Wednesday 28 March 2012

actually stitching

It been awhile since I sat down at the sewing machine and put together a 
small quilt.   It has to be said that life has intervened over the past months,
often in shovelfuls.    Onwards and upwards.


At the end of last year I found I was involved in a group hanging of quilts
based on paintings by Kandinsky.   No pressure then, if I didn't take part
there would have been an ominous space.    


I dyed up a pile of fabrics as my palette, and made a start.


So, sunglasses on please, here is my interpretation of Kandinsky's
concentric circles.     He heard colours in music and saw music in colours.
This is interesting.    Playing some of my favorite Indian music did indeed
aid, or subconsciously suggest, some pretty interesting colour combinations.
The squares are 10cm.   The circles are freely stitched raw edge applique.





Difficult to show the true colours here.   It's ready for the next stage of surface
stitching.  I'm looking forward to that.   Hand stitching to be done as and when,
bearing in mind the deadline is middle of April.   


Now for a quick tidy up in my workroom.  It's going to be another gorgeous day
for more indigo dyeing.

Sunday 25 March 2012

a touch of blue

today is warm enough to make up a small indigo vat 


and plant seeds of indigo, dyer's chamomile
and marigold (dried from an Indian garland)


out of the vat   
I have a line of blue cloth waving in the breeze
I also have blue feet 

the weather forecast is for higher temperatures
during the week  - wonderful


Sunday 18 March 2012

early morning walk

Mother's Day was celebrated on Tuesday as Nic, Will and little Ben were staying 
with us.  A big bunch of lilies, now open and smelling gorgeous. A trip on Sandbanks 
Ferry to Studland.   It was autumn cold.  A brief walk on the beach before lunch at The Banks Arms where we warmed ourselves by the open fire.  


Today dawned sun shiny bright so down to Sandbanks early, only a few dog walkers at 8.00am.   The sun was deliciously warm.   






piles of shells



flowers for Mother's Day



On Monday I took a workshop at Hansons Fabrics  in Sturminster
Newton.   The Dorset countryside looked just gorgeous, decked
 out in the colours of Spring.

There were ten lovely students, who all managed to get a good 
way on the embroidery, learnt to stitch shisha mirrors with my
failsafe way so they don't fall out!   They left with instructions on
 finishing and making up the Book Bag.   Radka has completed
her bag and it looks great.  You can see it here.







Wednesday 14 March 2012

Dandelions







shibori dandelions from my sample book

Gilli of http://textilecottagestudio.blogspot.com  has posted pix showing the wonderful
shibori pieces she created at Saturday's workshop.   All those little bundles that left the
house now revealed.   You might like to take a look.


Thank you Gilli.



Sunday 11 March 2012

Flag




or, rather, a detail of a flag folded sample
demonstrated at yesterday's Shibori Workshop



The thing is you never know exactly what will appear when
the cloth is opened out.   This piece reminds me of looking
through a kaleidoscope, and the colours of the spring
flowers appearing in the garden

Maria, Gilli, Liz and Lyn tied, stitched, wrapped and clamped
in a wild frenzy.   They each opened one piece, just to see,
at the end of the workshop. Fantastic results.   As ever, too busy 
to take photos!  

It was a good spring sun shiny day, full of fun, laughter and
colour - what more could you ask for?



Tuesday 6 March 2012

something nice to look at


which is more than I can say for most
of this week

the washing machine has broken down
it was going to be fixed tomorrow
the man has a cold, delayed til Monday

a trip to the laundrette is needed to deal with 
the large pile of washing that has accumulated
over the week   Nic and the Paper Cinema have
landed after a successful three week run at
Battersea Arts Centre - see side bar - even
more washing and finding space for 
Paper Cinema paraphernalia

group project on hold see above
managed to dyed thread - which was good

too cold this week for the hopeful indigo vat

on the other hand, my man took me out
to the cinema to see The Most Exotic Marigold
Hotel - set in Rajasthan with a stellar cast
brilliant  celebrated with a bar of chocolate
we stayed in the haveli a couple of years 
ago, two days after they finished filming
amazed at the transformation
should you go along to see the file you might
like to take a peep at Keith's website and
check out his photo's of Rajasthan and
Ravla, Khempur - the Most Exotic etc.

time for a glass of red