Shibori in the chicken shack

No pictures please!  Four delightful students.  A fabulous studio to play in, but not much space. Three tables to use.  Dyeing station outside in chicken territory.   But, hey, the sun is shining, it's warm, which is a plus.   But we are in rooster country.

We made the best of the circumstances - bit of a problem when the chickens invaded our outside work stations.

As ever, I don't get to see the results, but I think the students will like the results of their hard work.  Lots of interesting stitched resists and pole wrapping.

Right now I have unloaded my car, contents to be 'filed' tomorrow morning.  Supper, a glass or two of red, and I am ready for bed.

It's been a long day - up and doing since 6.30 am.  That's the life of a textile itinerant, but I love it!

Naxos - Part 2

Dried onions, aubergines (eggplants) and peppers

I just had to make several visits to my favorite shop, almost in the whole world!  The whole food store of Naxos.  Full of tubs of olives, bowls of feta, jars of olive oil, dried herbs, honey, jams, wine etc. etc.

Interior of the storeroom - in the background the entrance leads to the cheese store. 

A painted panel on one of the doors

The bottle shop - island wine to go

Local sponges and dried gourds

Local pottery casseroles and jars of dried herbs

We did not leave empty handed!   Local cheese and olives consumed for lunch.   Herbs, a few pots, honey, olive oil and olive oil soap brought home.   The shop is an Aladdins Cave. As part of their 'display' were packs of very ancient silk thread(!) and I remember on my first visit I noticed an old quilt tucked away in a corner - no longer there, I wonder what happened to it.

Naxos - Part 1

That feels better - nothing quite like a few days in Greece to restore the spirit.   Flying into Athens, taking the bus to the port of Piraeus, then catching the ferry to Naxos.  Five hours to begin to wind down, taking in islands and the turquoise sea.

Laptop didn't make an appearance.  Indigo elephant came along for the ride, but not a stitch stitched.  I guess I really needed a break.

The port of Naxos, a wedding cake of small white houses with a Venetian castle on top.

A shady spot for lunch, with the beach in the background

The way to the beach

Another dining opportunity in the old town

The end of a lazy day

That just about sums up our entire five days!   The sky was blue, the weather perfect and the food fabulous.   Next trip - India in the autumn, unless we escape to Greece again.   We are missing the blue sky already.   Here it is about 17c, blowing a gale and the skies are definitely grey.  Just another British summer!

Dyeing the Green

Ingredients: Two groups of fifteen six year old children

120 squares of cotton

Sufficient emerald green dye

Assorted dyeing equipment

Project: To dye squares for bunting

Time per group: three quarters of an hour

Whoops - a bit of an accident whilst mixing dye

End result - a lovely bundle of green cloth, bound and folded

(I will leave the state of my hands to your imagination - leprechaun comes to mind).

Now all I have to do is wash out and iron.   The making of the bunting will have to wait a week or two.  Plenty of time, it's not required until the end of August for the Irish cultural day at Walford Mill on August Bank holiday Monday.

In the meantime, after a hectic few weeks, Keith and I are off tomorrow for six days on a Greek beach - hoping to take laptop so will post some view of azure seas, golden sands etc.    I am so looking forward to it!

An interesting week

Workshop with Wareham West Country Embroiderers - Indian Stitchery, a crazy sampler covering mirror work, Banjara, and kantha.   They all worked very hard, and have something to stitch/complete during the summer holidays! I am hoping to see photos of their finished pieces (eventually).

detail

A girl's day out with my daughter, Amanda, in Exeter.   The park and ride is brilliant, so much better than fighting the city traffic.     Shopping, lunch, shopping, afternoon tea.  Great.

This weekend it is the Wimborne Folk Festival - the town is awash with visitors, Morris Men, and various other folk dance troupes.    The pubs have folk singing day and night.    

I present a section of Morris Dancing folk - great head gear

Tomorrow there will be market stalls, I might just have to pay another visit.

Shibori in the Tent

Demonstrating shibori techniques in the tent on a perfect English summer weekend, made up for Wet Wednesday.

Thelma was impressed

Mokume shibori

Subtle blues/purples,, blues/turquoise, then I got a touch of the brights.

Even better, this one sold!

Bound shibori 

The sarong workshop was great fun.   As usual I don't get to see the end results, but Jill returned on Sunday to show and tell.   The border is really lovely with tied chickpea and the pattern resembles flowers.

Out of the blue

Another week of multi-tasking.  A day off on Friday to take in some venues during Dorset Arts Week - Treasures from the Silk Road especially yummy.  Textiles from Central Asia and India.  I know, not exactly Dorset, but touchstones. Hmm... I feel another trip coming on.  Then there was Caroline Ellis, weaver.  Woven indigo shibori scarves, quite beautiful, and hangings with beads and shells

Saturday a beautiful day - catch up on housework, washing etc.   All very necessary by now.   Afternoon birthday tea for No. 1 son Nic and his friend Perrine, birthday on the same day.  Chocolate cake on the balcony enjoying the warmth of the sun.

Sunday, a day at home on my own, or so I thought.    Dyed up more threads, made up indigo vat.  Time for lunch while vat was brewing, then a phone call - oops I should be demonstrating at Stewarts.    Got my kit together and entertained those interested in the joys of shibori.   

Back home rescued vat from greenhouse and managed to dye the prepared pieces before supper.

The Contemporary Quilt Group journal project looms large, must keep up!    Here is the start of the journal quilt for

May.   Since this is the beginning of the indigo season, I present my stitched resist elephant.   I'll post the finished quilt eventually, although I since I intend to quilt kantha style it might be a while.

Show time.   I am entering my Wholecloth '07 quilt into the National Quilt Championships.  

As the title suggests, it is a whole cloth quilt - deconstructed screen printing.  

Difficult to photograph!   It is rather bright!  Size 17"x34"

A detail of the stitching.

This year I am breaking out, what with the blog and taking part in a Quilt Show!   My little treasure will be posted this afternoon, and we will see what happens.

Dye a Sarong for Summmer(?!!) workshop on Friday, demonstrating on Saturday and Sunday.   I can see a little light and perhaps a chance to take some time out.    What about this for a venue - posh frocks and tiaras I think.

Finally - hello world, and thank you for visiting!   In truth, the neo counter is a bit of vanity, but it has been fascinating see where my blog is being read.