Sunday 27 April 2014

Landscape #1 Tick

Done! Just needs a label.......


And from the back........


Sue xxxx


Sunday 20 April 2014

Landscape in Greyscale

As part of our 'Dyeing to Design' class in lesson one we were encouraged to use our greyscale fabrics to create a landscape using a photo for inspiration  (unless of course you are able to whip up a painting or drawing yourself which you can use....)

My inspiration has come from a place close to home - a rock platform not too far from my house which periodically (like this Easter weekend) is a scene of high drama....(see the little video.)



I have hundreds of photos from this place and love to sit here and contemplate the many faces of the ocean and think about what it must have been like for my great, great grandmother to leave the slums of Leeds in about 1855 and end up in a settlement about 50km north of my place in the 1870s.



Once the water recedes it reminds me of the lace in a bridal train.


I also have this painting my Mum painted and gave to me for my 40th birthday (now 21 years ago - yikes)

This is the photo I chose to use - printed in black and white to show the tonal values clearly. 



I also had a go at a tonal sketch with water-soluble pencils.


Using the photo as a guide I tested fabrics from the greyscale dyeing session.



Then I had to trace the main lines of the photo and scale up the drawing to A3 size - no photocopier handy but it was easier than I thought.

Next step was to trace the pattern onto freezer paper and cut out the pieces.....after carefully numbering them and indicating the direction - especially important for the smaller pieces.....

 

 

The pattern pieces were then ironed onto the corresponding fabrics then cut out, leaving a margin where pieces had to overlap........





The pieces were then laid out over the backing and wadding like a jigsaw puzzle......

 
Until all the pieces were back in their correct positions.....

The freezer paper was peeled off and the  pieces were then pinned in place...


This one with some distressed muslin  (testing an idea for water???)


The pieces have been outline quilted to attach them and some basic quilting done.


 
All of which brings  me to the next step - to complete the quilting when I get the courage to dive in. I have this book to help me along so hopefully I'll have more to report in the not too distant future.....
 

 

 
 
 
I'll post here when it's done.
 
Sue xxxx

Wednesday 9 April 2014

Exploring Green and Other Stuff.....


While the cat's away, part of the 'dye studio' functions off the dining room table......

....but the really messy stuff continues in the laundry......
(Mind you I think I make more mess there than I ever did on the table....)
Warm yellow arashi.

This was tied with string at regular intervals then scrunched up - the lines are a little too regular I think.


Lemon yellow - same process and result.....

Green #1 - lemon yellow and blue.

Batch underway - warmth improves the results and it was quite warm that day...

The green collection......

Lemon yellow and blue..

Lemon yellow and a touch of black.....

Warm yellow (lemon and a touch of orange) plus a touch of black.....

Purple (fuschia and blue) and lemon yellow.......

Purple (as above)and turquoise

Playing with complements - orange and turquoise - dry fabric didn't all come into contact with dye so blotchy results but some good bits in amongst it........

Lemon yellow re-tied from opposite direction (but not so tightly and with more twist) then overdyed with blue - much mor exciting.......

Warm yellow overdyed with blue (as above)......
That's it for now - I have a plane to catch. Hope to be back next week with other news......

Sue xxxx

Monday 7 April 2014

Eucalyptus #1

My blog updates seem to have  joined the ranks of the UFOs lurking in my sewing room so I'll endeavour to get a few updates happening. (I haven't been completely idle.....)

My first challenge piece is finished - and it was a challenge at times but overall I'm pleased with it and have learned along the journey.


Eucalyptus #1 - approx 10" by 16", hand-dyed and monoprinted and commercial cottons


I chose the theme of eucalyptus trees, gum leaves in particular, because to me they signify home. (I know it's nothing new but it is meaningful to me.) I have encountered them all over the world and as soon as I see them and smell them I am immediately transported back 'home' to the Australian bush......

#1 is a small study of eucalyptus leaves which I intend to be the first peice in a series of at least five. Each small quilt will give me an opportunity to explore some new techniques and provide a purpose to further develop techniques I have been dabbling in (and use some of the resources I have been stockpiling for my retirement - which is now, so no more excuses......)

One of the original photos
 
The photo this one is based on is missing in action in the computer somewhere or was lost during one of the many system installs, however the pic below is a direct tracing from the photo (enlarged on a photocopier to A3 size. 
 

Playing with Inktense and Graphitint pencils - testing colours

 

More colouring in.......
 
 
Sampling fabrics

Comparing a monoprinted and a plain background - the monoprinting won......

Selection of leaf fabrics....

 

Monoprinted background - this is a piece of my hand-dyed fabric, monoprinted with black fabric paint.
Quilted background

Initial quilting from the back

 
 
Checking values in greyscale...
 
Close-up with Inktense pencil highlights.....

Stitched, faced and clipped ready to hand sew binding......



 

Hanging sleeve and label
Ta da!!! 


So begins Eucalyptus 2#  

Sketchbook pages - pastels with a stencil and a leaf mask ...

 This exercise was based on one of my DMTV videos and I loved the result. This led to cutting two stencils (back layer and front layer) to work onto hand-dyed fabric.

First the back layer stencil was ironed onto the fabric. The paintstick was applied to the stencil then brushed onto the fabric using an old toothbrush. The stencil was removed then as carefully as possible the top layer was ironed into position. (There was one small area where I had problems matching up but overall I was thrilled with the result.)

Eucalyptus #2 -Shiva  Paintsticks and stencils on hand-dyed fabric......

 
This one has now been sandwiched and pinned ready for quilting once I decide what to do.....
 
So that brings one project blog post up to date.......more to come soon, I hope.
 
Sue xxxx