Moss on my mind

I never thought I'd become so entranced  by mosses!! I did  a course on them in North Wales while I was at University (my chief memory being a goat underneath a table at a cafe we went to) and tried to get to grips with them in my survey days on Salisbury Plain. For several years I managed a project on their ex situ conservation but it wasn't until I was responsible for growing them myself that I was really smitten (these photos from down the microscope  are some I grew from tiny pieces of leaf)  So much to discover and now potential for a Very Big Project on the cards.  They may start creeping into my quilts.Perhaps I'm turning into a Moss Witch, if so Ian beware!!  

Grass Cuttings

 I took a quilt into work today and hung it on the wall - it looks at home above a spreadsheet of 140  threatened mosses needing conservation action. I moved desks a couple of weeks ago after nearly 15 years in an office that also serves as the tea-room. Somehow I never felt like hanging anything up there  but now, despite being  tucked into a corner of the main lab, it feels a more personal space. 

The quilt is  titled 'Grass Cuttings', companion piece to 'Grass Clippings' (below) which was selected for 'Fabric of Nature' exhibition at Nature in Art Museum and Gallery, Gloucester in 2004. It then went onto Festival of Quilts in 2005, and Yusa-Machi in Japan in 2006.

 They were both made from the scraps leftover from a double size bed quilt started in an Alison Schwabe workshop at 'La Maison du Patchwork'. Now I've got my Pfaff Grandquilter that may even get quilted and put into action!

I was so pleased with the effect of these 2 scrap quilts that I attempted the same technique when CQ had the 'Fissures' challenge. But it never got off the ground - far harder to manufacture scraps than you might think!

Box Hill

 The rain held off and we finally made it to Box Hill to begin building our walking stamina for Crete in April. A combination of the 'Short Walk' and 'Nature Walk' brought us to my favourite bit of chalk grassland  with views over the ridge we'd puffed up and distant vistas of Surrey vines.

 This spot has provided inspiration for a couple of Journal Quilts - in March 2005, and later in the season October 2008.

 Although I'd brought sketching materials, it was  too cold to draw so concentrated on taking photos.

 A few whimsical like the Tower with a quiff and the moss bird

But mainly rather blurry closeups of textures and shapes (the light levels were low)
I loved the white swirls of old-mans beard against the dark branches.
Then cheeks glowing back to London for a £6.95 veggie curry  buffet at Ravi Shanker's on Drummond Street. Now I'm ready for a bath and early night.

Down the Microscope

Today I was playing with a potential new toy at work - a compound microscope ( for slides and sections). Isn't this moss leaf cool when magnified 400 times?! Even better when I've 'adjusted' it in Photoshop! Hope we have the money for it in the next financial year
I was thinking how well cells work as inspiration for textiles. I've done a few small quilts before based on bits of plant and lab equipment, mainly as leaving presents for staff/students.


Off tomorrow to 'Country Living Fair' (not sure it's quite my thing but I received a complimentary ticket) and for preview of Margaret's Foundation Course Exhibition. Having followed her work with baited breath I'm looking forward to seeing the results.
I'm also wondering whether I can squeeze in a visit to London Graphic Centre - not content with stocking up at Cass Arts sufficiently to acquire a free magenta bag.