A Journey Through Elphin Draws to a Close

Stitch by stitch, throughout spring, summer and autumn, the community of Elphin has worked to produce a wonderful depiction of life – past and present – in Elphin, Knockan and beyond.  This large work - 2.5 metres by 1.2 metres - is a genuine community effort, with a diverse range of contributions, both in terms of the textile techniques used, and in the vision of the makers themselves.  Making it has given so many of us much pleasure and has cemented friendships. 

Along the way, there has been a lot of enquiry about the history of the various features, which has led to some of the residents making a collection of photographs and historical accounts.  These will be on display at our unveiling ceremony on the 9th of November, 2 - 4 pm.  Music and refreshments will also be on tap, so anyone who comes along to that occasion will find a feast for the eyes, ears and stomach!  And we have an unlikely guest to do the unveiling.  But the only way you can find out who that is, is to come along to the event yourself. 

For more information about the project, please have a look at the Journey Through Elphin page of the website.

I hope to see you on the 9th of November. 

Jan

An Autumn Brew

It has been a busy summer, what with Open Studio Days, making work for the galleries and regular experiments with the elusive art of eco printing.  Before September is out and before the leaves have fallen, I will be trying to squeeze in some more eco printing, since I will miss the delicious satisfaction of opening these precious little bundles over the long, bare winter.

But all is not lost.  I have just started to employ an old scout troop stew pan in order to dye cloth and wool blankets, using plants from my garden.  It is a HUGE object, so I have had to resort to cobbling together a trivet of sorts, using an old wrought iron telephone table, which can support the pot over a roaring bonfire set in the fire pit up the back of the garden.  Thankfully, we have no shortage of wood as fuel, especially now that we have to thin out the trees that Brian planted all of 13 years ago. 

So, I look forward to this method of dyeing, which will keep me both warm and full of expectation (no two dye vats produce exactly the same results), as I try recipe after recipe throughout the autumn and far into the winter.  I will sit back, listen to the stags roaring and look to the stars.

If you are interested in learning these techniques for yourself, please have a look at the Fabric of the Land course page.

The Healing Garden

Exciting New Course for 2020

For my 2020 calendar of courses I have introduced something a little different: an intriguing range of ways to connect with the plants in your garden.

This week-long journey into the healing powers of plants will be led by qualified medical herbalist Jan Breckenridge, with additional support from me when it comes to the papermaking and print-making that will help you present your herbal recipes in a beautifully illustrated and hand-bound book.

To find out more, have a look at The Healing Garden page.

Two Jans Eco-print Greetings Cards

In celebration of our recent successes in refining the miraculous process of eco-printing onto fabric and paper, the Two Jans - Jan Kilpatrick and Jan Breckenridge - are launching a range of unique, high-quality, eco-print greetings cards,using entirely natural methods and materials.

They are available to buy through my on-line shop, at my studio during Open Studio days and at Ceard in Ullapool.  Why not nurture a love of nature by sending someone you love one of these distinctive cards?  Visit the Card Shop to see them for yourself.

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