Ruth McMonagle

@ruthmcmonagle

Textile artist. Nature lover. Saving the planet, one stitch at a time. She/her. Aotearoa New Zealand #art #textile #fabric #recycle #reuse #quilt #sew #stitch #craft #thread #climate #MTB #travel #adventure Lover, mother, friend. ruthmcmonagle.net

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Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· 15d

Finished my weather art. It's my town for 2025. Weather, temperature high/low, wind direction &strength, seasons. The back has the colour legend and actual rainfall in mm. Extremely pleased with how it finished. #art #textile #reuse #recycle #sew #quilt #fabric #climate #weather 🇳🇿🪡🧵🧶

A textile art work that is made up of small pieces of different coloured fabric. Each wedge represents a day high/low temperature. January is at the top, and December at the bottom. The results create a warmer toned piece at the top and bottom, and cooler colours are in the middle (winter months).

Detail of the daily temperature high/low wedges, and the small weather block at the end. The triangles represent the wind and how strong it was.

The back of the textile artwork, showing actual rainfall in mm for 12 months. Each side has the graduation of colours from hot 28 degrees C to cold -4 degrees C. The lower half of the artwork has each temperature in the fabric that it represents, the weather words, and the four seasons in the fabric they are represented in.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· 16d

I'm off on an adventure soon, so sending some photos off my laptop to free up some space into a removable storage. It might take a while, I've got 6 past adventures to transfer.

A screenshot of a message "copying 432i items...." 528 MB of 50.74 GB. I'm doing one country at time, and have had my laptop 2 years, so plenty of files to copy over the next few evenings. I've started with the "A"s, so Australia is next, then China, Korea, Japan, and Mongolia.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· 21d

Been looking back at previous adventures with the urchins. We spent a while in San Francisco several years ago. One of the favourite activities was going up Mt Tam, and watching the fog roll into the bay. #travel

Me enjoying a rope swing out over the dry grass covered hills of Mt Tamalpais. In the back ground is the white fog rolling in over the San Francisco bay, and meets the Redwood forest. The sky is blue. A great way to spend an afternoon.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· 24d

Popped into the Matariki art exhibition at the Rotorua Arts Village. One of the schools captured portraits of tamariki as they embody/personify Ngā whetū o Matariki. "Pōhutukawa" caught my eye. Photographer Oriwa Murray Stevens. #art #matariki nzl 🇳🇿

Painted posts outside the Arts village. The tops of the posts have a Tiki poking their tongue out. Traditional maori designs, Kowhaiwhai patterns are in three colours of red, black and white. Red represents warmth, blood and life. White represents purity, promise for the future and awakening. Black represents the earth.

A portrait of a child with pōhutukawa flowers and green ferns and leaves in their hair, wearing a cloak of red feathers. In their hand, they are holding more red pōhutukawa flowers. A dark moko kauae, has been drawn on the lips and chin.
Pōhutukawa is one of the seven stars of the Matariki cluster.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· Jul 12

Got myself a side quest. The fabric isn't long enough, so I have sew extra lengths together, but I have to match the flower motifs, because I want an extra challenge today. Extremely pleased with the joining seams. #art #textile #sew #quilt #fabric #rose #reuse #recyle 🇳🇿🪡🧵🧶

4 strips of fabric that need to be sewn together. The top fabric has an orange and yellow rose, but quarter of the orange rose is printed on the next pice of fabric. The bottom fabric has a pink rose, which is half printed on the left piece, and fully printed on the right hand pices. I need to join the flowers so the seam appears invisible.

Look at that! The top orange rose is joined at the left side petals.
The bottom pink rose is joined closer to the centre of the bloom. I am really pleased with the result.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· Jul 11

Finished appliquing more of the blocks to the background fabric. Should be able to lay them all out tomorrow, and see what I can do next with them all. #art #recycle #reuse #fabric #sew #quilt 🇳🇿🪡🧵🧶

A multi coloured quilt block pinned to a black background.

A pink and blue fabric quilt block, pinned to a black background.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· Jul 10

Made lots of progress today, as Matariki enabled me time in my creative space without interruptions. I sewed the last of the cut out blocks together. I also started machine appliquing the blocks to larger black fabric squares. So many pins. #art #recycle #reuse #fabric #sew #quilt 🇳🇿🪡🧵🧶

A fabric quilt block made up of 3 shapes. The inside is a cross made pf fussy cut fabric, with a red flower at the edge, and white flowers on a yellow back ground. The 4 larger trapezium pieces are sewn to the cross, creating an X. These are pale blue fabric with green leaves. The smaller 4 trapezium pieces are orange with green ovals, and they fill in the spaces between the X.

A pink and green quild block pinned to a black background fabic. Pins line the outside of the block to secure it to the black fabric.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· Jul 9

Orange on Black I was 12 years old, and was STUNNED by Orange on Black by Ralph Hotere. Up until then,I thought paintings were of people or landscapes or still life. If I am in Welly, and go toTe Papa, I seek it out, and remember how I felt. #art

4 thin orange lines on a black background. The lines intersect creating a thin orange cross.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· Jul 7

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Cutie. A Kākā on a tree fern. #bird 🪶

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· Jul 5

Finished! and it glows.😀 A glow in the dark jellyfish. #art #textile #sew #fabric 🇳🇿🪡🧵🧶

A fabric and thread constructed jellyfish on a dark background. The threads and fabric glow.

The fabric and thread jellyfish in the light. The top of the jellyfish is constructed of glow in the dark fabric and angelina fibres. This creates a vein like effect on the white fabric. The long metallic threads and glow in the dark threads hang below as tenticles.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· Jul 2

I wore so many layers, I was an onion. The gear all weighed about 11kgs before I walked out the door. I loved watching the sea freeze. Pancake ice is amazing. #travel #adventure

Small discs of ice, shaped like pancakes, beginning to hold hands to freeze over the sea. Ripples / gentle waves in the water make it look like a fabric.

Pancake ice in the midnight sun in Terranova Bay, Ross Sea, Antarctica. The ice has a yellow tinge due to the sun's angle. It looks like sand dunes because of the wind creating waves. A large iceberg is in the distance, and in the far background are the Trans Antarctic mountains.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· Jun 30

I'm enjoying the early evening walks in the local park. Late winter and the daffodils are confused. Content warning: Some naked trees in the park. #nzl #Rotorua 🇳🇿🌱🌳

A group of flowering daffodils, bright and yellow, on a winter evening walk. Not spring yet daffys, there are frosts yet to come in July.

Two naked trees standing apart, with a large wooden rustic bench between them. The leaves are brown on the green grass. In the background, the blue sky has wispy white clouds.

Three naked trees standig together in the dusk. The green grass in the foreground is covered in old brown leaves. In the back ground, is a distant lake, and the start of a sunset.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· Jun 29

Creating the tentacles. Blending glow in the dark thread with a luscious glittery thread ( doesn’t photograph well) #art #textile #sew #fabric 🇳🇿🪡🧵🧶

Lots of threads being sewn to the base of the jellyfish

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· Jun 28

I belong to a textile group, that does small challenges once a month. This month is "green and sparkly". I'm using glow in the dark fabric, thread, and angelina fibres. #art #textile #sew #quilt #reuse #recycle #fabric 🇳🇿🪡🧵🧶

Glow in the dark fabric and thread. It glows green in the dark.

Pale green fabric on the left, on the right is glowing green fabric in the dark. The fabric doesn't appear to fray, so I am having to rethink my construction of my green and sparkly thing.

I've decided on a jelly fish. The angelina fibres are sparkly. Not sure how well the glow will work, as the fibres cover most of the fabric.
A mushroom top shaped piece of fabric covered in sparkly fibres. Some of the fibres are escaping at the bottom. I might use those for jellyfish tenticles.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· Jun 28

Last night a cat was howling outside. I feed it & it disappeared. Discovered this morning it howled outside neighbours all night. They don’t have cats or food. I called it over this morning,fed it again. Having lunch outside. Look who is keeping me company. I guess I have another cat.

Blackish cat with white paws and chin resting on a wooden table.

Black cat keeping an eye on the my cats, while enjoying the sunshine from my wooden patio table.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· Jun 27

This is one of the urchins favourite food. What regional delicacy do you have? #nzl #takeaway #food 🇳🇿🍜

A blackboard at the mountain bike park advertising “Blood and Guts” in pink flouro writing.

This is hot chips with tomato sauce, mayonnaise, and BBQ sauce. Sometimes “road kill” is on offer, that is the same with extra garlic added.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· Jun 22

I made cake for winter solstice and it was delicious. 🍜🍰🍎 #cook This was the recipe I used. smittenkitchen.com/2024/12/invi...

A apple loaf cake viewed from the top. A glaze makes it shiny. Thinly sliced apples layered together in a batter, and baked for 60 minutes

Apple cake sliced, showing layers of apple and cake. Flavoured with vanilla bean. It was delicious.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· Jun 20

World Albatross Day. I love watching these birds. These ones were at Snares Island, south of Aotearoa. #albatross #bird 🪶

A albatross sitting in the ocean. It''s showing off it's eye liner. The tip of the bird's beak is yellow.

An albatross sitting on a nest surrounded by green shrubs and grasses.

An albatross flying close to the ocean, skimming it's wing feather along the water.

An albatross with it's wings outstretches, flying alongside a rocky outcrop. In the background is one of the Snares Island.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· Jun 19

Late afternoon stroll with Hubs❤️ to enjoy the stunning day and the winter sunshine. I never get tired of this view. Looking forward to Solstice this weekend. The daffodils are confused. #travel #adventure #rotorua #nzl 🇳🇿🌱

View of Rotorua from the Tree Trust. Sheep are grazing in a field in the foreground, trees with some autumn colour in the mid ground. A blue lake in the distance. The sky is cloudless. The sun is setting creating a yellow glow to the sheep and grass.

A yellow daffodil in a grassy park, blooming in mid winter. More buds are shooting up next to the flower. In the background the trees are naked of their leaves. The sun is setting, and making the hill glow yellow in the distance.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· Jun 7

We walked to the end of the Lake Okareka walkway. Plenty of birds keeping us company,. There is a small beach nestled amongst the flax and manuka. 2/2 #Rotorua #travel #adventure #nzl 🇳🇿

At the end of the walkway looking back to the small village of Lake Okareka in the distance. The water is still, and there are fluffy clouds in the sky. A peaceful and relaxing place to be.

A rustic wooden seat nestled between large green flax bushes. Lake Okareka is the view, and in the distance are hills covered in native forest.

A wooden broadwalk meandering back to the carpark. There are plenty of tall green flax bushes on either side. In the distance are forest covered hills.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· Jun 7

Played tourist in my local town. Lovely winter day. Lunch with Hubs❤️ at Lake Tarawera, and then a stroll along the edge of Lake Okareka. The stroll ended up being 5 kms, and the sun was very intense later in the afternoon. 1/2 #Rotorua #travel #adventure #nzl 🇳🇿

Lake Tarawera and Mount Tarawera in the distance. The lake is still, native forest covers the hill on the right. There are fluffy clouds in the blue sky.

A duck with a white head standing near the edge of a lake. A large green flax bush is nearby. Its flowers are finished and just brown stalks remain.

A broadwalk meanders through a grove of really tall flax bushes. The flowers are finished, and all that remain are brown stalks. In the distance is pasture land, and then a hill covered in trees.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· Jun 7

I've started another block. I pulled the papers out of the next half made block. After pressing, I drew seam allowances on the relevant pieces. I will be spending the next few evenings machining sewing these pieces together. #quilt #art #epp #textile #recycle

Pink fabric lozenges arranged around a green fabric cross that has been hand sewn together.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· Jun 4

Hubs❤️ had a MTB crash a few weeks ago. Concussion, broken ribs, collarbone. He cant drive, so I am chauffeur. While I wait at his appointments, I started to knit. Last night I sewed it up, and made a scraggly pompom. Soon it will be cold enough to wear it! A good use of my time. #knit #craft 🇳🇿🪡🧵🧶

A ginger coloured knitted hat on grey carpet. There are 3 chunky cables that go around the hat. The pompom on the top is small and scraggly, as that was all the yarn I had left.

A knitted ginger hat posing on the carpet, showing off the rings of cables around the middle. The chunky cables create a more of a tall hat, instead of a beanie. I like how it is not tight on the top of my head. Mama would be pleased, she showed me how to knit cables 30 plus years ago. It was nice to see if I could still knit.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· May 31

Yay!! Finished painting the last coat on the ceiling. The gloves held up well, not too much paint on my hands. Tomorrow I start on the walls. Making the most of the long weekend. Arms tired, need to have some chocolate for morale, and maybe watch a movie.

Two fingers, one with white paint marks on the nail.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· May 25

A chonky kereru was drinking out of the flat top of the upturned bin. So close to the house! Anyway, here is a photo of “not a bird” cause she flew away😄🪶

A scene looking out a window onto a wooden deck. A black bin is upside down. In its base is a pool of water, where a chonky pigeon was drinking from. By the time I pulled my phone out for a photo, she flew away. In the back ground is some trees, but I don’t know what type.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· May 25

Nice day in the city for an urchins graduation. #nzl 🇳🇿 #wellington

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· May 22

Evening stroll with Hubs❤️ at the lakefront. #Rotorua Autumn showing off at the nearby park. #nzl 🌱 #colour #nature

A vivid red and orange leaf tree reflecting in a pond. Another tree is nearly naked of it's leaves.

A pond reflecting harekeke flax, naked skeletons of trees, and in the distance is a grassy park, with a row of vivid orange leafed tree. On the grass are yellow leaves. Autumn is showing her colours.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· May 13

I pulled the papers out of the next half made block. After pressing, I drew seam allowances (with a little helper) on the relevant pieces. Spent the next few days machining sewing in the evenings. Another block completed! Yay!!! #quilt #reuse #recycle #fabric #art #textile

A half completed quilt block with spotted greenish dotted lozenge shapes to be sewn into a blue pink and beige setting, of two crosses on top of each other. The colours are muted, as it was night when I took the photo.

A grey and white cockatiel chewing the end of my pencil. I was drawing seam allowances around the sides of the fabric lozenges, until he started to "help".

Look at this! Another completed block, took about 1 and half hours of machining sewing all up. Just taking my time, getting all the seams to match up. The center X is turquoise with grey striped fabric. The lime dotted lozenge are intersected by pink beige fabric, with birds and blue flowers.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· May 12

Autumn, my favourite season. Went for a gentle stroll in the rain with Hubs❤️. The local park looking stunning in yellow ginkgo. #travel #Rotorua #nzl 🇳🇿🌱

A damp tarseal road winds it way downhill. On the left side are ginkgo trees in full autumn yellow. The sky is grey, and it started to rain.

Yellow and brown leaves litter the side of a damp tarseal road. Yellow ginkgo trees line both sides. Their leaves were more vivid than the photo indicates.

Yellow and brown leaves litter the side of a damp tarseal road that winds between trees. Yellow ginkgo trees line both sides. Their leaves were more vivid than the photo indicates.

Yellow and brown leaves litter the side of a damp tarseal road that weaves between the trees. Yellow ginkgo trees line both sides. A wooden rail fence is on the left hand side next to the road. The leaves were more vivid than the photo indicates.

Ruth McMonagle@ruthmcmonagle· May 12

Sometimes, my work assistant forgets that the pencil works best, when it's held at the other end. #bird #cockatiel 🪶