Inspired

Inspired?  Well maybe!  Having spent a few months in the creative doldrums, not to mention the distraction of Christmas, I needed to get my act together to make a sample for the forthcoming Textilia 3 exhibition at Gawthorpe Hall.  Taking inspiration from a collection of items that had been given to Miss Rachel B Kay-Shuttleworth, I have to produce a suitable response.

I chose a silk bodice which was described as 'worn by Lady Makins'.  It had raised-work irises running diagonally across the garment. The curators told me that the bodice would have been worn only a few times before it was discarded, but most likely re-modelled.  It struck me that this was the last word in disposable fashion.  I started to wonder what would Lady Makins choose as an alternative?  The devore printing technique had been recently invented and was very popular at the turn of the 20th Century.

After a series of disastrous experiments with devore paste and layers of different types of fabric, I had to revert to standard devore fabric.  This small 4x4" sample will be used to introduce each of the participating artists.  My sample is 3 layers of silk-viscose satin, velvet and georgette fabric, cut back to reveal each piece which I hope is reminiscent of a fabric sample book.