A mostly unplanned tapestry.

 As promised, I am posting about the tapestry I am playing with at the moment. 

I have a very vague plan - just some lines drawn on a piece of paper, no colours, no textural suggestions, just shapes. 

I have a collection of leftover thrums as well a some yarns I have bought over the years and have never used, of varying types. Some are wool, mohair, silk and wool mixes, dyed spun wool, etc. I am hoping to use the thrums but some are small amounts, so that might affect my colourway quite a bit. As you might gather, I really don't have a plan!

One good outcome is that I have learnt how to make the hanks of yarn into balls.

At a meeting of my tapestry weaving group a couple of months ago, we mentioned using coloured warp. I have never tried that so came home all enthused and ordered some. I have no idea what I am thinking to achieve with it but I have warped the loom with yellow. 

Because of the warp, my collection of thrums and other yarns includes a lot of yellow! 

Christmas Day 2022

Well, how time has rushed by! 

Happy Christmas to you - wherever you are, whatever conditions are dominant. 

I took some photos recently, of the hydrangeas that are in a pot at our front door. I take photos most years as they are gorgeous and always remind me that Christmas is coming! 

We have had some unseasonably cold weather leading up to Christmas and I was wondering if the flowers were affected, they were rather pale. 

The weather has warmed up (it was hot today - all of a sudden, we haven't had a good chance to get used to the hotter weather) and the flowers have changed colour.

They also let you know when they are thirsty - I love that they revive when you water them, that it isn't too late. 

The dark hollyhocks are in flower again too. I cannot resist picking the ones that are shrivelling. I may have to find some fabric to dye - again. They give a good colour usually. I haven't dyed with them, or anything much, for ages (exception was the stink lily recently but that was just using leftover bits and pieces of silk). 

Fortunately, it will be the summer holidays and I 'should' have time to play around. Just need the energy. 

I am trying to do some tapestry weaving, will post about that another day - maybe this year, maybe next year!

Trying to get motivated

 I have warped up a loom!! Hooray - I think.

I had an in-person meeting with my tapestry weaving group in November, we tried to meet in December but circumstances decided otherwise. Train disruptions, Covid, broken bones and surgery meant that several members could not attend. 

At our last in-person meeting, I had been enthused about buying some coloured warp. Yesterday I actually used some of the warp thread that I had ordered. Then I realised that is would give me a coloured edge! Not a huge problem but something to consider. 

I have a vague plan for my next piece - the theme is Where Threads Meet. Not a theme that speaks to me. But I decided to have a play around. I have warped up the loom. I even put in a coloured floor - then realised that it will be pulled out and I hadn't needed to use the coloured warp. Oh well, live and learn. 

Today I started to weave - using a very vague plan, if you could actually call it a plan. 

Then I saw a piece that a friend had woven and given to me and I decided I might like to try that idea - which totally doesn't work with my 'plan'. So I have temporarily stopped. But I think I will just keep on weaving and hope that something eventuates. 

I came across a whole lot of yarns that are not specifically for tapestry weaving but that I have had for years and not used. So they have become my 'plan'. I'll start weaving and see what develops - hopefully something doable. 

Just in case I need to use ATW yarns, I have got some out, in the colourway that I think I am going to end up with. Do you get the feeling that this is not a very well-planned piece? I don't care!!

I am also going to to use some yarns that have been saved from previous weavings, waste not want not. 

It sounds random, and is, but it is a start - and it is getting me weaving. 

Losing Patience

 The weather has been changeable - to say the least! It was cool, thundery with hail, occasionally, and sunny. So I decided that I really didn't want to leave the fabric in the solution with the stink lilies any longer. 

I got them out and had some trouble with knowing what was what, plant or fabric. The colour has leeched out of the petals and looked a bit like the fabric, big thick petals.  

I rinsed it out, put the leftover flowers into the new green waste bin we have, and have now put the fabric on the line to dry - under cover and in the wind. 

Some of the fabrics took the purple, others have done more traditional (in my mind) eco dyeing. The one on the end is a piece of old underwear, pure silk, that already had colour, so I am not too disappointed that it didn't take the purple, it is still rather interesting. 

The two pieces that took the colour best are the lightest weight silk, the others are bits and pieces I had, don't really know what silk they are, just that they are silk. 

At the moment, I see a cloudy sky in the making, with the various greys and purples. Not sure what to do with the browner noil silk but I'm sure it will come in handy. 

Also, the date is 12/12/22. Not fabulous but ok. 

Another mildly interesting date - 10/12/22.

 What to post about?? 

Our local tapestry group was supposed to meet for the last time this year today. But the trains were not running normally for three of our participants who travel a fair distance, another has had a recent operation and another has a broken ankle. So we decided not to meet. Hopefully we will be better (health-wise and organised) next year. 

I have joined a small group that meets fortnightly to do paper collages and we have been asked to make a piece for one other person in the group. We meet next Thursday. I thought I had better get going, in case anything comes up during the week. So I did some at home today - very rare for me, I usually only do it at the cafe. 

I did the Christmas one and then one about summer - our last theme that hardly anyone worked on when we last met - we didn't seem to be in the mood. 

I find that I don't have a preconceived idea, I just flip through the magazines and catalogues and let the images suggest themselves. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. (And now that I am looking at the photo, rather than the actual piece, I can see that I didn't stick it straight - bother!)

It is that time of year when you start to think about what to do in January, when nothing much is happening. Hopefully, the lovely cool summer weather we are having in our part of the world will continue and I won't feel too wiped out. I did hear that it might reach 48° in the Pilbara today - that lots of areas in Australia are having a heat wave. So strange to think that we are having such different weather down south. 

Another tiny piece!

 I have tried again to make a miniature piece. This time I had been given some little frames, so tried to work to that size. Once again, I just started and working to that size didn't come into my initial calculations. So I had to choose one part and cut the rest off - big decision needed. 

I ended up using the frame I had been given and just making the piece fit! I chose the landscape orientation. 

I have finished it and have put it into the Alcove Art Shop's Christmas A'Fair exhibition, which opened last night.

There were some lovely pieces. I especially loved the works by our newer members who are filters. 

Australian Tapestry Workshop exhibition

 I bravely used public transport to get to the ATW this week - no way was I going to try to drive there at 5.30, especially as I rarely drive in that part of the world. 

The trams were not all going to their destinations, some had bus replacements for parts of the trip. My tram was ok but everyone had to use it to get to the next stop for the buses, so it was very crowded at first. I wore my mask!!

There was an exhibition of past and present weavers from the ATW, showcasing the works they do now. Some continue with tapestry weaving, others have ventured into other fields. It was very interesting to see the different works. It was also lovely to catch up with people I have met through learning tapestry weaving, including several who have been my teachers. 

I didn't take all that many pictures of the works, I was too busy chatting and admiring and generally having a good time. 

There was an added bonus in that the weavers had finished the piece that they have been working on for over a year now, just before we arrived. That was special!!

One very tired but happy weaver. 

Here is a link to some information about it - it is huge. It has had to be woven in two sections that will be hung together to make one very large piece. I think it is the second largest tapestry in Australia (but don't quote me on that).

The painting has a line down near the middle, delineating the two parts of the tapestry. 

I suppose this relates back to my previous post, about keeping up my Artist Dates. Now I just need to get up the energy to actually do some art work!! Hopefully I'll get my act together soon - says she who has been saying this for quite a while now. 

Artist's Date

 I have been doing the Artist's Way journal thing for years now - so long that I don't think I do it how it was envisaged. But ... one of the things was to give yourself an Artist's Date each week. I have been thinking I have not been doing that - but then I realised that, even if I don't do it every week, I am doing it more frequently than I had realised. 

This week, I have visited the State Library and seen an exhibition of artwork by the Gould's, of bird painting fame; of Shaun Tan, of his picture book fame (amongst other things) and the absolutely amazing exhibition of the night sky in the Handmade Universe exhibition - you have to see it!!

Can you believe this is knitted??
I learnt a little about the knitting machine when I did the RMIT textile course (quite a while ago now!). But the artist not only used the machine, she devised a computer code that knitted it for her. Amazing!!
I also had the chance to use a little iPad thing that allowed me to choose different constellations and they lit up!! 
And there was a huge piece that showed the Indigenous People's version of the sky and the creation legends. 

I loved it all, and the glorious building, the various exhibitions, the whole atmosphere. 

Then, I went to to Open Studios in Alphington today. I only went to the Alphington Community Centre, Anne Warren's open studio and Cetta Pilati. It was enough for one day - especially as the weather has got warmer. I would probably not think it was that warm for this time of year in other times, but we have had such cold weather recently that it seemed hot today. And the allergy alert was high. 

So I don't need to feel as if I am failing in my Artist's Date aspect of life. 

I was also very excited to be told that one of my pieces in the Community Centre was sold on opening night. Woo hoo. I can't find an image of it but I did blog about it once. 

22/11/22

 I went with a couple of friends to the Oak Hill Art Gallery in Mornington today. When we checked in, the volunteer on duty mentioned the date - how could I not post?? 

The exhibition was by the Victorian Feltmakers, their biennial exhibition. There was some amazing work - in fact, they were all beautiful, not something I often say about an exhibition. 

Several of the artists belong to the Alcove Art Shop, a group that I am associated with, so it was great to see works by people I know. 

It was also inspiring: I have done a little bit of felting in the past. Some had some slow stitching incorporated and others had some machine free motion embroidery. Something for me to think about over the coming summer months - if the summer weather ever eventuates. But there will be the summer holidays, no matter what the weather is doing, so I should have time to be experimenting. 

I may have to look out for some short courses, to revive my knowledge of felting. Something to think about. 

Some Success

 Today had a slightly more positive outcome. 

I had left some silk fabric in a jar, just sitting in the glasshouse. As our weather has been unseasonably cold and wet, the jar has not heated up a lot. But there has been sunshine, so it has had some warmth. 

I took the fabric out today - some colour!!

And there was a little dye bath left. So I have put some of the failed-to-dye fabric in the jar with the plant leftover which still has colour in it. 

I am hoping something will happen but am not being very scientific about it.

The stink lilies were still flowering but today's high winds and heavy rain broke some of the plants so I have taken the stamens out and pulled the flowers off. I will try, yet again, to get some fabric coloured. But this time I won't bother heating it artificially, I'll let the sun do the work - if is shines. 

Disappointing!

 When I reheated the fabric the colour disappeared!! I added some of the leftover dye bath in the hopes of a better result but the colour has disappeared. Now I have some off-white/pale grey/brown silk pieces. 

Ah well. I might be able to use them as threatening skies, perhaps. Or maybe I could overdye them, one day. 

I do still have one small piece of silk in a jar, just sitting there doing some slow sun dyeing. I'm not holding out great hopes. 

Waiting, waiting.

 I went out to the glasshouse this evening. The pot that I let simmer for a while yesterday has some colour in the water and the fabric. Not a lot but some. The plant-stuff has totally lost its colour. I threw that out. 

Then I looked at the pot that was simply soaking one piece of velvet silk - no colour in the water or fabric. So that one is now simmering - with all the fabrics from the other pot as well. The water is actually looking quite dark but I am not assuming that the fabric will take it up. 

The jar looked promising, colour in the water and the fabric appeared coloured. Not so! When I lifted the fabric out, it had taken no colour.

 I will leave it for a while, until we get some warm weather again (28° a few days ago, 13° today, as the high!!). It is not forecast for a few days yet but, seeing the weather has changed so dramatically in the last two weeks, I will not worry about it. It is only a small amount of fabric and I can leave it for months - especially if I forget about it. 

Totally unscientific

 Today several of the stink lilies opened the flowers and I had to remove the stamens. 

It rained a lot today, so I went out between showers, towards late afternoon. I found some of the equipment that has been in the glasshouse for a year, if not two. (Since I used it.)

I decided to just see what happens. I put some of the silk into a pot with a flower. Another pot was heated and silk and flowers put in. 

I also put some flower and silk into a jar. That will be left for a couple of weeks. A day ago, I could have said that the summery weather would deal with heating it up but there has been a cool change, so I will have to wait a bit longer for the warmer weather to reappear. Not that I am anxious for it, I much prefer it cool rather than hot, especially in this humid weather. 

So far, the heated water is showing some colour that is seeming to dye the silk. I will leave it overnight, perhaps I will reheat it tomorrow. Then I might rinse it out and see if the colour has attached to the silk. I did use alum as a mordant, in the hopes of a richer colour. 

I have absolutely no plans for the fabric, I am just trying to reignite my interest in eco-dyeing - and use the flowers that are currently there. Also, there is a variety of silk fabrics and they seem to be taking the colour up differently. 

Reigniting an interest in natural dyeing.

Well, I have mordanted some silk with alum. I found several links, here too,  that said similar things - to heat the silk with water and put in some mordant. I used about 20% alum in relation to the weight of the silk. 

I brought it to the boil and let it simmer for an hour, or thereabouts. I am going to leave it in the pot for a day or so. I will let the flower bloom a little longer, then look up how to prepare if for the dyeing. I think I could take it out of the mordant but it is best used damp, so I will leave it there for the time being. 

As you can tell, I am not being very specific or scientific about all this. 

I also used some pieces of silk that I have had for years. Some of them ares strips, some are actual scarves. As they are all different types of silk, I am expecting different results. Just hoping that they take some colour!!

Not sure what I will use the pieces of fabric for, just want to reignite my interest in natural dyeing. And the flowers that are currently available. 

The mulberries are fruiting too - will have to give that some thought. 

Now to be patient - sort of - and wait. 

We have some stink lilies in the garden - well named! They are just starting to flower. I have taken the stamen out - it is the stinky part.

It is also known as Dracunculus vulgaris.

Now I am wondering if I will be able to dye some fabric with the flower. I have posted on an Eco Dyeing FaceBook page to ask if anyone has any knowledge about this but no answers so far. 

I have also been looking up old notes I have on mordanting silk and then using plants. Will have a go this weekend - maybe. 

I am trying to reinvigorate my interest in dyeing. Hope it works out. No plans for using the silk, it is just that the flowers are so amazing that I feel I really ought to try. And silk sounds like the easiest fabric to try. 

If I get some reasonable results, I may tear up the silk and weave with it - who knows?? I haven't really looked at what silk I have. It has been years since I have dyed silk, so here's hoping I still have appropriate fabric. 
 

Not Sure Why I Am Persevering

 The tapestry that I thought would be so easy isn't!!

I am having trouble with getting the warp set right, the lines straight, etc. But I am determined to finish it. 

I'm not sure I even like it - but I am going to keep going. I am almost finished the red bit, so not that far to go - I hope. 

I think I pull out about a third of what I do. It has become a lesson in patience - and concentration, something that I seem to be a bit low on at the moment. 

Note that I am on my computer rather than weaving - hmm, something to be aware of.

Monthly Display at the EGV

 I went to the monthly meeting of the Machine Embroidery group yesterday morning. After our meeting, we put up a display of some work by members of the group, plus members of the Creative Play group, of which I am also a member.

It actually looks quite good! 

I have taken some photos of the display, not particularly great, just to give a feel for what is on display. 

It is called a display, not an exhibition, as we only have the one official exhibition every year. But is was fun to set up and be a part of. No need to have volunteers on hand, no cost to enter, etc. Also, we could put up work that has already been seen in other displays or exhibitions. 

Not all our members were there, so there may well be more put up in the coming week. 

Paper collage group

 I am still going along to the informal meetings of the collage group. It is fun but very different from what I usually do!!

The latest theme was Red. 

I came up with two ideas: I haven't yet committed to one or the other. I had to leave early, so got away with not sticking my pieces down. 

                        This one is about how feeling can be interpreted differently.

This one is more about one interpretation.

                        

It is interesting to see them on the computer, as photos, rather than as my unstuck ideas. It changes how I think about them. But I won't commit to it tonight, I need to take some time to decide.