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Postcard from the Rose Garden
Textile Art featuring paper piecing and embroidery
My first stitched postcard from the Artist in Residency at the Wellington Botanic Gardens.
Finished as a mini quilt for top mounting in a box frame.
Size: 9cm by 17cm
Only one available
Postcard from the Rose Garden $150 BUY NOW
The Artist in Residency is made possible by the Friends of the Wellington Botanic Gardens and funding from the Nikau Foundation
Category: Gallery
Tags: Quilt, Textile Art Work
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60s Puffs Still Life
Quilted Textile Work
One in a series of Still Life panels of vases and flowers.
Pink, Orange and green suffolk puffs made from 1960s fabrics are the flowers and leaves in an appliqued peach coloured damask fabric vase on an kantha stitched linen/cotton mix background.
The "flowers" are recycled from Sam and Sally Scarecrow, made by Great Aunt Nellie and me from an English Women's Weekly pattern by Jean Greenhowe in the 1960s.
The heads were not quite right, we used nylon stockings. The elastic has now gone in the arms and legs and Sally has lost a leg. My children didn't really like them and even the dog is not interested in playing.
And then I have just realized what treasures I have... many Suffolk Puffs made from genuine 1960s fabrics that were off cuts from a local clothing factory. They had been given to the local church guild to make things for the church gala... these were the off cuts of off cuts!
The jewel tones, in 3 colour families, are perfect as "flowers and leaves" in this still life. Just had to add lots of French Knots.
Finished as a mini quilt with a hanging sleeve with the ability to easily make it into a cushion if you wish.
Size: 31cm by 46cm
Only one available
60s Puffs Still Life $190 BUY NOW
Background Essex Cotton/Linen Fat Quarters
Essex Linen 1232 Midnight Fat Quarter (50cm x 55cm) $7.00 BUY NOW
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Medieval Landscape
Quilted Textile Work
On the last day of my trip to London last November (I was flying out at night) we were able to go to the Selvage Fair. Lots of beautiful textiles and makers. I bought a Plant Dyed Stitching Pack with fabrics and threads from The Whole Cloth Studio.
My first stitched postcard from London using these fabrics and threads is loosely based on a design in this medieval triptych at the National Gallery but influenced by the Mughal pattern on pattern that I saw at the Mughal Exhibition at the Victoria and Albert.
Often the fabric and threads can be the initial inspiration.
Finished as a mini quilt for top mounting in a box frame.
Size: 10cm by 15cm
Only one available
Medieval Landscape $120 BUY NOW

AIR – Stitch a Still Life Class
Join the Friends of Wellington Botanic Garden's Artist in Residence Mary Self as she teaches you how to stitch your own still life.
Sun 9 Feb 2025, 10:00am–1:00pm
Cost $126.85 each ($120.00 + $6.85 fees)
Enroll here
You'll create your own A4 size Still Life with a vase or a bowl containing three-dimensional flowers, fruit and/or leaves. Linen fabric will be provided in a range of colours so you can create your own background texture with simple stitches. A bowl or vase for you for your flowers and fruit will be appliqued.
Threads and fabrics will be provided but if you have something special you would like to incorporate into the Still Life you are welcome to bring it along and we can discuss how to best to use it. For example, the bowl for the cherries is from an old, embroidered doily and the cherries are red velvet. A piece of lace may look good on the table.
You may not finish completely, but you will have been taught and practised each step.
Advice and options for finishing your piece of work for display will be given.
Most suitable for 16+ confident in threading a needle.
Located in the Treehouse Seminar Room, Wellington Botanic Garden ki Paekākā.
Mary Self is the Friends of Wellington Botanic Garden Artist in Residence 2025. The residency is from 1 February to 31 March, and she will spend Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the Treehouse and other parts of the gardens sharing her stitched art with visitors. "Flower and plants have been depicted in art in very many ways. Some of my favourites are the simplified forms of the millefleur in Medieval tapestries, the rich Dutch Still Lives of the 17th century to the evocative gardens of the French Impressionists of the 19th century."

Past Talk – Down the Garden Path: Inspiration – where do the ideas come from?
Sometimes there is a flash of an idea that results in a piece of design or an art work very quickly, but mostly it is a case of exploring and sampling ideas and themes until it clicks into place. Mary will show, with samples and pictures, some common themes that she returns to again and again for inspiration. Colour, textiles, plants and flowers, found objects and the influence of other artists. Then comes the creative fun of working on a piece until the magic moment of resolution.
Not currently scheduled
If you would like Mary to come and talk to your group please contact her here