Fishy February

Where have I been since the last post? I don't really know. The time was once when I would photograph everything I did and blog about it but I suppose after 4 years the novelty has worn off.

 Its not that I haven't been doing anything . I've been busy-ish.

After the last post I made a brooch I absolutely love.

Its in my etsy shop but I don't know how I'll cope when it goes!

I've had my hair cut. Hetty's had her hair cut.

ermm..

I've read some books.

ermm...

I've been playing internet scrabble and winning some, but losing to a lovely lady called Patricia. I keep trying.

I have also been rather shocked by a 'scrabbler' who hoped I wanted to 'chat.' 

A young woman. 

I clicked ono her fb page where it says she is training in massage, and there were lots of photos of her wearing black, and some comments saying she was looking for middle aged ladies. 

Well I'm no longer middle aged and judging by the photos, she wasn't looking to sort out my sciatica or realign my chakras!

 I'd forfeit but I'm winning.

I've run out of all my making 'ingredients' at once so have had to buy new threads from Silken strands:

and new velvet which I have to dye.(urgh! Hate dyeing)  This time I bought it from 

Beckfords mill...cheaper carriage than Whaleys so for just one metre it was a better value.

New card for my labels from The paper mill shop

(Its white card..no pic needed)

And new brooch backs from Angela at The Bobbin Patch.

I recommend all these places for quick delivery and excellent service.

So for the moment I've had a lot going out and only a little coming in. Oh dear.

I've had a little play with some ideas for work for an exhibition in Summer.

I wanted to do 'collective nouns' so I started with ideas about a shoal of fish. Years ago I was a good drawer..but now I freeze up when I want something to be right.

I started some sketches in a little 'best sketchbook' but they weren't right. Then I went up to my sewing room and did some doodles on the back of a letter and they were more like it. This is all I've come up with for now. Just to see how it worked.

  From those I did some samples .

When I went to the felt group I made a piece with vaguely fishy shapes which I intend to stitch but I'm not liking the way its going. I think all will disappear into the background once stitched but I must give it a go.

I've also at last finished the final two pieces of the six I cut from a large piece of felt ages ago.

Here are the first four I made which I've already shown.

And these are the other two with details. I made the large motif separately ages ago.

And I've done a bit of gardening  weeding.

However, judging by the look of my front flowerbed which has sunk lower every year after substantial neglect and sporadic grass removal,  and is now a low lying clay sump full of water, I think the only way to go, as with my sewing, might be fish!

Splashes of Colour

The sun made an appearance last Sunday and we had a trip to the seaside. 
Morecambe to be precise. After a really lovely walk along the prom we returned via the residential area and were delighted by some unexpected artworks on the gable ends of some houses. This was a particularly good one showing the cockling heritage.
Thought it might be nice to share.


After 6 months of saying 'I really need to dye some more velvet' I actually got down to it this week.

(I must state here that I do not eat pot noodles..those pots are very old and were my sons)

Now I have to confess I really hate it. 

Hate doing it.

 Perhaps because I'm trying to get a big pile of velvet, (I wonder if the collective noun for velvet is 'pile') dyed and ready to go so, no messing about. 

But I get sidetracked and really can't help playing. 

Instead of just dunking it in the dye, I have to go the shibori route..well slightly shibori..I just pull it from corner to corner, twist it and tie it up,

 using a syringe to inject the colour. 

Its then I go off into a trance watching the colour seep through the pristine white silk velvet and I submit to the joy of dyeing.

Its amazing that just after I did this I had to nip out and look what was by the car...its a bit hard to see 

but the colours are stunning and almost the same as the above velvet.

When I get really carried away I have even more fun, injecting the dye and then following it with plain water, so it separates into its constituent parts. Who would think this started life as chocolate brown?

It was hard to concentrate on this dyeing as there was an extremely dangerous activity going on on the stairs.

 My Irish Industrial Sewing machine is going for a service. It had taken four of us two years ago, to carry it upstairs and what goes up must come down so we got our sons round. After  sarcastic remarks about me in my rubber gloves and plastic apron like 'Its Gunther Von Jackie', they and my husband summoned all their strength and carried the machine down. I refused to have anything to do with it unless they used ropes but they wouldn't so I turned the radio up very high and got with my dyeing, all the while imagining crushed fingers, hernias, squashed feet and other such horrors.

I needn't have worried and it now stands on its trolley in the hallway looking like some malevolent steampunk barbecue awaiting the man from Stockport to say when he's ready. 

I have to say he has no help with lifting there, and has just had a new hip so.....I'll keep you posted.

Back to the dyeing. An overnight stay in bags

and then the big rinse (oh I feel so criminal using all that water, but I only do it about every two years)

Of course the weather was dull ,

 but doesn't it look good on the line.

Then I gave it 10 minutes in the tumble dryer to lift the pile and remove the creases.

But look, I wanted pinky purples....

I wanted shocking pinks

I wanted a new palette.

And I've got it.

Then today I went to the felt group and Joan had been on a course with Helen Melville using natural dyes. Click on the link to see how it really should be done.

Yummy

And natural.

Sigh.

And in other news: I've sold both of my pieces of work which were accepted for the West Lancs Open Exhibition. Three and four little felt pieces on white box canvases. You've seen them lots. I'm delighted.

Second: I am filled with gratitude to Ali for the information she gave here.

 I have a never ending battle with google reader but if you watch the tutorial she mentions in her blog you can install a little button on your toolbar which just says 'next' and it will take you to the next unread item on your list. 

Now if you invest, say, one evening, in catching up completely, then after that, you can click 'next' just a few times and catch up quite cheerfully and quickly.  It really solves the problem and makes blog reading a pleasure again.

There is a lovely sentence at the end that says 'You have reached the end of this internet. Try another?'

Refreshing the Palette

Well..what a wonderful reaction to my news.
Thank you to everyone who commented on my last post. I have tried to reply to everyone but not managed it so here is a big thank you for all the nice things you said.

I have been re-stocking with all my favourite colours from Silken Strands.
Yummy Natesh Titania variegated threads.



I have decided, and its a bit of a confession ...I hate the process of dyeing.



But I LOVE the outcome!

Now I'm ready for action again.
I found some pieces of felt in more than one colour and made some more not-as-huge but fun brooches.


Oooooh! Its just too much fun putting the threads and fabrics together!



More delicious colour indulgence.
A bespoke bag to go to Sweden.



Now on a less bright theme:
I know when you go to the seaside you should leave only footprints bring home only memories, but I don't think this modest haul will diminish Blakeney spit too much.
Lovely stones, one like a seal, one like a bird's egg and a stripey one,some shells and bits of flint.


Now what do you think of this?



My husband picked it up and when we brought it home we realised it could be an arrowhead.
I thought perhaps some modern day person had made it to illustrate the technique, but the edges, whilst 'carved' to be sharp, were actually worn smooth by the sea.
Does that make it ancient?

Back to business.
I have been asked to think about a man brooch, so I am playing.
I'm using up all the pieces of felt I've made to demonstrate in workshops.
I made these more masculine 'shapes' from a navy blue and red piece.
,


Here they are displayed on some very small, 4x6 inch, deep-sided box frames.
I don't know whether to keep them as brooches or leave them on the frames to make them into pieces for the wall.


Once again, the red is a photographic failure.
Its actually a lovely zingy orangey and red mottled piece.

SOLD!

I had a lovely surprise in the post too.
A parcel of generosity from Whitney Anne.

Lovely cotton velvet and some Stef Frances threads.
Isn't she kind?
Thank you so much Whitney-Anne


I have been nominated for the 'One lovely blog award' by Dana from the Quilted Librarian.
I can't seem to upload the picture.
Now I love receiving awards but I am supposed to nominate fifteen, yes fifteen others!
I hope you will not object to my throwing it open to any of you lovely people who commented on my last post. It was so lovely to have such a great response to my showing off.

Some time ago Lisette at Textile Seahorse gave me a Sisterhood award. She couldn't upload the picture and neither can I! Its for blogs that show gratitude/attitude and again there are rules..I have the done the linking back but I am supposed to nominate 10 yes 10 more!
The same offer applies to
anyone who commented on my last post. If you follow the links to the original blogs you will see the rules.

(Running total=25)
I'm really really sorry (hangs head in shame) but someone else tagged me in the last month and I can't find it.
If it was you please let me know because the least thing I have to do in thanks is link back to you.

And finally.......
Maggie Grey has very kindly written a lovely review of the 'Embroidery 2000' exhibition at Lytham.
You can find it on her workshop on the web exhibition pages.

Phew! What a messy post.
If you stuck with it, thanks.
x

Dyed and ready for action

The great push begins soon for Art and Garden 2008, and the Platform Gallery Open Textile exhibition
So fabrics are bound and dyed and effects marvelled at.
This was the result of one syringe full of Kemtex dark brown, followed by a syringe full of plain water on silk velvet.

footnote: The Mistress of Longears made a comment on flickr that this looks like a Chrysalis and a butterfly.

I wish I'd thought of that.