25/6/25

 Not as good as 25/5/25 but still not bad. 

It keeps me posting. I started posting years ago as we were learning how to use a blog as we would need to teach it to our students. I have found that online presence has moved on enormously but I don't much feel like trying to keep up! 

But when people talk about the older generation as being not technologically savvy, I ask who they think taught them about it! I just can't be bothered with some of the new stuff that is totally irrelevant to my life!

However, it is good to have this blog as a visual diary - I have lots of physical visual diaries at home but they are hard to search!! Also, I am trying to downsize some of my stuff - not very successfully. But having the blog means I can search better - if I have remembered to put in the proper labels. 

I have finished the tapestry, have sewn up the loose bits, put on a backing and now only have to take it to the HWSG so that they will take it for me, and bring it back! It is a very helpful and useful thing they offer members. 

I am also trying to come up with an idea for the EGV annual members exhibition - not due till late September but I need to come with an idea that I actually want to do!!

The theme is Magic - it is not speaking to me!

But I am going through some books (that I have resisted giving away) that have quilt ideas, optical illusion  ideas, and some old calendars that I have - I used to get dragon-themed ones each year. Dragons can be magical. 

I am also thinking of my fascination with how colours seem to change depending on the background colours. So more thinking is necessary before I commit to an idea. 

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, 

EGV annual members' exhibition

 I have been helping to set up the annual exhibition at the Embroiderers Guild, Victoria - we have to put Australia now as there is another Embroiderers Guild, Victoria, in Canada.

I put in two pieces for the exhibition, plus three for the challenge. Busy, busy - sort of, as I have been working on them for a while. Some specifically for the exhibition, some not. 

Here is my piece for the Challenge - it only had to have some silk in it. I have already posted about it. 

It was very hard to take a photo of it.

There is an amazing variety of works. Members are encouraged to put in their work whether it is about the theme or not. It just has to have been made in the last two years. Many members have addressed the theme but there are other works that have not. Sometimes you can only tell by the artist statement. Then it is obvious!!

Covid has had a big impact on members: some have been sewing madly, others have taken up other hobbies or have just not done much at all. So it has been great to see so many members put in their works this year.

I haven't taken any photos of the exhibition yet as we are still in the process of putting it together - it takes a surprising amount of time to decide what goes with what, what will go well where. 

But there are some amazing pieces!! 

One thing I like about our exhibition is that all members are welcome to put in work, not matter their expertise. It is great to see new members putting in their works. 

Random exhibitions.

Just noticed this in my unposed list!! Need to post it because ... it is September!

 It is August already!! Where does the time go?? I have this theory that when you are 5, a year is a fifth of your life, a long time. When you are 50, it is a fiftieth of your life, not so long. So time is relative!

Anyway ... I have been to a few interesting things lately. I attended a workshop at Threads and Tangles that was taught by Kathryn Harmer Fox. I have done a workshop with her in the past and didn't want to miss out, so booked in February.
It was a three day workshop. I felt exhausted every day on the drive home, thought it must be me. Then, on the last day, people were commenting on how tired they had been each evening, so now I feel better. It was from the great concentration and creativity that we had been doing.

As usual, Kathryn was encouraging while still challenging. There were kits that had been prepared for the participants but I had missed some of the messages so took my own image. It didn't matter much, everyone did their own thing anyway, even if they had a kit! It is always amazing how people can be at the same class, using very similar materials, and come up with entirely different works.

Mine is the Pademelon (looks a bit like a kangaroo)

Each day we had to pin up our works in progress and Kathryn would do a crit for us, all positive but with suggestions to challenge further progress.

After that workshop, I went to the machine embroidery group at the Embroiderers Guild and there was only a small group. Lo and behold, many of our usual members were at a class being held by Kathryn. She was teaching at the guild also. So I got to take pictures of her works displayed around the room.

Then, the same day, the teapot exhibition had its official opening at the Stonehouse Gallery. Seeing it is not that far from home, I attended. It was great to see works by people I know, as well as many whom I don't know. I also caught up with a few friends and acquaintances.  I really admire the judges, the works were sooooo different!
There were functional and non-functional teapots. Ceramic, textile, wooden, felted teapots. Probably some other techniques that I don't remember at present. It was lovely to see so many creative ideas.

My two at the front.

Then, today, I went to the State Library - after walking around the block to find an entrance that was open, there is a lot of renovation and building going on in the city!!!

I saw this amazing tapestry on the wall. I had seen posts about it on the ATW website and had actually seen it being made but hadn't taken much notice of where it as going to be hung. So it was lovely to come across it today, in situ.

Rust dyeing.

I've been reminded that today is 19/6/19 and that I should post.

Yesterday I went to the Embroiderers Guild, Victoria (not to be confused with the Embroiderers Guild of Victoria) to our monthly play day. The demonstration was of rust dyeing.
I took along some old rusted nails, a woodworking clamp, some other bits and pieces and some powdered rust that was in the containers.

We were told to bring a spray bottle with half and half water and vinegar but I only put the vinegar in because I could fill it with water when I got there. However, our demonstrators had done research from various sources and concluded that you could use pure vinegar if you preferred. So I did, just to see what would happen.

We dampened the fabric, put some rusty items on it, rolled it over, put more rusty items on it, rolled it over, etc. Then tied it with string. I sprayed it again to make sure it was damp all over.

The pieces of fabric were natural - cotton and silk, prepared for dye (washed to get the sizing off).

The fabric was then put into ziplock bags and left to do its thing.

It was recommended that we should keep the bag warm and occasionally open it to let air in because rusting happens well with oxygen.

I brought it home and put it on top of the heating vent, the current weather not being conducive to good brewing of the rust.

It was recommended that we leave it for several days but I could see that it was going well - and I was impatient. (After all, it is the 19th of the 19th!)

So here it is.
You can see some of the nail impressions, the screw part of the clamp, etc.

The fabric is actually a little darker than the images show. Some of the dye ran out when I rinsed it but not much.

Not sure what I will use the fabric for as the pieces are only very small. But now I know I can easily make more to go with them. So I'll put them aside for the time being and let ideas brew - a bit like the rust did.