More depth of meaning

And after giving an upgrade to the willow tree, I have also been adding more to the 'Tears' dress.

I used marks like this for a piece about refugees and am using them for the other daily bead project. And when thinking about how to give more visually to this dress, I felt it would add more meaning for the viewer. Yes, it has the net, but now these marks give more of a captivity meaning when viewed.

I am making the marks with a soldering iron. Okay, probably would look about the same with a felt tip marker, but using the soldering iron means they are rough looking, more individualistic.
But the marks, like ticking off the days, were not an easy thing to do because I had stitched down some of the netting at certain points!

So, I filled in some gaps with just burn marks.

and then the whole of the back is burn marks. The main purpose of the marks is to take away the whiteness of the underlying fabric - The rust marks here are a lot clearer than on other rust pieces I have done, but they don't cover as much of the surface.

Now to untangle the netting at the bottom again.

halfway

In-between blood tests and MRI scans and general weariness...

the willow branches are halfway done.
Pinned in place at the moment.

So glad to have something else to think of!
Looking forward to doing the swirling water at the bottom.

willow stem and leaves

Aaaannnnddd it works!

Dyed string was stitched between the two layers. Then using a soldering iron, the leaves were cut out!

This was the first bit...but so excited that it came out like I had in my head!
I got the stems stitched at the sewing group on Saturday and the beginning of this first set of leaves.
and then I have been making more since.

Fabric Pyrography!

So, some of what was keeping me occupied the last few weeks was writing a series of guest posts for the 'Fire Blog'. Or to give it the official name ...And Then We Set It On Fire!

The topic I wrote about was Fabric Pyrography, a posh name for the work I do making marks on fabric with a soldering iron. You can begin the guest posts here. It starts with a bit of background for Pyrography - which is usually using marks made on wood using a wood burning tool.

Just a reminder of one of my recent bits of Fabric Pyrography

Today I have been sorting beads. The other week I came into the lounge to find the table next to my chair tipped over. The plant and the ceramic poppy from the Tower of London were crashed into the radiator cover, but not hurt. However, all my carefully selected and piled containers for one of my beaded bangles had gone everywhere.
All mixed up...though some had been trapped on this book which has a fur-like texture on the zebra.

Actually, the colours and shapes here are very interesting...
the original reason I took the photo.

So, now they have been sorted back. Some people like 'bead soup' mixtures. but I really like to have a very good idea of how many I have so I don't run out mid project.

I often work on some bead thing whilst watching a cooking show with my husband. So, now I am limiting the amount!