A Textile Fix

This afternoon was Elizabeth Morley's annual gathering for West Australian textile fanatics, and as usual it was inspirational.

The format for the gathering is simple. Bring a small plate of food to share, a mug or glass to drink out of, a name tag and some of your recent work to share. The food goes on a table in the room between the kitchen and the lusciously overgrown deck, the textile goodies go on the (covered) billiard table in the games room with its fabulous sea view, you make your own tea/coffee or help yourself to water or juice and you mingle and network with like minded people. Bliss.

There is no formal show and tell. People wander around the table and when interested in a particular item, ask questions of the maker. (You are supposed to put your name on your work, but no-one gets uptight if you don't - usually someone knows who has made a particular item). The variety of work on display is mind boggling.

I had my phone with its camera, but I didn't pull it out - shame on me. Some of the items that particularly appealed to me (I will certainly think of others later) were Pam Annesley's book of folded and embroidered printed fabric and silk paper, made to hold ATCs, Margaret Perkins' shrug with a fabric collaged body and knitted sleeves, Juliet Hargreaves' shibori dyed fabric and felted jacket, Linda's embellisher pieces (you can see them on her blog, but up close and personal is better) and Dale's little folded book with its embellished wraparound cover. And I mustn't forget Annie Rawle's stitched Moebius shawl.

Elizabeth offered tours of her studio (upstairs, with an even better view) which is a fabulous space for an artist. Her house has a multitude of examples of her work and it is so interesting to see the progression in her work through various techniques and styles. But the point of the gathering is networking. WA is a small textile community and would be even smaller without gatherings such as this where felters, weavers, quilters, machine and hand embroiderers, professionals and amateurs alike can socialise and see what each different group may be doing.

Thank you so much Elizabeth.