Journal quilts

The latest journal quilts are done. Only the edges needed doing.

I wanted to get them done before FOQ but I ran out of time.

'Trees' is still the theme and the size is 6" x12", horizontal.

 

May.

This series started with a photograph I took a couple of years ago.

Bluebells and oilseed rape made a striking image.

Hand dyed, gelli printed and commercial batik fabric with some

fusing and lots of free machining. Oh and a little bit of printing.

June.

This was a challenge...........

Theme - landscape.

Technique - to use fabric scraps no bigger than 3" square.

I collect selvedges, I knew they'd come in handy one day.

More of the same techniques as above.



July.

Just bluebells this time.



August.

A little bit of perspective. It looks better like this or standing

well back and looking at it.



 

JQ's

I have been doing a journal quilt challenge which involves producing

one small piece of work per month for 12 months. These are the first

four of the year. Done on time - just!!

I couldn't pin down a single idea to work on until the March challenge

for another group.

Theme - trees.

Technique - gelliplate printing (monoprinting).

It was an opportunity to try ideas that have been rattling around

in my head for some time.

January - poplar trees are a favourite of mine.

The background fabrics are hand dyed.

The trees are gelli printed using very simple mark making tools.

The trees are fused and free machine quilted.

February 

 March

- there's something about a single tree.

 April

- I love playing with my camera and with different camera angles.

The tree trunks are gelli printed, fused and free machine quilted.

The canopy is printed with bubble wrap.

I shall be continuing the tree theme for at least 2 more JQ's.

 



FM101 - the last one!

Yes, it's the last one!
Pop over to 'Happenings' to find out what's happening!
You'll need to scroll down to find session 4.

Free Machining 101

Tomorrow is session 3 of the Free Machining 101 course at The Brewhouse
in Burton on Trent. We'll be looking at Applique and fusibles.

Paste grain papers

Had some fun recently.

Played with the ancient technique of paste grain papers.

It's very simple - make a paste from a ground starch, add colour,

paint onto paper and make marks. Repeat layer on layer with patience

in between for drying.

The effect is most intriguing - a 3d effect.

Any paper can be used. My favourites are brown parcel paper,

wallpaper.

 

 This final piece is the paper used under each piece. Potential.

FM101 session 3

The next session of Free Machining 101 is coming up.
The requirements list is on the 'Happenings' page.
Scroll down to find the list.
We're going to have a look at applique and fusibles.

 

 

Round robin

Just over a year ago myself and two other ladies embarked
on a 'round robin'. We each produced a small piece, about
12" square, and passed it to the next person. We added a
about 100 square inches, passed it on again  then repeated
the stage with the 3rd person. When your own piece finally
came back you finished how you wished.
This is my final effort.............

It was an interesting process. When you embark on a piece of your
own work you are in complete control. Every design decision made
is yours. Not so with this. Scary, exciting and really enjoyable.
Definitely out of comfort zone.

Free machining 101

Darning foot - an important requirement.
Contact me if you need further info.

Free Machining 101

If you are thinking about coming to the first session next
week then please let me or the box office at the Brewhouse
know you are coming.

The Brewhouse:   01283508100
                           info@brewhouse.co.uk with Free Machining
                           101 in the subject line.

My contact info is in 'Happenings'.
Looking forward to seeing you.

Happy New Year 2015

Happy New Year.
Hope it's a very creative year.
Had this image printed in a simple repeat pattern,
just a fat quarter.

Something new for 2015

Free Machining 101

 

When:         1st Wednesday of the month, January - April 2015
Time:           9.30 - 12.30
Where:        Café area, Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton on Trent

Cost:           £5

This is something new for 2015.
For further information see 'Happenings'.

 

 

Stitched

Had a good play on the machine, these are some of the results.
I decided to let the fabric take the lead.

The usual - all over text
using words that are
appropriate to the fabric.

Letting the fabric take
the lead and also using
a rust coloured thread.
Only stitched the
background.

Following the bubbles
of the sponge print but
only stitching the
background.

Filling in the background
using a black thread.
Trying to stitch a
continuous line.

It doesn't matter what I do
there's always one!!












Next challenge - how to develop these ideas further..........

Printed, now what?

Had a good play today......did some  simple block printing.
The blocks were loosely based on Notan and circles.

Red fabric - old cotton sheeting, hand dyed, very low immersion in a plastic bag, block made from kitchen sponge.
Pale fabric - Egyptian cotton, doesn't look it but it's tea dyed, block made from soft cut lino.

What next?

?Overprint - same block, different block, something completely different.
? Add something else - text, hand written, block printed. 

 
? Cut and piece.
? Piece in other fabrics.
? Apply other fabrics.
? Just quilt.

Thought on today - good to go back to basics and just play. Having limited supplies
on the day is liberating. I only had a few fabrics and black print medium with me. If I'd more fabric and more coloured print mediums with me I would have wasted more time making decisions and constantly changing my mind.

Remember - KISS!!      Keep it simple sweetheart/stupid!!
We'll see what tomorrow brings.


 

Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day......

Free machining on velvet applied to free machining on cotton sateen, cut
out and finished with a utility stitch.

Anniversary card

 

I remembered today about a special occasion card I needed to make -

an anniversary card for my Mum and Dad.

I used photographs I'd taken on a recent visit to their new flat.

It's about 500yds to the beach.

I photoshopped the images together and printed them onto a transfer printing
medium used for black or dark fabrics. After transferring to fabric I quilted it
very simply.

Whisper

Some recently finished work.
Working without control of your source material
and with no other information is liberating.




1

2
















I created 2 responses to the image I received.

As usual I had difficulty making a decision.

No 1  is the piece I've submitted to the project.

 

 

 

Finished work

Remember this pile of bits......................

Well, it's now become this..................

After completeing my sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project

I decided, in my wisdom, to sign up for the special edition.

Finished just in time to get it in the post for the final deadline. Phew!

I've still got some photos to take and then they'll need editing and

organising.

Brick wall and Inspiration

I've been a bit stuck this week with this piece. I've not much to
do really but I just can't seem to move on. Got to though, there's
a deadline looming.

I decided to go to a garden open for the National Gardens Scheme.
My eye always seems to be drawn to some aspect of textiles colour
and this garden did not disappoint.

I smelt this before I saw it........



I feel that sometimes because my eye is drawn to certain things
I miss others but, hey, you can't have every thing.

The wait is over - final results

The results of my labours. There are some pieces rinsing in the
washing machine. The green and blue piles are waiting for a
rinse. The plastic bags are also waiting for a rinse out.

All part of the process - the washing, rinsing and drying.



The final results, after about an hours ironing. The fabric was
tumble dried a few pieces at a time but only half dried. It was
then ironed dry. Can't wait to get using it. Got to finish a couple
of pieces and some journal quilts first.

Dyeing - the wait

And now we wait..... the clearing up is done and..............

 .............the fabric is doing its thing with the dye.