I like Thankful Thursday

So, here I am post-op

now I am recovered/recovering... wearing sewing glasses with one glass removed! for sewing it isn't so great, but reading and computer, not so bad. And for long distance - my long distance glasses with the right glass taken out. Although the eye is not yet at full strength, it is so much better than before the op it is amazing.
The surgeon wants to do the other because of my shortsightedness and a 'mild' cataract. So, when I see her in Dec, we will find out how and when. I do know the difference between the 2 eyes is like seeing with the brilliance of LED lights and seeing with incandescent lights. One has a blueish hue and the other is definitely yellow.
I am doing a lot of winking type of activity!

I like having a go. Here is an experiment I am trying.

seeing if I can grow an avocado plant. I know they don't produce avocados when they are houseplants, but I'm seeing if it will make a new houseplant!

I like random things. When I went to London with my friends, we had a bite to eat at this cafe. Not the greatest, but it has good food and will change your order (brioche instead of bun, etc).

Love, Love the name! and also the phrase on the menu!

I like seeing patterns when I am out and about. I took this photo because I saw a face in the knot in the tree.

But when I looked at the photo, I also saw a doggie waiting to go walkies!

I like WhatsApp.  Now my sisters and I can send random messages and photos and it doesn't cost.
This from one sister

and even a photo of a squirrel's hoard in the outhouse at their camp!


Right, now I need to get on with that Ramshackle project. I have been posting process photos during the week.

Go have a look at LeeAnna's blog where she has links to 'likes' others have posted.

Experiment

Instead of pouring out the pickled red cabbage juice when the jar was finished, I kept it.
Then when i was getting tired of the vinegar smell in my room....hmmm.
I put in some scraps of silk habotai that had some marking from an indigo dip.
I nuked it for 2min.

Drained it and voila! fuchsia and purple

Then I put it in the washer on a rinse cycle. To be honest, almost everything I try for an experiment comes out that colour. So I didn't really need more! But it was silk, so I could work with that.

Result:the reddish part of the purple washed out leaving a light periwinkle blue! Yes, I like this.
In true life, you hardly see the indigo markings and the silk has a lovely sheen. But the camera picks up the darker greenish blue of the indigo.

I have saved the rest for more experimenting.
my understanding of the science: Natural dyes are mostly fugitive, meaning they will fade. If you use a mordant, it is more likely to last longer. Because the pickled cabbage juice had vinegar, the vinegar works well on the silk and it will (should) retain colour.

I like experiments that come out better than you thought it could.

Ch-changes

The 3rd round of the Pattern Review Sewing Bee requires you to use a supplied pattern download and make it your own while still retaining the look.

So we were given access to a download of the new Colette Rue pattern.
I am doing view 2.

I don't normally work from other people's patterns. So after I got it printed out and taped and cut, I compared it to my pattern.

For the most part it was similar.
Some of the changes.
The armscye (and the sleevehead to match).

This is the difference.

And I moved the tucks over the bust to be more at the side. which I think will draw less attention to a larger bust. shown in pink.

I have got the toile/muslin made and from evidence of that, I also opted to lengthen the bodice because I am uncomfortable with a high waist.
So, now to cut and sew the 'real thing'. more photos of things later when I am not so stressed about how much I am doing at one time!

Layered Voices-5

And another layer.

Longer this time, as I do like the length of the 'lining'.
Now to think about one more aspect that is in my mind and how to execute it.

Layered Voices - 4

While I was working on the Ripple and Swirl Bias top, I was pondering just what was not quite there about the Layered Voices dress.

And then I realised it needed more layers of net. The lining was overwhelming the cord - which was not giving the impact I wanted. I wanted to say something with the net about being caught, but you just couldn't see it.

So, I have been working on layers. a mix of Pearle cotton colours to go with the other parts of the dress and the bottom net layer.

Layered Voices - 3

I draped the lining on the stand and then stitched the yoke to it.
The lining is rust dyed cotton lawn. The selvedge is at the top and bottom.

Then came up with the placement for the braid.

front

back

and a close up before I stitched it down.

The cord for the net will be anchored in the braid at the bottom edge of the yoke.
I am still thinking about the strap placement so haven't stitched it yet.

Layered Voices -2

I have this 'wrapping twine' given to me from one of the other students when I was doing my city and guilds.

So, I chose these 3 colours (I also have red in this size and white a bit bigger.) because they will go with my fabrics.

First I made cord on my machine - using a foot that you can thread individual cord or thread through and when you stitch them with zigzag they become a multi-strand cord.

Then I plaited the cords I made to become braid I can use. One length will be the anchor thread for the net. The other will possibly be straps?

The different cords together give flecks of colour that tie the various fabrics together.

Layered Voices

So the African fabrics from here, are starting to become a piece of wearable art for SAQA Layered Voices call for entry.

One piece of fabric was a man's shirt with a collar. So, I took the collar off. Unpicked front from back because the inside of the collar was a lovely blue.
I turned them upside down and pinned them on Madame.

front

back with a bit of folding

and a little strip of the quilting cotton joins them between.

After some further adjustment, I stitched them together...by hand because I wanted to be sure to keep them fitting as they were on the dummy. I will machine stitch them onto a lining. Then hanging from the yoke I will make 'net' to create the dress!

???
Use your imagination.

Experimenting with a new idea

I have the next project at the front of my mind now. There is one idea I haven't figured out which technique would say what I have in mind. I am thinking of some sort of gaps.

So, whilst looking online for some other technique, I came across some videos of making net - as in survival net for fish or other reasons.
It seemed pretty straight forward, so I thought I would give it a go. I will save you the full step by step thing and just show progress in stages.

So, a string going across* and then the twine tied on to begin the net.

The cardboard standing all around is so you don't see all the clutter you can see the string. The jars have stones to keep them firm and stay in one place as I was using them to stretch the string across between 2 points.**

Knots made at regular intervals - rows 1+2

Then I got the bright idea of containing the string in these big plastic bobbins I got for something.

and then just as I started to do the knotting for the next row, I realised it was not a bright idea after all, so I took them all off again.

More knots made at regular intervals - rows 5+6
and more stones added to the jars to make them heavier.

Even more knots made at regular intervals - rows 9+10

Many more knots made at regular intervals - rows 13+14
hanging on the cupboard because I couldn't bend down that low any more....and then because I tried to raise the jars up,
also because of ** below.


Verdict: Go in the garage and find something that will stay in one place to string between.
Do this again in a nicer string.
This might just be the solution and it doesn't take too long.



*Always stretch between 2 things which will
1- stay in one place
2- not break when they stop staying in one place.

** now I only have one jar.

In the meanwhile, I am mending and taking in dresses that I haven't worn yet because they are already too big.

Weaving Sticks

I mentioned the weaving sticks Caroline Marriot was selling on Saturday. (my fingers want to type stitch so end up typing stitcks!)

This is what was on the sticks I bought. (Although I had already changed the warp threads when I took this photo.)

I like these colours, but don't really have other wool or yarns to go with this. So I dipped into my collection of wools from Linton tweeds. I bought them at the first Sewing for Pleasure show I went to in the mid 90's!

This was just the thing for them. It made a thicker weave, because most were at least 2 threads together, if not 3 or 4. I started it on Sunday evening watching Country File and finished Monday night watching the Sewing Bee!

So, it makes up quick, it is addictive (as in 'you can't stop going on to the next thread colour'), and is a good use of odds and ends of threads that aren't enough to use for something else.

Only what will I do with it? I still need to tie off the warp thread ends and perhaps plait them or put beads on them.
Well, this was a sample, so that is okay. I have some blue and white eyelash yarn I have had for ages that I think will be pretty wonderful worked up on this. Maybe make/buy some more pegs?
I will have to experiment.

Experiments

Golds, greens and browns required.

Trying to get gold with an old pack of turmeric. I read about it somewhere.
Not exactly what I had in mind. It becomes more daffodil yellow. But perhaps I can develop it.


A little more experimenting.


Lovely patterns developing on the drop cloth.

If I can get these ideas to play together, they will be for the current CQ challenge.

JQ 2015 - Cypress 2

The top of the Cypress is done.

I may have to attach a bit of the water soluble trimmings from the last tree to the bottom of this so I can work the trunk. I thought I would do the whole tree in one, but didn't think about fitting the whole into the hoop.

You can see that there is a bit of buckling from being in the hoop. I haven't tried to press it. I thought of it and then realised...oh. Steam = water. Not a good idea.

The water soluble I am using this time is the one from Art Van Go. I need to look it up on their site, but to be honest, I think it is also the same as from the other 2 vendors. No noticeable difference in the sewing anyway. Now to get the mathematical gentlemen in my house to tell me which is the best price. Without having worked it out, I am drawn to getting it from Empress Mills just because it is sold as yardage on a roll.

I love the texture in this one. I fiddled with my machine a bit and got it to run 3 threads at a time. That way you can give a more realistic colour because you are using three shades. and in this case, one of the threads was variegated, so that helped even more to keep from having the tree look flat. When you look at trees in real life, the are never all one colour. There are highlights and shadows as well as variations in greens depending on new or old leaves.

My previous Pfaff had two horizontal thread holders and on optional vertical holder. This has one horizontal and one vertical. But I put two threads on a thread stand. Here is a photo of the thread stand I took some time back.

I created an extra thread guide by putting the thread through the slot on this disk and slipping it onto the horizontal holder.

I tried it with a thread on the holder and this set up, but there were problems with the thread twisting round the stick bit between the reel and this disk.
I was very pleased that there were only one or two times that a thread shredded.

Stitched trees - 4

After the success of the top part of the tree, I thought I may as well carry on experimenting whilst doing the trunk.

I had finally found my machine embroidery hoop...it goes under the foot easier. This was also good for holding a bit of the water soluble fabric which I had trimmed away from the first part.
I wanted to see how the ws fabric behaved when a skimpy amount was used. 1-less wasteful. 2-I am prone to work on scraps 'in case it goes wrong' and then find it doesn't go wrong and I have a good bit of work on a wee bit of scrap!

I drew a bit of a trunk for guidance...and then ignored it when I stitched!

The threads this time was Thread Studio's Fed (I think for Federal? anyway, it says Fed on the reel.) The variegations went from a sort of claret to lime green with browns in there too. Because I wanted the overall look to be brown, I also used a lighter brown Madeira embroidery thread on the horizontal thread holder. The Thread Studio reels work better on the vertical and with one of those nets round it to keep the thread coming of regularly and not catching round the thread holder.
The bobbin was a random brown from the stash.

The stitched trunk before I trimmed away the ws fabric.

You can see the edges of the loose grid I stitched. I wasn't sure how well the threads would hold together because this time they were all running pretty regular up and down. Though I didn't stitch the whole trunk all the up and all the way down, but in sections. There is a bit at the top right that I could see wasn't really connected, so I trimmed that away as well.

As you can see, the scrap held up very well to the stitching. I did stick one little piece on, but it was more to use as a little bit to hold onto because that section was a bit thinner and I thought it would distort. Keeping it taut helped.

Trimmed Trunk

The trunk with the ws fabric washed out.

The edges are a bit scruffy.

But, I have pushed the threads together at the side while wet as I was blocking.

Any small amount of water soluble left in the thread work acts as a stiffener for stand alone lace pieces, so it will hold the threads in place when it is dry.

As I said with the top part of the tree, I will be stitching this onto the background, so I can make sure the sides of the trunk are smoothly attached.

You may be wondering if the thread colours used for the trunk and the thread colour used for the top section work together. You can see them both here. I think it will work. I have a background in mind, so I should be able to show you more about that next week. (bead day tomorrow!)

Stitched Trees - 3

Oh yes, how long did it take to make the tree part I showed you yesterday? Several wonderful drawing-with-the-machine hours!

The thread on top is Thread Studio's Victory variegated thread Middle Earth.

I used different random green threads from my stash for the bobbin thread. Fill bobbins, use bobbins. fill more bobbins with next random green. (It takes a lot of thread.)

So, the next part of the experiment is to see how the water soluble fabric dissolves. I trimmed the excess from around the stitching first.

I was pleasantly surprised that the visible ws fabric dissolved straight away.

This photo was taken after the work had just been dipped into water...no scrunching and swishing.

I left it to soak, and after popping out to the shops, I pulled it out and rolled it in a towel to get out the excess water.
Then I pinned it to the foam core to block it.

I am very pleased that the piece was so well contained. Nothing floating about unconnected. I am not worried about some of the fringes at the edge, because I will anchor it to a background with stitch.

You can see in the top photo, that I had stitched a grid of sorts...somewhat organic arcs instead of your normal grid... because I wasn't sure what was needed to hold it together. I didn't want obvious squares in the lacy part.
I don't know yet whether I will want to go in and trim the fine lines away. It will depend on what it looks like on the background. At this point I am leaning towards leaving them.

Tomorrow, the trunk of the tree.

Stitched Trees - 2

Okay, yesterday was a bit too nostalgic. But you can see the interest in trees!

*****
As well as the Journal Quilt theme, I have also been thinking about trying a cold water soluble fabric which is sturdy enough to make stand alone thread pieces. I saw a video on-line where the artist (Meredith Woolnough) used this type of water soluble for her lace-like images of items in nature.

I was impressed about the way the w.s. fabric could be worked so intensely without ripping. I also like the way it behaves like... fabric! I don't get on well with the plasticy stuff.
And because you can dissolve it in cold/lukewarm water, it should be easier to work with at that stage and kinder on the thread than boiling water.

To add to the way the thoughts were piling up towards the tree theme is this...
There is a small group of us online who are following prompts to work up a piece in A4 size every 2 months.
I am using it as a way to work out ideas for larger work or continuing ideas for some of my series. You saw my Cycling piece and the Refugees piece.

A4 is just a bit smaller than 12 inches and around 2 inches wider than the 12x6in size for this year's Journal Quilts with Contemporary Quilt. I figure I can make up the A4 a smidge taller, and then trim it to 12x6. You don't get in trouble if the size is not spot on!

Or that is the cunning plan. The A4 group prompt this time is Into the Woods. So, it all begins to shape itself into a plan.

Here I have begun to do the stitching on the water soluble fabric, or fleece as it is sometimes called.

At the Knitting and Stitching Show, I bought a bit of this water soluble fabric from 3 different vendors. I decided to try each one to see if there was any noticeable difference.

This first tree is being stitched onto the w.s. fabric from Empress Mills. The others have the price on it, but it is sold as a specific amount in a packet. Empress Mills sells it as yardage. Solufleece - £3.90 a metre. I see already that it is the same maker as one of the others, but I will have to work out the cost differences.

Here is the leafy section of the tree pretty much complete.

This is also a little experiment in abstracting trees somewhat. I am pleased with this one. I wasn't sure where to begin when I sat down to stitch. I hadn't looked back at Meredith Woolnough's work til I was writing this. So, I started going round the edge, then found I wanted to do branches. So, I have ended up with a bit of both.

Now I have to get brave enough to dissolve the fabric. I think I will do that before I stitch the trunk of the tree. Then I can see if there is anything I should do differently.

So, this will be somewhat of an experimental journey, but should also give me confidence to use the water soluble for other things. ...

(Dragons? Of course not! Don't be silly....

Well, yeah.)

Stitched Trees - 1

If you were around on this blog in September 2013, you had the joy of me filling space with photos of trees around this area. I love trees.

I spent my teen years in 'the back woods'. My sister and I earned money for our further education by working with my dad to clear wood from the grown over areas of our land. These trees were not the big beautiful ones, but young growth. But because the land had not been worked for some years before we went there, many of the 'young growth' trees were only just small enough to put your arms around. (well, a girl's arms.) Being in the woods all day throughout the summers was a wonderful thing, even though it was hard work. (VERY Hard Work!)

We cut the wood into 4 foot lengths loaded it onto an old trailer sort of thing, hauled it back to the area by the house and stacked it. 'Cord Wood' 4ft deep 4ft high and 8ft long. (I was going to link to a photo, but the only ones I found were of split wood.) Then sold the wood to the paper mill...a good portion of that went to pay the driver who brought his truck to collect the wood. So, it was a lot of work and effort, and not much for a result financially.

We also cut birch trees, that were also taking over, and sold that to older people who couldn't cut their own wood. THAT had to be cut in firewood lengths and sometimes split as well!

But I digress...

So, I love trees. While I was doodling the other day, I was sifting through the ideas of what I might do next. I have signed up to the Journal Quilt project again. This year the size is 12x6 in. You must state at the beginning horizontal or portrait. I have chosen portrait.

I had been thinking about shapes, which is why the doodle started with them. But also, when I am in a meeting or something, I do tend to doodle trees or bushes. So, why not trees for journal quilts. I am thinking about looking at 'real' tree shapes and abstracting them somewhat.

I want to do an experiment with cold water soluble fabric. So I can do this first tree on the water soluble.

Pencil drawing of leafy part of tree shape onto the water soluble fabric. wrapped hoop. I laid this onto white foam core so the drawing was more visible.

This blog post was getting long, so I will talk about the experiment and other things as I go along this week.

Fusing

And with the decks clear, I have begun! Or at least I have started the fusing part.

One of the reasons I wanted the working table clear is because the size is over 1m both ways. It would make it easier to fuse the fabric if I could use the table. The worry, though, is that the table is actually an old (vintage?) desk. There is a piece of leather set into the wood surround. I didn't want to ruin that.

So, I knew I had a felted wool blanket. Still I didn't want the heat to go through that. In the cupboard with the blanket something made me move a bag on top of a box. TADA! A table protector for protecting dining room tables from heat! I remember now that I had hoped it would fit our dining room table when it was at it's smallest size. But it didn't. However! Joy of joys...it was bigger than the fabric I wanted to fuse. So, just right for this purpose.

So, layered table protector with wool blanket on top and Yes, the little heat that did get through to the table protector went no further.

More positives here...
For some time I haven't been using my 'good' iron because the steam stopped working...a little rusty bit fell out.

However, it still heats. I thought that it would be good for this because with no steam, I had even less worry about the desk top. Wow! I am glad I hadn't got round to letting this go yet. It gives out so much more heat than the iron I have been using. So, some of the recent problems I had been having with fusibles not fusing properly were solved as well. So, the 'good' iron is still a Good Iron for this use! Besides the heat, it is heavy - so the weight for the fusing is good. AND it has a long cord which works for reaching from the plug in to the opposite side of the table.

So one piece is fused now and I can begin working with it. Well, I do need to do a few sketches now that I know what size fabric I am working with.

I used Misty Fuse black for the fusible. And I used baking parchment to protect the iron. The fusible peels away from it easily if you let it cool first. I have some of the Teflon baking sheets I used to use sometime ago for fusing. (but hard to get things right because you can't see through.) I didn't want to fuse to the wool blanket accidentally, so I used the Teflon sheets under the fabric at the sides for just in case there was fusible over the edges.

For now it is hanging up on the design wall to keep it from creasing. While I have the fusing set up, I think I will fuse the other half of this fabric. Then it will be ready if I am able to do two designs. (The call for entry allows 2 pieces to be entered.)

Raring to go!