Stitching

These three pieces are from a workshop with Viv Sliwka from @viv_hensteeth at the Brisbane Convention Centre as part of the Embroidery convention.

A cuff , a needlebook and a brooch.

Ball for a baby

Finished this ball I started on a retreat last weekend. Made for my first grandchild due in May. Slowly cut the patches for English paper piecing out of fabrics in my scrap bag that had been there from my makings of quilts and clothes for my children.

So there are rabbits and teddies, cats and elephants , butterflies and fish.
After I had started this I was searching online and found patterns for Montessori Balls which have handles for wee hands to hold onto. So I’ve started one of those as well. Might take a bit longer yet as they are a puzzle to put together.

Heart

I have finished this wee hanging heart. A project online by @sophiebroderie. Was to be finished by Valentines Day but no pressure and all in good time. I love hand work, handstitching and the slow build up to add to the image so much. Easy to take anywhere to work on. I want to add more embroidery to my small reflections on life and times around me, give depth, text, and really feel and understand the fabric and threads being used.

This is worked on a beautiful deep red fabric. It is kind of velvet like but a lower pile. 100% cotton. The threads and tiny scraps of lace are of course vintage form my collection of sourced findings. The hanging strap is a piece of french ribbon , made of silk and so soft and precious to use even though I have a long length of it left.

Pouches

Last week at Spinners, Weavers and Fibre Artists meeting there was a talk by a wildlife carer. She cares for possums and bought several small ones to the meeting. These had been abandoned or orphaned. The spinners and Weavers group have been making pouches for several different sizes of furry creature needs from possums, gliders , kangaroo and koala joeys. The pouches can be knitted or sewn and have to be wool on the outside with a removable inner pouch that can be taken out and washed.

So very sweet. There are brush-tails and a ring-tail.

Botanical Inks

I went to a short demonstration of making botanical inks from natural plant material with Ellie Beck from @petalplum . Then mixed with different natural thickening agents to make print paste or a thicker paint. Mixed with vinegar, soda ash , and an iron solution to watch and notice the colour change. Mixed turmeric ink with indigo ink to make green.

The birds were drawn in with charcoal ink following the story that evolved from the painting with ink play. I will send this postcard to The Little Bird Postcard Project organised by Karen Hurford in Mackay.
The inks made in the colour wheel are red clay mud, charcoal , eucalyptus,turmeric, avocado seed , indigo , and coreopsis. The middle card is all avocado seed ink and the colour changes due to the vinegar, soda ash and iron solution.
The paper experiments are on the same inks painted or drawn with brush or twigs onto linen.

Works on paper

Last week I spent two days at  a ‘Cook up’ with the paper and book group of Spinners Weavers and Fibre Artists. Lots of play and small demonstrations before our own experimentations or constructions.
This print is a very vibrant and fresh red hibiscus on watercolour paper after being boiled between pressure.

It is a beautiful soft blue. I will take photos of the other experiments and add here.

Dragonfly pouch

This started as a strip of three dragonflies that was printed by @merodybuglar and her sister when playing around with the technique. I stitched around the first one and then added to a piece of fabric that I had printed with flowers. The small green dragonfly on the inside flap was made by machine using free motion stitch.