And another!

Stitched as a bit of light relief after mornings

of number crunching,

Worn and loved 'jutties'.

Detail - the strap in the middle is only attached at the base and top.

Every sequin stitched by hand, as they say.  Hand dyed fabrics,

with machine and hand stitching.

So, now I have caught up with the most urgent, I can concentrate

on the nearly urgent list.  First up, preparation for Shibori

workshop I am taking at the Mill on Saturday,

Journal Quilt No.2

A Parcel from India

I try to be a tidy worker - you know the sort of thing,

project completed, time to find the floor and worktop

ready to start afresh.  Following this principal 

yesterday lunchtime I chanced upon the calico 

parcel wrapping.     This just had to be preserved in

the form of a Journal Quilt.

Sending a parcel home from India is never straight

forward.   First you have to find contents - not difficult.

Step 2 a tailor is required to stitch said contents in

calico wrapper. complete with sealing wax.  Step 3

a visit to the Post Office - forms upon forms to

complete, and remember to bring your own Sellotape.

Eight weeks later, on a grey English winter's day,

the postman knocks on the door with a very

grubby package full of Indian goodies.

Happy day.

Back to front quilting

Frenzied blogging and stitching!   I have lists, 

it's grey and cold outside.  Another two days

creating, and then comes the day which will

not wait any longer - doing The Books.

Hmmm.......what shall I do next?!!!!

One Journal Quilt finished

My Journal Quilt 'to do list' has decreased to five!

This one is for the Contemporary Quilt Group.

Entitled "Ragwaar" it is loosely based on 

wall paintings from Madhya Pradesh.

Great fun mono printing - a bit bold.

It is heavily free machine stitched.

Spirals - one thing I did learn when visiting the Museum at

Sarnath, the Buddha's curls go to the right.  So the way to

go when stitching the spirals on the dots were, obviously

to the right.     The Museum is really inspiring - wonderful

sculptures from the Gupta period, beautiful bronzes, and

the 3rd century Lion capital of the pillar erected by Ashoka 

at Sarnath.  Standing at 2.5m it is very impressive. 

Adopted as India's national emblem.

The Festive Garden

Holly - mystical tree of winter, the red berries protecting the

house since pre-Christian times,  Wards of lightening.

The tree is loaded with berries - a sign of a hard winter,

also a good larder for the birds.

Ivy - the berries were once recommended as a cure for rheumatisim.

The fruit forms by November and ripens  by Christmas.

Mistletoe - sacred plant of the Druids, who cut it with a golden sickle.

Associated with fertility, from which developed the 

custom of kissing under it.

For years I have tried to 'grow' mistletoe on it's traditional tree, the apple.

This is growing in three large clumps on a maple tree, a gift from a passing bird.

This morning.....

I have been working on my journal with ideas for a small panel

Monoprinting on calico, the base for a Journal Quilt.

Work area all cleared and the sun in shining.  Perhaps a breath of cold air, a big black sack, a rake and a shed load of autumn leaves to clear might be the next option.

Fresh start

It's amazing what a good nights sleep can do, plus a word with Ganesh, the remover of all obstacles.

Tidy house - tidy mind?   Not only housework done, washing and ironing as well.  Paperwork done and dusted .  So with a clear head I got the chance to add to my Spice Route Journal - jottings, ideas, cuttings, etc.

Found my textile paints and Indian printing blocks, made a creative mess, which is all very positive.   I think I know where I am going with at least one hanging.   A tiny bit of stitching to see how things will work out.   That's better!

Lovely doors, hidden down an alley way in Old Delhi.   Probably three hundred years old - would love to have had an invite to look inside.

The postbox is one of my favorite sign posts - I know exactly where I am.  Not too sure of using it for its proper purpose - I can imagine any letters inside are now historical documents.

Moving on

What a week.   It's been all go - getting back to reality in the raw, an informal workshop on batik with my chums of Just 10.   Oh, I'd rather be in India!   So much to contend with and feeling very tired.

Onward and upwards.  My friend Liz and I have been collecting wonderful textiles from India over the past year as part of a new venture.   We sent out loads of handouts to friends and colleges advertising the Christmas Emporium. So many scarves and warps made by master weavers, silk from Varanasi, organic cotton and silk, wool, delicate scarves with mirror work: delicious embroidered bags by tribal artisans;  silver jewellery from Rajasthan, plus loads more.  Hand made books. All gorgeous stuff.

All a bit of a learning curve.  Uptake on handouts 20%.   Interest in items for sale 100%

So now we have to have a positive marketing campaign for 2009. We know we have amazing stock.  What to do next?  All a bit head scratching.  Mad solutions 1. travelling VW camper, 2. a yurt, with amazing intereriors - a taste of the East, luscious hangings and candles.   Think I might have to go to bed and dream.

Tomorrow a general tidy up - the house has been taken over - then to concentrate on the three hangings i have to complete by the end of December, various workshops, not to mention Journal Quilts which are lining up in a very scary manner.