Journal Quilts - June, July and August

Rather late getting these completed but they are now uploaded on the CQGB site.

The first one, for June, is part of a series I've been doing based on Arts and Crafts Movement and in particular the use of tulips. I've done a much larger version that is similar. Most of the fabric I dyed myself. The quilts for June - September must include some text so I simply free machined "Tulips" along the bottom.

The July quilt was inspired by the roadside flowers that have been in abundance this year. I kept wanting to get out of the car and photograph them but there was never a safe place to do so! This was a development of the postcard swap I did earlier in the month and I am much happier with the way this quilt turned out.

I printed the background with the names of various wildflowers and then added some dyed scrim which I loosely needlefelted to the background. Machine stitching was added, some it cable stitched with perle cotton on the bobbin. Hand embroidered stitched were added together with snips of silk, beads and buttons.

Finally the August quilt was inspired by a photograph taken of Hope and Eloise, my grand daughters, playing in the sea during their holiday with us.

I seem to take several photos of them taken from the backview looking out to sea and feel there might be more creations to come based on the same idea.

The sea was strips of organza and net bonded to a blue background and the pebbled beach was printed with bubble wrap. Both were machine quilted before the image was applied, stitching from the reverse and cutting back the fabric to the stitch line. The required text "On the seashore" is free quilted in quilt lines of the sea.

Postcard Swap

One thing I did over the summer was organise a postcard swap with some friends. I was 'volunteered' to do it and chose the theme "A Day Out" which I thought was quite wide and would suit everyone.

I wanted to try out a method Angie Hughes used in her book "Stitch, Cloth, Paper and Paint". It starts with calico soaked in PVA glue and adding lace and paper for further texture. Machine stitches were then added in slanting lines to create the feeling of grasses moving, and finally the whole thing was painted with acrylic.

I have been amazed at the roadside flowers this year - there have been so many you can't fail to have see them and be inspired. I added snippets of lace and fabric as well as hand embroidery before making them into fabric postcards.

I'm not totally happy with the results and as I only posted them yesterday, I haven't had any feedback from the recipients. I think the painting is a bit too heavy and I should have varied the colour a bit .

I've since done a Journal Quilt based on the same idea which I will post when I have had my sort out.

Far too long with no posting

Well the summer seems to be over now. We've just got back from Brighton and it was all we could do to see our way what with the spray from the road and the mist from the hills.

The lack of posts over the last few months doesn't mean I haven't been busy! I spent the weeks leading up to the summer break busy getting stuff ready that I could finish with hand stitching, beading etc. i.e. nothing that needed machine! Well, what I prepared was done in the firs three days of our three week break and I seriously began to consider getting a machine for the caravan. It was only the lack of electric point in the right place and the fear that I would have to tidy up as I went (why do you think this blog is called "Creating chaos"?) that I talked myself out of it. Not one to just sit and do nothing, I resorted to puzzle books to keep my hands and mind busy.

We had a great time away, first week with our two granddaughters and two weeks on our own. Despite what everyone is saying about the weather this year, we didn't seem to suffer too much at Pagham. A few overcast days but plenty of sunshine to keep the girls happy on the beach and for us to get in some walking.

We spent one day with my brother at Fort Nelson, the Royal Armouries museum just outside Portsmouth. Not a place for textiles artists I can hear you saying, but how wrong you are. Here are a few of the many photos I took - I saw patterns and designs all over the place.

Now I have to sort out and organise all the work I have prepared for November's exhibition. Most work is complete and not needs to be labelled or mounted so I will post photos of the pieces I completed over the summer in the coming weeks.