stretch

There is one 2013 Journal Quilt I really like.   It needs to go on the wall, it makes me smile.

I need a stretched canvas.   Problem the JQ is not a standard size.  

Solution:

Find some suitable wood for framing
Ask my man to find his chop saw, dust it down, and do the necessary
Stretch some thickish cotton over frame and give it a liberal coating of gesso
Perfect

It was very white.   A coat of magenta livened it up

what about a little decoration on the side?

the result

Ahhh! India - mixed media collage

The Kurta Quilt

One year and one month ago, during a quiet spell between Christmas and New Year, I felt the need to make a quilt.    Old kurtas (tunics) worn on my travels in India were chopped up (prepared), and the stash of bits and pieces of block printed fabrics hauled out of various boxes and bags.    Hmmmm, quite a pile!   For the sashing, a beautiful soft calico from Rajasthan.

The block consists of a square on point and four triangles to make a square.    Quite a common block in the West, and also in India (with embellishments).   This quilt has been in my head for years, time to make it a reality!

The idea was to put the blocks together by machine.   Simple machine quilting and, a voila,
it would be finished.    The Indian Stitching fairies had other ideas.

the finished quilt top, wadding and backing

(held together with the wonderful 505 spray)

27 January 2013

I have to admit to attacking the making of this quilt in a rather haphazard way!   No starting in the middle and working my way to the edges, the quilting fairies were having fun, and I was getting excited as the quilt slowly came to life.

The shape of one of the applique flowers did not please me.  Perhaps a little stitching around the edge might help?  It looked fabulous.  Ah, there are one or two of these on the quilt, and what about the squares?

A little stitching in the ditch around a few blocks, then the compulsion to hand stitch.

Back to machine quilting which meant there were a few more blocks to stitch, and so on.

The centre of the blocks quilted in the ditch were now crying out for a little something.

Out with the needle and thread again.

And so the year passed with the quilt never far away.    It kept me warm during the cold winter of 2013, indeed this year too.   It kept me company if I happened to be somewhere with time to spare - stitch, stitch.   Five blocks are dedicated to Annalise my chiropractor.

After my 'sports injury' I spent many a happy hour listening to Radio 4 and, yes, stitching.

It was three weeks before I could walk comfortably, let alone drive.

Ben became interested in my mad obsession.  What was I knitting?   His other Grandma does a lot of this.   We discussed 'sewing'.   He 'helped' me with straightening the border.

Detail

detail of Indian applique squares, stitching and border

I used the odds and ends of my hand dyed threads for

quilting and embroidery    any thread left on the

needle was used up in the border

sashing with applique squares and applique flower with tiny shisha

the label

So, it's done.    Already twitchy fingers. This was possibly the longest time I have spent making and finishing a  quilt.

One or two things to catch up with, then I can delve into my boxes of odds and ends again. 

Do you find the volume of scrap/recyclable fabric never seems to diminish?   Does it secretly multiply?!!

Surfacing

A little break  from grey skies, wind and rain.   The sun is shining, which makes taking photos a doddle.

I have been busy stitching on the Kurta quilt.   Binding is now on, it just needs hemming, a job for spare minutes.   Determined to finish it before the end of the month.   I'11 post the finished quilt towards the end of the week.    Nothing like a double deadline.

Meanwhile the thread dyeing fest is on going, on days when I can see what colours I've mixed.   The heater in the conservatory makes a little difference, from freezing to slightly cold.   My dyes and batched threads come into my room, just to keep them warm.

the first batch

I'll be back in the dye pots this week

Banjara

A few years ago we spent a week in north Goa.   Nearby was Ajanta with it's weekly market.

Lots of Banjara work for sale.  Yummy.

Banjara squares

Banjara man's belt - detail

it measures 80  x 16 cm

During the season Lamani (sub caste of Banjara) travel from Kanartaka to Goa, the boys working in the beach shacks and the women selling textiles, beads, etc to tourists.

Having lunch at our favourite beach shack one of the boys just had to inspect my purchases.  He told me his mother did this kind of stitching, and taught him.   No mention of girls here!   They kept close to their temporary homes

So, next day we took the bus to the nearby town.  In the market fabric was purchased, along with thread and needles.   Not quite so easy as popping into a quilting shop.   Needles were the most difficult.   Several ladies, sitting on cloths, produced tins containing needles, just had to find the right tin with the right size.

Back at our hotel I thought a little practice on the technique might be a good idea.   Taking inspiration from the belt, I marked out the gird with soap, and started stitching.

                         

this is as far as I got

I unearthed this little treasure whilst looking for something else!

On the beach next morning my little piece was greeted with cries of "Kanarta!" so I guess I got something right.   I was joined by eight Lamani boys, ages ranging from eight to 18.   We sat and stitched, talked and laughed.    A fabulous opportunity to watch and learn.    

Here we are more than half way through January.   The grey wet weather seems to have merged the days.    

Last Thursday was the first day of 'term' with my stitching friends at Walford Mill.   It was great to meet up again and catch up whilst stitching away.

the River Allen had spread itself

over fields and the walkway on the Mill side

the courtyard with tables and chairs sitting in water

a view of the bridge  the river is almost up to the arches

Fortunately the inside of the Mill is dry, which was good especially as a new

exhibition 'Tactile Textiles' opened on Saturday.   As the title suggests,

you can touch all the exhibits.

now for some colour

although the garden is sodden, the plants are very confused

this rose was in tight bud before Christmas and now it has

opened giving a lovely splash of colour

for years I have been trying to buy a copy of this book with 

no success.  On a whim, I searched Amazon.  Yes there it was.  

Ralli Quilts from Pakistan and India.   Very interesting.  

It covers the history of the people, ralli quilt making, and 

the historical motifs used.   

 and, finally

a string of elephants for a forthcoming workshop

between the storms

We set out early Sunday morning to the beach at Sandbanks.  No wind, or rain, and Mr. Ben had energy to burn.  The tide was high, white horses on the sea, the beach littered with shells.    

                                                     

                                           

dam building

a very wintry sun, but sun nevertheless

and the little waves kept rolling in

Back in the studio today.    Making a To Do List.

Apart from stitching the Kurta Quilt (the finish is in sight!)

the only creative activity was cooking.

Must sign up for the 2014 Journal Quilts.   Organise the 

Summer Workshop programme.   Get the dye pots out.

Yarns and fabrics to dye.  Which reminds me, there is

another item for the list, and little heater for the 

conservatory.   It is too cold to think out there!

wishing you all a very happy and creative 2014

stormy weather

There was a window in the stormy weather this morning, so we took ourselves off to Portland Bill.     A good walk, with the chance to see some unexpected winter visitors of the feathered kind which had been blown across the Atlantic.

The country side bore evidence of the gales before Christmas.   Several trees down, fields turned into lakes and debris everywhere.   The sun was shining, although to the west we could see rain clouds gathering.

We stopped at The Fleet, Weymouth.   Lots of 'birders' were searching the shore for our visitors.    Well wrapped up, we strolled along to see what we could see.   Nothing unusual.

The top of the pebble bank at this end of Chessil Beach was covered with driftwood and,

sadly, lots of plastic rubbish.      We wandered up to the top to see the rain clouds were approaching from the west in a very dramatic way.

A retreat to the car seemed a sensible option.  By the time we got there the rain had turned to hail.    I did drag down two splendid pieces of driftwood, too big to get into the boot.  My man was very heroic, removing the shelf so my treasures could fit.   In the process Keith was soaked, and the inside of the car looked like a snow globe.

The storm passed over very quickly.   This is Weymouth harbour to the east.

The sun was shining by the time we drove to Portland. 

Portland Bill lighthouse

It's always an exciting place to be, whatever the weather.     The sea was calm but rolling. sending waves crashing into the rocks.    Herring gulls wheeled in the sky and guillemots dived into the sea.    Two big ships were glinting in the sun under dark blue clouds.   No sight of Atlantic visitors this time.

We sploshed through the muddy ground, had a good blow, then decided it was time to go home for a bowl of warming soup.

from the silk rag bag

The sun is shining -  quick, quick, take photographs of the December Journal Quilt!

Christmas baubles

a little seasonal offering

background, cream dupion silk machine quilted

I think it looks like anagylpta wallpaper!

the baubles have layers of silk bits, covered with

turquoise silk circle - stitched, and the channels slashed

very raggy texture with little bits of colour showing through

ah, made the deadline

there were times when I almost gave up

especially in the summer months, busy

with workshops, and then taking time out

so, I can tick that box - job done