A day well spent

I spent a whole day this week painting and creating along side my friend Jo.   We meet each week to compare, discuss and encourage each other in our textile explorations and from time to time we put aside a whole day so that we can try out any new ideas or techniques.

I had been re-reading Kim Thittichai's "Hot Textiles" recently so wanted to try out some of the ideas from the book.

I was particularly keen to try layering some tyvek with organza so painted up a couple of sheets before layering them with some organza and stitching together on the sewing machine.  I then zapped them with a heat gun giving the following results.



Detail

I applied the heat from both sides but found what I thought was organza wasn't!  The orange fabric did not react to either the heat gun or a soldering iron except to burn.   Lesson learnt:  Don't assume something is what it looks like and try it out before including it!

As the overall effect was what I wanted, I left it as it was.   I haven't taken it any further yet as I'm unsure what to do as it is quite hard to stitch into.


I also tried layering painted bondweb on to organza, resulting in two pieces.

 

 

This first piece had foil applied to once the painted bondaweb was put on the organza.  I then added scrim and net scraps and attached them to the bondaweb.   I then applied a heat gun which of course shrunk and distorted the bondaweb/organza but not the scrim.  This gave a different effect which can be seen in the photos below. 

 

The next piece again had added foil and scrim and intended ripping some metallic fabric to add.  When I tried ripping the fabric all I got was the metallic threads which I added anyway.  I love the way painting bondaweb wrinkles into ridges which is transferred when you iron it to the organza.

 

 

 

 

 



I've since chosen background fabrics for each of these and will be adding stitches and possibly beads.

 Just to finish the day off I tried out a print making block I had bought some time ago and never used. It's one of those you heat up and then press something in to give an image to print.   I used some knitting needles to make some lines and as it was very quick and easy and gave a good result, I shall definitely be trying it again.



 

 

Now come the bit where all there beginning works of art have to be nurtured and worked on to produce finished works of art.   What this space for the results.

Reflection Quilt for Context Challenge

Last year's challenge for Context Group - the Contemporary Quilt/Textile Group I belong to - was "Reflections".   Our show and tell day was last week at our AGM.

Until about a month ago I was still very undecided just what to do.  Lots of ideas flying around inside my head but nothing strong enough to commit to fabric and thread.   I finally, in desperation  decided to use a photo of my friend and fellow Thread and Shutter member which shows the reflection of Welsh hills in a lake.

 

 

I took a small section and created a panel using merino tops which were felted to a background of dyed wadding.  I originally started to needlefelt the fibres but then my machine packed up (again!!!) so I had to wet felt the rest.  

 

Felted fibres



After trimming, I machined lines to add some detail, and then placed some trees by first machine embroidering some tree trunks and then using snippets of fabric with loose French knots.  I added some herringbone stitches, straight stitches and couched ruched knitted tape to give further detail.

 

 

The finished panel was then sashed with some fabric dyed especially for the hanging and machine quilted.

Snow Dyeing

When snow comes, particularly at a weekend, it would seem rude not to take it as an opportunity to due some snow dyeing.  I managed to fit in two dye batches a few weekends ago so here are the before and after photos:

Soda soaked fabric ready for snow

Snow packed on top of fabric

 

First dye lot

 

 

Second dye lot

 

 

Silk scarf and silk tops with knitted yarn

 

Cotton fabric

 

Scrim and dishcloth

 

Damask tablecloth fabric

 

 

Now to start creating.....