on the work table

covering the edge

I had two varigated threads that were of pretty much the same colour. The YLI thread was quite a bit thicker, as it is from their jeans thread variety.

I had decided to use the thinner thread. I usually pull a thread out quite a way and lay it on the quilt to see what it will look like. On the reel, it is a bit too solid to tell and sometimes you don't realise how strong one of the colours may be.

With the thinner thread, though, when I tried it, the changes were far too frequent. So, I snipped the bobbin thread and pulled it out.

I put a 120 needle in the machine and tried the YLI thread. This was great! The colours changed at decent intervals. Also the green is more the colour of the background. I think it gives just enough of the pink and yellow to give the idea of ice cream without being too much. And because the thread was thicker, it covered more, so the stitch length was 1 instead of .6

And then, I didn't get the chocolate sprinkles sewn on because I sorted all my beads and sequins and crystals into different containers after I started looking for the brown ones. Oh well, it needed doing! I have more beads, crystals and semi-precious stone chips than I had before and they no longer fit into the original containers. So, there was a lot of shuffling for a good part of the day.

and tomorrow I am going to a sewing afternoon! The ladies from the UKSewing online group who live in the Thames Valley area used to get together to chat now and again. We haven't done it for sometime, but last month we realised it was 10 years for the online group. So, we got together at Gabrielles. Some of the other ladies told us about some sewing evenings they attended and could we do something like it? SO, we are going to try once a month. It will be at the Community Centre near me, since I can get it for reduced fees. So, I think I will try to get some advice and help with a proper jacket. I will bring my camera. I just hope I remember to take photos.

on the work table

Uncle Stan's Bicycle!

The Ice Cream needs some chocolate sprinkles and the wee girly needs some specks of dirt she can pretend is chocolate sprinkles! (beads)

Also I need to go round the edge and put a sleeve and label on. And this will be the entry for the Contemporary Quilt Suitcase collection. The theme is Childhood Memories.

I will tell you the story when I get the rest done.

on the work table

getting going with the stitching

I am not sure how I will quilt the back yet, so I shall save that to think of during those awake in the night moments.

on the work table

bicycles and ice cream!

beginning to get there!

on the work table

bicycles

and ice creams!

watch this space

exciting news or what!

So! My friend Jane, having been given the task of organising the project our Thames Valley Contemporary Quilt group is doing with the Slough Museum, has excelled herself.

She came across info about participating in the London 2012 Inspire programme...filled in some forms...talked the Museum into the sponsor side of things...and TA DA!!! we have been granted the Inspire Mark!!!!!!
The London 2012 Inspire programme recognises innovative and exceptional projects that are directly inspired by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Because it is all about engaging with the community and so forth, Jane thought our project would fit in.

and so did the committee.

We even have a comment about it from Lord Seb Coe!

You can read more about it here.

and so more Museum photos - Horlicks artefacts - one of the products manufactured in Slough. The advert is part of what is included in one of the cases from the handling collection we borrowed.

and a more up to date photo of Horlicks...

new dragon

tracing off plans for a new dragon.

Sometimes when an image isn't quite right, if you reverse it, you can see what needs adjusting. I think I want to change a bit more about the tail.
I am hoping to do some intense thread painting.

priming the pump

Having at last reached half-term - I'm not teaching again until 1 November - and using yesterday for doctor visits, I am at last ready to make something.

So, I have all sorts of things in mind to make, but what to start with? To keep from wasting the day with a "day off" feel, I decided to just get something out and get a start.

One of the things I am considering for the project the Thames Valley Contemporary Quilt group is doing with the museum is based on some doll corsets. The ideas coming to mind have to do with more twin needle cording which I have used in various ways in the past. So, today I got out several pieces of stripe fabric that I collected with the idea of using the twin needle technique.

the blue one has been done already

and armed with a selection of audio books

I have recently discovered Wodehouse...hilarious!

I set up my machine and the tape player before going off for a blood test

and then when I got back set to at the project.

Some fabrics are easier than others,
so that will help me decide what type of thing to go with
when I am ready to work on the project.

These will be great for samples for the students when I talk about creating texture with fabrics. and for now they have served to prime the pump. By this evening, I am ready to do something else entirely! So, I should be able to get a start on one of the projects which have a much closer deadline.

While I am off for half-term, I want to try to get into some sort of habit which I can use on Thursday and Friday during term time to actually get my own art work or garments done. Although I teach Mon and Wed evening, both of those days are taken up with preparing for the classes. Tuesday is recovering from one and storing up energy for the other. But the doctor visit looks like there may be something done at last towards finding out why I am in so much pain all the time.

--Maybe it won't actually go away, but I hope to find a better way to manage it! and having someone validate the way you feel does help with not feeling guilty that I need more time than most to cope with what I do. Perhaps it will also help me be more brave to just say no when it seems the world and it's sister want me to do one more thing!

Stay tuned. I hope to post regularly again, now that I have all the paperwork sorted that goes with beginning the year teaching 2 classes and 2 tasters.

Triangle experiments - finished!

At last, finished and revealed at the meeting.
The EquilARTeral Meeting Point Triangles.

My "suspension bridge" (although I am not calling it that.) Perhaps I will call it 'Points on a Journey', as it is about the journey and meeting places and stops along the way.

from the right

from the left

Merete's box - follow this link to discover the mathematical journey she went on to get the clean designs in the centre and to see some of the structure ideas Merete explored before settling on a box.

And Jane's in progress - wool and felt covered wire.

We all struggled in one way or another with the equilateral triangles and agreed that they had a life of their own. The options of what could be done with them were somewhat limited. Or at least not given to much free expression. They rather dictated what they wanted doing. Jane loves working very freely, so she sort of lost heart, but I hope we convinced her it was a great idea and to carry on.

It is interesting how well they make a cohesive group. Both Merete's and mine have a graphic quality, while Jane's and Merete's are of colours that work well together.

Have you tried doing anything 3D with triangles?

Triangle experiments - 6

So the cord isn't quite behaving as I would like. Too stiff to drape and yet not stiff enough to be straight. So, I put some dangley bits between, which adds a bit more interest and keeps things in place a bit. The small end ones kept being pulled over though, so they get their own dangles to weight them properly.

The left side is done and the right side only needs a few more to finish.

I will do a clearer photo when it is finished.

Triangle experiments - 5

I am doing something with the triangles. Here is the idea for the cord to run between triangles. I hope to finish it this week.

Not sure if they want mounting so that I won't have to "install" them each time, or if I will leave them so that I can arrange them differently if need be. The EquilARTeral group is meeting this Friday evening, so I will find out what they think.

Leather and bling

I had a very sore feet day at Knit and Stitch, but met some great people whilst manning the Guild Stand. I wasn't actually right on the stand, but in the gallery with the Festival of Quilts winning quilts, doing the white gloved bit and chatting to people about the techniques used in some of them.

and...A couple things, amongst many, that I purchased yesterday.

Leather that looks like suiting which I will use for accents in a tailored jacket.

And crystals from Anita's beads...love that vendor! prices that mean you can splurge! AND, he is very willing to get paper out and immediately make plans to order colours you think he is missing!

Actually this pile includes the crystals
I got from him in the summer as well.

still here

I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. Just busy with new starts of courses for college. The 2 taster sessions had nearly as much paperwork each as a 5 week course!

I am off to Knitting and Stitching tomorrow. Will be on the Quilt Guild Stand doing some slow cloth work in the afternoon if you want to stop by!

I hope the "normal quilters" aren't too put off!

edit: Thanks for the comment quilhexle.
Here is a link to more about the slow cloth I showed. Look at the first couple posts. There isn't a plan as such. Just what ever comes to mind at the moment.
I didn't work on it at Knit and Stitch after all because I was talking with people about the FOQ winning quilts.

Colour schemes

Tonight we explored colour schemes by using dyes. These were Dylon hand dyes mixed up and dropped with pipettes onto fabrics.

The first year students were looking at how the colours in different colour schemes worked together and what happened when they blended. The second year students looked at how different natural fabrics took up the dyes. They also looked a bit further at the colours using a different set of primaries...fuchsia instead of scarlet for red, etc.

Region 7 - Wearable Art talk

Thanks to Steph, a fine young lady, I have some photos of my talk today in Old Welwyn, Hertfordshire. Basically imagine me babbling on. But they all seemed to really enjoy it!

The line up

 Tudor Glows coat

rust skirt - 2006 winner Student category FOQ

Epic Quest "book" coat

Last Dragoness - Lightning Dragon!

moon silver shoon!

secrets inside the coat

Midnight Dance gown - man/lady dancing

Steph kindly took loads more, which was really helpful with finding the right ones to show what it was actually like.

I also showed off my ribbon.

and got them busy making a bog coat pattern! This is me demoing with a piece of paper. The jacket I was wearing is my adaptation of a bog coat.

Triangle experiments - 4

Today - getting ready for a talk about my wearable art at the Region 7 day tomorrow at Old Welwyn and a tiny bit of stitching on springs.