Royal Progress....

I am so pleased with the progress on Royal #1 Pomegranate. It has been such a pleasure to stitch and I am enjoying the colour combinations..... especially the leaves on the right hand side! I have to get a wiggle on though as the exhibition I want to put this in is only a few weeks away...! 

I 

 ROYAL POMEGRANATE #1

MOSTLY COMMERCIAL PRINTED FABRIC WITH SOME HAND DYED FABRIC (VINTAGE LINEN AND COTTON) AND UPCYCLED CLOTHING....

DETAIL  

RAW AND TURNED EDGE APPLIQUED LEAVES

SPOTTY DAISIES

COMMERCIAL PRINTED POLKA DOT FABRIC WITH STITCHED DAISY CENTRES AND LEAVES. SEED STITCH LEAVES.

Another New Beginning....

So, the house is half packed up ready for my next move and yet somehow I find the time to stitch. It's such a necessity for me.

Stitching = Destressing + Creativity = Sanity

Hand dyed linen and silk; definitely landscape inspired. More to come once the move is complete: a little closer to Christmas.

Assuming Shape

Finally this is starting to look like something apart from a pumpkin!

Felt and hobbyfill construction; including handle. Knob is a large timber bead, covered with felt and beaded. Rose decoration not quite complete (urgently awaiting beads to arrive in the post!)

Knob and lid detail

The reason the beading is looking a little random at the moment is that I'm using up the last of the beads I have with the view to infil and cover the T_ _ _ _ _ completely when the others arrive!

Awaiting the appendage that will make it's identity obvious!

Another little something I'm working on; for a recycled waste to art entry; due Friday (this Friday). I only started today... I made a little chart from some X-stitch software I have....

I'm using bread tags and hand dyed recycled rice bags. But I think I'm going to run out of bread tags! I've asked hubby to ask everyone at his work to bring in any they have at home... I need 960 all up... Am I going to get it completed in time? Probably not! Maybe for the 2012 challenge!!!!!!!! Not at all like me to work that far ahead. :) Wish me luck (I'm working Thurs and Friday too)

Back to the bread tags; no mail today (we only get it delivered 3 times a week) Sigh, so no more beads yet.....

Trussed and Tied and ready to Dye.........

Sounds a little ominous but really it's all about shibori! Here's some photos of the next stage of the upcycled silk scarf...

Upcycled Silk Scarf

Gathered and tied; ready for the dye bath

It took me a little longer to stitch and gather and tie up than I thought! Never mind, it's in the dye bath now... only an hour or so to wait until I can get it out and remove the stitching! I can't wait to see how it turns out.....

Running stitch, gathered up and tied off - front

Back view of shibori gathers

No, it's not a pumpkin......!

WIP Challenge!

Yes, it may look a little like a pumpkin at the moment; but hopefully it will look like something quite different by the time it's finished (which needs to be before the end of the month so I can enter it into a challenge!) Wish me luck - there's a lot more beads to add yet! I'll post progress photos!

My friend Lynda and I have been busy playing with dye and upcycling vintage and found fashion! We've had so much fun collecting our resources and playing with embellishing them. We've been chasing up some legalities about selling these pieces and hope to have some of the finished pieces for sale in our etsy stores and a local gallery soon....

Upcycled Fashion

I've recently entered a few local art exhibitons and have been lucky enough to gain a 2nd place in the Works on Paper section with 'Virginia Creeper' at the Bendemeer Art and Craft Show and a 1st prize at the Currabubula Red Cross Art Show with 'My Tree of Life' Textile piece. I've been over the moon about both!

'Virginia Creeper'

Pastel

Another WIP! I found this lovely long silk scarf this week and am going to try some more shibori dyeing... I've drawn 5 circles and have stitched running (gathering stitch across each one - actually I've one to go!) I want to get it into the dye pot tonight. I envisage 5 patterned circles on a black background. I can't wait to see how it ends up!

Found Silk Scarf

Stitched ready to gather for Shibori dyeing...

The circles remind me of sunflowers at the moment...

What was I thinking...?

Truly, what was I thinking? I’m part way through this Flaming Heart piece and only now do I question WHY AM I WORKING ON WHITE CLOTH?

Lynda and I got together for another art day yesterday and had a couple of dyebaths on the stove whilst we worked away at other things. I am so pleased with the outcome [ always am :) ] Here are the results of the Onion Skin bath; mostly cotton and linen… and mostly vintage or found textiles! Love that old linen teatowel and the spots and rings that became visible after dyeing!

Onion Skin Dyed Fabrics

This is the simple Dylon Jeans Blue bath results. We tied the pieces with rubberbands as we wanted variegated colour not solid colour. Great results; great future sky pieces…. So again, remind me why I’m working on white? I think I’ll have to either paint or appliqué a background onto my Flaming Heart piece!!!!

Dylon Dyebath results

We played around with the gouache and indian ink wash off technique that I’ve tried before. The results weren’t totally successful and I’m blaming it on poor quality materials! I used an inferior brand of gouache which didn’t wash off the paper as should have happened. Consequently my whites are bright white not the soft sepia they should have been. Also, I rubbed a little hard trying to remove the gouache and have torn the paper….. Mmmmm should have known better!!!

Gouache and Indian Ink wash off technique

Tree of Life

Detail

Oh, and a last minute piece of discharged linen! Yuuuummmmm, look at those gorgeous organic shapes! Can't wait to stitch back into this!!

Carving and Dyeing....

Results of today’s dye pot:

A small batch of Brown Onion Skin and Dark Red Rose Petals with iron added after taking out the silk. These will blend nicely with some others I have dyed......... The small square cloth at bottom left is a hand stitched serviette. I love recycling old household textiles!

I carved a couple of stamps- a wee bird and a goldfish that has been drawn for some time! Oh, and a little gothic window…….

I also printed the gothic window onto fabric but forgot to take a photo...

I've had a fun studio day and managed to have an enjoyable lunch and chat at friend's.

Back to work tomorrow......

Hope to be back soon....