In this Gallery, we show all the wonderful work by our WOWies including pieces from workshops in all WOWbooks and from Maggie’s multi-coloured WOW Course. Click on each photo for full details. Enjoy!
Jan Andrews. I had some leftover paper strips from painting papers for the Laura and Linda Kemshall sketchbooks, WOW Book 2. I also had some painted papers left from the Amanda Hislop workshop, WOW Book 4. I combined them with a bit of stitchery to make a sort of story book with no words, just imagination.
Mara Webb. Having recently treated myself to an embellisher machine I have been doing lots of experimenting andI remembered that Maggie Grey had posted a video in Wow book 3. My version isn’t quite like the one that Maggie made but the principle is the same. I started off with a long piece of chiffon. I didn’t want to add felt all along the whole length so I just ran the embellisher over the chiffon fabric. Here is the result. Interesting!
Wendy Burgess. I needed to create a book cover so went through Wowbooks for inspiration. I ended up using the ideas from Annette Turnbull and Pam Bailey in the Wowies Top Products article that was part of the online section of Book 2. I stretched some Kozo bark out, covered it with water soluble paper making a few holes as I went and spraying on colour. When it was dry I hand stitched it to a piece of fabric and used the washer idea from Pam for decoration.
Jan Andrews. Here are the sketchbooks inspired by Laura and Linda Kemshall, WOW Book2. I tried out some new ways of binding using just one pierced hole and ribbon and another using tabs cut from the covers to secure the inner pages. Both methods were taken from an excellent bookbinding book written by Rachel Hazell.
Linda Burgess. It’s all about moths for me too at the moment. After many, many weeks of learning new printmaking skills I needed to get back to sewing for awhile. No gum arabic transfer with these moths (they’re waiting in the wings (get it – wings!)) but simple discharge paste and appliqué. Boy does that discharge paste STINK!!
Jill Hill. Well! I’ve actually found time to finish it.
Deborah Eyre. Thank you Sue Brown for the feature in WoW 4 and all the advice. The holiday snaps are coming into their own! Just need to try it on fabric now…
Jill Hill. I have some pressure stencilled silk samples and a piece of vilene. I think I shall go with the orangey one and am currently doing another piece of vilene in stronger turquoise hues. I thought to use heat treated copper shim for the fiery bits.
Jan Andrews. Now I’ve got the hang of posting there will be no stopping me! These are some pieces I made after using Caroline Bell’s eco dying technique (WOW Book 1).
Jan Andrews. Hello, these are my first attempts at Amanda Hislop’s workshop. I worked with grasses as my theme and kept the same colour in the bobbin so that the reverse was in one colour. Thank you Amanda, I loved the process and have got loads more ideas to work on.
Wendy Burgess. Margaret Beal’s workshop from WOWbook 3 was a lot of fun. I bought her book last year so I have had a bit of a play with the soldering iron before. I decided to see how fine and intricate I could go with my sampler. All the fabric is held in place with the soldering technique. I used a metal stencil to trace the dragonflies and butterfly using a fine tip. Any stitching is purely decorative or to hold on the beads and embellishments.
Linda Burgess. I’ve not been idle with this WOW book 4. Here is my take on a bit of Sue Brown and a bit of Amanda Hislop. Book of trees and birds.
Jill Hill. It’s not much but it is a start. ‘Let there be dragons’. Maggie’s latest course.
Liz Swinbank. These are my attempts at Amanda Hislops technique from the latest WoW book. I used liquids from my eco dying to give the colour and marks and added Inktense pencils as well. Lovely technique and so much potential, thank you Amanda x
Jen Skedd. Just completed my folding book inspired by Amanda Hislop’s techniques. However I used monoprints made using wildflowers and grasses which I’ve machine and hand-embroidered.
Nita Penfold. Scrap Lady: Greening 17” x 21” including Kozo Tree.
Karen Teal. I am new to Wow books but I am making up for lost time and now have all 4 and working through them when I get a moment in between life things……….at the weekend I played with Wow book 1 Caroline Bell Eco printing on a variety of papers, silk and cotton. I have tried it before but never been that successful but following Caroline’s instructions there was a eureka moment … had a great time walking the dog and collecting leaves.
Liz Swinbank. Hurrah, after much trial and error of trying to print useing Sue Browns tecnique in the latest WOW book i have finally cracked it and got results. I must admit i was ready to give up as i was getting nowhere despite having everything i needed. After trying to alter amounts of everything I finally decided to see if there was more than one type of Linseed oil and there is, and that was where my results were falling down. I had one that could be mixed with oil paints/inks but was water based, i bought an oil based one today and yippy i have results. Just need to perfect my tecnique now, but one happy bunny. Thank you Sue Brown for your support. I also discovered that you can get at least two prints from on photocopy, think i might have been pushing my luck here.
Jill Hill. I have also made a little memento of my trip to North Yorkshire with my Grandsons. The steam and engine and one of the amonites were paper castings.
Sue Brown. Just thought I would show you some recent gum arabic transfer printing experiments. Printed over mixed media including Xpandaprint, some on vintage fabric collages and just on ticking.
Jen Skedd. Had a go at Amanda Hislop’s trees project today. As a result, I’ve now got a lovely new picture hanging in the smallest room while the long strip dries overnight. Loved doing this so I’m looking forward to my 4 day workshop with Amanda at Embroiderers Guild Summer School.
Linda Burgess. Having a go at Gum Arabic transfers today. These were the best of the bunch. One on cartridge paper, one on a piece of previously Gelli-printed linen and my favourite (bees) on top of a collagraph print that I’d done some time ago. If I’ve had some failures it’s not the process, it’s my poor judgement of trying to print on a background that was probably too dark. I don’t think I’ll live long enough to become anywhere near as good as Sue Brown.
Gill Griffin. Love how this fungi project turned out. Got plenty more for a different picture too.
Wendy Burgess, I was supposed to be doing something else but got distracted after watching Lynda’s video in the Wowbook 4 members club. It looked like fun so I made this piece of fabric with a two tone nylon scarf for my top layer. It looks more stripey in the photo than it is.
Sue Brown. Starting to experiment with Gum Arabic Transfer printing on eco dyed khadi paper… next stop the fabric samples!!
Betty Smythe. I’ve just finished the distorted image piec. The image is OK, but I’m delighted with the background! Black watercolour paper crumpled, the peaks brushed over with gold wax and ten the whole thing sprayed till it pooled in places with aqua Starburst spray. I’ve always had trouble in the past with these pooling – not a problem here!
Margaret Longino. Had some bits and pieces left over from first fungi ‘offering’ which is now mounted and framed . So used it to make this second one, stitched onto an oblong canvas.
Anne-Marie Bates. Ammonites!
Jane Rouse. Finally completed my collage from WOWbook 2. I printed the flowers on rather than use a stencil. The machine quilting wasn’t nearly so scary once I got started!
Lorraine Fitches. Inspired by WOW book 1, Ferns, Ivy and Bark. I really loved making this and every technique was new to me. I learnt a lot, transfer dies, machine wrapped cord, dissolvable film, an Organza sandwich and further research helped me mount a 3D piece for the first time. Thanks
Mara Webb. This was fun. I haven’t worked with Kozo before. I love the technique of pushing the colour through from the back of the Vilene. Thanks for the bonus workshop Maggie.
Wendy Burgess. I haven’t even finished with Wowbook 1 but have completed my first project from book 2, Sue Dove’s Collage. I chose to only do a little stitching as I liked the fabrics too much to cover them. I thought it was a fun technique and love the thick outlines so will probably do that again.
Alison Banks. My go at Marian Jazmik’s fungi project – have not stitched anything down yet – working on the placement. Just had the most fun – now I am addicted!
Sue Munday. Have cut up my decorated papers to make sketchbooks for Laura and Linda Kemshall’s workshop in WOWbook 02. Can now fill the blank pages.
Anne-Marie Bates. Just tried the bondaweb transfer – it works! How fabulous is that ! Going to have fun with this – thanks.
Mara Webb. Up a gum tree is the appropriate phrase as I didn’t have all the appropriate materials for this sample. Not to be defeated I used what I had in my stash and as a consequence, missed out some of the elements. I am reasonably pleased with the result but feel that it is a bit bright and next time I would like to acheive a more natural look. I didn’t have any coffee pods so my husband suggested that I use tea light holders of which we have loads, including the deep ones. I coloured them with cheep nail varnish. So on to the next project …
Jill Hill. Here’s my take on Maggie’s Kozo tree. Really enjoyed doing this view from my window. Second finished piece in 2 weeks!
Anney Gilkes. I thought I’d share the fabric I’ve just created and used to cover a diary. Lynda Monk s tyvek method over brusho coloured felt with ammonite thermo fax screen print! The original gold ammonites didn’t come out so I over printed with silver after bonding the tyvek.
Anne-Marie Bates. Love the WOW 2 book – first book in ages I’ve read cover to cover! Trouble is, I’ve got too many ideas from it bubbling around in my brain. Couldn’t wait to do Clare Bullock’s nuno felt so I tried printing on a random bit of felt – it works! Was thinking Aborigine on these (with apologies to our Australian people).
Geraldine Mussell. Finally finished – I think – the mushrooms from Marian Jazmik’s workshop. Gave up as I didn’t like them then came back to them.
Mara Webb. Inspired by Jan Beaney, WOW book 3, I though that I would have a go at a bit of pen and wash. As usual there is too much wash but with the help of Photoshop Elements and Publisher I ended up with an acceptable repeat pattern for my Advanced Stitched Textiles design book. The images are based on photographs that I took in the Plantation Garden.
Sandra McKenney. This ismy version of Laura Edgar’s project from WOW #1. I am really happy with it. It is about an A3 size and has West Australian fish leather in it. When I showed my husband (who is a great supporter) his comment was there is a little octopus trying to run away on the left of the picture (that was the fish leather!) He is always good for a laugh… Thanks to Laura for the inspiration and of course the WOW team for making that inspiration accessible.
Anne-Marie Bates. Trying to catch up on the ideas from WOWbook one. My attempt at Angie Hughes piece.
Maria Spiller. I used the tutorial for eco-dyeing by Caroline Bell in WOWbook 1 as the basis for my first attempt.
Jill Hill. Marian Jazmik’s Fungi workshop – I didn’t have any bits left over!
Margaret Longino. Managed to get two out of one long piece of nuno! I have two more pieces ready to make up and then that will definitely be the last for a while. I am all nuno’d out for the moment.
Wendy Burgess. My take on Alysn Midgelow-Marsden’s Up a Gum Tree from book 2. I really enjoyed learning so many new techniques in this lesson. I couldn’t get the coloured metal to look right so I have saved that for another project.
Sandie Bolton. Finally finished Part 2 of Book 1! Loved doing the different elements – especially puff paint – I’ve had some for ages but never used it – will now! Putting it all together was a challenge but happy with it now.
Pam Bailey. Stamping and embroidery completed- loved this felting method from Clare Bullock.
Jackie Ferguson. My attempt at Sue Dove’s collage to stitch in WOWbook 2.
Jan Blight. At last, I have finished Maggie’s tree! Just loved the Kozo method and the colouring. Thanks, for the workshop, Maggie.
Sara Hansson. Hej! After a hectic winter and spring with courses, exhibitons and open studios I have now managed to do some stitching for myself and absolutely loved the Ruth Norbury workshop. Brilliant! Although not great, here are my samples and trials from the workshop. Definitely worth taking forward thinks me!
Jenny Lam. Really enjoyed Marian Jazmik’s fungi project in WOWbook 2. Great book Maggie thanks!
Betty Smythe. Module 1, Part 2: Texture. I ended up doing the centre panel on calico but then worked from the back when I realised I liked the effect better, the effect is paler. The heavy gesso is clearly raised but merged with the background colour. Braids are sari silk threads, tiles are cast paper, finished off with 3 buttons from the inherited button collection.
Wendy Burgess. I have made a start on Maggie’s Course, Module 2. I didn’t have a suitable alphabet for my die cutting machine so I chose flowers and circles for my first motif as I was too impatient to cut by hand. I probably should have sprayed closer to the fabric to get a darker colour in areas.
Andra Fischgrund Stanton. My “mushroom tree” sculpture so far. Thanks Marian Jazmik for the wonderful instructions and ideas!
Jane Rouse. Last summer I tried Clare Bullock’s Nino felting article in WOWbook 02 and failed miserably. Just spent two days in a workshop led by Clare and look what I have done! Thank you Clare for encouraging me to persevere. So chuffed with myself!
Jill Hill. I have now finished the first parts of the letter and motif section of Maggie’s course. Auto embroidered the letters on to felt and cut out with a soldering iron. The feathers are painted vilene and the background spray painted silk with loads of whip stitch over bump and backing to give the undulations.
Tonia Gerrits. My kozo tree from Maggie’s workshop in the members’ club. The fossils are made of silk clay – it feels like foam!
Mairead Holohan. Working on my stash with the help of WOWbook 1.
Christiane de Clercq. Work from Marian Jazmik’s fungi workshop in WOWbook 02.
Janet Patterson. My first example. A textile piece for my grandson’s bedroom inspired by Maggie workshop linked to WOWbook 2: Some great ideas, Thank you.
Linda Turner. My version of ‘On the Surface 1’ by Marian Jazmik. Snow sisal was new to me but it’s giving me more ideas for other pieces. Thanks Marian!
Wendy Burgess. I have been doing a few different things from each WOWbook. This is one of the completed pieces from Hilary Beattie’s lesson in the first book. I did make the gum leaf stencil but got lazy with the other prints and used commercial stencils as I have a lot of them. I really loved the idea of colouring in the stencilled area with pencils for extra shading and colour. I did add hand stitchng as well as the machine work because I like that more.
Anne-Marie Bates. This is what I did with my piece following Clare Bullock’s nuno felting workshop. I feel that the “pearls of wisdom“ in the WOWbooks are starting points for our own work and we need to develop them in our own ways. Think I’ve gone off at a bit of a tangent on this one!
Lynn Collison. I had another go at Caroline Bell’s eco printing from WOWbook 01, this time on fabric as well as paper. Slightly different method as a soaked the paper and fabric in the diluted iron water before adding leaves and onion skins. Looking forward to having another go with green leaves and flowers next year.
Wendy Burgess. My version of Maggie’s little bit more from Maggie’s multi-coloured WOW course. I have only just last month made a booklet with cutouts so chose to turn my experiment into a wall hanging. I had not heard of Archibald Knox but am really in love with his work, partly because I love lettering and also the art nouveau and art deco periods. Thanks Maggie.
Marysia Holmes. At last did my fungi from Marian Jazmik’s workshop from WOWbook 02. While stitching it to the backing on my sewing machine a little spider climbed out. I did not think they were that realistic!
Jen Skedd. Tried Sue Dove’s Collage project from WOWbook 02. It was such fun – I loved it. I used her design from the book for my first example, then did my own using these amazing sunflowers I was given. But it’s been so hot today, my oil pastels are melting! I’ll correct the proportions of the over-large vase when I do the stitched version.
Wendy Burgess. The second motif piece from Maggie’s course. I used up some paper that I had previously created with wax and dye during an Els Van Baarle workshop rather than making a new background. I did initially add some stitched ripples but didn’t like the way they looked so I unpicked them. It has left the marks in the paper that I don’t mind. They are much more subtle than the stitching was.
Mara Webb. Having taken something like 160 coffee pods apart I thought that I had better do something with them. This is a collaboration piece influenced by WOWbook 02. A background of Nuno felting with a bit of printing, Clare Bullock. A bit of needle felting to add texture and then coffee pod leaves Alysn Midgelow-Marsden. Finally in the foreground a few umbelliferers made with kozo.
Anita O’Neill. Marian Jazmik’s workshop. Finished and framed. I love this process and am already looking at what else I can do with it. Thank you.
Ann Cullen. I used Maggie’s WOW course on lettering to make a challenge for my quilt group’s December meeting. I really enjoyed the technique and may be more adventurous next time.
Chris Yates. Eco printing – Caroline Bell’s workshop. I left most of them with the flowers on until they were completely dry this morning. The colours have faded a little but am still pleased that there is a little of the pink showing from the fushcias. The larger darker pieces are my first batch and were baked for 60mins in just water and vinegar. The smaller pieces with lime/yellow are my second batch baked for 30 mins in water and vinegar and about half teaspoon of turmeric – I just have to experiment – I can’t help myself! Want to do more with maybe some paprika too and definitely some fabric bits.
Wendy Jackson. Here is my concertina book based on Maggie’s ‘Doing a Steph’ – one of the online Bonus Workshops for WOWbook 02. I love making them and have several more on the go.
Alison Milne. My version of the kozo tree from Maggie’s online workshop in the members’ club.
Jane Rouse. I have been busy playing with my eco prints. I made a small book taken from the Alice Fox book. I then started to work over some of the prints with black pen before cutting them up to make some gift tags, a bookmark and a card.
Sally Westcott. I made these sketchbook covers as gifts using the Lynda Monk videos with some influences of Maggie Grey. The presents were a great success. Thank you both for sharing your techniques.
Betty Smythe. Working hard to try and catch up on the distorted motifs exercise from Maggie’s course. Ended up stitching rather than a paper exercise. (Also forgot to put a partial frame in and had the motifs to far apart – so yes plonked!) However I did find some useful thngs 1) There is another Photoshop filter “Twirl” that works well too 2) If you’re lazy and just want to get a smallish bit into a roller frame to lightly tension, you can quickly secure it to the tapes with small safety pins 3) The overlay on this was strips of distorted gauze and I want to just stick it in place – I was pretty sure Vliesofix would show. So I spayed it with Freeze Hold (strongest) Hairspray. Probably only good for temporary stuff or an exercise. I have also used it in the past to secure the surface on copper patinated with ammonia. Anyway “Its Life Jim, But Not As We Know It”. Background – batik patchwork material; Life & overlay ice dyed.
Kerri McArdle. WOWbook 3 arrived so thought I had better get to and finish this project that uses the bottomless vessel & kozo tree workshops from WOWbooks 1 & 2. I’m naming this resolved work “Birdsong”. Inside of vessel painted to symbolise earth/dirt/ ground with the outer side painted blue for sky & green for foliage over musical notes printed on paper; birds and leaves then stitched into the outer side. The kozo tree sits loosely inside the vessel with tags stamped with the word ‘tweet’.
Wendy Burgess. I thought I would share the book I made from the eco-dyed papers from WOWbook 1. I used procion dye on some of the paper instead of the iron water expecting it to dilute during the process. It didn’t so the colour is a lot bolder than I thought it would be. Initially I outlined some of the leaves with coloured pencils but later decided to add more lines and doodles for more contrast. It has been an ongoing project but is now complete.
Jane Hayward. A metalwork piece I did with Alysn Midgelow-Marsden. She inspires me so much.
Jane Rouse. Finally completed my collage from book 2. I printed the flowers on rather than use a stencil. The machine quilting wasn’t nearly so scary once I got started!
Anne-Marie Bates. Thought you might be interested in how it turned out. Had a problem as I’d used the only photocopy of these ducks that I had and couldn’t find the original ! had to “wing” the free motion machining, hoping it looked something like. Found the transfer wrinkled a bit so doodled over that. I learnt a lot – will make two copies next time!
Wendy Burgess. I recently finished my Brusho landscape for Maggie’s course. I learnt a lot during my first experiments with the Brusho. Number 1 was to wear rubber gloves when you open the containers because that pigment stains hands for days! I chose to hand stitch this one as a way to unwind in the busy lead up to Christmas. Love Maggie’s technique for printing the designs and this has already lead to another three landscapes. I can see so many possibilities with other paintings I have thought would make good stitching backgrounds.
Jo Taylor. I have been working on my fabric book for a while now and have eventually finished it
Pam Bailey. Based on Jan Evans’ workshop. Quite pleased with how the picture has turned out. Cow parsley doesn’t show up well on the picture.
Lou Threapleton. I finally had a go at something (bought all the books of course!) Clare Bullock Nuno Felting in book 2. It takes some work but I think it worked! Just silk I had and next time, less stripy. It’s very soft.
Tracey Fernandes. Miles behind as always but I have enjoyed making this little book, the cover of which is based on the technique shown by Lynda Monk using Tyvek (if you can remember that far back!).
Birgit Friese. I had much pleasure in working “distorting scripture”; three small works and one large work were created. Here’s a sample: Business – Scills – ‘Leidenschaft’; font distorted and curved with Photoshop Elements, Vilene S80, Gesso, Gloss Medium, Pebeo Moon Hammered Effect. People: felt background: spunbond on acrylic plate.
Mara Webb. Just finished my interpretation of ‘Amo’s Amonites’ from Amo House’s online workshop I haven’t got an embellisher (yet) but found needle felting quite relaxing. Had fun doing a bit of hand stitch too.
Wendy Burgess. This is Module 3 Part 1 of Maggie’s course that goes with Wowbook 3. I must admit I did groan when I read about the mark making but it’s been a while since I altered a book and I did enjoy it, even the mark making. I used Brusho (my latest obsession) for the colour and ended up with water and colour going through the book so I will be more careful in the future. I used pen only for these but will try other mark making tools too.
Mara Webb. I am fortunate to be the keeper of my mother in law’s artwork from when she was at St Martins. She was Margaret Timmins then and unfortunately, her studies came to an end at the outbreak of the World War II. I am now looking at using copies of her designs whilst following the work of Cas Holmes, Stitched Stories and Found Objects. Using the technique in Maggie Grey’s video, Wow book 3 I have transferred a couple of photo copies onto a piece of old cotton sheeting. The next stage will be to add some stitching and incorporate them into a bigger piece of work so this is work in progress. This shows Margaret’s orignal artwork, photocopied and transferred onto the sheeting.
Anne-Marie Bates. I went to a Jane Betteridge workshop – the lady that wrote the book recently reviewed online in the members’ club. This is my piece – hope to transfer it/or something similar onto fabric when I’ve re-read Maggie’s instructions in her online workshop!
Wendy Burgess. I recently had a go at Dale’s Paper, Cloth, Transfer, Stitch workshop that is in the online WOWbook 3 Members club. I haven’t made silk paper that way and was pleasantly surprised at how thin and strong you could make it. I used an altered photo of the Forest floor piece from a previous WoW edition for the transfer. I added hand stitching as well as the machine work and joined it together with large jump rings.
Lynn Collison. Used the leftovers from Clare Bullock’s nuno felt to make two more cards.
Lynn Collison. Had a go at Clare Bullock’s Felt Print Stitch from WOW 2. I used sari silk and some odd bits of silk fabric but some of the thicker bits did not felt into the fibres as well as I hoped. I have to admit wet felting isn’t my thing and I’d rather be using my embellished machine! I decided to add lots of stitching to secure all the silk and used the end result for a card. Will try again making sure the silk is not too thick.
Kerri McArdle 2. This is what I have done with the Tyvek samples I made from Lynda Monk’s video from Wowbook 01 members’ club. Really happy with how the cubes turned out. Have also purchased Lynda’s book ‘Beautiful Bonded Surfaces’ which is so inspiring.
Kerri McArdle. This is what I have done with the Tyvek samples I made from Lynda Monk’s video from Wowbook 01 members’ club. Really happy with how the cubes turned out. Have also purchased Lynda’s book ‘Beautiful Bonded Surfaces’ which is so inspiring.
Tonia Gerrits. Ammonite made using transfer paint and stitch.
Lynn Collison. Just finished and mounted this, inspired by Sue Dove’s workshop in WOW2. I even worked it first in my sketchbook – usually just dive straight in. Really enjoyed taking time hand stitching.
Mara Webb. Thank you so much Maggie for your idea of creating a sampler of squares. These are some of printed and painted papers that I made last year. I had loads of fun putting the squares together. I lost count of the number of times that I re-arranged them!
Anita O’Neill. My take on Nikki Parmenter’s online workshop. Not a fish but it does lend itself to many shapes.
Jill Hill. Bits and pieces from my UFO box which have now been completed.
Mara Webb. Someone reminded me about Margaret Beal’s workshop in WOWbook 03 so I had a little play today. Great fun.
Wendy Burgess. I had already done the cover for my journal so I used Maggie’s technique from Module 3 part 2 to make this mixed media piece. I added colour and a few beads but other than that, the technique is the same. I haven’t used a lot of dissovable paper before and am now a convert. It adds so much texture!