November and things seem to be rushing in early

 I have found a hollyhock that is not only quite tall but flowering!! 

I'm feeling the pressure to collect the flowers and think about doing some dyeing. 

I was with a couple of friends recently and one had done some sun dyeing - it is definitely getting to the time of year when that will work. 

After the EGV exhibition, I am feeling the need to try something - anything!

I do belong to a paper collage group and have bee experimenting with that. 

I have been doing little doodles every night before I go to bed. I don't complete each one, just do a bit to help me get to sleep. But I have a LOT. So I thought I might play around with them. 

I decided to try some Notan with doodles. Quite liked them. 

I took a couple to the group (melbournecollagemeets) and our leader (Anne Warren) demonstrated a way to take it even further!!

I'll have to try some more - soon. 

Is it art??

 I have been passing a window near the local shopping centre - it has an interesting design. I'm not sure if it is intentional or accidental but it looks like a butterfly to me, it even looks symmetrical. 

It may well be a broken window - but both sides are smooth, no noticeable scratches. 

It is very difficult to get a photo as it is a window! It is beside a walkway to the shops in the arcade, which is at a lower level. I have often walked past it where it is at eye height. 

I asked a worker at nearby and he said he would report it - so I think it is a broken window but is is very interesting. 

    

Notan and collage

 As I was having a go at Black and White as the collage theme, I realised that I have multiple sketch books (of varying sizes, A5 -A4) that I have done over the years. 

I thought some of them might inspire me. And some did!! I came across a few experiments with doodling/Zentangle that I had done in conjunction with some Notan ideas. 

So now I have played around some more! Here are a few attempts - I have yet to conquer a good way to stick the Notan pieces without making a mess - but it is a start. 

I am hoping to produce a few more that will inspire me more. 

Here is a link to a previous post I have done about this sort of thing. I don't seem to be as active on this site as I used to be, but I still find it very useful to look back at what I have been doing - as I say, it is my visual diary. 

Playing around with various techniques

I have been inspired to play!! At last!!!

I go to an informal paper collage group and one of the recent themes was 'black and white'.

It is a group that has a slightly surreal take on collage and that is not really my thing. But I did have a go.

Then I was tidying up a few bits and pieces and came across quite a few books and drawing pads of my doodling/Zentangles. (A lot of my doodling is inspired by quilting patterns also.)

Turns out I have been doing them since, at least, 2012! 

I have been inspired to play around with some images that incorporate some of the doodling, It is very tricky to cut and paste but I have had some fun trying.   

These two are of the same doodle that I found. I turned it around so I could put the two bottom figures over the writing - identifying that it was done in 2020. This piece is only A5, so the people are tiny - and were hard to cut out. 

Embroiderers Guild Victoria Annual Exhibition

 I haven't posted for quite a while - partly because I haven't been all that creative. However, I have done three pieces for the upcoming exhibition.  

The theme was Making Waves and there have been quite interesting interpretations - some about the ocean, waterways, airwaves, sound waves, etc. 

One thing I like about the members' exhibition is that you do not have to do the theme, you can put in any work you have done over the past two years (and they can have been in other exhibitions, just not the EGV one).  There are quite a few beautiful pieces that are not theme-based. 

This week we received entries and have put them up, almost ready for the opening night on Friday. 

It was a great team effort and we are very happy with the look of it. 

The exhibition runs from October 12 -27, 10am till 3 pm daily. Some members have volunteered to demonstrate various techniques each day. I have volunteered but am a bit concerned about what I will demonstrate as my sewing machine has broken down and is in for repairs! I might have to (gasp) do some hand embroidery!!

Experimenting with something slightly new.

 I am finally trying something new. It may not work but I don't really care - at least I am thinking again.

I have a lovely scarf that I bought a few years ago. It was made by Michelle Mischkulnig. I haven't worn scarves much recently but it turned out to be perfect for something I went to recently.

I had a good look at it and I think I know what she did. I have done a workshop with her but this was a totally different technique. 

I think it is made using dyed mulberry silk and sewn heavily to keep it together. 

(I have just looked at my blog and looked at what we did - it may be that I should/could have used silk hankies as that seems to be what I used at the workshop. Oh well.)

I was at the Handweavers and Spinners Guild a couple of weeks ago and just couldn't resist the beautiful colours they had - of the unspun silk. 

I laid a bit out onto some dissolvable fabric and sewed over it rather heavily. 

I didn't really have a good plan, just thought I would see what eventuated. I was influenced by the upcoming Embroiderers Guild of Victoria (Australia) exhibition. The theme is Making Waves. Despite my desire NOT to do the ocean, I have done some experimenting with a variety of blue and white silks and it looks like waves!!

Anyway, I don't know what I will do with the two pieces I have made.

 Tonight I decided to try something different. 

I had a pattern for a hanging Christmas decoration. I've had it for years, have used it to make paper decorations but not fabric. 

I traced the pattern onto the soluble fabric, laid out some silk and sewed over it. 

I could still see the tracing on one so have cut it before dissolving the soluble fabric. I couldn't see the pattern on the other one so have just dissolved it and hope to be able to trace the pattern back on once it has dried.  

I have tried putting a skewer through the piece to see if that helps it to dry in a way that would be helpful. I don't think it will matter if the other one dries flat, I can sew the bits into the shape I want - after I manage to cut it correctly. 

In case you are wondering, I am intending to have the pieces wrapped around a skewer or a piece of warp thread so that they can move freely - air waves making them move, 

Kate Derum and Irene Davies Tapestry weaving award.

 I attended the announcement of the winners of the Kate Derum and Irene Davies tapestry weaving awards tonight at the Australian Tapestry Workshop. 

I am going to have to go again to have a really good look at all the pieces. There was a good crowd and I knew some of them, so we had a good chat. I also met some new (to me) weavers and had some lovely conversations. 

As you can see, it was hard to view all the tapestries and they deserve a better look 

Fortunately, the exhibition is on till mid-October. 

Here is a link: https://www.facebook.com/stories/101683088633828/UzpfSVNDOjQwMDM5MjgzOTY1NTAzMTc=/?bucket_count=9&source=story_tray

Displaying the tapestry

 As we have the travelling tapestry exhibition up at the HWSG, I took along two of the tapestries from the Australian Sheep and Wool show to add to the display. 

When I got there I saw that others from the guild had won prizes in various categories also. So now there is a lovely bright display. 

Thanks to Glenora Weaving and Dyeing to Weave, I have two new lots of warp and weft!! I'll have to think about what to do next. 

The theme for next year is Where the Road Leads Us but that is a year away. Still, I can have it in my mind and let the subconscious do its thing.

Our travelling tapestry theme for next year is The Secret Garden. Also a fair way away, although we need to have them finished by February, so not quite as long. 

As I have done a piece in the past, for the EGV exhibition, I have some ideas somewhere - I do have them in a folder, now to find the folder. The piece that I did for the embroidery exhibition wasn't any good, so if I use it, I'll have to adapt the image a lot! Still, it is something to be thinking about. 

Of course, I still have to come up with some ideas for the upcoming exhibition in October - Making Waves. I have done two small pieces but don't love them. so am hoping to come up with a new idea. 

This one is done by hand, no machine embroidery at all. 

More my usual thing, small fabric collage with free motion machine stitch. 

Tapestry Weaving

 I haven't had the chance to get to the Bendigo wool show (actually called the Australian Sheep and Wool Show), it is only on for three days!! So much work and only three days of events. 

Anyway, I am hoping to get there on Sunday but may not -things are hectic at home. And the weather is rather uninspiring if you aren't going skiing. It is windy and cold!! 

However,  I was pleased to get a message from a friend who visited today - I have won first prize in the tapestry category of the Woolcraft section. There were only three entries but I am still chuffed to have won. The other two entries were from people from our tapestry weaving group that meets at the Handweavers and Spinners Guild in Melbourne. So we have done ourselves proud!!

We are hoping to make the category more popular in the coming years. So far, it is mainly our small group of tapestry weavers in Melbourne. 

We are hoping that more people will take the chance to do some tapestry weaving and participate next year. 

I visited the guild today to put up the display of the travelling tapestries - it is an online group that puts out a theme each year (this year was Between the Lines) and then people send in their entries. They are then displayed across the county. It is our turn to have them in Melbourne. 

We will put up our tapestries from the Bendigo show when they return. It will give us a few more tapestry weavings to show. - with certificate and ribbons!!

It is great to have these shows, they give us inspiration to actually weave. 

30/6/24 the end of the financial year!

 We have been inundated with EOFY sales lately - some are being extended into the new financial year - lucky us.

As I wrote the date this morning, in my morning journal, I noticed that 30 - 6 = 24. I think it is the first subtraction I have done with dates - how exciting!!

Anyway, since it is such an interesting day, I thought I had better post. 

I have a photo from a week or so ago. It was a cold and foggy morning and I saw a lovely spider web. 

Winter is upon us - I did read that it is the driest start to winter we have had here for a few years (they quoted as far back as 2017! (I think I must be getting old - that doesn't actually seem that far back!)

But we had snowfall in the mountains, so people will be happy if they have gone to ski in the school holidays. 

I went away for a few days last week and walked my favourite trail - the Aqueduct trail above Warburton. I saw this amazing fungus growing on a fallen tree. 

I have managed to do a little bit more on my Making Waves piece - all hand embroidery, so I am being rather slow. It doesn't look all that different but I'll post anyway. 

Still June - 24/6/24

 Well, I have been trying to get motivated and have something on the go - it may be a total failure but at least I am doing something.

I have gone away for a few days in the hopes of actually sewing rather than fiddling around the place thinking of things I 'should' be doing. 

The EGV is having its annual members exhibition later this year - later than usual, October. The theme is Making Waves, There are so many ideas I have had. I decided not to do waves breaking on the beach - now I am doing exactly that!! But they are not big waves, my idea is based on the moon causing tides, so I have a seascape based on that. 

So far it is rather rough and ready. And ... I am doing it all by hand!! Not my usual thing at all. 

I have used scraps of fabric I had saved from other projects - never throw anything away - which is all fine and good until you realise you have collected a lot of stuff and, one day, someone may have to deal with it. Hopefully, that someone will be me doing a clean-out but it is getting to the stage where some serious destashing 'should' happen, 

Here is the WIP. I may decide I hate it but that is for a later day's decision.

In other news, I have been accepted for the Kate Derrum Award exhibition at the Australian Tapestry Workshop. It opens in July. Here is a list of the entrants who were accepted. I know a lot of the names, some online ones and some personally. Looking forward to the opening night!!

My piece is Labyrinth. It is a finger labyrinth but I doubt that anyone will be allowed to handle it at the exhibition! 

This piece was done a few months ago so my focus in now on the embroidery. 

Had to post today - due to the date.

 It is 4/6/24. (4x6=24, in case you wondered.)

Must do a post today, even though there is nothing much to say.

I was at the Embroiderers Guild today. The ATAA exhibition is down and gone! 

There is now a display of works done by the front room, library and gallery volunteers. I am one of them so have put in a piece. There are not a lot of piece, I suspect some volunteers did not bring in their work. But the ones that are there are lovely. (Surely we have more volunteers than that!!)

I am trying to come up with an embroidery for the upcoming EGV members' exhibition. The theme is Making Waves, which gives me so many ideas - not just waves in the ocean, or water, but sound waves, light waves, gravity from the moon causing tides, people causing trouble (a matter of opinion if it is really trouble), etc. Then, if I do come up with an image, I have to decide what technique to try!! It is making me think but not DO!!

May is nearly over!!

I was just having a look at my blog - haven't visited it for almost a month!! 

I haven't been feeling very creative so haven't had a lot to post - but ...

I attended the  opening of the Alcove Shop's winter exhibition last night - it is on for a few weeks. I have been the artist of the month and still have several pieces in the shop. I also found a couple of parasols I had fun with a few years ago (I just looked up how long ago - quite a while!). The theme for the current exhibition was Bizzarre, so I thought they might fit. 

I have also been helping out with the ATAA textile award exhibition at the EGV building. It is on till next Sunday. So I have been with some creative people and am hoping that some of their creativity will rub off on me!

The EGV annual exhibition is on in October, the theme is Making Waves. I have had lots of thoughts about how that could be interpreted but then I have to work out which idea appeals most and then what technique would work best for me. So still thinking, not doing. 

Almost done!!

 I have 'sort of' finished my tapestry!! It is sitting on the loom, the tension released, I will cut it off tomorrow. Then the finishing off to do - cutting off the loose ends, etc. I might actually block it - not something that I usually do - as it might not be quite straight down the sides. I'll look at it more carefully tomorrow. 

It is done for the theme Fire and Ice - not an easy topic!! I was influenced by the volcanic explosion in Iceland. I didn't find any images that I could copy so I have 'interpreted' my ideas. 

I have found recently that I have an idea, draw up a cartoon and then tend to use it in a rather loose way - making it up as I go - but not quite that loose, I do use the images I have made and then interpret them - just don't follow my cartoon closely. It is part of the contemplative, meditative thing that I am finding tapestry weaving is offering me. 

I am hoping to enter it into the Bendigo Wool Show later in the year, It has been hugely important to me lately just as something creative to be doing - almost meditative. Life has been 'interesting' lately and my weaving gives me a time away from all the stressors. 

It's interesting to see the difference daylight and artificial light make to the piece, 

Now to find a new project!! I really need the creative challenges to take me into that meditative state, deciding whether the colours are right, the proportions, the texture, etc. No other thoughts intrude - usually. So the creative process is really important - not for the product, more for the process and the way it takes me into a different state. 

I am hoping to get my sewing machine back soon, then I will be able to try some ideas from the workshop I did with Dionne Swift. Hopefully!! 

April already - and well into it!

 How time flies, whether you are having a good time or not. 

I have recently been to a 5 day workshop at Ballarat Grammar, doing a machine free motion embroidery course with Dionne Swift. 

It was very interesting. The pressure was taken off by my machine deciding it didn't like the changes in tension and it stopped working on the first day!! Fortunately there was a machine available for me to borrow. It was not my usual type of machine (mine is a Husqvarna and it was a Bernina). However, I managed to make it do some of the things we were learning. 

We played with different thicknesses of thread and tension. Some of it looked like we didn't know what we were doing but others worked very well - we got some interesting results.

Our first exercise was to make a colour wheel using different techniques for texture. We played with varying weights of thread, different tension settings, etc. Using different tones created different colour wheels - not really a surprise. 

We also had some drawing sessions - not my thing really. I rarely draw. It's not that I can't but that I usually don't. But we had some fun doing the drawing - time limits changed my perspective quite a bit!

We did very abstract impressions of what we were seeing - then sewed them even more abstractly! 

I decided that, once home I would try to draw 5 days a week, for 10 minutes a day - that hasn't happened yet!! I've been home for about a week now but I am not going to beat up on myself, I'll see if I can do two days a week - soon. 

I am still doing my daily doodles but drawing scenes, using perspective and the vanishing point (an interesting  lesson we had) hasn't come into my daily practice yet!

Our final exhibition did not have all that much to show - we were lucky, there were only three of us in the class. There were some last minute withdrawals with meant that we had a lot of time from the tutor!!

But we were very happy with our results. 

Thanks Dionne!