Fabric Collage again

Well, I wanted to go to my Free Motion Machine Embroidery group today with something to show and tell about. So I beavered away yesterday and have finished the piece. It is only A4 size (about 21 x 29cm). I had envisaged the background fabric being visible but then I sewed it and some edges were complete and some not, so that wasn't going to work. I had to make it a bit bigger in spots so that it would wrap around the edges. Now it is a fully collaged piece.

I cut a piece of foamcore to slightly less than A4 (that was the size designated by the online group that inspired the piece). 

Then I sewed it on the back with the trampoline stitch (I really must look it up and check that I am actually using the correct term). Then I sewed a piece of calico onto the back to hide all the strands. 

I will put it in the upcoming Embroiderers Guild's Members' exhibition. It also fits the challenge for one of my online groups. Then I might put it in the Christmas (so soon!!) exhibition for the Alcove Art Shop, at the Box Hill Community Arts Centre. So, even if it doesn't sell at any of the exhibitions, it will have been useful. 

I have not used any sticky products to assist me with the collage. I cut the tiny pieces of fabric, laid them out, steam-ironed them to the background - a piece of linen with interfacing on the back, not sewn. Then I free motioned the pieces on. I find that the steam iron helps to hold them in place so that I don't need to use pins or any product with glue.  I learnt this from Kathryn Harmer Fox. I have done a couple of her workshops. And I hear that she is coming back to Australia again!

I haven't been feeling all that creative recently, so am pleased that I have finished a piece. Yay me!

Fabric Collage

 I am trying to get back into some creative work. 

I did a paper collage a while ago and have used that as my inspiration. 

A group I belong to on FaceBook came up with a challenge, based on Place. (Have you noticed how many challenges have had that theme recently??)

This one is based on the very many walks I did along the Yarra River during the several lockdowns we have had. 

I went away for the weekend, taking my sewing machine and a selection of scraps. I had decided that I would just have to make do with what I had, no worrying about something I may have left at home. 

I managed to make a base using what was there, now I am trying to sew over it to make it look more like a drawing or painting. It is a bit of a struggle still, finding the energy to get into the sewing. But I am making some progress.

I have some seriously wrinkled background fabric, due to the uneven thickness of the sewing. I've decided not to worry too much about that at the moment, I'll try to deal with it when I come to mounting it. It will need to be mounted, I think, so I can stretch the background and try to make it less wobbly. 

Finished!!

 I have taken several rows off the log cabin quilt, removed the batting, which was only pinned, and hand sewn the backing fabric on. 

It now fits the couch/bed - hooray!! And it weighs a lot less too.

                                       

Of course, there are 51 blocks that I have removed. Plus some extras that didn’t make it into the quilt.  

                                       

That might be enough for a whole new quilt!! 

Or a lot of cushions. 

So far, I have not sewn the quilt top and the backing together. There’s no middle layer that might need to be secured. If I find it needs quilting, I’ll consider that in the future. 

I am just pleased that it is now out of the ‘waiting to be finished’ cupboard! (AKA: WIPs or UFOs.)

And, of course, today is ... 22/8/22.

It's the date that inspires me - at the moment.

Today: 14/8/22.

What to post??

My local tapestry group has participated in putting up an exhibition at the Handweavers and Spinners Guild. We put it up last Saturday. 

Included is the travelling tapestry exhibition that I have participated in for many years. It used to be for the Aus/NZ group but the New Zealand aspect is no longer. And the Australian aspect is probably not going to happen again either. We usually have up to 50 small tapestries but this year there were 'only' 17. Very nice they are too!

To make the exhibition fill the space better, our local group has put in some more tapestries. Each member was invited to contribute up to 4 tapestries, no more than 30cm square. 

I have put in a texture themed set. I have included my failed Aqueduct Trail one, a sample from my Ema Shin workshop, an older piece that experimented with texture and my recent Finger Labyrinth piece. 

Other members of our group have put in pieces too - it is actually a very good exhibition!

Unfortunately, the guild rooms are only open on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at the moment. But that shouldn't take away from our enjoyment of being part of the exhibition and being able to promote tapestry weaving. 

Hard at work, putting up the pieces in a visually appealing way. (Note that I was taking photos, not being a decision-maker!)

The travelling tapestry pieces. 

August already

 I noticed the date as I was writing in my daily journal this morning.: 8/8/22. 

I seem to remember that the Olympics in China had a lot of 8s in the date - it being a lucky number. 

Nothing much to report. 

I was asked to do a quilt for a relative last week - rather exciting as it gives me a reason to do it! And know that it is wanted. 

I am currently trying to use up some of the fabrics I have - some are about 20 years old!

I had a colourful piece of fabric that was 'just' enough for the main focus squares, then I got into my scraps stash and made the other blocks. 

I hope they like bright!

I did actually have to buy some fabric for the borders and the backing but I will get more left-over pieces from them, to be used in a future piece. And plain fabric is cheaper than the patterned ones. 

It is actually quite good to have been asked, it has made me look at patchwork again. 

I am going to stick to easy patterns. I found a couple of books (one from the destash day at the Embroiderers Guild, Victoria, Australia (we have to put Australia these days as there is a guild in Canada that is also the Embroiderers Guild, Victoria)). It cost me $2!!

Finger Labyrinth tapestry

 I managed to get the tapestry finished and drove to Bendigo to deliver it. Whew.

Even better, I won first prize!! It was in the newish woven tapestry category. I made one for 2020 but the show did not go ahead. I made one for 2021 but the show did not go ahead. So I am very pleased that it went ahead this year!!

Unfortunately, I was unable to get back to Bendigo when the show was on but a friend sent me a photo. 

Here it is!

 Well, I have finished the tapestry. I was too late to post it to the Bendigo Wool Show but, all being well, I will be able to deliver it by hand (car trip) on Monday the 11th. 

It has taken me ages!! But I shouldn't be surprised, tapestry weaving is slow. I also spent about 4 hours finishing it off. First braiding the warps, then sewing them down, then sewing a backing on. I am very slow at this - probably don't do enough tapestries to practise. 

I am relatively happy with the braiding, only a couple of spots that are not quite right but I have done it tightly for a change. 

I kept taking photos of the progress, partly to check that I had actually made any (progress, that is). Sometimes it is hard to see because things are slow. One part of the tapestry was a lot slower because it was vertical weaving, which is slower as you can't do one part till the nearby parts are done. 

However, the top part was mostly horizontal which is generally faster. But I was at the end and tried to use up the bits of wool I had on bobbins, making the decision-making more complicated. But it is done!!

My photography is about on a par with my even weaving, it isn't as crooked as it looks here.