Friday 1 May 2020

Miss Havisham's Banquet

Charles Dickens' famous scene of a decaying wedding feast was the first thing that popped into my mind when I read our challenge.  I normally would choose a more positive subject, but Miss Havisham would not be denied.  :)


The basic wedding cake.


I enjoyed using tons of lace scraps from my stash, along with Jacquard Lumiere textile paint to unite the laces and trims.

Laces, netting, ribbons, and buttons.


The cobwebbed cake with its spidery residents.


This has got to be the most monochromatic piece I have ever done.   And all that white doesn't photograph well either, at least not indoors.  But what would Miss Havisham say to my taking her cake outside to photograph it in sunlight!


I wrote a lot about my research and a little about my technique here on my textile blog, Deep in the Heart of Textiles, and I hope you check that out. (The link is where it says "here," -- I don't see that the link is a different color than the normal font in these posts.)

I am not that thrilled with the piece itself, but I had so much fun working on it, and these days, a happy process is reward enough!

8 comments:

  1. You've captured the spidery decay so beautifully. I'm glad you had fun working on it - I think that that comes across very much all the work you've put into your inventive use of materials. Brilliant!

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  2. This is a great representation of your chosen scene Gwen, the close up of your cake displays your cobwebby effect in all it's glory, love it!

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  3. This is fabulous! I ill be over to learn more about it :)

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  4. I love it! You should be proud, it is a fabulous piece. The lace looks like cobwebs and the cake itself is fantastic. Great job.

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  5. Oh my, I'm not sure I would've tackled Mrs. Haversham's anything -- but you really did well! Great idea, using lace for the webs and buttons for the spiders!

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  6. I think it's interesting how several of us were drawn to using neutrals this time around. And, you're right -they are difficult to photograph! The texture you achieved is fabulous. I know you used netting to represent spider webs, but I keep thinking of it as a cloud of spun sugar around the cake. Wouldn't that be neat on a real cake? Spun sugar I mean. I can't believe the person who wrote that menu for 70 or 80 (from your blog post) was serious! But, I am inspired. I think I'll go whip up a whole rabbit and plop it in the middle of a plate now!

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    1. I noticed that neutral palette as well -- it will be interesting to see what the gallery looks like. I love the effect of all the pieces together -- new combinations of ideas pop into my mind looking at them.
      And I hope you mean you will have your extensive staff -- gameskeeper, cook, scullery maid, etc. -- whip up that rabbit for you. :)

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  7. Isn't it funny the things that stick in your head and you have to make them? This is wonderful and really captures the sadness and madness of Miss Havisham.

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