Mountain to Sea inspiration

The online group, tapestryweaversoz, has an annual project to make a tapestry that is no more than 20 x 20 cm.  Each year has a different theme.  This year it is Mountains to Sea.  I have seen that a couple of people whose blogs I visit have posted about their work (Vera and Pat), so I will too.
I am looking forward to seeing all the works in the flesh, so to speak.  It will be a travelling exhibition, in a suitcase, and we are hoping to host it here in Melbourne in June or July. Seeing pictures of people's work is good but nothing compares to seeing them in reality.
I think I mentioned already that I was having problems with my tapestry having bulges.  I have sewn up the slits, steamed it a little, and the bulges are less obvious.  They are still there but I have decided that I can't make it any better and that is the best I can do.

Isn't it amazing how the time of day affects the colours?

These themes give me the impetus to weave, and to try various techniques, so I am not going to beat myself up about the work not being perfect - I need this encouragement to weave and will participate as long as I can.  The group is a very generous one, people will always answer questions and no question is too simple. I need to be weaving, so I can try out different ideas and for the pure enjoyment of the process.
As usual, I haven't just done the topic, I had to put a twist on it.  So mine is Sea to Mountain - it is based on ammonite (or ammolite) that is a sea fossil - ammolite is found in the Rocky Mountains.   I have been influenced by the fossil turning into rock and by the fact that the sea-bed is now in a mountain.
I found my inspirational image on a royalty free stock photo site and have bought the licence to use it. It is a relief to think that I am legal about this - if I am understanding copyright properly, such a tricky process.

Practising my tapestry weaving

I have started tapestry weaving again lately, in response to the tapestryweaversoz Yahoo group's theme of Mountain to Sea. I have several designs competing for prominence and not much luck coming up with one that actually looks like it will work.
Our local tapestry group also has a theme - Building.  Although it is not due for months, ideas have been floating around in my head, and my visual diary/picture collection.

I met with Joy Smith (a member of our local group and one of my teachers when I was at RMIT) to have a discussion about my weaving (and its problems), how to develop some of my ideas and generally to have a lovely afternoon tea. She helped with ideas for better technical weaving but also for developing more doable designs. So much to think about.

I would like to just start weaving a piece to improve my technique but I find it hard to work that way. I think I may have to use my theme pieces as my practice and if they are not successful, I don't have to put them in. After all, I did two for last year's theme (Circles and Squares) and only put one in.

The one I didn't put in.  I've noticed that it has a similar problem to the one I am currently working on - bulges where I have straight edges.  But the problem with the current work is worse, maybe because it has single warp wraps also (images to come - perhaps). Joy gave me a good tip about the wrapping.  It seems obvious now but I didn't do it at the time - sew it up as you go, build up one side of the tapestry, then do the wrap and sew it every 3 passes.  I have done the wrap independently of the weaving and it has too many wraps, hence the bulging (well, that is part of the reason for the bulge).

This is the one I put in - it is based on an optical illusion.  You can see the circles if you squint.  Actually, now that I look at it, this one has a lot of straight lines too.  If I remember correctly, I used less wool for the orange bits, the vertical ones at least, and that helped with the bulging. I don't think that is the best way to solve the problem but it worked for me at the time.

The themes and group challenges are great for motivating me, giving me a focus and actually making me develop a design and work out how to weave it.  Thanks to all those who put in so much work with the online groups.  I belong to a few, and they often have very interesting discussions. 

Joy also gave me the courage to have a go at fixing the very untidy plaiting I did on my little piece that I did in France a couple of years ago.  So I will have to do that, after the warp has had a chance to uncrimp (if there is such a word).

Note that I don't have an image of the very wobbly top edge, I couldn't bear to photograph it.

The problem might be that I didn't hitch off tightly enough, as well as my loose plaiting.
Maybe I can use this in our Building exhibition - if we actually get around to putting it on - and if I can fix up the plaiting.

It was so good to talk to a mentor about the problems I am having (it would be better to call it 'the learning I am doing').  The online groups are good and the people on them are very generous with their advice but there is nothing to compare with sitting with a person, or group, and talking specifically about issues and having the tapestry there for reference.

Joy mentioned that she had entered some works into the British Tapestry Group's current exhibition - Tapestry Mischief.  She said that there were pictures on their Facebook page.
Go here to see them.  Beautiful.  And you don't have to be on Facebook to see them.

The tapestry group

Well, we had our inaugural meeting today.  We had a lovely time catching up and showing and telling about what we have been up to lately.
 Linda showed us the beautiful weaving she is currently working on for her Studio Textiles and Design course, Glennis showed us some of the work she is doing for the SWTAFE tapestry course, Marion got on with some of her en plein air weaving (not outdoors today, finishing off  a piece started earlier) and I got some advice on a design I am thinking about doing (after I complete my course, only 6 weeks to go!).

A sample that Linda has made for her planned tablecloth.

As you can see, the venue was bright and comfortable.  There is a good library there as well as dyeing, spinning and weaving supplies for sale. 

We also discussed future directions for the group.  There were two calls for entries that we looked at and have decided to go with the tapestryweaversoz one, based on circles and squares (the 2012 file).  So the idea is to think about how we might approach the topic and bring along ideas for the next meeting. This will be a good incentive to start a visual diary on the topic.

I have had a fascination with optical illusions for a while, so I might play around with that for a while.  After I do all my other work that is due for various courses. 

The Owl and the Pussycat

I was looking around the net for some images of The Owl and the Pussycat, for the tapestryweaversoz group's new project,  and came across this wonderful animation.  Just love it.
There are ideas floating around but nothing is gelling for me at present, then I got distracted by the animation.  I just love animations.