Sixth Time Lucky

Finally I made it to the Sixth Contemporary Textiles Fair at Teddington, just down the road from me. I told the family that I would be away from the house for “about 2 hours”. When I realised that I had been in the place for almost one hour and only seen 3 stalls/booths I realised that I would have to get my skates on. Names that you may be familiar with are: Alison Ellen (knitting) Jenni Stuart-Anderson (rag rugs) and Lizzie Houghton (felt).

The lovely woman picture above is Maggie Martelli who does not have her own website and couldn’t see the benfits of haviing one. I asked if I could photograph her work for my blog and so here is the result. This was her biggest piece and in wonderful earthy colours. The work is a cross between chenille (she has at least four layers of fabric in the hanging and the top and subsequent layers are slashed), quilting, embroidery and sculpture. The springy spirals were formed on her dibber so she obviously has real earthy connections, not just her colour scheme. Her design was inspired by the bark of a tree with her springy spirals representing the knot-holes on the trunk. Viewers of her hanging have told her that they see the ripple marks left on the sand by the retreating tide and her springy spirals, the worm casts left behind.

She takes commissions, especially for bags and decorated boxes. I can’t give you the URL of her website because, as I told you,  she doesn’t have one. Pity.