Mid-day blog post

Well, I don't normally post in the middle of the day, particularly when I know there will be more later, but as I've been dyeing today, there are lots of photos and will be more later when the pieces are done batching & have been rinsed, washed, dried, etc. And I got a really cool thing in the post, and just wanted to share it with everyone!


I know you've all been following the new arch swap that I'm in - and I've had lots of nice compliments on the two arches I've made so far (thanks!); today I got my first arch in the post - this is the January arch, from Arlee, and isn't it just fabulous? And it looks even better in person, though for once the sun is out and there's decent light, so the photo isn't too bad.


Here's what she said about the construction: "Your page became a rather mystical/mythical representation of a vintage building [I had mentioned liking vintage things and buildings in my preferences]. The copper vining piece is based on a 30s design by French interiors designer Edoard Benedictus, while the copper deer references old tapestries thus representing feminine/textile history. The little door looks out to the sea and sky and with a pearly handle would open to purer coloured vistas and artistic freedom - if I made it to open, which I wish I had :) The forest was created from handmade paper, the foreground is melted and painted felt.
The background is discharged and painted rayon."


Every time I look at it propped up next to my computer I just get all smiley. I really love it.

Right, on to other things - first, this is the 70s card I got yesterday - which I also love - such an iconic image (and not a bad band, either!). And some photos of my dyestuff batching...




First I did a number of colour wheels, including one with black added. I only did fat eights of fabric, though, as the project I will be using these for is small. My dyeing group is doing a nesting robin this year and my surface embellishment group (an offspring of the dyeing group) is doing a project where you use one technique a month to make a finished piece - whether you do it round robin style or not is up to you... Anyway, I have decided to combine these two projects, and do 6 inch squares for each challenge each month - they will then be attached in some fashion later. So the colour wheels will be the main fabrics used for those two challenges. There they are batching in plastic bags - 3 wheels of 12 steps, and a mini-wheel with only 5 steps.




Then I needed to do some shibori pieces for a swap on the dyeing group, so I have done 9 fat eights in case one doesn't turn out very well (we need 8 to swap) - two on a pole, one with a clamp & some bits of cardboard, some basic folded and scrunched ones and one pseudo-marble shibori (no marbles, just pockets like if I had used marbles). I didn't do any stitched ones - maybe someday. The piece on the right is one where I sprinkled dye powder on it - we'll see how it comes out. And there are three or four pieces stuffed in a container for parfait style pieces, though no photo of that, apparently. It's not very exciting - looks like a plastic cup with some fabric jammed in the bottom :)




Hopefully later I will have photos of lovely dyed fabrics to share!