Happy First Day of 2010

A beautiful morning, ice blue sky, frosty with a chill wind.  Time to go out and greet the new year.   Wrapped up in layers, topped with an Indian woven wool shawl, and shod with Ugg boots, I was snug and ready to venture out into the day.  We went to Swanage on the coast for a naughty feast of fish and chips - eaten direct from the paper.   Oh dear, standards are dropping!!!    

On to Durleston Park, the very edge of England!   To the south France 73 miles away, to the east the Isle of Wight, and to the west South America.   

Our World Heritage Coastline, or Jurrasic coast.   Out to sea on the horizon a couple of tankers, plus a ghost ship.  A square rigger perhaps.  I wonder where it was going to or coming from?

Enough said

I'd rather be in India!  The famous globe carved in Purbeck stone.

Durleston Head lighthouse and the

westering sun.

Now back home and thawing out.  It was good to walk the coastal path again. Resolution - must do more of this.  Wonky back and ankle are no excuse, and the exercise is good for both mind, body, and soul.  

The countdown has begun for the trip to India.  Hurrah.  Must get the visas and tickets sorted next week.  What a good start to the year.

A tale of two quilts

In 1986 Nic was still at University.  In the normal way of things I took over his room.  During vacations I had to make a hasty retreat, well not so hasty, boxes of bits everywhere.  In one box I found a pile of dyed fabric, experiments.   I had just started 'playing' and at that time not many dyeing books were available.  So I had fun.  Such pale colours - I had a lot to learn.   I pieced them all, free cutting, with a vague Log Cabin pattern.   

I love old Welsh quilts - filled with carded sheep's wool; the utilitarian quilts of India, stitched together randomly, and quilted to hold the layers together.   So this quilt has, possibly, Warm and Natural wadding, and a plain cotton backing.   It's quilted from the back with big stitches.  The back could be a whole cloth quilt.   

I love this quilt, it's randomness, the texture - over the years it is now getting that old 'lumpy' worn look.   I called it Indian Comforter - Winter (and it does!)  There is also a Summer Comforter, Thermofax wadding, much lighter. also hand stitched.  The colours on this one were really bright. No more pale colours for me.   This quilt was sold and is living in a cottage somewhere in Dorset.  

A detail of the quilting, seen only as points of colour

So now we come to 2009.  I have my own room, what a joy to settle at last with my 'stuff'.   I still continue to experiment with dyeing, moving on to screen printing, and the beloved Indigo vats.   Trips to India inspire, and I sometimes get to 'play' with master craftsmen, or at least watch the process of their craft.   I actually take dyeing workshops now, and I guess I am so lucky doing what I want to do, passing on knowledge and learning from students.   Never going to be rich, but as long as I have enough money to continue with my work, and then some over to travel to India I am as happy as happy can be!

The old shirts (pillow cases, kurtas, or anything white laying unattended) quilt completed.  Dyed, waxed, overdyed;  free cut and pieced;  Soft and Elegant wadding this time, and machine quilted with simple (not so) straight lines.   My dyeing skills have improved!   

These two quilts gave/give me such pleasure.   Just going for it, having fun and not sticking to any rules!   I can piece precisely if I want to, I am a Virgo after all - yeh, I might have broken out, and machine quilt pretty well too. It's good to know how to break the rules sometimes

I'm going to call this one Blue Moon, as this is the evening of such a moon.   It will be part of Raw Talent, the family exhibition - see link bar.   Guess this is only going to happen once in a Blue Moon.  

A Good New Year to you all.

Boxing Day

Rayna asked for an explanation.   Traditionally Alms (charity) 

Boxes were placed in churches to receive gifts for the poor.  

These were opened on Boxing Day and the contents

distributed to the deserving of the parish.   

It is also St. Stephen's Day - patron saint of horses and

sport.  The hunting scenes of Christmas cards are now

history - the sport was banned in recent years.   Lots of

football matches in rain and snow.   There might be

boxing going on too - who knows?!!

The recycled shirt quilt is almost finished.   Half quilted, by

machine - I need to have it completed (with other things)

by next Tuesday.   Not a straight line in sight, great.

The colour should be a bit more toward turquoise - taken

using flash 'cos it is very dark and very wet outside.

Family gathering

 Back from a trip to deliver presents to our family.

We stayed with Will, Juliet, and young Benjamin

who is now looking about and really smiling.  

A wonderful carol service at Hampton Court 

Palace,which took the form of a walk about.  

Through various courtyards, corridors, and 

spooky herb gardens.  No sighting of any

 ghosts.  A very atmospheric evening -  cold 

enough to notice,  with a flurry of snow 

falling down through the beam of spotlights. 

Today my sister Lesley with Lottie and Tim, 

and my niece Harriet with Harry and Albie

drove up from Berkshire to join us for

mince pies and presents.

Now home, having driven through rain and

sleet, we are putting our feet up for the rest

of the day, ready for tomorrow's celebrations.

With good wishes to one and all.

Peace and Love

old shirts

Earlier this year I treated myself to a Batik

Wax Pot. This week was time to get down

to business. The recycled shirts have been

dyed, over dyed and the final process,

a touch of batik.

Here's one block, free cut and pieced.

Ages since I've gathered a large selection

of oddments and recycled fabrics. What

initially seems a huge pile quickly becomes

small. I have a feeling I am going to have

another forage today for more plain shirts,

old pillow cases etc.

The last Journal Quilt of the year

Winter Leaf

Discharged dyed cotton through

vilene stencil. Machine stitched

before the blue border was

rolled with white textile paint.

The back is equally good!

it's not raining

Cold, clear, slightly frosty and the sun is shining - perfect.

Three weeks ago I was set for a dyeing and printing session.

Other things intervened! However, although December is

traditionally my hibernation month, I am making up for lost time.

It's pretty cold in the conservatory, dyes are kept in the

warmth of my room, and cloth is batched in a tray on the

floor. Several short dyeing sessions before I freeze,

then back in the warm. Layers of clothes, thick socks,

and scarves help.

This is a small section of a large piece - dyed for cutting into

Over dyeing a breakdown piece - I like, reminds me of India.

This piece was dark and light peach (! i don't do peach) I like it now.

Over dyed with turquoise and navy

A tray of cloth - recycled shirts gathered from my men and myself

over the past year or so. A 'family' quilt in the offing.

Finally a little peep of my Indian slippers - worn with socks, good grief.