a few interesting pieces from 2017 Festival of Quilts - 5

Okay, I didn't manage to post this, though I had the photos ready to sort. I wanted to post it Friday.

I have been working pretty full on for some pieces which are to be in a book...which I am not to tell you about until I am allowed! So, trying to keep this going as well as keeping going on the project is not the easiest!
And after this one, I will be focusing on my entry for 7th European Triennial, which is also not to be shown until the show (if it gets in!)

But anyway...

A few more things of interest from the 3D and Wearable Art category called Quilts Creations.

Sisters by Jennie Callomon

I am not really a doll person. But I loved the use of fabrics for this pair.

This piece was truly a 'jewel' as stated in the title.
Hungarian Jewel - by the Hungarian Patchwork Guild.

The technique is Boutis and the motifs are of old ceramic tiles from the Transylvania area.
detail
This brochure from a previous exhibition shows how it looks when lit up.

This was an interesting gown...especially as it was displayed next to my piece Willows by the Watercourses with the dangling willow leaves.
Willows by the Watercourses

All Tied Up by Mary Ornish

   

and finally some different views of the brilliant Deck Chairs by the Tanglewood Textiles group.
no. 1-3

A Closer look at the second one and facing no.3

no.4+5 and a detail of no.5

a few close-ups of what was under and behind the chairs!

All of it made by this brilliant group who have won awards for humorous group quilts in the past.

At FOQ!

Bags were packed, including this gift for my birthday from my sister-in-law Alice...

Who said it looked like a 'Sandy bag'.

And now I am in Birmingham for the Festival of Quilts. It will be wonderful to meet up with old friends and make new ones. I sort out the rota of volunteers for the SAQA gallery exhibition. This year I have a piece in that exhibit!

I also have a few pieces entered into the competition part of it. Including:

 
Willows by the Watercourses
In the Quilts Creation section

Ramshackle Villages
In the Art Quilts section

70,273 Project - My Contribution
In the Contemporary Quilts section

If you are coming to the show, look out for them! and maybe I will see you there.

The Thoughtful Man and Holly will be minding the house. A Certain Young Man is off to visit his cousin who works in Jersey.

More from the exhibition

A few more photos now that I have had time to sort them. I am going to have to retake a few that were too fuzzy to show.



we made collections of gowns that worked together.
 - silks and lace

 red velvet

 the rust piece above, made in 2007, worked well with the 2 new pieces that also make a statement about global issues.


you should have seen the efforts to make a suitable display for a 10 year old! The one on the right had lacing that could open enough to get it over the shoulders of the dummy. But though it was a thin model, it is quite busty and tall for a young Tudor. The other 'dummy' is made up of a child soft manikin piggyback on the shoulders of a half child model!


and we hung the coats for the ensembles from the rafters open so the scene in the inside back could be seen, as well as the back of the coat. But I need to get a better photo of the other side.

Willow bark

And so the willow bark has its added texture.

It isn't overly obvious, as in shouting about itself, but it really gives a lot more life to the look than the flat brown did.

Texturise

Adding texture to the bark of the willow dress.

I am couching a dark grey fabric to the surface using a variegated thread.
Getting ready for setting up my exhibition at the end of next week.

Willows by the Watercourses

What with one thing and another, I didn't get photos of the Willow I was making.

I left you saying I was about to do the water. Once I got going, I didn't have time to photograph the steps.

This is a detail of the part where it runs under the trunk of the tree.

Here is a close up of the willow leaves as they hang from the shoulder.

And a front and back view

 
Title: Willows by the Watercourses

The Statement:
Willow trees seek water so much so that their roots can break open pipes in following a leak. They are found to be plentiful along many streams and waterways. Ancient words of Isaiah the Prophet promised good for the children to come who would spring up as the willows do by these waterways.

“Water is poured for the thirsty.

Flowing and quenching dry ground.

Blessings are poured for your children

As water where willows are found.”

--Isaiah the Prophet

But I wonder if the waters the children of our world find available is the thirst quenching kind? Have we been careful to leave waters – real or symbolic – that is good for them? Or do they only have leaks to follow?

Quote is a poem I wrote adapting the words and thoughts from that prophecy of Isaiah.

There is plenty I would do if I had more time, but with travelling to York and back so much, that didn't happen. If it isn't accepted into the H2Oh! SAQA exhibition, I can add more for a future event.

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.

Willow design work

How I work:
On the computer - inspiration photos so I can remember stem colour, overall colour and then shapes of leaves.

Pinning to the dummy (or to the design wall or laying things out on a piece on my table) - In this case, in real life the strips look more green than the photo. I was trying to see if I could get away with just the one layer of sheer fabric which I showed you yesterday.

But no. Too much of the blue. And comparing it to the close up leaves in the inspiration photo on the right, the answer is definitely not.

Bits and pieces going on at the same time - String dyed and now drying to be used for the willow stems.

I had tarragon+tea mixture left from earlier in the year when I dyed silk for the Mere Edges piece. It has already dyed the plastic container yellow and it is time for it to stop hanging around in my studio.
So, I stirred it and the string went in. Nuked it in the microwave 4 min. and left to sit while tearing the strips above. Now it is drying on the radiator in the downstairs loo.

So, the next step will be to stitch a string down the middle of the synthetic organza strip with a pale green colour underneath. Then take a deep breath to be brave enough to begin cutting leaves. (!) With the soldering iron so the edges are sealed.

water

One of the synthetic organza fabrics I thought I might use for Willows by the Watercourses (H2OH! piece) is sort of citrus green one way and blue the other. This is going to work well because I want the water to be reflecting the willow tree. When vertical, it shows the green side more, and if I layer that with a green, I can cut willow leaves out of it.

I cut the piece in half lengthwise. Then while pressing it discovered the iron hadn't adjusted to the temp setting yet and I got a ripple in the fabric. Oh! Ripple!
It seems the iron becomes too hot just when it is nearly adjusted - like it gives a burst of heat and then cools to the temp. So, I used that to my advantage and rippled the whole of one of the pieces.

Okay, a bit like taking photos of air, but it gives a bit of idea.
You can see the rippled piece on the left and the smooth piece on the right.

When the rippled piece is turned horizontal, then you see the blue rippled water with a hint of green 'reflection'.

I may layer this piece over some other blues to create a bit of depth in the water.

Seams on bodice

Finished the seams on the bodice. Each side of each seam took between 6-10 minutes! Pedal to the medal and all.

Do you think it gives a sort of abstracted idea of tree limbs with a bit of foliage between? More things will happen to give it a 3D look. But this is a start - a base.
Beneath the 'tree' will be water, so thinking about the technique for that. I know what it looks like in my head, and I think I know how I will do it.

Seams

After a busy weekend with Harvest and outings to a Drama play with friends, I am back at the current project.

I mentioned joining the parts of the bodice made of hair canvas with fabric that lines as well as turns to the front. I hadn't thought about how much the quilting fabric would fray. But, I found a solution that adds to what I am trying to show.

One of the seams...caught down with a fancy featherstitch from my machine.
The seams were meant to be like foliage peeking between limbs of a tree anyway, so this works well. The little frayed bits will eventually add to the whole.

At the moment, the working title is Willows by the Watercourses. So, thinking about developing the willow a bit more. I don't want to recreate a willow, because I want to focus on the water side of it.

Pattern work ad change of use

Today, (between bouts of unexpected pain flare up in my leg - what was that about!) I worked on the pattern. Very nearly like the bodice of Golden Grace, but not.

Cut from dark brown horse hair braid No, hair canvas. (I knew I would do that!)
Why? not for structure, but because it is the right colour and texture!

Change of use permitted. Is that something like artistic license?

and because it is not for a medieval monk, (if anyone actually wore this it would be very bad for the skin), this is being the lining which will cover the edges as well and peek through the gaps in the seams.

I think.

Hunter - Gatherer Stage

There is a SAQA call for entry coming up called H2OH!. They are accepting wearables.
I had thought maybe to develop further my Ripples and Swirls top from the Pattern Review Sewing Bee...add beads in an 'eddy' here and there. But it is so very comfortable I don't want to lose sight of it should it be accepted!
Furthermore, a small top in a big place would not make much of a statement. So, I have been thinking and have had an idea for something watery for sometime. So, I am going with it. I have had a few more thoughts and bright ideas and now it is time to begin to develop it.

SO, today I started the Hunter-Gatherer stage. Collecting fabrics and embellishments which might contribute to the whole.
I am also not yet at the stage where I want to say what I have in mind, but it will come!

Fabrics

Embellishments

I may add to this and will almost definitely take some things away. I guess you would call it a palette from which I will work.

I have also oiled Mademoiselle because she squeaks very loudly as you turn her this way and that draping and stitching things. This was almost too much when I was stitching on the 'tears' to the last piece!

And should these pieces not be accepted, no worries. It will mean I am ahead with garments for shows! The solo show the last 2 weeks of March at Lady Sew and Sew, Henley Art Trail and The fashion show at the Festival of Quilts.