Time to play

Brushing up ahead of the workshop here on Saturday, I dusted off my paints and
silk screens, made up a gelatine plate ready to just play.

Two pieces made a couple of years ago

Ancient Story


A smal journal quilt.   The background is printed
with a gelatine plate.   The dark figures printed
with a silk screen which had a layer of flour and
water paste applied and then scratched into
before printing

Spirals

Another silk screen with flour 
and water paste.
















just playing - flour and water paste

mono printing

taking a line for a walk

mono print leaf

gelatine plate printing

two friends have birthdays this week

these prints have made 

a couple of nice cards

The  workshop took place at the weekend and it was great fun.   The plan worked well.

Preparing the flour and water screens first to allow them to dry.   Gelatine printing up to lunch time, and a bit beyond.   Time to put them back into the 'fridge before they returned to liquid.  We finished off with some mono printing.   A truly wobbly, and messy day.

Hello!

Yes, we did come back from Naxos, just in case you were wondering!  Six 
glorious days of blue skies, a golden sun, and the warm turquoise sea.

The first couple of days found us asleep on any flat surface, day or night.
So good to get away and relax.

We hired a car to explore the island, up and over Mount Zas (fabulous name),
traveling the east and west coast.  

the countryside verges are all dried seed heads

and herbs which give off a very evocative smell

up in the mountains thyme is still growing in

the cooler air   beehives are scattered about

how I love Greek honey

as ever, the deconstructing boat

a donkey saddle

windmils  the old and the new

We came back refreshed, and brought the sun with us.  However, it didn't take 

long to slip back into the crazy mad world. Lots to catch up with. Family matters, 

visitors, blah de blah.    

Two day back and I had a lovely day at Walford Mill.  Two workshops with children.   

Dyeing t shirts and squares of fabric

in the morning it was Procion dyes

the afternoon devoted to indigo

it was a perfect summer day

blue skies on the horizon

Poor old blog, so neglected over the past weeks, again.   But what to say?
It's the same old same old.   Weather too awful to inspire new work.   Darning
Ben's jeans possibly the highlight of the fortnight!

We spent a couple of nights in Cornwall at the beginning of this week.  Will and
little Ben hired a camper van, so we joined them.    One night under canvas in
a damp field.   Ben was delighted to see a ship in the sky.  That's what it looked 
like.   In reality, the sea was obscured by mist.    One night with my daughter's
family in Truro.   Oh, bliss.   A roof, a bed, and delicious food.  


It took two hours to get out of Dorset, a journey that usually takes thirty minutes.
Torrential rain had made the roads impassable.


Then our e mail server decided to change their system.   I can't get mail!!!!!!
Grrr......   Time to move on.

Tomorrow we leave for our favourite Greek Island of Naxos

 

Flying into Athens.   Taking the bus to the port to catch the ferry

Naxos, here we come

lunch in the shade

or, by the beach?   

deconstructed screen print

Good timing

On Saturday I took an indigo workshop in my garden.     All week I checked
the weather forecast.   It went through all the usual combinations we are
experiencing this summer.   From hot, humid, heavy and light rain showers.


Would I have to cancel;  erect the gazebo for the vat, and provide umbrellas
to get to the clothes line?   No!   The sun shone, and we had such fun.  Indeed,
it was just great being outside, never mind the excuse of indigo dyeing.


I am home alone for a couple of days, relishing the chance to stitch, and grab
a bite to eat when I am hungry.   What a treat!


Today I dug out painted papers, doodled on the machine, added a dab or two of
paint, and hand stitched to finish.

That was fun.  It's been ages since I have had time to play.

The indigo plants are very thirsty so I guess the rain is

welcomed by them, although to really grow well more

sun and warmth is required.   Still, nature usually

catches up.   Who knows, we might have a really

hot July.  Today is it pouring down again.

blast from the past

My son recently sent me this picture of a quilt I gave to one of his university friends,

many years ago.     

The quilt itself was made around 1990 (!) I was still learning!    The 12" blocks, from 

my memory, were machine pieced and quilted in the ditch.   The fabric from America.

The colours mustard yellow, deep red and dark blue, all with small patterns.  Typical of

it's time.    How they have faded!

The quilt is being used to sit on during a picnic in a London Park.

Look at the wear and tear.   It is good to know that it has been

loved and used.  Far better than languishing in a cupboard.

I can feel a replacement quilt coming on.  Perhaps a bit more

contemporary?    Having said that I remember being pretty

pleased with the patchwork element, and all those points

joining up nicely.    Shortly after making this quilt  I took 

City and Guilds Patchwork Quilting, Part 1 and 2.   

I learnt how to do things properly, then threw

  the rule book out of the window.

Next on the book pile

It's been raining, and cold.    Euro 2012 dominates the evenings.   This sounds 
rather like the last blog post!


Another trip to the library finds me reading Desert by J.M.Le Clezio; "a postwar 
classic' says The Guardian.  1909 ancient tribes set out on an epic journey over 
scorched sands in search of safety and a new homeland.  


"The people of the Blue Men.... the dark skin on their cheeks, arms and legs was
tinted with indigo.   The blue tattoos on the women's foreheads looked like
shiny little beetles."


The Blue Men hail from north west Sarah, and I immediately thought of The 
Atlas Mountains and a 'scarf' I bought in Morocco, said to be from that area.
it's not blue!

Folded in half, it measurements 35 x 2.50mts,

woven with a coarse black and orange wool.

The stripes are woven with white and

black cotton thread.

The middle section has been tied and 

over dyed with red

runnels of the red dye can be seen

on the orange background

Now to a blue quilt.   This is for Clare W. who wanted to

see a picture of the finished article.

Kimono Blue

in it's bag, ready to go.    Oh yes, I used this

fabric for the quilt backing.   Indigo dyed 

cotton, with a dabu resist. (mud)

We were promised some sun today, at 2.00pm,

if you please.    It was a little early, but very welcome.

the marigold, in tight bud this morning, is

happy too!

Weeks of Randomness

What happened to the last three weeks?

There was the HOT.   Taking life easy, enjoying being outside. Suppers on 

the balcony, even a barbecue. 

The garden needed a drink twice a day, which is how I came up close and 

personal with the runner bean trench one evening, brandishing the watering can. 

Grazed knee, cut finger, covered in earth and water (mud).   We need a hosepipe 

I declared, after phoning the chiropractor.

Then there was the COLD and RAIN, and the arrival of the hosepipe.    

I finished the indigo quilt

it's folded up ready to go to it's new home

We had visitors.   Young Mr. Ben developed Chicken Pox.  Poor little chap, he was 

covered.  I had quite forgotten how awful and itchy it could be.   All recovered now.

I had some mending, boro style, to do

there's more mending to do on my favourite 

silk/ linen indigo jacket

We watched the Queen's Jubilee Celebrations indoors.   The Tuesday street party 

was cancelled.  Torrential rain.

I dyed a selection of pale threads, which is unusual.   Perhaps they compliment the

washed out weather.

I have been reading Hemmingway and John Le Carre.  Not my usual fare, but I 

found myself in our local library, after years of absence.  Both a good read.  

Something to dip into  during the European Football Cup, two matches per night,

if you please!

I also heard a poem on the radio, and I am not really keen on poetry, but I liked the 

first bit especially.   The Sea Mouse by Amy Clampitt.  'The orphanage of possibility 

has had to be expanded to admit the sea mouse.'  I like to think of my room now as 

such an orphanage. not to sea mice obviously, but all those boxes full of possibilities.

Yesterday I repotted my indigo plants.   They are going along pretty well, should be 

much larger by now - they will catch up.   However, with the temperatures possibly 

going down single figures overnight, decided to let them sleep indoors.    In June!

It's now a beautiful afternoon.  I shall have a potter in the garden.  Hosepipe 

not required on journey.