by machine or hand may be accompanied by beading, burning, and drawing. This is quilting as an exciting contemporary art form.

We would love to see you at the exhibition opening on Saturday 3rd August, 12 noon to 2pm where you will be able to meet one of the artists, Dorothy Russell, a member of Cwilt Cymru.

Oriel Ynys Mon is open every day from 10:30 – 5:00
Admission is free.
There’s plenty of parking and a very good cafe.

Coffee Morning and Show and Tell at Coed y Berclas

Coffee Morning and Show and Tell at Coed y Berclas

On Sunday 14th July I had a coffee morning with all of the members of my quilt groups who could make it. I had a wonderful morning and from the feedback I have received in emails and comments, I wasn’t alone. It’s great to be able to relax together and enjoy each others’ company without the pressure of deadlines for work to be done.

Now that Daf and I have gone gluten free, I have taken a new look at baking. On the internet I chose three recipes to try: Carrot Cake, Lemon Drizzle Cake and Pear and Chocolate Cake: they all feature ground almonds and eggs, with no flour, although one has mashed potato in place of it! They were easy to make, and to eat – I think, on balance my favourite was the Pear and Chocolate Cake which I made with 90% Lindt!

I cut the cakes into small slices to encourage everyone to try all three without embarassment – you know how sensitive we women are about being seen tucking into huge wedges of cake, let alone coming back for more!

Luckily, there are no photos of any of us eating – much kinder that way.

But there are images of our ‘show and tell’.It’s always wonderful to see what everyone has made and even though I see everyone in one group or another, I can still see new or unknown work.

Rachel's Quilt from Intermediate Class.

We don’t only produce textile work either – Anneli, one of the younger generation of quilters produces beautiful work both in textiles and wood, but I think her next production will be her best yet. Anneli’s baby was due to be born on the very day of the coffee morning but she made it to the end without going intcident. There were plenty of volunteers to hold her hand and we even had a midwife, Rachel, on hand, but her skills were not required. It would have brought a different meaning to ‘show and tell’ though, wouldn’t it!

Anneli

I musn’t be too long arranging another coffee morning, quite a lot of people couldn’t come to this one and we all love informal ‘get togethers’ – and an excuse to find new cake recipes. Perhaps we’ll have our youngest ever member at the next one.

Eileen’s Magic Tile Quilt – a ‘one to one’ workshop

Magic Tile one to one workshop. Dorothy Russell

For three days this week I have had company in my workroom. Eileen, her husband, Lee and their son Eoin (or Eoghan – pronounced like Owen) stayed in our holiday cottage here at Coed y Berclas. As a birthday present from Lee, Eileen had three days of patchwork and quilting tuition with me.

She had selected ‘Magic Tile’ which is fairly complex and requires a number of different techniques – a very good choice, because over the three days we covered – fabric use for her fuscia design, ‘bondawebbing’, cutting to design lines, re-assembling using joining strips, machine quilting ‘in the ditch’ and applique stitch (a blanket stitch on the machine).

Eileen will finish quilting, beading and binding her hanging in her own time and has promised to send me an image of the finished quilt which will appear in a subsequent blog. It was a delight working with her while her husband and son discovered some of the pleasant ways to pass the time on Anglesey and North Wales. They had fun too.

I Must Remain Calm for the NEC

Contemporary Quilt Exhibition for Festival of Quilts

Horizons

I Must Remain Calm. Art Quilt. Dorothy Russell

Well, I believe I work well to deadlines, but this time I think I took it to the wire…

I had been intent on making a piece of work for the ‘Horizons’ exhibition at the NEC but getting everything ready for my own exhibition ‘Emotions and Chocolates’ at Ucheldre Holyhead took priority as I watched the deadline getting closer and closer.

Once my Ucheldre exhibition opened, I mentioned ‘Horizons’ to Daf… he said “just do it” – so I started – with just four days to the deadline!

Well, it took three days – and I got to eat and sleep.

The name of the hanging – ‘I Must Remain Calm’!

Dorothy
29th June 2013

Romsey Quilters and the Opening of My Exhibition at Ucheldre in Holyhead, Anglesey

Notan Quilt workshop at Romsey Quilters. Dorothy Russell

A big thank you to Romsey Quilters who were so enthusiastic and made Daf and I feel very welcome. What a lively, organised group, it was a delight talking to you and the results from the ‘Notan’ workshop were lovely both in paper and when translated into fabric

Notan Quilt workshop at Romsey Quilters. Dorothy Russell

Many thanks to Lin Arnold for these two photos.

I’d love to see more images of some quilted and finished pieces. It’s a long drive from Anglesey to Romsey but you made it all worthwhile.

We were struck by the lovely architecture which has been retained and looked after in Romsey and particularly enjoyed our walk round the Abbey – which is not only special architecturally but also contains some beautifully worked textiles, including the altar cloth which, we found out, was one of a set made by a founder member of Romsey Quilters. We also managed a short drive in the New Forest, which we thoroughly enjoyed – we especially loved a newly re-thatched roof which looked just perfect and some stunning pargetting. It all added to the joy of our visit. A long drive home, but we made it, safe and sound, if a little tired.

This Thursday, at 6:00pm is the opening of my exhibition ‘Emotions and Chocolates’ at Canolfan Ucheldre, Holyhead, so if you’re in the area, please come along.

Dorothy Russell Quilt exhibition at Ucheldre Centre, Anglesey

The exhibition runs from Friday 21st June – Wednesday 17th July and the Centre is open every day. It’s a great venue and there’s always something going on there, including live stage performances of drama and music; films, exhibitions and recently they started showing ‘live from’ operas and ballets – these are proving very popular around the country.

I hope that even if you can’t get to the opening of my exhibition, you’ll be able to see it before the 17th July.

Dorothy

17th June 2013

Beyond the Wall. Art Quilt by Dorothy Russell

Beyond the Wall 1

Part of a series of work following a long term interest and admiration of the work of outdoor sculptor Andy Goldsworthy.

Cotton fabrics. Various techniques used which include; reverse applique, machine quilting and applique, hand and free-machine quilting and beading.

  • 82cm x 38cm
  • Cotton
  • Reverse Applique
  • Applique
  • Machine quilted
  • Free-machine quilted
  • Hand quilted
  • Beading
Beyond the Wall 2. Art Quilt by Dorothy Russell

Beyond the Wall 2

Part of a series of work following a long term interest and admiration of the work of outdoor sculptor Andy Goldsworthy.

Cotton fabrics. Various techniques used which include; reverse applique, machine quilting and applique, hand and free-machine quilting and beading.

  • 81cm x 38cm
  • Cotton
  • Reverse Applique
  • Applique
  • Machine quilted
  • Free-machine quilted
  • Hand quilted
  • Beading
Beyond the Wall 2. Art Quilt by Dorothy Russell

Beyond the Wall 3

Part of a series of work following a long term interest and admiration of the work of outdoor sculptor Andy Goldsworthy.

Cotton fabrics. Various techniques used which include; reverse applique, machine quilting and applique, hand and free-machine quilting and beading.

  • 45cm x 96cm
  • Cotton
  • Reverse Applique
  • Applique
  • Machine quilted
  • Free-machine quilted
  • Hand quilted
  • Beading
Beyond the Wall 4. Art Quilt by Dorothy Russell

Beyond the Wall 4

Part of a series of work following a long term interest and admiration of the work of outdoor sculptor Andy Goldsworthy.

Cotton fabrics. Various techniques used which include; reverse applique, machine quilting and applique, hand and free-machine quilting and beading.

  • 54cm x 86cm
  • Cotton
  • Reverse applique
  • Machine quilted
  • Free-machine quilting
  • Hand quilted
  • Beaded

Free-cut curves workshop. May 2013.

Free-cut curves workshop. may 2013. Dorothy Russell

Yesterday I taught Free-cut Curves to a slightly disorientated group – they thought I had thrown away the rule book. I’m usually very fussy about safety and the correct use of rotary cutters. I’m prone to hissing ‘blade!’ at poor unsuspecting quilters who wave about or put down bare bladed cutters – with good reason, they are potentially very dangerous. However to do free-cut curves, you don’t use a ruler, just the cutter and mat. It tends to raise everyone’s caution levels but it gives some very interesting results.

Free-cut curves workshop. may 2013. Dorothy Russell

I feel tempted to say ‘Don’t try this at home’ but I’ll resist and say try it by all means but be very careful – I think the best approach would be to remember when you were a child doing lino printing and you were told never to cut towards your fingers. The same approach applies to free-cut curves. Most adults are used to using sharp knives in the kitchen, so give it a go!

Free-cut curves workshop. may 2013. Dorothy Russell

The curves can’t be too tight or they’d become very difficult to stitch together. You don’t actually need pins to line up the seams but I do still advise using a quarter inch foot when sewing them. You can’t get the same results from a conventional approach, so perhaps the group were right – we had thrown at least some of the rule book away.

Free-cut curves workshop. may 2013. Dorothy Russell

 

 

 

When I looked at everyone elses fabrics, I thought they were all much more interesting than the ones I had brought for demonstrating – how many times has that been heard at a workshop!

 

 

 

A few people brought work from earlier workshops or completed work from one of the courses.

fabric dyeing workshop. Summer 2013. Dorothy Russell

A week ago I taught ‘Fabric Dyeing’ which was agreed by everyone to be great fun, and some of the results very exciting – it probably helps that you have to wait at least three hours (I usually leave them overnight) before you can see the results of your experiments. It’s like Christmas Day for quilters, but instead of presents we open surprise packages of multicoloured fabrics and enjoy the patterns and colours which have formed. Margaret Harrison and Marion Gash brought their dyed pieces for us to see and they both had lovely fabrics which could be cut up and used or layered and quilted as wholecloth.

Students work from workshops. Dorothy Russell

Previously, I had taught ‘Reverse Applique’ and Sue Turnbull brought the piece she had started at that workshop. Her arrangement is formal, but fun, and the jewel colours glow like the glass in a stained-glass window against the black of the top fabric. She has choices now about how to finish off her little quilt: she could have it framed as it is: do further quilting, perhaps on the black fabric: add decorative stitches and/or beading to the coloured sections or make lots more and join them together. (I can hear Sue’s response to the last suggestion as I write!)

Students work from workshops. Dorothy Russell

 

 

 

 

As part of her Intermediate Course, Ann Hill took Matisse’s cutouts as her starting point and allied his approach and colours to looking at women in sport – an allusion to last summer’s Opympic Games. The boat depicted in the lowest section is a Drascombe Lugger which once belonged to Ann and her husband. Ann’s husband is currently involved in a cycle ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats. (Good luck to him – I hope the weather’s kind.)

 

 

 

 

Students work from workshops. Dorothy Russell

 

As part of the same project, Ann Davies, influenced by the work of a local artist, used a photograph she had taken of the foamy ripples of a wave on an Anglesey beach as the starting point from which she built this textile piece. She used a fascinating little hand drill to put the stitching holes in the shells and employed a lot of techniques, which were new to her, to very good effect.

 

Dorothy

Canadian Quilters at Coed y Berclas. 19th May 2013.

Presentation to Canadian Quilters at Coed y Beclas

I’ve just had another really lovely day.

Liz and Peter Cox of Quilters Travel brought a group of absolutely delightful Canadian quilters to Coed y Berclas to see my work.

They were on a fairly tight schedule: they arrived at 09:45, took in the amazing view from our house, my talk lasted an hour (10:00 – 11:00, very tightly controlled!) then we had coffee/tea and homemade Welsh cakes while we chatted about the quilts. At 11:45 (precisely!) they drove away in their coach for lunch at The Bull in Beaumaris.

It felt like a bit of a whirlwind visit but I truly enjoyed every minute – they were so interested and so very pleasant to spend time with. I’d love to be invited over to Canada to do some workshops.

After a very brief lunch I whizzed off to the dress rehearsal for the dance show I’ll be appearing in (very briefly!) next Saturday, at Venue Cymru in Llandudno. There’s a fair bit of waiting around at a dress rehearsal, but in the best of company!!! Roll on the show!! We’re Rubic’s Cubes …………….!

Dorothy

Reverse Applique Workshop. 16th May 2013.

Reverse Applique Workshop. Dorothy Russell

I had a really lovely day teaching Reverse Applique today. I saw lots of people I hadn’t seen for weeks – I hadn’t realised how much I’d missed them until they started arriving. We’ve got to have a get-together soon; a coffee morning or something similar, where we aren’t working on anything more serious than relaxing together.

Reverse Applique Workshop. Dorothy Russell

The atmosphere in the room was great – a blend of ‘busy-busy’ and Liz’s amazingly ‘mucky’ laugh: I could do with her in every workshop to keep the group smiling.

Reverse Applique Workshop. Dorothy Russell

Everyone brought an individual approach to her work and, as this session is really about learning a new technique, I look forward to see how everyone applies it to future textile pieces.

Reverse Applique Workshop. Dorothy Russell

The results were really good and I have it on good authority that everyone enjoyed the workshop – they told me so!

Reverse Applique Workshop. Dorothy Russell

Next week it’s Fabric Dyeing which is always fun and great to see the results. Like Reverse Applique, there are always unexpected outcomes – part of the enjoyment is in the ‘serendipity’ effect.

Fabric Dyeing Workshop. Dorothy Russell

I had a phone call from Roy at the Anderson Gallery to say he has finished framing the small quilts for my exhibition at Ucheldre, which opens at the end of June, so now I can relax a bit and look forward to that!

Dorothy

Wholecloth and Machine Quilting Workshops

9th May 2013

Wholecloth and Machine Quilting are now completed – both busy workshops. I look forward to seeing some of the completed wholecloth quilts when they’re finished: the designs, drawn out on fabric and partly quilted, already look really good and once the magic of stitch brings them to life, I know they’ll more than live up to that promise.

Dorothy Russell machine Quilting Workshop

Machine Quilting is more about learning a technique, which can then be practised and practised and applied wherever it’s required. I love the fact that people leave the class more relaxed and confident with the though of using this technique in their quilts.

Dorothy Russell machine Quilting Workshop

Next Thursday I’ll be teaching Reverse Applique (link the words ‘reverse applique’ to the it’s page in the ‘workshops section) which is a great technique with an element of surprise in it every time: I’m looking forward to seeing the results.

Dorothy

Schizm 4. Art Quilt by Dorothy Russell

Schizm 4

Silk fabrics, machine pieced and closely free-machine quilted, representing divisions, wherever they may occur.

Schisms divide societies, countries, friends and families. Rifts occur and are portrayed in this series.

  • 73cm x 21cm
  • Silk
  • Machine piecing
  • Free-machine quilted
Schizm 3. Art Quilt by Dorothy Russell

Schizm 3

Silk fabrics, machine pieced and closely free-machine quilted, representing divisions, wherever they may occur.

Schisms divide societies, countries, friends and families. Rifts occur and are portrayed in this series.

  • 75cm x 34cm
  • Silk
  • Machine piecing
  • Free-machine quilted
Shogun. Pieced contemporary by Dorothy Russell

Shogun

Wall-hanging made for the opening exhibition of the Royal Armouries in Leeds.

Having been to a superb exhibition of Japanese art and crafts in London several years before, I decided to base this piece of work on the family crests of some of the the major families in Japan.

Cotton and silk chiffon, silk painted, hand beaded, piped and entirely hand quilted.

  • size
  • Cotton
  • Silk chiffon
  • Silk painted
  • Beaded
  • Piped
  • Hand quilted
Hidden Treasure. Art Quilt by Dorothy Russell

Hidden Treasure

This wood and silk hanging was made to be part of an exhibition celebrating the opening of Staircase House Museum – a medieval building in Stockport dating back to about 1460.

It represents the fact that the building itself was hidden by centuries of accumulated grime and mis-use – it was nearly demolished but was saved, despite a fire which did much damage, especially to the rare ‘cage newel staircase’ for which it is famed and from which it takes its name.

The silk panels represent different periods in its history, up to the present day.

  • 141cm x 104cm
  • Wood
  • Silk
  • Hand quilted