Here is my latest effort in the patchwork picture department made over the last two weeks. A little bit more tricky because of the diamond pattern which I borrowed off Angel from ‘Escape to the Chateaux’, where she covered the walls of the turret that was to take the lift they installed with a patchwork of diamonds made of vintage wallpapers. I just used my fabric offcuts (which are running out now). I pinned the fabric over card diamonds, pinned fabric on back, slip stitched the diamonds in place on front and glued on back (PVA). I then removed the pins when dry and mounted in frame. The making and stitching brings me into the present through repeated actions of cutting and stitching. I will gradually approach drawing and painting again but am not pressuring myself. Covid 19 has made it difficult for me to respond creatively as I would normally, but it is all percolating away! Watch this space folks and have a go at patchwork pics, they are fun!

This drawing is from a very long time ago, another difficult time for me in my life for many reasons, and I got through that! The piece is barely there, discoloured and damaged but still exists. Art can help us through the tough times. Click to enlarge and see marks folks

Here is a little watercolour study I made of some patchwork on the back of a jacket of mine. The label is from a dress I wore for the evening do at my wedding in ’79.  It was bought in York from the iconic designer ‘Droopy and Brown’. Now out of business, the dresses themselves have become highly collectable vintage pieces. You can see the skirt of the dress hanging under the jacket. I chopped the top off the dress to make the patchwork, but have not destroyed the skirt! The fabric is a Liberty print. You can see a study of the skirt on a previous post before the patchwork pictures.The  patchwork  pictures  shared  on  a previous  post  grew  out  of  this  study,  Watch  this  space as  to  where  this  takes me  next!

I am finding very difficult to find the wherewithall to draw and paint because of the Covid 19 pandemic issues facing us all at the moment. I am trying to accept myself just as I am in this regard and am doing what I can. I find the repetitive action of sewing and choosing fabrics that work together brings me back into the present in a surprisingly comforting and yet still creative way.

These little pictures came after me doing some little watercolour samples in my sketchbook after the skirt drawings I have recently shared on here. Frustrated because my facebook account has been deactivated because it was hacked, but am taking the opportunity to connect through here and may revisit twitter which I used to really like. I am keen to keep in touch online as I feel it is an important creative way of connecting in these difficult times. Do have a go at patchwork yourself too, you don’t need a sewing machine just fabric needle and thread, glue and card! Click to enlarge folks!

This is a very large drawing that I dug out today A1. A bit discoloured and fragile but still with me! It’s of my eldest son Patrick at about age three. He is 35 now and 36 in October. Please click to enlarge to see detail folks!