Putting away the thing that doesn't work

 Today is 22/5/22, so had to post. Lucky I have this things about dates to make me actually post!

I have been working in the idea of a Labyrinth. One of my online textile groups came up with a theme for a journal page - textile, of course. The theme is Place. 

I have been feeling rather overwhelmed by the world news -only the bad stuff gets reported and there sure is a lot of bad stuff! And we have been leading up to a Federal election. Lots of rather meaningless stuff being said, also mostly negative. So I thought a labyrinth might be a good place to be, trying to get away from it all and just find some peace. 

But my latest try is not pleasing me at all! I have decided to let that idea go, for the time being, and see what else I can come up with. 

However, the only ideas that are coming to me are still around that idea - just in different formats. 

I am thinking I should finish my larger tapestry sample (which isn't particularly large) and then see if I can apply some of the techniques from that to a woven labyrinth. It does mean that I will have to get to and actually weave! 

Another idea I have started is to do a blackwork labyrinth. As blackwork is to geometric, I have started on a more geometric design. I tried to draw it on the fabric using a soluble pen. As I sew, I find that my drawing is rather inaccurate!! I'll keep going but will have to make adjustments as I go, so that things line up properly. That might be a challenge. 

Both of these ideas are in the slow work category. Maybe that is what I need at the moment, to just slow down and try to appreciate the calmness - and that is before the labyrinth is made!!

Challenge - 3D

Can't believe it is May already. Where does the time go???

The Embroiderers Guild has a Challenge for the upcoming exhibition (October). I am going to try for the Challenge this year - it is to be no more than 15cm in any dimension (you can 2D or 3D) and I am thinking to try some techniques from the past and see if I can come up with a 3D piece. It has to have some sort of silk in it - not too difficult really. It could be silk thread, silk paper, silk fabric, sari silk leftovers, etc. I have all of those already, so not too stressful yet. 

The overall theme is Threading a Way but that doesn't have to translate into the Challenge. However, so far I am being influenced by the theme. My current idea is to do some tree trunks and see if I can make them into a little group that has a path meandering through. 

I may try to use some of the silk organza that I collected last year from the Bojagi workshop (which I did not do - I was at another workshop).

I have access to some tiny people figurines - due to a family member being into miniature scenes - and am thinking to have one person, or a few, finding their way through the trees. 

I have played with some sari silk that had a very frayed edge - perfect for the path. I have made the trees using sari silk that I have oversewn, using soluble fabric to provide the 'glue' that will allow me to shape it (over a straw). The base is some fabric collage on a small piece of felt. So far, so good. 

So here it is. I will decide closer to the date if I will put it in the exhibition.