Cloth and Memory - A class with Beverly Ayling Smith

I have been away at Fibre Arts, this time my class was with Beverly Ayling Smith, this is a link to her website

The first activities involved techniques for distressing fabrics and mending. 

I made many of my samples into a concertina book.

These are some of the samples prior to being made into the book. There were lots more made which I plan to use in other projects.

Each class makes something for the ‘Top’ Table. At the end of the week there is a fun auction with all the items on the table sold to the highest bidder. The proceeds go to charity, this year to supporting the development of wells in India. Usually, the items reflect the work that is undertaken in the class 

This is the piece that I made. Each class member made a piece and they were attached to each other and made into 

This winding scroll. 

This was my major piece. The title of the work, No Longer at my Table, reflects on the people who are no longer in my life and consequently at my table. I decided to honour them with a napkin wrap that reflects my memories of them. 

I liked that the backs also had a cross when the wrap was tied.

Each napkin was made from old and large or oversized damask serviettes, rolled and stitched together.

The wraps were all the same size and made from pieces of distressed and mended/darned fabrics. Cross stitches were also incorporated into each piece.

Beverly had many pieces of her work with her,  these two pieces are examples of  her work that I particularly liked.