Stitchy Wednesday at the art gallery

On a chilly Wednesday I trekked over to Leeds art gallery for another once a month session of something stitchy. This time we were making - well, I'm not sure what you'd call them - but they involved lots of beads and sequins.

About a dozen of us gathered in the Drawing Room, which was looking very festive with its mini Christmas tree and carols playing in the background. The sessions are always themed around an exhibit or artist at the gallery itself or another local gallery/museum. This time it was about an artist that'd been exhibiting at the Hepworth gallery in Wakefield. Igshaan Adams wasn't a name I knew, but he's a South African artist and makes tapestries and textile based structures. According to Wikipedia, 'Adams creates large-scale tapestries, wall and floor installations made of plastic, fabric, textile and other everyday materials such as washcloths and garden fencing.' His work is informed by his childhood, family and the community he was raised in.

We were given a metal ring, like a bangle, and were to decorate it using whatever we chose among the bits & pieces spread out on the tables. Adams has created pieces using lots of beads, so our creations would be part Igshaan Adams inspired and part Christmas mini wreaths!

What's always fun to see is how different people interpret a theme. Look at the variation in textile pieces/mini wreaths that we made.

Some of them look like sea creatures. Others are more like dream catchers.

This was mine. I went for a frosty blue and silver theme, and seem to have thrown half of Claire's Accessories stock at it, haven't I? Making this reminded me of the beaded stars I've made in the past. Wire stars with beads strung on thinner wire wound around them.

Pretty, don't you think?

Speaking of pretty, the tree's up. I might've used an excessive number of baubles. And frosted apples. Glittery stars. Birds with gaudy feathers. Plus there's a vintage angel at the top of the tree, a sequinned unicorn just below her, a sparkly reindeer nearby ...

Hope your week's going well, and you've not already demolished all the Christmas chocolates and mince pies. You haven't ... have you?

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Threads of Freedom and charity shop bargains

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