Make do and mend

From BBC Radio 4 to the Sunday Observer Magazine, articles 

are appearing on ways to save money and save the planet etc.   

How to hem, darn, sew ona button.  Knit, crochet, patchwork.   

I think I have heard this all before.

But, hey, it's good.  Now we can all feel justified with the little 

hordes of saved string, brown paper and 'things' that might 

come in useful.   

Mending - I have a small Pfaff sewing machine, basic but 

light enough to take to workshops.  I left it at The Mill in a 

cupboard for several weeks, only to find when next required 

the bobbin race had rusted.   Enter John the Sewing Machine 

man.  Brilliant, got the wire brush out, reburnished the casing 

and it is as good a new.

Making do - instructions to use the machine to get it really 

going again. Just the thing, one of the Journal Quilts on my list.   

This one is for the group Infinity.   Subject - Glass.

Raided my inherited button boxes for glass buttons, the scrap 

bag for fabric.   Glass beads and shisha.   Tick.

A suitable case for ..............

Today, amongst other things, I managed to wrap 

another couple of poles.Small diameter plumbing 

pipes, not small diameter plumbers pipes as I said

in last post.  (No thin plumbers to be seen).

I used thicker fabric this time, so the dye did not 

penetrate all the folds.  Interesting shapes nevertheless.   

The fabric has been overdyed.  Next move?  

Perhaps printing or discharge.

 

I've been taking time out, walking on the Purbeck Coast, lots of fluffy 

sheep and lambs;  hacking through the overgrown hedges and shrubs.

It always amazes me how much stuff is generated when 'gently' 

pruning;  and generally just being outside enjoying the sun.

Conservatory is coming on - shelves on walls, and in the cupboard 

under the sink.  A great deal of sorting and 'filing' of dyeing and silk 

screening paraphernalia.   Can't throw any of it away, really!    

However, I can get back to some dyeing, and first off some samples 

for my next shibori class on pole wrapping.

We only have a two hour slot, not enough time for big 'poles', so 

I have made up samples using small diameter plumbers pipes.

Three poles wrapped in different ways,

laying in soda solution

Dyed

Unwrapped

No.1 - Wrapped round pole without edges touching

No. 2 - Fabric manipulated to fit pole

No. 3 - Fabric folded before wrapping

I like the last piece especially.  Think I might

try some alternative folding tomorrow.

It's Spring

Daffodils

Iris

Primroses

and a new shiny sink.

       The conservatory is looking good.  Pine doors and shelves 

         re-varnished, with a slightly distressed look at the bottom of 

           the door.   Well, all those years of dyeing just had to leave 

             their mark.   Shelves to be put up for storage, ready for 

dyeing workshops in the summer.

            What a gorgeous day.  The first taste of warmth this year.  

          Perhaps I will abandon work indoors and escape to the 

green gym.   

More threads

Back to India! I was given an introduction to 

Alimohammed, a true master dyer. 

He gave me permission to photo his experiments with

natural dyes and different mordants.   Very subtle, 

especially on different weights of silk fabric

This piece of cloth was drying on the line,

and 'untied' to reveal the colours.

Isn't it gorgous?   The colours are more vibrant than shown.

Indigo background, rust orange and deep cream.

I managed two very short meetings, time was short.

I shared with him my method of colour stripping

indigo, and he was a mine of information and very

generous with his knowledge.   The pots, bags and

jars of leaves, bark, powder and gum in his dyeing 

studio were intriguing.  It was also very hot - outside

 temp 33c, inside roaring fire and steaming vats.

Now I have met Alimohammed,  I shall make 

sure I visit again and perhaps get to do some 

dyeing with him.

Getting on with things

The sun is shining, but there is a very cold March wind outside.   

The good news is, it is perfect in the conservatory to catch with 

with some dyeing.  First job to dye some threads.

Next prepare and dye samples for the shibori workshop at the end 

of the month.

Frantic activity 'cos with any luck Keith is going to revamp the 

conservatory in the next week (or two), which means no dyeing

 until it's done.   I have been using it as my 'wet room' for at least 

twelve years so you can imagine, despite all attempts to keep

  things relatively clean, the odd dye accident has happened!   

New square sink, with draining board this time, more shelf 

and storage space, and an excuse to visit our new Ikea 

Thanks for comments on last blog.  I think we are all the same, 

regardless of 'filing' systems.   So, bring on the creative mess,

 the search, and procrastination, it's all part of the process.

 

Pots - Part III

Getting back into the swing of things again, here is my March 

Journal Quilt.    A little bit of dyeing and some mono printing, 

but not too much, it has turned cold again and the 

conservatory is not a place to hang about in when the 

temperature drops.

Elements

Nothing to do with the weather, rather shapes, pattern 

and texture from the previous two Journal Quilts.   

Lots of hand stitching, french knots, fly, seed and 

blanket stitch on background of calico, dyed 

muslin and snippets of fabric.   Breaking out a bit 

here, trying to lose the Virgo tendency to neatness 

and straight lines.

Of course, I had to delve into every box of fabric to 

find just the right pieces, then to find threads.  

Result - room in total mess.   I can feel an attack of 

the Virgo's coming on.....hmm, perhaps I should 

have a tidy up.

Kala Raksha

I started my blog last January with the idea of a visual diary for family, friends and students.  The reason for my trip was an invite to a Mela and the graduation of students from Kala Raksha Vidyalaya.   Truly amazing.    The Fashion Show could have hosted the stages in London, Paris or Rome.

Judy Frater founded  the Kala Raksha Trust in 1991 - see link.    She has been chosen for the 2009 Sir Misha Black's medal for distinguished services to design education, and will be coming to London to received the award.   If you can make it, there will be a Trunk Show with Judy Frater of  the work of artisans from Kala Raksha from 25th to 28th March at Joss Graham, 10 Eccleston Street, London SW1W 9LT.

Aly and I spent a wonderful day with Judy at the Design School, sitting in on the Mens' Design Class and enjoying the presentation of homework by Dr. Ismail's nephew.   The sample was ajrakh cloth, using first primary colours, then secondary colours, tertiary colours etc.  Wow, there were some amazing results - lifting the traditional craft and colour combinations on in a way probably never envisaged before.