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All the latest news and creative projects from Cotton & Cogs

cotton_and_cogs

Multi-media Artist, Ceramicist & Workshop Tutor
Inspired by nature & Community
Committed to sustainable and ethical practices.

SleepyDog and I had a lovely morning taking a stic

SleepyDog and I had a lovely morning taking a stick for a walk in #ChinbrookMeadows today. Enjoying the flowers and the sunshine.

Instagram post 18154250287466707

Instagram post 18154250287466707

One of my favourite places, and just the best spot

One of my favourite places, and just the best spot to enjoy the sunset.

I’m just home from a wonderful weekend with fami

I’m just home from a wonderful weekend with family and friends - and have lots of photos to share, but wanted to start with this mug.

We went to the South Suffolk Show today and chatted to lots of amazing makers - but when I saw this cup by @dawnsshed I just couldn’t put it down!

As anyone who knows me is aware I like a LARGE cup of tea, so this really isn’t my usual - but the feel of this little cup in your hand and the that gorgeous glazing! I realised I was still holding it while browsing all her other ceramics, and didn’t want leave it behind. I can almost hear the sea when looking at it!

Having been on my own ceramics journey (hand building rather than throwing) I love discovering the skill and artistry of other ceramicists - I’m an underglazer, favouring an almost watercolour-y illustrative style. In contrast the freedom and boldness of Dawn’s work just sings out, something completely different to mine and I love it!

I may have to take up drinking strong coffee so I can hold this cup more often. It’s a joy.

Today’s Mending Monday session was full of colou

Today’s Mending Monday session was full of colour - and we were delighted to welcome two new attendees - one who had come especially to join us all the way from Kings Cross!

So today we had 6 adults & 1 under 16
Between us we supported:

Resizing / fitting the most FABULOUS silver trousers.

Invisible repairs to a much loved, very fine knit top.

Repairing a split seam in ski trousers.

Repairing and embellishing cuffs of a wool jumper

We also worked on:

Crochet cat charm
Crochet basket
Latch hook rug

Alongside general conversation we talked about how to dye clothes, making simple adjustments to the size and fit, the theory behind how we darn and stitches we choose including how to look for areas of stress and weakness in delicate fabrics and reinforce them before holes develop.

We shared top tip about local charity shops, community centres and hubs, and how to find groups to join with Eventbrite.

Prompted by some gorgeous appliqué on one attendees bag we’re planing an up cycling session with vintage patchwork to transform promotional canvas bags into practical wearable works of art. Watch this space for more details coming soon!

Huge thank you to @groveparkcommunitygroup for providing the space, and thank you to everyone who joined today - the time just whizzed by!

#GrovePark #Lewisham #StitchItDontDitchIt #MendingMay

The tiniest scraps of yarn can be a source of insp

The tiniest scraps of yarn can be a source of inspiration - when I started my “zero waste as possible” art practice I started looking at off cuts in a new way. Often to use as stuffing or padding, or to combine with wool roving for felting.

Today the odds and ends bag is being raided, together with BookDragon’s old baby blanket, to make a latch hook rug inspired by the moss rugs and blankets we’ve seen on instagram and Pinterest.

If you fancy seeing the progress we’ll be working on it today at Mending Mondays - until 3pm at @groveparkcommunitygroup

This friendly drop in group is all about sharing skills to extend the life of, or completely transform textile items we already own.

We also have chocolate biscuits!

Come and find us:

Mending Mondays, First Monday of the month
12:30 - 4pm

The Art Room, The Ringway Centre
Grove Park Community Group
268 Baring Road - SE12 0DS

#GrovePark #Lewisham #StitchItDontDitchIt #MendingMay

It might be a Bank Holiday but Mending Mondays is

It might be a Bank Holiday but Mending Mondays is still on!

Monday 4th May
12:30 - 3pm
The Ringway Centre, 268 Baring Road, SE12 0DS

Huge thank you to @groveparkcommunitygroup for continuing to host us, we’ll be in the Art Room from 12:30 - 3pm ready to support each other with all manner of textile repairs from dolls clothes to knitwear!

I’ll bring a selection of thread, yarns and materials you can use but do feel free to bring your own.

This session is free to attend - but if you’re able to make a donation to help cover my, and GPCGs, costs that would be much appreciated. I’ll have a QR code to take payments available.

Although the cafe is sadly closed we will have a kettle to make teas and coffee, and some biscuits 😊

#GrovePark #MendingMay #FixItDontDitchIt

In nice and early to set up for the first day of t

In nice and early to set up for the first day of the new ceramics term with me as the tutor for @claygrovepark !

Can’t wait for everyone to arrive and see what gets made over the next few weeks.

@groveparkcommunitygroup

Very grateful to have such a beautiful place on ou

Very grateful to have such a beautiful place on our doorstep and the best of GoodBoys to help me stop and step outside when life seems heavy.

Today I decided to stop and really look at the flowers, taking photos as we went. With lots of sitting down (including a cuddle in the orchard) before I knew it we had spent nearly 2 hours in the sunshine.

Thank you SleepyDog for my weekly therapy session!

It might be a rather long commute but for a job th

It might be a rather long commute but for a job that feels more like a holiday than work it is completely worth it!

I’m back in London again after travelling to the coast for the 3rd of a series of four community art workshops I have been invited to run for @jamconcert_uk at the Hub on The Beach, New Romney.

I cannot tell you how much I am enjoying working with this group and watching their mixed media collages take form.

And of course getting to stay with @danielatdungeness and the gorgeous Luna is the icing on the cake!

It’s a glorious day to be sat enjoying a view of

It’s a glorious day to be sat enjoying a view of @groveparkcommunitygroup @ringwaygardens while slow stitching at #MendingMondays with @alittlecuptea !

Underway we have a blue linen jumpsuit being adjusted to fit and a crochet cat getting eyes 🥰

It’s been a lovey morning glazing birds at @clay

It’s been a lovey morning glazing birds at @claygrovepark @groveparkcommunitygroup

The final class of term, and my last class attending….

As from next term I’ll be leading the session!

The last six years have been the most wonderful journey and I am so excited to start the next phase. I’ve loved the short courses and community sessions I’ve run for @claygrovepark and am beyond delighted to become a “term time” tutor.

I’ll still be making my own work - just from home now and I’ll have to be strict to protect my “home studio” time.

Just delivered my latest piece to the @claygrovepa

Just delivered my latest piece to the @claygrovepark @groveparkcommunitygroup community kiln 🥰

It’s really amazing to think that some of art pu

It’s really amazing to think that some of art purchased yesterday at @croftongarden market is being gifted today for Mother’s Day! I loved chatting to so many wonderful people - thank you for stopping by and supporting small independent businesses!

One of the pieces that went to a new home was a sgraffito coaster and to celebrate I have spent this afternoon turning more of my sketches into functional art. Realising I can combine my love of nature sketching with ceramics is setting the sparks off in my brain - I can’t wait to get these birds of Chinbrook Meadows back from the kiln. 🥰

Sgraffito is such a fun process - the marks you make can’t be undone - you are removing a layer of coloured clay to expose the clay below and there is something freeing in that. You have to trust the process and work with confidence. That said I do sketch lightly first gently indenting the shapes and outlines before pushing slightly harder to start scoring. Much like I rough out a drawing lightly in pencil before committing to darker lines when sketching. Letting the first marks stay and the darker marks sit atop. The process there like a story to be read. I love that the same story can be read in the clay.

Losing your eraser and working with “flaws and all” is empowering and I love the energy it can bring. Perfectionism always used to stifle my creativity and I can never thank @lilygermanstudio and @claygrovepark for encouraging me to let it go and enjoy creating without the fear of getting it “wrong”.

I’m in excellent company here at @croftongarden

I’m in excellent company here at @croftongarden - thank you BookDragon for the footage! We’re here until 3pm why not pop by and say hello?

Bookworm@has done a stellar job setting up our sta

Bookworm@has done a stellar job setting up our stall @croftongarden - what a beautiful space to sit in glorious sunshine. Pop along to browse stalls from local makers and find one of a kind treasurers.

Excited to have my newest creations out in the wild for the first time - loving the reception so far for the birds with legs, taken a commission for special request - a smaller version of my cheeky pigeon. 🥰

I’m always happy to make a special order - of any size!

I found a bag of dusty wood slices in all differen

I found a bag of dusty wood slices in all different sizes in a charity shop in Folkestone. Obviously they had to come home with me at join the teetering tower that is my hoard of craft supplies waiting for the day to be transformed into something splendid.

I made a start today, adding to my Chinbrook Meadows inspired pieces - the bottom three are from photos taken recently of the spring blossom and pussy willow, and I revisited memories of the wetlands in summer for the top three. These layers need to dry and then I will decide whether to add anymore details before sealing with microcrystalline wax.

I love the small format and chose not to sand my wooden slices so you can see the wonderful texture of the growth rings still .

I’m thinking some bird and insect portraits might be next.

What a beautiful day in Chinbrook Meadows! Sleepy

What a beautiful day in Chinbrook Meadows!

SleepyDog joined me for a gentle saunter around the wetlands and park basking in the signs of spring.

I’m spending my birthday adding legs to my new r

I’m spending my birthday adding legs to my new range of bird brooches!

I have two series I am working on - Birds of Chinbrook Meadows of which the wagtail is my first, and a more whimsical set of LBJs (Little Blue Jobs)

Now the legs, brooch pins and felt are glued in place they need 24hours to cure - which means they’ll be ready to fly off to new homes from Thursday (dare I say just in time for Mother’s Day!?)

They will be part of my shop update tomorrow evening - but if you’d like to reserve one drop me a message and I’ll keep it back for you. £32.99 each + p&p

Thank you as always to the ever supportive @claygrovepark & @groveparkcommunitygroup - I am incredibly lucky to be part of this community and to live somewhere that has a community kiln!

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Instagram post 17963349174020707

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