springtime in the studio

Fresh Scilly Narcissi.

new format cards

I've been selling this small range of square 'Domestic Bliss' cards for the last year and although they are totally lovely I really felt that they perhaps lacked something. 

Perhaps they were just too small and being overlooked? 

My most recent Cornish Cottage cards are all printed at a slightly larger size, 15 x 15cm (6" x 6") and look great, you can see the stitched details beautifully as well as having more space inside for your thoughts and wishes. 

With this new range of square cards printed at a larger size I felt that this little lot could have a Gok Wan style make over and would benefit from a new look. So here they are, all shiny and new!

 The Domestic Bliss range

 5 designs

Compare and contrast!

I'd love to hear what you think about their new look. Why not have a look up close at www.textileillustration.co.uk 

Happy Stitching

Cat x

pictures from the studio 2

Still in my gently-does-it frame of mind, I thought I would share with you some of the pictures the brilliant photographer Stewart Girvan  took last Friday afternoon of the studio and it's contents. 

I was in need of some new studio photographs and profile pictures, so I called in Stewart to solve the problem. Here is only a taster of what he shot, but I'm absolutely delighted with the results and can't wait to share more in the coming weeks. 

I love this close up shot of some sewing in action, the attention detail and focus on the stitching is great. 

This picture has become my new profile on facebook. I like the fact that i'm busy concentrating on my work and not trying to smile at the camera!

I love the angle at which this shot is taken, the edge of the table almost looks like a water line and my sewing machine looks like it's just floating on the surface. It reminds me of the analogy of a duck, calm and still on the surface but paddling like mad underneath!  

Happy stitching

Cat x

pictures from the studio

It's been a while since I've shared anything so I thought I would ease myself gently back into the swing of things with a few photos of the studio from the month so far. All have a nice bright and colourful feel to them, roll on Spring! 

Easter cards

On the table

Pencil Pot

ramblings

Yesterday I spent an arty day with friends, we took a circular walk stopping to draw, take photos, notice the small details that sometimes pass you by as we go about our busy lives. It was absolute bliss!
 

Views from gate posts. Just the glimps of water over the tree tops.

 Sketching in my wellies, we were prepared for the weather!

Noticing the flora and fauna in Cornish hedges!

Artistically framed wildlife!

Fantastic colours, textures and details.

travel journal

I thought I would share a few pictures of a travel journal commission that I've just finished. The brief was to make a journal for a campervan owner encompassing some of my textile images on the cover. 

The finished deign was made up of a collection of some of my textile illustrations printed onto good quailty card, I added a strip of bookbinding cloth along the spine for added strength and durability in compilmentary navy blue.

As a nice finishing touch I added blue and white striped headbands to the top and bottom edge of the book block and used some decorative printed paper for the end pages.

The pages inside are divided into eight sections, and are a collection of cartridge paper, lined paper, plain and tracing paper which I printed some nice bright colourful images onto. Every other section has a brown envelope bound into the spine for saving things in.

I'm delighted with the end result and definately think i'll make some more either as gifts, commissions or to use myself!

Thanks for reading
Cx
  

being more artful

Now here's the thing, display as inspiration.

It may come across as procrastination, but i'm sure arranging your sewing equipment, tools of the trade, threads, needles, pins and scissors and especially fabrics in an aesthetically pleasing manner can be defined as productive. I do alot of this, my fabrics are arranged by colour and pattern. To all scorning friends or spouses, better or worse halves, the time spent organising your stash of crafting parafinalia should only ever be seen as useful. How else are you to find that delighted reel of raspberry thread if it's not placed seductively next to the lime green spool of silk. Or the exquisitely made fabric pinking shears if they do not sit well in the old wooden  tray that you rescued from the antique shop last week giving it new life and a new purpose?


In reality our lives are less like Country Living interiors and more like crazy turbulent happenings, with friends, family, children and partners all taking their bit. If we have time to do anything that helps us feel creative, if it's only appreciating other's artfully arranged equipment even better, I feel better just breathing in the bunch of blooming threads above. If we can do just a little bit of tidying each day ourselves then we feel as if we've made real progress!

In my reality things looks like this:

 
I definately could do better here in the display as inspiration stakes. I hope this little plastic tray of threads tells you that i'm busy doing other things, hopefully other creative things, than to arrange them nicely. Either way i'm inspired by the colours and their potential, one day i'll pick them up to use, but for now it's time to log back into Pinterest and breathe deeply in other folks artful arrangements!

Happy Stitching
Cat x

packed full

Stuffed brown paper hearts.

Cut two identical hearts from brown packaging paper (these are about 6 inches or 15 cm across), stamp a message on the front of one heart. Place both hearts together, and stitch with the sewing machine 1/2 cm from the edge all the way around leaving a gap at the bottom so you are able to fill the heart with the goodies of your choice, why not pop in a little lovely message too. Finish stitching and send to the recipient of your choice!

Viola! A lovely and quick valentine's gift. Vary the shape for a Birthday or Christmas surprise!

other days elsewhere

A perfect sunday morning? Croissants and coffee, even better if we were in Paris.

pigment and water

I thought you might like to see what i've been working on during the last couple of weeks.
I've been drawing and painting which is a refreshing change from all the little pieces of fabric i'm usually surrounded by. It's small watercolour commission of a client's Sister's house, for an anniversary present (so keep it a secret until the party's over)!

I'm really pleased how it's all come together. To be honest I've had the sketched outline complete for the last 10 days, I just needed to undertake the watercolour 'bit', which was a little daunting seeing as I let too much time go by since drawing it out. I should have just gone and painted it when it was all still fresh in my head and fingers, but I didn't, but it's turned out alright and i'm very pleased that it's now complete and can go to it's new home.

So my next job is to photograph it properly for my records (woeful pre 2008) and to lovingly package it up and send it off to the client. Fingers and toes crossed that she and her sister will love it as much as I do.

I have to say that that's one of the nerve wracking parts of making a piece of work for somebody else, what if they don't like it? Touch wood that hasn't happened yet.... however I try and give each client lots of options when commissioning work and do make lots of notes so I can get a really good feel for the piece of work they really want.

I'll be brave and post feedback when I get it!

Happy painting!
Cat x

motivation for the rest of february

house keeping

Happy New Year to you all!

Firstly, I just want to say many thanks for reading the blog during 2011 and I hope that you will continue to dip in and out as you please this year. I'm feeling particularly good about 2012, it's got a good vibe about it already, twenty twelve, twothousand and twelve, feels nice flowing off the tongue. I'm strangly comforted that it's an even number as well.
 

I thought I would start with a little reflection and fulfilling a promise I made to share with you the commission I undertook at the start of December, at long last here are the promised photos of the double trouble commission I was working on before Christmas. I do apologise for the delay, but I think I can be forgiven being caught up in the little festive season of Christmas and the New Year!

So here's "Sydney Harbour"

and "St.Ives Harbour" (Cornwall, Uk)

 

I'm delighted with the finished results. I feel that I've upped my game with the level of detail, scale and perspective in each piece. I'm especially pleased with the quality of the stitching in the Sydney piece, the bridge was a real challenge and it had to be perfect, I only had one go at those cable lines and they had to be straight! I don't use pencil lines for guides and so stitched free hand. 

Trying to capture in fabric such a recognisable landmark as the Opera House was a concern, the iconic sail like roof tops in particular presented a unique visual puzzle. By using different white on white or white on cream patterned fabrics I was able to suggest successfully the different angles and shadows on the roof line.

My favourite aspect of the "St.Ives" piece is the overall colour palett used reflecting the pelucide light that has drawn artists to the town for centuries. The quiet and subtle colours all suggest the sun's warmth caught in the  fisherman cottages that line the harbour town.

My next project is another commission. The client wants a textile illustration of Crantock Beach here in Cornwall. They saw a piece I made last year (below) of a line of washing overlooking the sunkissed beach and really liked it, so i'm going to do another piece specfically for them without the washing, and possibly from a different view point. I love the research stage of a project and can't wait to get out there and sketching!

"Crantock Beach" (c) C.Rowe 2011

Thank you again for reading. I hope you have a wonderful year.

Happy stitching, Cat x

one or two things

Firstly, the double trouble commission is coming along nicely and i'm really pleased with how they are both taking shape, in fact i've very nearly finished, just the few final touches tomorrow and I should be there.

In the meantime I thought you might like to know that during advent i'm having a little giveaway over on my website. With every order placed during December I'm giving away one of my little cupcake or birdie brooches as a small thank you to all my customers and followers through out this past year.

It's something new, but something nice I can do for you!
Happy Stitching this weekend
Cat x

oh heck!

My next challenge is a double commission. The client lives here in the UK but is from Australia and wants a pair of textile illustrations as a Christmas gift. The first picture is of the Syndey Opera House, it's partner picture is of a subject much closer to home and is of St. Ives in Cornwall (almost down the road from me).

The opera house is going to be the tricky one, all those gorgeous folded sail-like roof tops, it's going to be a real challenge but one i'm looking forward to tackling, but keep your fingers anyway!
I'm going to make the outline drawing tomorrow and make the pattern up so I start the piecing on Saturday.
I'll definately keep you posted on how it progresses.

Happy Stitching

Cat x

winter warmers

Recently I have been doing a bit of housekeeping on my website. I have to admit it has been rather neglected in recent months, but as Christmas approaches I wanted to tidy it up for any visitors that may pop by. This leads me onto my Christmas grotto on the site, somewhere all those Christmas themed cards, patterns and brooches can live in harmony with each other.

I am delighted that after a month or so of work on my Christmas designs that they have been printed and were delivered to the studio last Friday. Possibly for about a hour I was more excited that they were delivered rather than having collect them, which would have involved trekking across the County in my car during half term week. So a big thank you to Mr Printer for making that happen.

The designs were inspired by Scandinavian winters and Christmas decorations and I include them below.

                                                    Starry Night, C.Rowe 2011

                                                 Peaceful Wishes, C Rowe 2011

Both designs are available to buy on my webiste in packs of 10, (5 of each design) so have a look here if you're interested.

My next step is to keep tidying up the site, there's still lots more to do, I want to add several new products including new patterns, brooches and kits. Remove any dull bits and replace with sparkly fresh text so visitors always have something interesting to read. 

Thanks for stopping by and happy Autumn to you all.

Cat x

working on inspiration

Its a month to the day since I posted last and I have felt blogging guilt for not doing so. I have wanted to post sooner but as you know other stuff happens like life, family, friends and other art commitments. Plus I still haven't got into the swing of writing everyday, something that I hope will develop over time.

I also don't want to post for posting-sake, i'd like to think that however small each entry on my blog it has its merit and reason for being there.

I am working on something though. It's a collection and I'd like to get outside and take some more pictures. Photograph other things that don't just live in my studio (not the creepy crawly kind), although I do have a rather large spider behind the plan chest. He's so big I think I might have to give him a name.

Until after the weekend.

Cx

from the sketchbook 2

Here are a few more pages from my reclaimed molskin sketchbook. A collaged combination of maps, pictures, drawings, text and fabrics all stitched together on my trusted Bernina sewing machine. I'm quite pleased with these and how they came together. I really love the palett of colours and textures, all evocative of summer holidays, short getaways and escaping to the coast.

joy of the everyday

I'm feeling freshly motivated and joyful for the small inconsequential things that we encounter each day. Things like...

Freshly baked victoria sponge cake,

New sketchbooks,

Lawns,

Table linen,

Coconut rice,

Bank holiday weekends,

Sparkly light shining through leaves,

Sea charts,

Old photographs,

Egg cups,

Spoons.

cheep cheep

I'm now on twitter, now this expeirment will be interesting! follow me @ catrowetextiles.

sew enchanting

This weekend i've been teaching a Textile Illustration workshop at Sew Enchanting, the cutest patchwork, quilting and knitting shop in Ashburton, Devon.


Sandwiched inbetween a gorgeous Lingerie and Clothing Boutique. I love the look of the little row of shops, the paint colours, bay trees and the line of bunting outside. The workshop is above the shop and is the perfect space for small classes.

The view up West Street from Sew Enchanting. Ice cream anyone?