Sunday 21 August 2011

Little snips...

 from my new bird designs. You can see the full picture of a few of them on my other blog.
 They are little collages that are a mixture of paper and fabric finished off with some free machine embroidery. I love scribbling with the machine.
 I had great fun making them and will be making lots more in the near future. They are a great way to use up all my tiny snips of fabric and lace. It's a bit worrying as I'm now keeping the teeny, tiniest wee bits of fabric...help!
I love how they are all basically worked the same yet each one is unique. Some end up wth chunky birds and some with skinny birds. it all depends how I machine them. That's the last thing to be done after the collaging, the free machining so I really have to be in the mood as I can ruin it with one miss judged line. I've been lucky so far any dodgy lines have added a little character to the bird, whew!
That's all for now.
Back soon!
:o)

Thursday 18 August 2011

At last!

 I've been meaning to do some rust dyeing for ages and just never got round to it.
Ta da! Here are the results. Not really sure if I like the results as I put it all together in a hurry. Think I should have tied or wound the cloth round the rusty piece a bit tighter. I'll know for the next time. I soaked the fabric in vinegar, wrapped it round my rusty metal then left it in a plastic bag outside for 24 hours... Maybe outside in Scotland should have been all week instead of one day!
I liked the wee flower on the broderie anglais piece, I just wish it had coloured a bit better. Not sure if I was really supposed to get these dark spots transferred or not. They were maybe bits of loose rust that I hadn't rubbed off. All together just a bit of a disaster I think. I was not impressed when I read somewhere online that you were to neutralise the rusting action and then repeat it every year! I don't mind doing it first time round but object to the follow up. It made me wonder what was the point, you wouldn't be able to use the pieces in a hanging or picture. I really don't understand it I'm sure that there a loads of people rust dyeing then using the pieces of fabric to make something. Mmm...maybe I'll just stick to Procion or Dylon in future.  

 I thought I'd take the opportunity to take a few pictures when I was in the garden. This Rowan tree over the fence is laden with berries. They say that trees with masses of berries indicate a hard winter...mmm...I wonder.
 Good old white daisies, they come up every year. must find out their real name.
This, I think is called crocosmia lucifer, don't quote me on that. I really should look things up before I start and get my facts right. Oh well...
That's all for now.
Byeeee. :o)