Is it Spring yet?

The title for the March Journal Quilt

I used the dyed fabric I couldn't cut into last month

The colours are a zillion times brighter, for instance

the leaf is emerald green, and the flowers a deep

violet blue.    It's fused, the flowers and leaf

free cut.  Free machine stitched.

It certainly cheered up yet another grey wet day.

Take a Potato

Well, look what we did this morning!

Printed paper bags

A bag and card

Production line

Meanwhile, Maggie who organised the

workshop, couldn't resist having a go herself.

Now to get really down and dirty. Sponges and

palettes to be washed, although I might just

have a play myself!

A touch of the Virgos

All ready for a potato printing workshop tomorrow with young people - except for the main ingredient, potatoes.  Shopping after lunch.

In the meantime I though I would look out some silk bits.  Shock, horror box.  It was a mess.  All tipped out on floor and sorted into take away bags.  Oh, so tidy now!  In theory I just have to select the appropriate bag as needed.  I still have tiny, tiny bits on the floor.  I really don't need these, perhaps blind fold hoovering is the answer.

Applying myself

This week I have set aside to sorting out my workshop files and samples ready for a  busy summer.  There's a new one on the list, Indian Applique.


Some applique pieces gathered on my travels

No careful cutting cutting using a template with seam allowance.  Indian applique is more cut, fold, and stitch.  The centre panel above is quite simple, more complicated are the squares folded and cut as we would paper squares for snowflakes.

A chakla (square hanging) - appliqued mirrorwork squares, appliqued trees (of life?), applique borders.

A detail - open chain stitch around the borders of mirror work squares.  The tree looks like it has been worked from a synthetic satin, which must have been a beast to stitch.  The body of the tree is also embroidered.

Rabari dowery bag - a combination of stitched and applied motifs, with snazzy felt pom poms.

A detail - the top and bottom borders are applied, the side borders are stitched.  The size of the applique outline is approximately .05cm.   Astonishing.  

indigo distraction

I have been distracted from matters in hand. 

 Whilst looking for something else, isn't that always the way,

 I found a box containing an assortment of indigo squares, 

plus lots of small and big bits.

These are the remains of a workshop taken with children 

from a local school.   Four groups of twelve, shibori, and an 

indigo vat.   Each student had four squares of cotton sateen.

The squares were made into a kimono, which now hangs in 

the school.  The box contained the leftovers.

So, in the spirit of tidying up I made them into a quilt top.  

 Only small scraps were left, and I had to concede that 

these were really too small to save.

Quilt top now pressed, and packed away in the empty box 

together with backing material.  All ready for a rainy day.

Actually it is raining this morning, but I have a date with a pot 

of paint and roller.   The kitchen is in need of a little TLC.

A little outing

No, not for me, but these 2009 Journal Quilts.  They are off to the

NEC, Birmingham for the Sewing for Pleasure Show on 25/28 March.

There should be forty sets of Journal Quilts on display.

I think I have almost caught up with myself - we will ignore the pile

of ironing which is lurking in a corner.  The sun is shining, I can see

a few daffodils in flower, at last.  Snowdrops and crocus are also

bright spots reminding me that Spring is really just around the

corner.   Time to put on really warm clothes, the wind is still cold,

and give the garden a bit of a makeover.

Banjara Embroidery

I love the vibrancy of Banjara work, from the decorated bags, purses, 

quilts et al.   Bags are usually made of loose weave linen like fabric,

dyed with madder or indigo.   Interlaced patterns on a running

stitch base, embellished with tassels, mirrors, and cowrie shells.

two embroidered belts -these are heavily stitched

over stitch, close herring bone and chain stitch

the top belt has the addition of mirror work

Originally from north India the Banjara became carriers

for the Mughal emperor Auranzeb.  With the arrival

of the railway system they were no longer required.

Nowadays, Banjara, both men and woman can be

seen doing manual labour on building sites and

working on the new motorways being built

across India.  A strange site, the newest machinery

for road building, along side Banjara women moving

earth in a metal dish carried on their heads.   Even so,

they wear their traditional embroidered clothes, 

complete with silver jewelry.  

In Kanartaka, Lamanis, a sub caste of the Banjara,

move to Goa for the season.   The 'boys' run the

food shacks on the beach, their mother's sell 

tourist clothes, bags, scarves etc.  Every Wednesday

there is a flea market at Anjuna, north Goa.  Hippie

heaven, however, here you will find Lamani ladies,

selling their traditional work.

Sonya in all her tribal jewelry glory

detail of the sleeve of her chola

Khumb buttons, mirror work and tassels

I watched her stitching.  No fine thread,

but acrylic wool.

skirt detail - cotton, pieced, with borders

of appliqued saw tooth points.

Inspired by Sonya's skirt, Banjara stitching, here is my

Journal Quilt for February.

and a detail