Embroiderers Guild exhibition 2022

The exhibition closes tomorrow. It has been lovely to be there and talk to so many people. I was supposed to be demonstrating Free Motion Embroidery today but my machine is refusing to pick up thread from the bobbin, so it is away for repairs. Not sure when I will get it back. 

I decided to demonstrate blackwork embroidery instead. I took along the piece I started a couple of months ago, for the exhibition. It is barely started!! But I was able to talk to people about how blackwork is done, I even had some samples to show. I also demonstrated what else we do at the guild - talk to each other!!

The exhibition finishes tomorrow and people will be coming to collect their works. I am very please to say that I won't be collecting two of mine as they have sold. Very pleased. 

My fabric collage piece, based on the many walks along the Yarra River during lockdown, sold today. I was greeted by this lovely news as I came in. 

I have just noticed the time - and date, of course. It is 10.10 pm, on the 22nd of the 10th month, of the 22nd year of this century. Of course, by the time I have written this, it is barely still 10.10 pm.

I didn't win - but ...

I was very chuffed to be given a Highly Recommended certificate for my small fabric collage, at the Annual Members Exhibition at the EGV. (I have posted about it previously.) I had entered it in the challenge, it had to have some silk in it and was not allowed to be more than 15cm in any dimension. 

There were some gorgeous other pieces, so I feel very privileged to have been awarded the certificate. 

I might even try to make some more - after the exhibition is over and I have more time to be creative. 

The exhibition is on for another week, till October 23rd. We have had some good crowds and some slower days, probably due to all the rain we have been having and the warnings to stay off the roads if you can. Here's hoping the rain stops for a while and gives everyone a chance to recover. 

Look what I saw today!!

 I was getting my train ticket ready to touch off at the station and just had to hold up the other passenger - there was only one other - while I took this photo. 

It was on the ticket machine and stayed there long enough for me to get the picture. Isn't it gorgeous??

I had been in to the city and saw the small exhibition at the Melbourne City Library - in passing. It had not been my destination. 

It was based on spooky images, probably because Halloween is coming up (not that we have ever celebrated it). I really liked this image. Simple but effective. 

Just saw the photo here, not so effective, you can't see the tiny figure under the giant feathers! Ah well, you'll just have to go and see it for yourself. Also, I can't find a link online, so can't tell you about the artist.

Collage Group

 I met with my new friends today - a paper collage group that I have recently been invited to join. 

Today's theme was Blue. 

As I have been involved in helping to set up the exhibition at the Embroiderers Guild, Victoria, Australia, I wasn't sure if I would be able to attend. So I did no preparation. (As usual!)

However, I had some photos I had taken for the exhibition and printed out (to make cards for sale). A couple were not satisfactory, so I had some to cut up. 

I found an image in a magazine (probably one from the NGV magazine but I wouldn't guarantee that). So here is my take on Blue - singing the blues. 

Notice the word 'fret' in the bottom - part of the music. 

We had more participants than usual. It was lovely to be able to sit and chat and create. 

After that I went to the EGV and did a little bit more to help with the setting up of the exhibition. Opening night tomorrow!!

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. 

Another Baby Quilt

 I have finished another little quilt. I didn't really do it to a particular size, just made it to a size that appealed to me. 

It is based on a quilt I did a few years ago, using squares cut into triangles and then the pattern being made depending on how I laid out the pieces. I decided on a different layout from the previous one. 

I should have read my previous post more carefully - I didn't use starch spray on the squares and there was some stretching of fabrics in the square. I don't think it is too noticeable but I will try to remember next time. 

This time, I used orange and green as my base colours - not very babyish. I hope the parents like it - they will never tell me if they don't, of course. 

The only piece of fabric I had to purchase was for the backing and the borders. I am slowly getting through my stash.

Of course, I have cut too many pieces again - I'll have to see if I can come up with another design. 

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!