Birmingham and District Guild of Weaving, Spinning and Dyeing 'March 2012' 'Lord Of The Rings'

The Workshop for March involved preparing for 'The National Exhibition' This year it will be held 16 - 27th of July at the Weald and Downland Museum, in West Sussex.  Each Guild member has been invited to create an exhibit piece.

"Unselected work 
Guild members will be able to submit work that fits within a six-inch ring. Everything submitted will be hung together, in a special area for everyone’s enjoyment. It can be spun, woven, dyed, knitted, crochet, felted or any combination of these and perhaps in conjunction with other texhniques. The ring must be part of the exhibit."


How happily can a group of 'crafters' sit for five hours, creating a masterpiece within a six inch ring?  Very happily indeed is the answer.  The collage is a sample selection of the work that went on.  I am kicking myself for missing some real beauties, but I was very busy working on my own piece and photography was an afterthought.  Most, if not all members have taken their 'ring' away for completion.  So I am hopeful that I will get the opportunity to photograph them again in April.
              If you think a six inch ring can be uninspiring, think again.  There was a vast array of textile work being undertaken and imaginations and creativity were set free.  No two rings were alike and I am sure that when hundreds are hung together at 'The national Exhibition' they will make a stunning display.

This is my own 'Ring'.  It also happens to be the fuzziest photograph!  Sorry.  It is using my own hand spun yarns.  Unfortunately it looked much better in my head than in reality!  I chose a simple weaving idea from a children's textile book.  My first mistake was to assume it would be simple.  I crocheted the edge for my ring and I am using the Cute 'Daisy' pattern from Chalky's World to adorn my ring.  The Daisies are very quick and easy to crochet.  I am thinking of crocheting miniature daisies from embroidery thread to hide the edge of my 'Weaving Frame'.  Just what I always wanted. . . . . another Work in Progress.

I am very proud of my Mom's piece of work.  I really would like to pass it off as my own.  She embroidered this little design out of her very own head.  I am calling it 'Sheep May safely Graze' after one of my favourite pieces of music.  They look like happy little sheep munching spring flowers in the sunshine, growing lovely woolly fleece for us to knit with. 

This is an interesting ring using fibre and natural materials.  I have been assured the finished design will contain a miniature aeroplane.  Wow!

People explored designs using the 'stash' that they had and I really could have lost and hour or two mooching through sewing boxes, tins and bags if they would have let me.  I like the colours and sheen of these threads combined together and I think this is going to be a stunner when it is finished.

I really love the colours here and it is interesting to see the effect of weaving with fabric strips, rather than yarn or thread.  Check out the yummy stash too.

The lady who created this one lives on a boat.  I think she is capturing the water beautifully with the fibre, colours, movement and the tiny little beads.  I could dive in!

You can never have too much pink, shiny yarn.  I am very interested to see this one finished.  Look how neat the edging on the ring is!

I love the colours of this edging, again it is very neat.  I also love sparkly stars.  This is going to be a stunner.

I think tapestry weaving is very clever.  This cute design is going to turn out great.

I just want to give this one a rub.  I have never tried rug making, it is on my never ending list of things to try.

This is a nice solid design.  With the technique and the use of colour this piece really stands out from the crowd.

This is a beautiful Work in Progress using some very fine threads and what looks to be some intricate technique.  I am not sure how this is being made but it looks fantastic.  

Edit:  I don't know how I missed including this first time round!  This is going to be a tiny little sweater to go inside a ring.  Isn't it cute?  It would make Barbie incredibly happy I am sure :) 
            I am really kicking myself for the pieces I missed photographing, one was a bold 'Fire' theme design, another was some beautiful closely woven fabric and there was a beautiful piece of 'Tatting' being worked in hand dyed thread.
             I know my Buddy Claire has also been working on these at Stratford Upon Avon Guild where she is a member.  You can check out Claire's work in progress here at 'Simply. . . . Life':  She is working on a 2D 'Seascape' and a 3D needle felted Robins Nest, complete with tiny eggs.  Birmingham Guild are hoping, in July, to travel with Stratford Guild by coach to the National Exhibition.  I think we catch the coach at some ungodly hour.  Then I need to manage two or three hours on a coach.  I get extreme motion sickness.  I feel ill on planes, trains and automobiles.  I also could get sea sick on a mill pond!  Coaches and buses have to be my worse mode of transport second only to 'Cross Channel Ferries' where I literally turn a subtle shade of green.  Hence I tend not to stray very far from my own front door.
             I could not recommend enough that you grab yourself a 'six inch ring' and let your imagination run riot!  It is great fun to explore something new and you can make yourself (or somebody else) a crafty, textile wall hanging or mobile.  If you do have a go please don't forget to show me, I am nosey like that! 
             I hope you are having a good weekend, full of the stuff that makes you happy.  xxx