Washed and drying

So here they are freshly washed and drying in the breeze. I am really pleased with how the handkerchief turned out. The grid is well defined and may lead to a good story. In the corner you may see a small embroidered flower and other tiny details that was already on it.The calico scrap has two little people shapes cut out of it, so maybe I will place a piece of fabric under and reverse appliqué the shapes.

Rusting

I have made a little rust bundle of an indigo dyed handkerchief. Didn't look too good so now over dyed with rust. I wrapped the hankie and a piece of calico around a rusty grid I have saved for this purpose. Soaked in a vinegar and tea water. Left over night and now for the reveal

Now I will wash and rinse really well in bi-carb soda to neutralise the rusting process and stop it from further rusting. I want to try with only tea in the water as it gives blacker colour as the tannin in the tea reacts with the iron, and have no vinegar- next time.

30 days

30 days has April - it even included 5 days in Taiwan where I had to photograph and sketch my fellow travellers. Great practise at really looking. Mouths were difficult and I found only about 2 faces that really look like the person. Some of the others have familiar look to them but the rest don't really reflect any thing about the person.I am looking forward to doing more work on them to stitch down. 30 days has June.....maybe? And yes there is one cat in there as well as The Queen of Hearts from an early playing card on display in a Medieval exhibition at the Queensland Museum.

Story book

A new page in my story book being worked at in a follow along video inspiring 'classes' with Karen Ruane from Contempory Embroidery.

SaPa Textiles

Here are some of the textiles I purchased on a recent trip to Sapa a small mountainous township  in Vietnam.
The background piece is batik on handwoven hemp then dyed in indigo. The others are either old pieces or newer stitched by women from the Black Hmong or Dao tribes who live in or near SaPa in smaller villages. All of it an enormous amount of work. All soft and wonderful to touch and hold.