My first fabric journal finished!!!

This is the front cover of my first fabric journal. I've put a pencil beside it to give an idea of size (thanks Mum for the suggestion.The binding
And here it is with postcards in it. It holds 20 cards - there a few gaps and already it's bulging.

EDITED: They were stored in a box which meant they were rarely seen. Of course I'll need to do another or something similar to accomodate the cards I've been receiving lately from another exchange. I've been contemplating something concertina fashion that could be hung or displayed on a shelf but that one needs a bit more planning

The beginnings of a fabric book...

Today instead of doing the myriad of things I should have, I started a fabric book. The idea was to create something to hold my collection (or some of) of fibre art postcards. Something that didn't involve altering them or attaching in any way. I wanted to be able to see, touch and look at the backs.


I came up with something with small pocket at the bottom tha is just enough to hold the cards but they can be taken out and admired. I have three signatures done... two more to go and the covers.
 

Artist statement

I've been tringto write my artists statment and a proposal to send to some local galleries. I'm almost there at long last. I'v come across this site via the Quiltart list.... Writing the Artists Statement. I wish I'd found it before I'd started, but it should still be helpful in polishing my current efforts.

I've got workshops!!!!

I had my meeting with the quilt shop owner today to discuss potential workshops/classes. I've been allocated 2 Saturday slots in the next terms class schedule, and if they're successful then I may get to do some more. I'm pretty happy with that. One class will be on dyeing and the other machine embroidery. Now I've got to get moving and write a summar of the class, create some samples, do some costings and basically put the two workshops together.

downunderdale: March 2006

The Thread Studio is one of the best suppliers of textile arts stuff in Australia (IMHO). They're based in Perth but travel to the quilt shows around Aus and have online ordering. Dale has started blogging too and can be found at downunderdale: March 2006

Today was a good mail day!!!!

This is what the postie brought me today... Thre fabulous envelopes of goodies.

This is an eBay bargain that I bought last week. Check out the envelope - decorated just for me!!!

And this is my first postcard received from Group 15 - a group of 25 of us exchanging postcards over the next 6 months. This one is from AnnMarie. and this is the back - she even decorated that too!!

I have been creating... honest!...

I've been a bit slack blogging lately. I've not created much and thus withdrew a little. But I have managed to do something this weekend - here are my results.

On Saturday I had play day with the girls. After the usual coffee, cake and show'n'tell we made paper. We experimented with whatever we could lay our hands on...

Silk and wool fibres, silk fabric, Angelina fibres, Sticks...

Gauze and grasses...And this... It started as a plastic egg shape from spotlight, with gausze dampened and layed over top, and then paper pulp dropped on top. What will I do with this I hear you ask?? I have no idea!!! I have removed the plastic eg, and it holds its shape really well. Perhaps I could mount it onto a surface and stitch it down... I'll have to give it some more thought.

This is my sample from Susan Sorrell's Joggles workshop - Fabric Collage. I'm a little behind and am only up to lesson 3 (should be at 4). Here is my piece almost finished.

The next step (lesson 4) is the beading. I've got my beads assembled (there was a 20% off everything sale at Spotlight today so I'm all stocked up on beads) and will give it a go tomorrow evening after work. Just in time, before lesson 5 comes out tomorrow evening.

5000 visitors!!

5000 visitors in 18 months. Seeing that I started the counter 5 months after I started blogging, that could mean that there have been even more!!!!!

There's gremlins in the remote!!

I just had the strangest experience. I was sitting in the lounge room reading about a weeks worth of blog updates when I decided that the aircon was getting a bit too cool. Our aircon has a remote where you can control the temp, so as I was attempting to change the settings, I somehow managed to turn the telly on! Admittedl the aircon remote was facing the telly and not the aircon as it should have been but I’ve never seen that happen before. The funniest part (B did not find it in the least bit funny, but I was having a good ‘ol giggle) was that it was not just a freakish, on-off thing. I could actually change channels with it as well. Only thing it doesn’t do is turn the telly off, so now I have to get up anyway – kinda defeats the purpose doesn’t it!!

Oh and I’ve just realized that this is my 300th post. Go figure… this is primarily a textile blog and my 300th post has nothing to do with textiles – unless you count the fact that it was textile blogs that I was reading at the time of the little gremlin encounter…

And another thing… when I checked my stats just before, I am 3 visitors short of 5000!!!! I am sooooo impressed. I remember not all that long ago being happy with numbers nearing 100 and having no more than 5 visitors a week. Now it’s more like 15-20 visitors a day (depending on how good I’ve been with my posting) and 5000 (-3) visitors. Thanks guys for your visits and comments!!!!

Quilting Arts Magazine

My first issue of Quilting Arts arrived today. Lots of great stuff to drool over and the article from Melly over at A little bit of creativity every single day. It's such a buzz to see people I 'know' (well I feel like I know them when I read their blogs every day) published in the magazines I love to read. Make me think it may be possible to have my name and article in there one day.

Tomorrow is play day with the girls again - gee that month has gone quickly. This time we're making paper, in preparation for next months topic - books!

The results are in!!!

I've washed and ironed all of my fabrics and here they are...

This was a calculated dye. I did a colour study of three procion dyes, methodically mixing each to get a calculated range of colours. Very anal I know, but gives great results.

The three colours I chose were Lichen (a greenish colour), Red (magenta) and black. The process is quite simple – it’s all in the planning. Below is the pyramid that I drew up.

You place each of your colours in the corners and then place numbers in each box representing the proportion of each colour in the mix. I worked on 5 spoons of dye. Each of the corners are pure colour (5 spoons) and then you gradually reduce the main colour and add other colours, always adding up to 5 spoons.

I'll try to explain - Lets start with the Lichen corner.

The top square has:
5 Lichen;
0 Red;
0 Black.

The next level has 2 squares.
4 Lichen---------- 4 Lichen
1 Red ------------0 Red
0 Black-----------1 Black.

The third row (3 squares)
3 Lichen ----------3 Lichen----------- 3 Lichen
2 Red -----------1 Red ------------0 Red
0 Black -----------1 Black ------------2 Black

And so on… If you’re really interested email me and I’ll try to explain further
Here are all the colours together. The three on the bottom are the pure colours used to create all the res.


EDIT NOTE: This is lawn - 100% cotton (white). Don't know what this translates to in other parts of the world. It's more refined than calico (muslin) - more like sheeting fabric.

I've had an offer to teach!

I applied for a casual weekend job with a quilt shop a few weeks ago. Today I received a letter saying that I didn't get the job, however they were interested in the work that I did and wanted to know if I'd be interested in sharing my knowledge. I'm going to contact them today to discuss it further.

NOTE: I called and she was very enthusiastic. I have an appointment in 2 weeks time to show some of my work and discuss opportunities. I explained that I have not conducted workshops but that I'd taught in a different capacity and she was happy with that. At last a step in the right direction.