Experiment - screen printing

Play time.  You will need:

A well worn screen - just in case

Indian printing blocks

Yep, got all those to hand

So, now to try screen printing using neocolour crayons.

I took rubbings direct onto the screen using printing

blocks and crayons.   Then loaded screen with Golden

Medium to print onto cotton.   A pretty good print.

Result, after stitching.

Conclusion - Worked well, although colours

were not as expected - darker.  The

cloth has a slightly plastic feel.  Not sure I

like this.  I tried hand stitching in places.

A bit difficult to say the least.  Machine

stitching, yes, but no room for mistakes.

Needles leave holes that can't be removed.

Some machine embroidery threads seemed

to shred and break.

Well, checked that technique out.  Will I

do more?  The jury is still out.  Sample to 

be filed for future reference.

Flight of fancy

At home I have several bird ropes, mostly brought back

from my travels.   In the conservatory there are a couple

I made way back.   By popular request I have at last

relented, and at the workshop on Saturday birds will

be the order of the day.

        I had to make a slightly more exotic bird, just

          for me.   Unusually, it's white silk, with 

recycled sari silk tail, and a raggy tassel,

with bells.  Tiny shisha on the body and a

plume of beads on it's head.

          

Hopefully we are off to India in three weeks

or so.   The Bird might join us in our travels.

Hello everyone!

Not a lot done, obviously, over the past two weeks.  Indeed, the urge 
'to do' quite deserted me.  However, with a workshop this weekend 
action had to be taken, and I'm getting back on track.

A basket of dyed fabric parcels - oh so good to get into colour again.

Experimentation with a silk screen, some crazy clamping which is

still batching.   And a bird, still being stitched, to take me to

magic places.

A little light mending

My favourite indigo kurta suffered a couple of sparks 

from the barbecue.

Very satisfying just sitting, stitching, and

mending.  As good as new.

It's that time of year again.  The birds are flying

off to warmer climes.   I can feel a trip to India

in November might be a distinct possibility.

A magical night in September

A first night performance by The Paper Cinema, The Rock Charmer.

We foregathered at The Square and Compass pub in Worth

 Matravers, for a pie and a pint before progressing down the 

beautiful valley to Winspit quarry on Dorset's Jurassic coast.

A perfect night - a bright half moon, a little chill in the air.

Bright stars, lights from boats at sea, and the beam of

light from Portland Bill lighthouse slicing the sky.

On entering the quarry, a circle of hurricane lamps;  the

quarry caves looking inviting, scenes of jurassic life

forms and atmospheric music.

Hay bales to sit on, The Paper Cinemas was

projected onto the cliff face.  Bats flying, and

atop the cliff The Plough looked down on us.

To get a sense of scale, on the left is Kimmo Phojonen,

and to quote the blurb, a phenomenal 

accordian player, which he was, and more.

In the foreground The Paper Cinema projection unit.

Pure magic.

The Paper Cinema is my son Nic, who has created this

fantastical project.   Past performance venues have 

included Tate Britain, the V&A, Edinburgh Festival to 

name but a few, plus tours to Europe. 

Too complicated to explain!  There is a link on my

sidebar, to fill you with wonder and delight.

  The dinosaur in the caves were made from collected 

driftwood and part of a project with local 

Dorset schools.

Been awhile

Summer Workshops over for another year.   I managed, by popular 

request, to squeeze in just one more indigo session.  A bright 

but chilly day.  A heater keep the vat up to temperature.

On Saturday six students came along to stitch their dyed cloth.

Despite two thirds of them not being familiar with a sewing

machine, by the end of the day all had a quilt top in the

making.  How good was that?!!

It's been a funny old summer one way an another.  I've been

busy taking workshops at home, and along the south coast.  

So many lovely students, and what fun we had.

In the spring my father in law became increasingly frail, 

his dementia really taking it's toll.  He lived at his home

just round the corner from us, with two carers calling 

in each day. Keith has been spending his days

between work and looking after his Dad.  Ted was

 admitted to hospital in July.  He passed

away peacefully this afternoon.  

Earth Colours

Sunday was such a lovely day.  Warm sun, blue skies.  Just had 

to take advantage of fine weather.  Last week seemed to herald

autumn, with this week's forecast of rain.

Old Man's Beard, a sure sign of autumn

We headed out to the coast.  A twenty minute walk down to the

sea, nibbling blackberries on the way.  Damsons and sloes

in their velvety purple coats just out of reach.

The sea singing on the pebbles

Colours in the cliff

Pigments

The 'Found'

A plank with a rust face, stones with holes.

and sea glass

A Breton fishing cap and sea string