Sunny days and Sun dyes
I bought a stack of Sundyes last year and had a play but they've sat about for a while. Finding a sunny still (not windy) day in Wellington is a rarity - today no exception despite living in a sheltered spot.
I'm working on a piece for the "in the news" theme for the 2015 Symposium, finding a great media bit on the use of 1080 over the holidays. I am restricted to showing you any detail on any quilt that I will enter but at this stage it is very much just a background piece of fabric requiring much overdying and painting/print and applique and quilting. Some happy to share some process.
I'm terrible with gardening and painting- get it all over me- tho having green fingers is meant to be a complement!
The mottling can be created by speckling more watery paint or water onto the painted fabric as it become almost dry but still damp.
Decided to twist this one.
Piece 1:
He was the baby that grew up alongside my comfort of stitch quilt..he took 9 months ( actually more like 10) and so did that quilt after he was born!
So these really are the initial stages of pieces of fabric to form a background which I will overpaint more details using stencils, rubbing plates monoprint/collagraph, paint some birdlife/animal life, more flora and quilt. I could not help but sneak in a doily in too! I think its formed a nice non random background for me to work from which I might not have got from a piece of batik etc. I think the ghostly images of leaves will come through to help with the story of a eaten declining bush/bushlife story too.
Spot the lancewood leaves (my signature shaped canvas style see earlier post) - long serrated type leaves. This may take that form too.
Piece 2: that's the twists - sort of look like cabbage trees. Not really what I wanted so overdyed again
Overdyed with more dye. A conflict in the sandpit between Maya and Kalden (the children below 2 and almost 5!) meant some positive guidance was required and sand to be flushed from eyes, resulting in a dry piece without many leave on my return....that's OK always need backing fabric and some of it will be very nice for foreground applique bits/binding.
I've been catching up on quilting mags over an extended Christmas holiday the past few weeks and found my quilt featured in this French mag! ( I downloaded the Ipad version)..how cool!
I've been busy making sketches for quilt symposium 2015 entries
The only fabric I purchased on holiday was an embroidered tablecloth in Takaka for $4 in a hospice shop thinking it will back an art quilt with a historical theme but am in 2 minds. It seems too lovely to use, but it also seems to lovely to use on my table if I was playing Ladies with tea and scones (which I'd only do on occasion as it doesn't suit my décor and kids would wreck it with spills) and my thought is that it would be admired and more useful and maintained better as a backing on my quilt. .....hmmmmmm....
I've been catching up on quilt blogs too...you've all been busy!!!
This a blog featuring a listing of a number of NZ quilters and their blogs...new find this year and worth checking out and bookmarking those who interest you.
I like this Wellington quilter's blog- young modern quilter http://thewindyside.blogspot.co.nz/
It is a problem that I do love both commercial modern prints, recycled fabrics, hand dyes/painted stuff, batiks..it means I have too many things to covet, make and stash!
Cutting into my Botanics range to complete my Plus quilt - just need a rainy kids free day to sew!
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