Tuesday, November 30, 2004

I have been reading updates on Stan Bulbach's page and followed one of his links to the work of Sara Lamb who is a dyer and weaver. Her work is gorgeous, would love one of her bags: http://www.bulbach.com/forum/

We have been having a lot of discussion on my crazy quilting list recently about whether craft is art or just a part of women's work. Definitely crazy patchwork is an art form. I wonder why museums sometimes (rarely in Perth) have travelling exhibitions of old quilts but never anything new, and there are some quilts out there these days that are definitely the work of artists. Even more in embroidery and machine embroidery, one picture in my group's exhibition was gorgeous, sold for $950, I will try to find a picture in a bit, although I think it did not photograph too well.

Monday, November 29, 2004

Stash enhancement

Now this is naughty, just passing on a joke that I received on a mailing list. But oh, is it ever applicable to me:


Craftaholics Anonymous
12 Step Program
Newly Revised to 13 Steps
1. I will not stuff craft supplies in every corner of my house.
2. I will not keep nine projects going at one time.
3. I will not pick up more buttons, lace or fabric when I have a ton at
home.
4. I will not let my crafting area look like a condemned area.
5. I will not relegate the kitchen table to crafts.
6. I will not attend craft shows just to pick up more ideas.
7. I will not stock up on more craft supplies just because they are on
sale.
8. I will not go off on a tangent when anyone mentions that little word
"import ".
9. I will not let my crafting distract me from fixing dinner.
10. I will not stay up all night crafting.
11. I will not save dryer lint, empty cereal boxes, detergent scoops,
etc.
12. I will not buy every craft magazine I see.
13. I will not make promises I cannot keep. See you at the craft show.

Dragons

For those of you who have commented favourably on the crazy patch on my site, there are details of another dragon block in this round robin at:
http://www.kalikokottage.com/phpbb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=654#654

The work on this crazy patch block is just amazing. Although crazy patchwork is hand embroidery and stitching, thus categorised as 'craft' it surely moves into artwork when you can see the creativity that is shown by the work done on the pieced base.

Saturday, November 27, 2004

I have been blogging around this morning and re-found Frequently Wrong but Never in Doubt blog. Another crazy quilter so I was happy to read this blog again. I am trying to make a neckpiece for my daughter and am looking for a dress pattern to draw the neck shape then have to design the central pendant to be large enough to include a dragonfly or two. I also need fabric for this project. With three large boxes of fabric scraps for my crazy patch you would think there would be something I can use. I think, though, I will need a fair bit of fabric with bias strips to cut for bound edges and neck shapes plus linings. So alas, it looks like buying again

I am waiting for some Finca another Maureen has bought and posted to me. I want to tat an interlinked ring to put onto Linda's dragon round robin. There is a gorgeous green dragon on the other vest front and I feel it needs a Celtic type thing under its claw to remind it from whence it came. Australia is a long way away from dragonland.

Thursday, November 25, 2004


I worked for a long time yesterday on this needlelace golden brown tree twining its way round the trunk of another tree. I think it makes the green tree more balanced, plus it shades the little cross stitch dragon sheltering beneath it. This for a crazy patch dragon round robin in which I am participating. Posted by Hello

Wednesday, November 24, 2004


This is the cream silk top I dyed with Procion MX - used three yellow dyes and am very pleased with how the top and skirt have come out. Posted by Hello

Monday, November 22, 2004


Just finished this bag made with Jacqumar vintage silk.  Posted by Hello

Sunday, November 21, 2004

knitting yarns

I have just found a site with the most gorgeous hand dyed knitting yarns. Well, actually mostly wool of all kinds: http://www.fleeceartist.com/dyedyarns.html

I did finish my bag today, but forgot to take a photo while it was still light. Nearly 8pm and still hot out, it was tremendously hot today, so I sat and finished my bag this afternoon. Not the weather for me to poke my nose outside Tomorrow I am going to dye my silk outfit. After much deliberation I have decided to use 3 different yellows and squirt the dye over it, then it can sit outside in a black plastic dustbin bag to cure all day. I decided on yellow as I can then overdye it later on if I want another colour, probably mostly it will be green, but may be able to work it to a teal. Since I have a golden beige stole to wear and my bag is a golden beige I think yellow will work best for this wedding.

Saturday, November 20, 2004

So much for plans

I was given a bag of vintage silk scraps the other day for my crazy patchwork. We have an invitation to a posh wedding, so have decided to make a bag to match my outfit from one of these pieces of silk. It is a French Jacquard silk, beige and pink. I found a pinkish piece of braid to embellish the handles and have put together the lining and most of the bag. Have to hand stitch down the seam on the handles and then put the braid on by hand. It won't take long, only a small uncomplicated bag, just enough to take my mobile and a lipstick. My daughter and I had a hilarious hat trying on session this morning in a department store, but decided we are definitely not hat people. I will take a picture of the bag when it is finished. All in all this wedding and Christmas are great time-wasters when I have so much else I want to do.

Actually, I think I have really good plans for craftie things, but seem always to be short of time to finish them. My garden is taking up a lot of my time at present, but now it has turned hot the weed growth will slow down, thank goodness! Maybe I should stick with one craft and make myself really accomplished at it, but seem to have such a wide field of interests I seem not to get really accomplished at anything.

Friday, November 19, 2004

I have been busy in the few days silence making this stole. The grey background is the scanner, should have slipped a page of coloured paper behind it, but could not find any of the right colour. It is nice and long so if I can find enough of the right fabric I will cut a bit off and attach it to a bag so that I am all matching. Posted by Hello

Tuesday, November 16, 2004

Went to lunch with my friends yesterday. One of them bought this antique quilt to show us. We think it is made from feedsacks. Poor thing has been used to wrap up goods being conveyed in the back of a wagon. Posted by Hello

Sunday, November 14, 2004

Embossing Velvet

As if I don't have enough crafts on my hands, now everyone is talking about embossing velvet, and I have the feeling that I will just have to do this. An article on this technique is at:
www.taunton.com/threads

For Australian readers of this blog, there are some good stamps here http://mystamps.bizland.com/introall.htm

Took the thread stole to my machine embroidery group yesterday so I could continue free motion stitching over the wash away sandwiched threads. Of course, there was a power failure about midday so I had to come home and did not get re-started on this job. Was hoping to finish it yesterday.


Friday, November 12, 2004

Textile Arts Marginalised

I have just been to an interesting site http://www.bulbach.com/index.htm This spinner and weaver of the most beautiful hangings and rugs is really into how artists are marginalised by the big institutions like art galleries, etc. But aside from that his work is beautiful and I loved how he showed the methods of dyeing he uses and the wool he spins.

There is not much textile art in our local art gallery, I always leave an appreciative note when something textile appears and ask for more. Maybe they think that something like one piece once a year is enough! Not quite truthful as there was an exhibition of costumes made for the Ballet company in Monte Carlo, the famous one created by Diaghilev, plus another travelling exhibition of historic Australian quilts.

Wednesday, November 10, 2004

Frustration

Having cut up a load of threads and ribbons, dyed a hank of rayon thread, I laid it all out on plastic dissolving film, pinned and then picked it up to take to the sewing machine. And immediately all the rayon threads slid out of place, out of the film and all over the place. After a brief struggle I decided that the rayon had won and stuffed it all into a supermarket bag, got out the Vilene 541 soluble stuff and stitched the threads into this, handful by handful, not quite as artistically arranged, but they are all in there. All that remains now is to free motion stitch over the threads to hold them firmly in place, and hey presto then I will have a nice long stole to wear to a family wedding. Love my husband, but his family should all live on another planet IMHO. Will put photos of the stole on the blog when it is visible. Whatever it will place me firmly in the crazy side of the family, which is where I like to be.

It has rained quite heavily for the last two days and my garden is looking so happy. Apart from the lawn beetle who are temporarily vanquished.


Tuesday, November 09, 2004

Another fabric sandwich, this time made with chiffon, backed onto interfacing and felt to make a pendant. Will match the dragonflies that are swooping over a shawl I made earlier. Posted by Hello

I have been making fabric sandwiches; this is one covered with a string fruit bag but needing more embellishment to turn it into a rocky bottom of the sea piece for my planned seascape. Posted by Hello

Thursday, November 04, 2004

Found these linen napkins in an op shop. Thought they would make a lovely quilt with some sashing to bind them together. The six napkins just cover the top of my bed when spread out a bit. Posted by Hello

Have just been to visit another blog
http://creativeforceonline.blogspot.com/2004/10/weaving-experiments.html
where I saw some lovely work. It is a very inspiring site.

I am doing the grandmother thing today, but have this urge to get on with my seascape wallhanging. Need first to track down some fusible batting. My local quilt shop does not have any so suppose I will have to brave Spotlight who have just sent out leaflets announcing another sale, so it will be queues upon queues in there today. Firstly I think I will paint some very narrow silk ribbon greenish blues to use in the bobbin on the sewing machine to add a bit of texture, and metallic threads too. I have some dyed blue cotton to use as the base fabric so am all set to start, just need to find the time.


Wednesday, November 03, 2004

Marbling Azraff Posted by Hello

Here's our grown up baby, my daughter's 3yo Arab gelding. There are some really good photos of horses here http://www.equinephotocontest.com/winners.asp Posted by Hello

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

Just Browsin'

and found this lovely art quilt site: http://www.cathyquilts.com/

Some images here to really inspire you.

Spent the day at the machine embroidery exhibition 'Over the Top' held at Heathcote, Perth. These girls are just so productive, very many wonderful works to see.