More textile details from Hansel and Gretel

Shibori style dyeing became a large theme within the visuals of Hansel and Gretel, along with many textures being added on to the work, layer after layer.

Shibori Dyed Silver Birch

Silver Birch re-creation with Shibori style tie dye techniques. From Hansel and Gretel, with Bamboozle Theatre.

Trailer for... 'Not The End of The World'

I got a lovely email last week, which included a link to the trailer of the show I worked on in Edinburgh last year; 'Not The End Of The World'. The director, Charlotte, has done a wonderful job of editing the film together, and it has lots of great shots of the wonderful music and drama... do have a watch!

I did a blog post recently with some of my photographs of the costume making, you can have a look at that here. 

A new musical..
Original story by Geraldine McCaughrean
Composed by Sonum Batra
Lyrics by David Francis
Book by Charlotte Conquest
Produced by Youth Music Theatre uk

Director Charlotte Conquest
Designer Ryan Dawson Laight
Musical Director Sonum Batra
Choreographer Stuart Winter
Sound Designer Matt Eaton
Design Associate Hannah Boothman
Assistant Musical Director Nick Jeavons
Lighting Design by Joe Stathers
Vocal Coach Sarah Stephenson
Assistant Director Josie Charles

making 'Not The End Of The World' at the Fringe

Some photos from the making of 'Not The End Of The World'

Some production photographs can be seen: here

Elephants and Sailing Boats

Christmas Crafting Part 2 - Elephants and Sailing Boats

APPLIQUE

Stitchwort

Recently I've been getting more acquainted with my sewing machine again.  There was a time at school when I was never far away from it, definitely for never more than a day, when I was manufacturing recycled t-shirts for independent shops around Britain. Since finishing university, I've had a little more free time, and I've been able to get crafting again, as well as working as a seamstress at The History Bunker in Leeds. All in all, more sewing is good news! Especially in the run up to Christmas... I may manage a blog post of handmade Christmas presents too in the new year, if I manage to make all of the presents I'm planning to!

But anyway, as I'm having a little reminisce this evening, I thought I'd share with you the t-shirts I made a few years ago...

Each one of my t-shirts tells a story. Well to me, and my family  at least. The fabrics that I use to reverse applique on have all been collected up over generations. My great grandmother had a collection of small scraps of material, leftover from dressmaking that she would roll up tightly, and secure with a pin. It is this same collection, now greatly added to by the women in my family that I use on my t-shirts. Each patterned fabric has with it, a corresponding dress, or blouse, made for a specific event. With just a glance at the print, memories are evoked of days, maybe three, or fifty three years ago.

Smocking

Smocking practise for Catherine Earnshaw's night gown in Wuthering Heights.

Drawn thread work

Drawn thread work for early development in Wuthering Heights costume project.

With a lot of focus into destruction...