Sold!!!!

I sold my fabric book - "as I see it..." The exhibition was dismantled today and I'd asked a friend to pick up my work. As it turns out there was nothing to pick up. Apparently there was a lot of interest in the Spinifex peice also and the gallery owner beleives that it'd sell better if it were framed. She's going to pay to get it framed and keep it in the gallery shop to sell. I've also been considering making some more books and approaching her about selling those too - this might be a good in-road.

Today I bought some wool to start on my natural dyeing. But I can't/won't start anything till I've done all the domestic stuff. I'm having visitors tomorrow afternoon and need to get the place presentable and put together a yummy afternoon tea. Best get off the puter and get to it so that I get some play time as well.

Artstitches

You should check out Gramarye - works in fibre and mixed media - I love her Earth Spirits in her latest post... fabulous... and another Aussie too!!! I found this blog thanks to Jo in NZ - thanks Jo.

ANZAC Day

Yesterday was ANZAC day so yet another public holiday. It was a gorgoeus day (for a change) and so we took the opportunity to take the new car (B's new car) out for a drive.

Bit of back story - B bought a new (second hand car) that is very precious to him. It hasn't left the garage since the day we brought it home about 3 weeks ago. There are 2 reasons for this a) our driveway is difficult and he can't get it out without me spotting to make sure that the bottom doesn't scrape the concrete, and b) it's in such good condition that he wants to show it and therefore won't drive it in the rain or park it in a carpark. As a result we haven't been able to go out in it cause the days we've both been home recently have been couldy rainy days.

Anyway, we had a good drive yesterday, up the back way to Lorne. It was a lovely scenic drive (we usually drive along the Great Ocean Road). Along the way we passed through Deans Marsh - another lovely little town I'd never been to and decided we'd stop on our way back, which we did. We had lunch in the local cafe/pub/convenience store/second hand shop, then walked around to the Sacred Moon Gallery which had a few textile works by Lyn Dixon (mostly landscapes with applied fabrics and free motion machine mebroidery) which I particularly liked.

We did attempt to go the Gentle Annie Berry Farm where you can pick your own berries, however the access road is dirt and the new car wasn't going on that - perhaps I'll take myself back there next weekend.

At home I put on a pot of soup - which I'd planned the day before when it was definitly soup weather - which turned out beautifully. Good thing too as there are nearly 10 more serves in the freezer - that means a stash of lazy meals!, healthy lazy meals!!

LAst night, to finish off our day we went to see the new movie Kakoda. Now I'm not a big war movie fan but I did enjoy it - even if I did end up sobbing for the last part.

Mythomania exhibition pics

The proud artists (minus two who'd left by the time we thought about taking a group picture)
Michelle, Mel, Robyn, Marlene, Suzanne, Leslie, and Me!

A fuzzy view of the gallery - taken on my phone

My journal - not a great pic but I wanted to show you how it was displayed.

 

Exhibition news...

The exhibition opening went well this afternoon. There were a lot more people there than I expected and the small room was quite crowded. I suppose about half were family and close friends of the artists (still feels weird calling ourselves that), but there were a number of people not immediately attached to any of us so that was good to see. I haven't made any sales yet but that's OK with me - one lady told me she would have bought my book but bought something else instead (don't they always say that!). As I said I forgot my camera so am waiting for Robyn (from Robyn's Place who also had a couple of pieces there) to email me some of her pics - or keep an eye on her blog as she'll probably post them there first.

Oh and while I'm dropping names, you should drop by Claudia's blog - Textile Artist. She's been doing some fabulous dyeing and has some great pics of here work. She also mentioned that she was doing some dyeing this weekend and would post pics early in the week so I'm hanging around to see.

Sunday update

I had a lazy day yesterday. I was awake early to take B to the train and thought I'd use the opportunity to get up and get moving. Instead I ended up on the computer until 11am, by which time it was definitely time to get going - out to Torquay for lunch. We had a lovely lunch, hot vegie soup warm scones and toasted ham and cheese sandwiches. Reminded me of a weekend lunshtime at home with Mum and Dad - toasted sandwiches were a favourite of ours.

After lunch I wandered through the shops at Torquay. I'm in need of winter clothes that a) fit and b) aren't worn to shreds. JACKPOT!! I found pants and jeans that fit and were comfortable AND were reasonably priced!! I also found a really warm coat which will be great when it really gets cold. K-Mart also had a sale on ladies wear so I picked up a couple of nice t-shirts so that should keep me clothed for a little while. Now I can do some wardrobe culling and throw out the clothes that are beyond repair.

Right now I'm at work - guess I should finish this and get started... I'm finishing at lunch time to go the exhibition. I've forgotten to bring my camera, so I'll see if I can get some quick pics with my phone or beg someone else to send me some of their photos. One way or another I'll show you some of the fabulous work there (I haven't seen it yet, but I know it will be fabulous!).

Saturday ramblings

My parcel of natural dye supplies arrived this week!! Can't wait to get in and play with them. It may not happen this weekend though as I have work committments and the exhibition opening on Sunday. I also want to do a bit more reading and research before I jump in, just to make sure that I do it right to get good results.

No more news today, instead I'll leave you with a few pics of last weekends Easternats car show.

B is turning out to be quite a photographer and has taken quite a few pictures of the beach/surf this week. Here's a sample...

Today I'm having lunch with B's Grandma and 2 Aunties and then heading into Melbourne for work an Sunday's opening. I'll post pics of the exhibition later - when I've been to see it.

Autumn...

Everyone in the northern hemisphere is talking of spring and new blooms so I thought it fitting that I show pics of our seasons.

Here in Melbourne it is autumn. The leaves are changing colour and beinning to fall. The air is getting cooler and the nights even colder. This is the picture outside the office where I work. This tree is estimated to be 100 years old and is heritage listed. I love the colours of the leaves at the moment. There are others that I walk past on my way to work that are even prettier - will have to take the camera along before all the leaves are gone.

Note: I should add that Autumn is something that I love about Victoria. In Queensland where I grew up the leaves don't change colour or fall so each year I watch the colours with awe. I don't I could ever tire of it - unless of course I a gardener whose job it was to constantly sweep up all those leaves each day, only to find a new batch waiting for me again. As it is those piles of leaves along the footpaths turn me into a child every time and I just have to kick at them and make them fly!

Fibre Collage

Not quite finished but you get the idea...

 

Weekend report

Here are the pics of the surf on Friday. This pics hows how close (or far away) we got - just on the other side of the point out there on the right (of the picture in the top right corner) is the Bells Rip Curl Pro Surf comp. Occassionally we saw the black dot of a competing surfer on the point.

This wasn't on my list this weekend but should have (it was on last weekends and didn't get done). It is the sample for my mahine embroidery class that I'm taking at the quilt shop - it ooks better in real life. I'm hoping to do some more in other colours but if I don't this one will be fine.


The gardening also wasn't on my list but was intended. Actually it was in the form of "reeling in from recent projects". My dyeing buckets etc needed to be packed up and brought back inside...

My garden went from this...

To this!.....

I know there are a few extra pots and a lot more plants (I salvaged what I could). And yes it does appear as though 2 are empty but they're not. They're full of bulbs - Jonquils and Fresias, so I won't reap the rewards of that effort until spring - hopefully I can keep them alive til then. The other pots have a mixture of herbs (basil, lemon balm, thyme, parsley, oregano, chive), garlic, spring onions, strawberries (again will have to wait til it warms up for fruits there), rocket and lettuce.

The other item on my list that I have been working on is my fabric collage. It's not finished yet but here's a sneak peak...

Tomorrow B and I are off to the Easternats - a big revhead car show at Sandown Raceway. Hopefully the weather forecasts are right and this rain is clearing, and the day is fine and sunny as predicted. (fingers crossed). I'm off to keep working on my beading before getting ready to head out to lunch. Hope everybody has a happy easter!! To me Easter is the one day when chocolate for breakfast is accepted. I guess most people outgrow that but no me... not yet anyway... (hehehe!)

HAPPY EASTER!!!!

Good Friday

B and I have had another day off together - yes that's right, 2 in one week!!. No seafood platter today but we managed to get to the beach to watch the crowds of people surfing. We had planned to go to the Bells Rip Curl Surf Pro Competition, but instead of paying the gate charge (which B strongly disagree's with) we were going to walk around the rocks on the beach and get a look that way. Unfortunately the tide was too high by the time we got there so we went to a nearby beach and checked out the surf. It was a great morning for it. We were going to go the reaceway tonight but by lunchtime it was pouring and didn't let up all afternoon. Instead we had lunch at a pub in town and went to a movie this evening - The World's Fastest Indian. It was a really great movie apart from the dodgy New Zealand accents as no doubt my NZ friends will atest to.

B's working the next 2 days so I'm free to play and clean up from my last projects. Sunday I'm off to Easter lunch - a roast no less - with My brother's girlfriend and her family which will be nice.

This weekend's to do list...

• Beading of green fibre collage (i'll post pics so you'll understand then)
• continue quilt top that I started last weekend (you haven't seen this yet but I'll post pics
• plan out kimono quilt (I bought a package of japanese kimono fabrics last weekend. the shop that sells them has a promo competition to design and make something using their fabric kits as a means of advertising them - a challenge I thought I might take up)
• Normal work - training notes for day job
• real in where I have spread out from recent projects
• Put electric blanket on bed as nights are getting colder.

Responding to comments

I've got a few comments that need responses so I'll answer them here so that they don't get lost...

Maureen(Kenmaur's Corner) Unfortunately I don't live in SEQ - at least not anymore. I do have family there and visit when I can. As for workshops there, not at this stage but not out of the question and definitely in my grand plan. These are the first workshops I will have run but am hoping that it will be the start of more.

The fabrics you see are the samples for one of the workshops that I'll be doing. They are dyed using procion or fibre reactive dyes. I havent' done much fabric painting so I'm assuming that you were asking about how I colour my fabrics Maureen. I also haven't sold any yet, but will definitely look into your suggestions Jo (No Matter where I go... I meet myself there!) thanks.

As for the rust dyeing and the longevity of fabric using taht technique I can't say. It is my understanding that fabric coloured using the rust solution method should not be affected (but don't quote me on that). When you wash the fabric all residue is removed and it becomes soft and normal. However fabric dyed with actual rust I would definitley agree that the life of teh fabric might be affected. Even after washing you can still feel the rust residue in the fabric. In some cases it feels a bit more brittle and I find that I can tear it quite easily. There is also a patch in one peice where the rust has created a hole. I'm not sure if this was a sharp edge or the effect of the rust. My advice is to think about what you will use the fabric for and consider whether you require it to hold up for years and years. For my rust book (As I see it...) I used mostly rust solution dyed fabrics and the actual rust ones were applied so hopefully that might give it a reasonably long lifespan.

Thanks to Kirsten (from Miss Creatrix) and Maureen (of Tangled Threads) for your suggestions on the title of my book. It gave me a good starting point as before I really had no ideas at all.

And thanks to all of your wonderful comments. It's great to get feedback and I look forward to checking for new comments each day. It gives me inspiration to keep working/creating.

As I see it...

I've finished my first journal!! It's to be displayed in the exhibition tomorrow and I was sitting in the car putting in the finishing stitches at 4.30pm this afternoon. I'm really pleased with it and hope that it is well received.

Front Cover - all of the pages are bound/edged in this way

The cover opened up fully

 

The perfect end to a day off!!!!

B and I spent the day at the beach and topped it of with a seafood platter for two. This is me enjoying the final claw of the crab which B let me have all to myself (sorry Mum, I know this is teasing!)
 

Dye Samples for the Workshop I'm running

I can strike this off my 'to do' list now. These are the sample pieces that are to go into the quilt shop for display. I'm quite pleased with them. The bottom piles are both created using primary colours (red/magenta, yellow and blue/turquoise). The top pile use magenta, turquoise, Jade and purple.  

Fabric Art Journals Blog

I've been invited to join the Fabric Art Journals Blog a collaborative blog of people interested in fabric journals/fabric books. I've posted my first post (it's a duplicate of what I've posted here last night). Drop by and visit and see the wonderful work by the others who contribute - it's worth it.

Rust Solution Dyeing Tutorial

A few people have asked how I've reated my rust fabrics. I've used two methods...

Rust Solution (details below) and actual rusted objects, sprayed with vinegar and placed directly onto fabric (also dampened with vinegar). Below is a picture of my 'rust sandwich' which has been soaked for 24 hours (or thereabouts)

Rust Solution

Also know as Iron Buff and Iron Water

This is a simple dyeing method that give a range of rusty reds and grey blues. The colours and results are quite random and the 'surprise' is what I enjoy with this technique.

The beauty of rust dyeing is the speed. There are no 'batching' periods, and you don't need to worry about 'contaminating' your dye baths - it just adds to the effect. You can either put your fabrics directly into the solution or you can tie them first to create resist effects.

Finally it's cheap. The products used are easily obtainable in your garden shop or the supermarket, and cost no more than $10 (Aus).

Suitable Fabrics:
All fabrics and papers work well. I do find that I have particularly good results with silk and cottons, but synthetic fibres work just at well. Paper is also very effective and fun to play with.

What you'll need:

• 3 large trays - kitty litter trays are a perfect size and don't cost too much
• A box of tea bags (50 per batch) - the 'cheap and nasty' ones tend to work the best (don't know why...)
• Ferrous Sulphate (Sulphate of Iron) - found in garden shops and used for lawns
• Caustic Soda
• Gloves (I use washing up gloves as rusting stains your hands permanently)
  
  

How it works:

Make up 3 baths:

First Bath - 50 tea bags diluted with 2 kettles of boiling water (enough to fill tray to just over half way)

Secon Bath - 250grams of Sulphate of Iron dissolved in 5 litres of hot (not boiling) water.

Third Bath - 3 1/2 teaspoons of Caustic soda, dissolved in 2 litres of water. (Note: add the caustic soda crystals to the water. This avoids splashing of the crystals. Use a mask when handling dry caustic soda, once it's dissolved you won't need a mask)

This is where the fun starts. Simply dip your fabrics into each of the baths from 1 - 2 - 3 and let it dry. It's that simple. (Remember to wear gloves as this process will stain your hands - and it's not a good look)

You can squeeze the liquid out between dips or leave it saturated - each will give different effects.

You can change the order of the dipping, to get different colour effects - (1 - 2 -3 will give more orange/red/brown, and 3 - 2 - 1 will give more blue/grays)

Try tieing the fabric, over-dye coloured fabrics, use pegs to clamp sections together....

What next:

Rusting works best if your fabric is allowed to dry slowly. Ironing your fabric (but NOT with your good iron) also helps the colours to 'stay'. The longer you leave your fabric before washing, the better the colour (a week or more is good)

Once your fabric is dry/set simply wash it out using your regular detergent. I put mine through the washing machine (including the silks). This softens them up and removes all residue.

Now you can create and play with your new range of fabrics.

More rust fabric book pages

My pages are done - well they need edges, but aside from that they're finished. You've seen this already, but this time it's finished. This one represents footprints...
Oops - upside down. In my head this is a dam(watering hole) dried up - the rings show the water as it drops.
Don't have a theme/image for this one... It just happened and I kinda liked it.

This one's obvious - I hope

Here I was replicating the shapes, but the flower effect makes sense, given the 'nature' of the other pages.

This pages I wasn't so happy with as I was doing it, however now that I've added beads and lots of stitching, it's one of my favourites - actually how can I say that, I like them all!!

Next step is to do the covers. I'm holding off on that till I work out what to call it as that might be a factor. I'm also still deciding whether I want words in it. I'm thinking not, as I've stitched it up already, but the juries still out. Also need to stitch the edges of the pages and then assemble it.

This weekends to do list

It seems that this list has doubled already since I've woken up this mornin and it's not yet 9am!!

To do...
* Sample dyes for my dye workshop
* Stitch sampler for my machine embroidery workshop
X Finish Rust fabric book (almost there - all pages done, just the cover and edges to go)
* Find a title for Rust fabric book (ideas are welcome)
X Post a tutorial on my blog about rust solution dyeing (by popular demand) - DONE!!!!
* Post a tutorial on my blog about fabric postcad book
* Perhaps look at website options again for posting tutorials.

As you can see with a list like that there's little time for washing, cleaning, or even sleep. So visitors beware!!
(Just kidding Mum, the house is CLEAN - cause B takes care of that on his days off!!! - isn't he wonderful ;) )

Mythomania exhibition

This is the information about the exhbition that the rust book (will have to give it a name soon) will be put into (when it's finished)

How does it fit the theme I hear you ask....

Mythomania = embroider the truth = telling stories = story book
(see how easy that was!)

Actually I'm looking at it this way. The Australian Aboriginals had their legends about creation and the earth which were passed on to the generations using dance, story telling and rock paintings. I'm using this as a modernised depiction of my thoughts of the Australian earth which will be passed onto the viewer (and hopefully the purchaser).

Or more simply embroidering the truth (literally telling the truth through embroidery - both machine and hand embroidery)

Oooh, but of course!!!! I hear you all saying now....

 

You know you'v been a slack blogger...

When it's your Mum whose asks when you are going to update!

An update on what I've been doing... I'm working on a fabric book using my rust dyed fabrics that I've made over the last 12 months. It's last minute preparation for an exhbition that a group I'm in is putting on. Should finish it this weekend in time for hanging on Wednesday - It's been partly constructe for some time, just had nothing on the pages.

This is where I'm at so far. Many of the pages are spontaneous stitching. This is not something that I've don e a lot of and I am enjoying it. Some will be pictorial. The theme I'm working on is the land, more specifically Australia, and it's rusted colouring.

A topographical map

A scene I see as I sit on the trian - tree lined horizons

The first page I did - the one of the left looks like uprooted treet - like those on a creek bed when the banks have been eroded away. The line along the bottom is representational of a dried creek bed.

I still have a few pages to go - one double spread and 5 single pages. These are all mapped out in my head, I just need to get them down on paper, i mean fabric.