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!