Greece? Guess again

 Lately, in fact, more than lately…we’ve been revelling in the most bizarre weather. Clear, unadulterated skies, dazzling sunshine, porcelain capped mountains and even the occasional snow flurry. Winter in the west is actually, usually wet…utterly wet and by February the island has morphed into a bubbling, frothing broth of mud within which one regularly looses wellies and eventually sanity. 

Thorny bush, sky and studio wall

 But instead, I have been floating to and from my studio in a reverie of sun addled bliss and I have twice fallen off my bike, in to the verge, for having spent too much time gazing at the blue blue sky and ignoring the grey grey road. My commutes have been consumed with one question…how to describe such blueness? David (shop) and I spent a good few minutes staring at the sky after I had put the question to him. We both agreed that it was exceptionally hard to find words to accurately express such wonder, such freshness, such enormousness. I have decided that staring at these scrumptuous blue skies is the visual equivalent of quenching thirst in a waterfall of clear, sparkling spring water. David doesn’t, but then again, he is colourblind. 

In the studio I have been consumed not so much with skies but with the wild flowers, trees and fauna beneath them. This time in the form of a seven blind and window seat commission for the owner of a very grand Yorkshire manor. 

Look see. 

Rowan leaves in silk and paper, ready to be applied to the blind base
Rowan fabric with hand dyed vertical strip. Yet to be made into a roman blind
Fabric on the cutting table.
Detail from a wild flower and wren design which will eventualy become a roller blind.
Fabric ready to go to the laminator.
Posted by:mogwaii

Born: 13th March 1969 in Edinburgh Star sign: Pisces Where do I live? An beautiful island called Lismore Who with? I live with my gorgeous man - Yorick, and my beautiful boys Ruben (currently 14) and Tom (10) and we also have cat poppy, cat Bashy and cat Spyro. What do I do there? Water veggies in the polytunnel, loads of mopping up, picking up clothes, cooking and washing dishes. The rest of the time I'm in a blissfull state in my studio making things out of wool and designing the next must have (in my head!) and a lot of cycling to and fro My favourite Books: Right now...empowerment books like "The power of now" and "The Secret", but also John Fowles "The Magus" and "The kite runner" and I love the "Tao of Poo" My Favourite films: Babettes feast, Wings of desire and The colour of Pomegranites. My favourite music: Bach cello suites for designing, Dolly parton for making (especially her album Little Sparrow), Teddy Thompson and loads of other stuff! What did I do before moving to Lismore? * Went to school in Edinburgh (South Morningside primary then St. Mary's music school and then George Watson's) * Went to Brazil for a year, fell in love, learnt Portuguese and spun a lot of wool * Studied foundation in visual arts in Manchester poly and then went on to study BA Hons in textiles at Goldsmith's college * Made felt hats, sold them at Camden market and then eventualy Liberties and had Ruben in the midst of it all - moved to Pathhead * Tom came along and I stopped making hats. sung lots of Jazz, taught Brazilian and samba singing, recorded an album and started singing with La Boum * Tom went to school and I set up Mogwaii * Moved here in 2006 There you go!! xx Sarah (from left) Ruben, me and Tom (from left) Ruben, me and Tom

3 replies on “Out of the Blue”

  2. Brilliant description Sarah – if you ever get textiled out, let your pen have its way. I hope the Obergurgl skies can rival Lismore’s this winter. x

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