W15...

Woo,hoo on time today!

In fact the only thing I've worked on this week are these. I've even worked on some of them today!  

I've been making these for the Pittenweem festival. I really need to have a whole load of work done for it and only have a few more free weeks to work on stuff. Oops, obviously left it to the last minute as usual! 

These are a few of my little textile leaves that I thought would make good necklaces. Well it's really a wire choker but I'll just call them necklaces.

The textile pieces are all about 2 1/2" x 1".

Just my usual style, layers of fabric topped with lots of free machine embroidery on a felt backing. The cottons I've used are my own hand dyed pieces and hand coloured velvet. I've used a selection of bought sheers and silks as well. 

I've tried to make my machining a bit more scribbly this time. 

I'm hoping they will prove to be successful. I like to have something new for the festival. I quite like the idea of a series so I may do some matching brooches.

Think that's it for now.

Byeee!

x 

W 13 & 14...

...not only have I missed a Wednesday but I'm late again!!!!!

I started this out to force me to post regularily and at the time was showing what I was making on a Wednesday. I've realised that sometimes I'm working away on other days and not on the Wednesday. So from now on I think that I will report what I've been making since the last post. Ok that's the plan, now to see if I can carry it out... !

Here's what I did last Sunday. A fab dyeing day with Dorothy again. I love having the whole day to slitter about with dye pots. The bundles above are bit more pastel in colour than I'd intended but the washing machine decided to make up it's own programme for some unknown reason. Some of the fabrics were nearly stonewashed!!  

This one was at the bottom of my space dyeing tray. It was an old linen tray cloth so it had been well laundered and took the dye beautifully. I love how it's dyed in areas of bubbles.

Now these two were one of my hand printed totes. I'd bought a whole load of pre-made totes so that I could decorate them. I thought that I would use acrylic paints to print with but it wasn't a huge success, this is one of the better ones. MAD of course being my initials. I do quite like the idea of the printing then the dyeing so I may try some more maybe with Manutex and Procion next time. I like how the space dyeing turned out.

I came away with a few jars of excess dye so put them to good use the next day. I'd ordered a load of silk cocoons but was pretty disappointed with them as they were a bit grotty and smelled! I rinsed them in Soda solution then put a handful in a plastic bag with each dye colour. Then I took a few out of each and added some more blue to those ones. I 'm impressed at how dense the colour turned out. although I'm kicking myself for not putting in a bundle of threads to dye as well...oh well, next time. 

I took all these photos late at night under the electric light with no flash on so the colours aren't quite right. The bundle of tapes below are a mixture of lovely pastel colours which I can't wait to use, not really showing as well as they look. 

I painted the dye onto the fabric on this one which I'd not done before. Pretty interesting I thought and will definitely have a go at that again. I soaked the fabric in soda solution then painted the dye on whilst it was still wet. 

Lastly here are some of the daisies in my garden... oh I do like daisies!

Sadly they weren't with me for long as the mower man was here.

They are now on there way back I'm pleased to report!

Oops, out of sequence!

I love to have bundles of thread to dye as well as fabric. This is the result of incorrectly preparing the bundles beforehand...oh well I'll know for the next time...or maybe not!

Something quite nice about mindlessly sorting out thread..until W15, byee!

x

PS. W13 was spent shopping and lunching with a friend in Edinburgh...a great day out!

w 12 ... late!

Ok so it's now Friday!! I've been busy clearing out the garage to take the stuff from my studio! I posted the photos of the view from my studio a few weeks ago. Incredibly the next day I received an email saying that everyone was on a months notice to leave. Boo Hoo...I couldn't believe it. Making it public was like the kiss of death! Ok so that's a bit over dramatic but I was really dissappointed. I suppose all there is to say about is...next!

Back to reality and I'm still fiddling about with the little stitched landscapes for my class.

My usual jumble of stuff in the making. My new one is to the right of the picture before I added the flowers. 

Here it is finished, well at least the front is. I still have to put on a fabric backing and the brooch pin.

A bit of duplication on the next few pictures. I'm always amazed how the work looks in close-up. These flowers are really quite small and now I see them blown up some are not all that well stitched! They're a teaching aid, I want people to think that they can stitch them as well. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!! 

Until next week, byee!

x