Westhope

Last weekend of September brings the annual Westhope Group meeting. We are a group of up to 15 contemporary lacemakers (and allied crafts) who meet at Westhope College for mutual support and inspiration.

Saturday was spent on advanced paper-making with tutor Bobby Britnell. My main interest was in using pulp as a stiffening agent for 3D structures and so spent time experimenting with ways of applying pulp to random string constructions. Experimentation showed that for me the best option was pouring handfuls of pulp onto chosen areas, from a number of directions and then part drying it before adding more. This allowed me to build up certain areas and leave other relatively free from pulp. This is useful as I will not want to obscure the more intricate sections of lace in a structure.

Saturday evening is used for slide/power point presentations. I gave a 20minute presentation on the work that Carol Quarini and I did with Loop.ph on their Sonumbra project. This is something that I hate doing and usually avoid like the devil, however I have decided that it is time that I overcame this reluctance and must get some practice in. It must have gone down OK as two people afterwards asked why I don't give talks more often.

Sunday was used to discuss the work that will be used for our stand at the Knitting & Stitching shows next year. Some of the members need pushing to raise their game for these prestigious shows and others had to be convinced that the work could not have been shown anywhere else!

Embroiderer Ann Wheeler is co-ordinating the stands and Carol Quarini and I will be doing the staging with her at NEC and Alexander Palace.