Next interesting date - 20/6/26

 I suppose there will be another one soon - 26/6/26. I'll try to have done something interesting for then. 

I have done a little more natural dyeing with the hollyhock flowers - got some lovely deep purple but in certain light it looks like a lovely purplish grey, rather dark really - so the flowers can still give quite strong colour. 

I used the leftover fabric from my last lot of mordanting. I have some leftover dye and some more of the mess of flowers that still seem to have colour! I thought that it would definitely be used up in the last lot of dyeing but there is still colour there. 

Waste not, want not - I'll give it a go. 

I'll have to mordant some more pieces of silk - not old clothing this time, some pieces that I bought years ago when I was more into silk painting and natural dyeing. They are all white so I expect the results will be different - hopefully the dye bath will be strong enough to do a good job. 

In the meantime, the soggy flowers are starting to develop mould! Not good. But now that we are finally having some wintry weather I might put the jar outside and hope that the mould slows down. 

I'm hoping to do some mordanting tomorrow and then put it all away till my next small burst of enthusiasm. 

Then I will have to decide what on earth I will use the fabric for! 

Yes, it's 2/6/26

 I haven't been doing the dates all that well but today is an exception.

So ... I decided to use a couple of the pieces I have mordanted (that is so hard to say!) and I have put the hollyhock sludge on top of a piece of silk. I am expecting that the dyeing will not be even - which doesn't bother me at all. 

And ... I used some tea that I decided to save, weeks ago, with another piece. I have no idea why I decided to keep the leftover tea but I did - perhaps I had an inkling of my resurgent interest in dyeing - which is still not that resurgent.  Luckily, we drink a fair bit of tea here and there was plenty of liquid, relatively speaking - I only used one old chemise. 

I have used a brownish piece of silk, so it might not make that much difference. 

I have not really done any research to see if it will be good - I just like to play. 

So, in a couple of days, I'll have a look to see what is happening. I am not putting them near heat, etc. It is early winter here, the weather has just cooled down remarkably and I can't be bothered worrying about warm and cool spots.

Sewing off the edge

 This is our current challenge for our monthly meeting at the EGV. I'm not sure what it means, exactly- but if I have interpreted it correctly, I'm not sure why anyone would bother!

I found an old piece of experimentation that I had done in the past - it was a circle full of fairly heavy free motion sewing. I decided to try that again. 

Unfortunately, two of the pieces I did had fabric tucked under the hoop and I sewed it without noticing! But two others were done more correctly. 

I drew a circle on some cotton - then decided that I could just sew the shape, it doesn't matter if it is not an exact circle.

After I cut them off the fabric I then tried sewing off the edge - the only thing that seemed to happen was that the white fabric at the edge got covered - not a bad outcome but I'm nor sure if that was the aim. 

One other thing was that I used the automatic speed and sewing, no use of the foot pedal. When I tried doing it without the automatic aspect the thread kept breaking on the top. 

I left a little bit where I didn't sew over the edge and you can see the white fabric edge. That one didn't have the mistake of folded over fabric on the back! 

What I did notice is that the heavier sewing made the 'flower' more 3D.

I'll know more when I go to our group meeting next Sunday.  

Still experimenting

I had quite a few old chemises that are made of silk so I decided to actually use them! I have kept them because the silk is lovely. 

I also still have some of the hollyhock dye bath left. 

So today I looked up yet another site on how to naturally dye silk and have just done more mordanting of the fabric. I have done it slightly differently because I went to a different site - so many sites with good advice!  Because the chemises had colour I am not sure how things will turn out - but I really don't care!

I'm hoping to collect some more fabrics, not necessarily silk, and dye them and see if they 'speak to me' about how to use them. 

If not, I'll have yet more pieces of dyed silk and other fabrics.

 The leftover flowers that I used have turned into some sort of sludge but I am willing to try one or two pieces of silk to see what happens. I'll try to be more creative with the rest, see if I can make different colours. I still have a LOT of dried and frozen hollyhocks to I am anticipating lots of purples and, possibly, pinks. 

If I do use the sludge, I don't think the dye will be even but that doesn't bother me either. I am just aiming to have fun. 

As I have only prepared silk, I think that I won't get the greens and browns I got with the wool. - they were also old chemises. 

Our garden is being overtaken by oxalis - not a good thing. But I am hoping some may survive (if we don't work our how to actually get rid or it) and I will cut the yellow flowers and try them. I have a faint recollection of using the leaves too but they will only give green, easily obtained from other sources. It would actually be good to get rid of the oxalis, so I may not get to see the beautiful flowers. 

oops again!

 I used some dried hollyhocks to try some more dyeing. 

I have finished the mordanting and the dye baths. But ... I found some dried hollyhock flowers and decided to use them too. 

They have been lying around for weeks. I put them into a pot and used the recently mordanted fabric to see what would eventuate. 

                                 

 

I didn't want to wait for the dye bath so I put some fabric that had been mordanted into the dyebath that still had dried flowers in it. There were quite a lot, so it is now a full pot of flowers and warm water, 

                                  

 I overfilled the pot, so some of the dye bath spilt onto the stove - very promising in terms of colour. 

I then decided that the yellowish fabrics from the leaves of the lilly pilly were rather ordinary and have put in some of the overflow from the hollyhocks. 

The pot is now not simmering and I will check the fabrics in the morning. Hopefully there will be some stronger colours. 

I'm still not sure what I will use the fabric for but I am pleased that I have been experimenting after all this time. 

Oops!

 Seeing that I am just playing around with my dyeing (as usual, not very scientific) I didn't put enough water in with the bundle and it started to burn!! Fortunately someone noticed and turned it off before too much damage was done!

There is a small hole in the silk but I don't actually have anything in mind for using the fabrics so not to worry!

The fabric has a faint pink tone, especially the silk, with mostly brown for the wool - with some small areas of pink. 

As I said, I have no project in mind for the fabric and am, therefore, just experimenting with small pieces. 

I have decided to use the leaves of the lilly pilly. I have cut them up and put them in a pot to do their thing. So far, the water (dye bath) looks clear. 

Later - not much later. I have now put the mordanted fabric into the dye bath (and taken out the leaves to the compost heap). The fabric is looking yellowish, especially the silk. I will let it sit in the pot overnight, as so many sites recommend 

Once more, no idea what I will use the fabric for!

I'm am a roll now, am going to use yet more silk and worn out clothes, this time fawn silk (it was a singlet/camisole), to try using some of  the many leftover, dried hollyhock flowers that are just sitting around. 

The fabric is mordanting and I will let that rest for several hours, then do the dye bath thing. 

Time to take the dog out for a wander. 

Not sure if it is going well.

 Yesterday I picked the lilly pilly berries and have tried them in the pot - for dyeing fabric.

I was a bit disappointed today as the fabric didn't seem to be very different and the water was not showing a lot of colour. 

However, the water that dripped onto the stove had colour!! So I am leaving the berries in the pot, with the fabric, and will look at it again tomorrow- it takes patience to be an artist!

However, I am supposed to see a circle of mordanted fabric in the piece I was given - not obvious so far. 

Tomorrow is another day. 

I have read several sites that say that the leaves can also be used. I haven't had the energy or time to play with the leaves but hope to do so in a couple of days. Hopefully, they will give some colour. I have a collection of small pieces of fabric that are collected for dyeing so will see if they can be used - I will need to remind myself of what they need in terms of mordant but hope that it will not be too complicated. 

I just have to remember what I used to know about mordanting fabrics - I am only trying to use natural fabrics: wool, cotton and silk. Not sure what I will do with them but that is not really important - I am hoping to be inspired to play a bit more. 

Hoping to be inspired!

 I visited the Australian Tapestry Workshop last week. I needed to buy some yarns for an upcoming challenge for our local group. While I was there I had a look at the exhibitions. 

There was one that asked people to take a small piece of fabric, pre-mordanted in a circle. We are asked to find some plant dye from our local postal code, dye the fabric and return it.  Once it is returned it will be cut in half and one part will kept for records and the other will be used in an artwork. 

I have walked along a small laneway recently - while out with the dog. There was a lot of mess on the ground, fallen lilly pills berries. I came home and looked up whether they could be used for dyeing. Apparently so! 

Today I went back and cut down some of the berries overhanging the lane. 

I'm not sure what the mordant used on the fabric is but I thought I might as well give it a go. I will read the instructions again just to be sure that I have read it all properly. 

I have looked up some sites and will give it a go tomorrow- it seems that I shouldn't need a lot of berries so I will possibly have a go with some of the small bits of fabric that I have. First though, I will do the task. 

I'm hoping that it may revive my interest in fabric dyeing and then finding a use for the pieces. 

I also read that the leaves can be used. So I am keeping them and hope to experiment with them soon, 

The Date - again!

 It's been so long since I posted that I almost forgot how to log in!!

Today is 22/4/26. 

I haven't been all that creative recently but am working on a tapestry. It has taken me weeks and is not that big but who cares?? I am doing something. 

The tapestry is, hopefully, for the Bendigo Wool Show later this year. The theme is something about Echoes from the Past (not sure that is it exactly) and I have been visiting Darebin Parklands for many, many years. So I have used a photo of a small bridge over Darebin Creek. It reminds me of the many times I have visited the park - it is at the bottom of my street, not a big excursion. 

                                           

Anyway, I have used a recent photo of the bridge and am trying to come up with a tapestry. There are problems with the interpretation but I am happy to just be weaving again, not that bothered by exactitude.

I have been taking photos when I have actually given it some time - to let me see that I am making progress. 

The photos have come in reverse order - something to do with Google not being able to upload - I am sooo over technology!

I have used a photo but am making up the last bit - I am prone to to that, just make it up. I realised that the cartoon is not accurate so am using the actual photo instead. The big disadvantage of this is that you can't really see the differentiation between areas as clearly. But I have decided not to worry about it - I am not going to provide the image with the finished piece, so no-one will be aware of the differences. I hope.

Hot weather!

 We had a very hot day recently. Fortunately for us, the weather has changed and is not so horrendous. Other parts of the state are still suffering extreme heat and some bushfires. So I will try not to dwell too much on the awful heat. It is much worse around the state and other states as well.

We have had some plants suffer greatly in the heat and some have survived, seemingly ok. 

Despite almost being burnt, this hardy plant is still flowering!

I had hoped to get on with some cleaning out of old notes from various classes, or do some hand sewing or even finish off my very small sample from a recent tapestry workshop. 

So far, the only thing that has happened is a very small bit of weaving. I have been spending much time in trying to keep plants alive - with some success. 

The notes for the class were to bring colours that are opposite on the colour wheel. I had no idea of what image we were going to try. Turns out it was based on a work of Joy Smith's (the tutor) so I put in waste yarn afterwards and then cardboard for stability and have started. It is based on a bowl, a bottle and another clear bottle. I hope it works out but am not too bothered, I will try to come up with a design of my own - someday. 

The date!

 I met someone this morning who was excited about the date, it being 26/1/26 tomorrow! We had a lovely discussion about our mutual interest. 

So now I have to post something, even though the interesting date is tomorrow. 

We are having some very changeable weather - extremely hot, a couple of cooler days, extremely hot. Bushfires, flash floods also - fortunately, these events have not been in my immediate vicinity but they are very disturbing anyway. 

I have planted some sunflowers again, being part of a Facebook group that shares the interest. I planted them a bit later than some of the others but they are going to be looking good soon! If they survive the extreme heat forecast for Tuesday. 

It has been interesting to watch which way they face as they grow - east to west. The first flower was more east-oriented but I think a couple of the others will be more west-facing. 

We also have some day lilies and it has been fascinating to see the different flowers each day. I think they may have finished flowering now. 

As you may have noticed, there is very little mention of textile work!! I have attended two workshops in January, one was a two day one about using the element of line in designing a stitched piece. I really enjoyed the drawing exercises but have struggled with the hand sewing. 

Then I attended a tapestry weaving workshop. I enjoyed that greatly too - I knew most of the attendees and everyone knew at least one other person, so it was relaxed and friendly. 

I have tried to do a bit more since and am hoping to hunker down in the heat and get more done - trying to avoid having to venture outside (except to water various plants and put beach umbrellas over some of the more exposed plants).

Post Christmas - and some hot weather

 It has been sunny and hot for a few days, is forecast for a few more, then some relief again. But it appears that summer is definitely here!

I thought I'd take advantage of the sunshine and do a bit of sundying. I haven't done any for ages so I decided just to try a few small pieces of fabric to see what I would get. 

Not great results! The fabric has dyed - not that I have washed it yet test the fastness. 

I just grabbed a small stash of little bits of cotton, some of them quilting cotton with designs in white on them. 

This is the back of one of the pieces seen above.

I have just remembered that I tried dyeing some white fabric years ago, with different designs on them, using the same dye (not sundye, from memory). It gave me a great selection of different colours - I think I had made a block using the log cabin design, the pieces were all white and I dyed it all together. It gave me in interesting outcome. As usual, I saw that it would work and then did no more! I tend to do that, see if something will work, or how to do it, then not doing any more. 

Anyway - I have some coloured fabric pieces. I put some of them under bushes that were throwing down beautiful shadows. Nothing was visible on the fabric - I'm not sure if that is because the shadows were above the fabric, rather than touching it or if I just used too many colours so that the sun effect isn't clear. 

I did one slightly larger piece (I think it is some calico rescued from a plum pudding from a couple years ago). I put the leaves on the fabric this time and there are some barely visible designs. 

                                                     

I have no idea what I will use them for, if anything. But I can now go into summer with some hope to achieve something creative. 

Christmas!!

 I nearly missed the date! 25/12/25.

I haven't done much textile work lately but I am hoping to do a couple of workshops in the summer school for the EGV and the HWSG. It is an attempt to make me try something slightly different - not totally different as that would be too daunting. 

The hollyhocks are flowering again - I am still collecting them - just need to actually use them!! I have a few days coming up with no appointments so, perhaps, I'll give it a go. 

It was overcast a lot today and cool for Christmas Day. It's supposed to warm up next week, so I'll see if I can get myself organised. 

I am also thinking about doing some sun dyeing. I saw a gorgeous plant in the garden a day or so ago. It is actually a weed and has thorns but it has beautiful, fragile-looking leaves.  So I rescued a piece from the green bin and it is waiting for me to get myself organised. 

I love thy way the stems  grow horizontally.

That time of the year

 It is coming to the end of the year - Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year, the summer holidays.

It's a strange time - trying to catch up with people. finishing off some regular things, getting ready for the big events, getting ready for a quieter time of year!

I have finished a small tapestry - not needed till February but I am going to do a tapestry workshop in January and will need to the loom, so it is done already.

The theme was From Above. 

My thoughts were first about messages from Above - thou shalt not kill, love thy neighbour as you would love yourself, etc. But, given the state of the world, I decided that I would get too depressed. 

So I have worked on a piece inspired by a photo taken while walking through the Fitzroy Gardens recently.

The water is coming from above - not very much above, it is not a very big waterfall.

It was good to be working on it as it takes all my concentration. But it is rather small, given the size restriction of the challenge. 

It is done and looks much better from a distance. The photos are more close-up than I would like but it is not too bad. Maybe stand back from your computer/iPad/etc and it might work better. 

                                                       

It isn't wonderful in itself but it did give me focus and purpose. 

Working on a small tapestry

 Thank goodness for groups that set themes and have due dates!!

I'm working on a small tapestry (no bigger than 20cm square) and I have set myself the task of doing at least half an hour every day. It usually goes to an hour but my body doesn't like it much - ahh the joys of getting older. 

Admittedly, I could do half an hour, do something else and then do another half, or even an  hour! But the impetus seems to leave me after about an hour. 

However, I am getting there. 

The theme is From Above. I had all sorts of ideas, many to do with messages from 'above' (love thy neighbour, thou shalt not kill, etc) but I found I was getting too depressed about the state of the world. So ... I have taken a photo of a small waterfall in the Fitzroy Gardens. I rarely go there but had the time to walk through recently. The gardens are wonderful - peaceful and restorative. 

Water is coming down from above!

I have taken a few photos of the tapestry as I have gone along - mainly to prove to myself that I am actually achieving something, 

I can't believe how many bobbins I use for such a small piece!!

Today I was across the room and saw it from a different viewpoint and am actually quite happy with it. There are some things that I would change if I had the time and energy but they won't matter much. I have done what seems to be my usual thing lately, make it up as I go! I am putting some marks on the warp from my images but I am not doing it prior, I am doing it as I go - it is rather an interpretation rather than an exact copy of the photo. 

An indication that Christmas is approaching

 The hydrangea is starting to develop flowers, always an indication that Christmas is on the way.

                                  

The pink is from another plant, the hydrangea is still developing.

The weather has been rather changeable but that isn't too unusual for spring - it snowed on Mt Donna Buang last week! It only rained and hailed in my part of the world. We were tricked by one very warm day just prior but that is forgotten now! 

I have been thinking about the new theme for next year's challenge: From Above. I had all sorts of ideas but have finally settled on one that is rather ordinary - and I may not be able to do it to the required size - no larger than 20cm square. I think there might be too much detail in my photo but I will persevere. 

I took lots of phots of flowers that were on the ground - I was looking from above, I eventually decided to do a small waterfall I saw in the Fitzroy Gardens - the water is falling from above.

Exhibition is up

 The Annual Members Exhibition is up - we had the opening night for participants last Friday. 

There were some pieces that were obviously based on the theme - Magical. Other pieces needed the artist's artistic statements but then were clear. 

There were pieces that didn't try to do the theme, any work completed in the last two years is accepted - a great idea so that people who are not inspired by the theme can still participate. I also love that any piece done by a member is accepted, it doesn't have to be of a particular standard. Mind you, there were a lot that were of exceptional standard!

As I have already said, I wasn't that inspired by the theme myself but, probably because I read so many fantasy books in the past, I do love images of dragons. So I put two pieces in. 

I ended up having to have the second one framed because I mounted it on foam core that was too thin and it started to bend when I sewed the backing on, I actually think the framing helped, it gave it a nice darkness at the edges. 

You can see more of the exhibition here.

Not happy with my design!

 The EGV annual members' exhibition is coming up. The theme is Magical. I have always had a fascination with dragons, so I am trying to come up with a piece that I think is ok. 

So far, I have done one that is using a piece of silk that I painted many years ago, possibly in the 1980s! I'm not certain that it was that long ago but it definitely was a while ago. I haven't done anything spectacular with it, just put some hand sewing on it and mounted it. 

My next idea is also dragon based. I have done a free motion embroidery dragon, with two smaller ones to put on - perhaps. 

But I can't find a background that I like!! It is stopping me in my tracks. 

I made a small quilt based on Ricky Timms' convergence quilt ideas but I think the dragon fades into the background too much. 

I decided that I needed a rock for the dragon to be sitting on but now I think it is too dark and takes the focus away from the dragon.

Note the two much smaller dragons peeking in from the sides. I think I may end up not using them at all. 

I may just put it away and let myself try something different or I may get out lots of differennt  pieces of fabric that I have collected over the years and see if I can be inspired. 

Hopefully, I'll find something that speaks to me. If not, I will have to move on, which I am finding hard to do at the moment.