best laid plans..........

So.... I have been working on the piece, and auditioned fabrics to use....

...and then discarded all but two of them. It's strange that you can work on something, hold the fabrics near, but when you start thinking about cutting them up and using them, they really are not going to work. I kept the fabric in the front which is sort of diamond patterned and the dyed blue velvet on top of it. They do stand out and are quite lush against the background.

So........

..here's where I am so far. I am appliquéing the pieces on, and will darken down the tea dyed cotton piece as it does look a little bright, although I have to say that it is a lot softer in reality. 

The squares are cushions and I have just put a piece of batting behind each one to give it a little more depth. My next task is to work out the base of the ottoman they are on before stitching them all down, at the moment, it is all looking a little flat, and I think I will have to do a little manipulation to make it work.

Stay tuned..........

How does she do it.....?

I have just started a new piece, when it struck me that I never actually write about how I do it, and the process of working. Thought this might be a good time to start.

To me, it just happens and I never really give it much thought, if people ask how I did something, I have to think hard, as I really couldn't tell you, I just do it. I posted a photo of this piece of ice dyed fabric the other day. I love it a lot the colours just sang, even the husband was moved to open a window and yell out, "gorgeous colours!!"

I reclaimed a pillowcase that was no longer in use, but has a bit of a sateen feel to it, cut it up into two pieces and threw it into the pot after having soaked it in soda ash solution, covered with ice and sprinkled with dye. Hey Presto!! I cut one piece up to make a border as it hadn't dyed the same way as the other piece. So, a few days were spent thinking "now I've done that, what do I do next?" 

The thing is, its what the fabric told me to do, I even managed to keep a little back to use for binding - if I decide to go that way. Frankly, I feel hemmed (pardon the pun), in with binding, and like the work to flow over the edges so we will see.

The husband has been good enough to print off several acetates for me of my trip. So far, I have done a couple of pieces on Jaffa, but have to return as I found another one the other day I'd like to do, and I am starting on Jerusalem. Probably years of work there, I've done two pieces, and this would be the third.

This is the image I decided to work on.

As it looks on the acetate, the flare on the left is the reflection of the bulb. The colours always come out slightly differently, and it can be easier to see colours and shapes.

I started working on the border, my original plan was to do the right hand side showing the buildings and arched top on the border only and do something different in the middle, (what was a complete mystery to me,) but I'm sure something would come along.......

I painted the top border and then had this crazy idea, which I actually think works really nicely.

If you look at the image, you will see what this is, and I rather like the slightly quirky futuristic look of it. I had almost totally painted the last piece I did and wanted to move away from that so now the fun starts! I have laid down a couple of pieces onto the main body after having sketched the area I wanted free hand to make it larger.

So, this is it so far. I will try and remember to take more photos as I go along, but this is also a good exercise for me as I'm really having to think rather than just do it and say "...and I made this piece...."

Just to tease you.....

So, as I said, not much work to show, so how about this? Photos which have inspired the pieces so far

Hopelessly out of order but never mind. This is the photo I used of the Kotel

 A street in Jaffa

Back to Jerusalem and an unknown grave

Photos........

Well, that proved disappointing!! I thought I had more to offer, but it is what it is. So for your delight and delectation, I offer two photos and I will try and post others. I just like to keep some of the work a surprise, once I've entered it for shows, that's a different matter, I'll plaster it every where.

This is a small piece, Colour Vie on cotton/silk fabric, of the Kotel, (Western Wall to us), showing the Dome on the Rock

This was one of the first pieces I started when I got back from Israel. It includes a piece of Bedouin embroidery which is just beautiful.

Did you miss me.....?

It's been a while. 

To be honest, I felt drained when I'd finished writing about my trip, and I needed the break.

Festival was also coming up, and we were busy doing trunk shows and getting the interest going. I would love to say that it is easy and that we really don't need to do it, but it is absolutely imperative that we do. I cannot imagine not doing this now, and really enjoy it although it would be nice to have a break. Now, having said that, I will step back in 2017 but for that year only. 

2018 is going to be......... Well, I'm not telling, but it is exciting and I am going to focus entirely on that. Latvia is under control and Elina and I have really enjoyed our correspondence, in fact I will be seeing her in a couple of weeks as Cathy and I will be going to the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham,UK.  She is a delight, and I look forward to spending some time with her, I will be taking a workshop with Elina that she will be teaching at Festival next year which I am looking forward to. It's more traditional with a bit of a twist, so if you happen to be at a trunk show, I will bring it so you can see my sorry effort. 

Festival went well, and ever since then I have been in my studio and working hard. I am so pleased with what I've done so far, I would post photos, but I am hoping to enter them into shows and don't really want them plastered all over the Internet. I'll see if there might be one that won't make the grade, and post that. 

I thought I'd do quilts of my trip in order, so far I've done Jaffa but need to go back, as I have other pieces to do, and started Jerusalem, of which there will be several, and I am enthused. I am also going to be working on a piece for a SAQA exhibit which is also exciting, but I don't have the right fabric yet, I want something that will look a little ghostly and overlay a piece of handyed fabric. I think I thought I had some silk organza but only have black and I need white. 

It's been a joy to shut myself away although I am having trouble leaving the house as I feel a little unsure when I do leave and want to stay home. Once I'm out I'm ok. 

Well, I didn't want you to forget me and this is just a quick post. I will try and write more regularly and certainly tell any entertaining tales of our trip to Birmingham, of which there will be many!!!