Workshop in Reduction Linocutting

I don't often take workshops but a few weeks ago my eldest daughter and I visited the  studio of Pip Williams a linocut printmaker from Drysdale.Her studio is known as 135 Gallery and it was a lovely light space filled with wonderful prints and other art and ceramic objects. My daughter and I loved her work ( just wish I had a little more money sometimes) and were intrigued by the layers of colour she incorporates into her work. In talking to Pip we found out that she holds regular workshops in reduction linocutting (a technique I have been fascinated by but couldn't quite get it into my head how it's done) , and as it was my daughters birthday coming up in the end of June I suggest she may like to do a workshop with Pip.So last Saturday we spent a delightful day with Pip learning her technique for  reduction lino cutting and  being introduced to her philosophy of truly hand printing without a press ( something that appeals to me as I cannot afford a press, and I do like that each print differs from the hand process).

We started off with just making an ordinary linocut and perhaps doing something which was outside of  our normal style ( but can't help it - just love visual textures!)

This one was of a mushroom and we tried out several different papers for printing on. The we came to the reduction printing. it is a process where you cut away each layer for each colour you intend to print.So it does take some planning. My biggest problem was what to use for inspiration as i did not want it to be too complex as I really wanted to understand the process.I choose this hand woven basket or a detail of it.

I thought it gave me nice simple shapes to work with .......I forgot to photograph my first layer of printing but it was in a teracotta colour with the intention of the white from the paper to continue through the layers.

The final colour was to be a soft ochre to offer nice contrast.

On the bottom left hand print I reversed the linocut to see what effect it would have on the resulting print as I had mucked up the print in any case- I found the effect quite interesting. So we had a wonderful day and learnt lots , and I finally have some concept of a technique I have been wanting to pursue for a long time. I like the way the layers of paint load up onto paper and  the mottling because the layers sit on top of one another.

Yesterday we went and looked at an exhibition at the Wintergarden in Geelong ( it's possible to lunch there or drink coffee)  by the Friday Printmakers- some wonderful work there and we will be going back for their opening next Saturday and to take a better look!

And if you would like to learn some printmaking for textiles- I am teaching  at  Jiddi's Patch this coming Saturday- we will make a simple linocut and then print on fabrics using various techniques.

And....

I also have an article in Issue 5 of Textiles Dowunder on African Painting which is available now.- this is a fun technique to create truly unique painted  textiles .There are lots of other inspirational articles and how to's.

And there is still time to enroll for a my on-line Travellers Blanket class- we start on August 13.You can see some examples of  other travellers blankets I have made here and here. Details of the class are here.

De Fil en Fil and More Travellers' Blanket

My sentinel quilts and some other work will be shown at De Fil en Fil  at Chabeuil in France on the weekend  of 22-24 July. I would so love to have been there but unfortunately can't be there. I will be  teaching at the Mornington Peninsula Patchworkers Inc. Guild Retreat.

I will also be teaching linocutting and printing at Jiddi's Patch on 9 July- there are still some places in  this workshop. It is a workshop that looks at how to make linocuts, actually making one and then printing with linocuts- I will bring plenty of my own linocuts to play with as well.It's a great way to make your own unique fabric and even cards. I use the technique a lot in my own work.

I have been stitching away on the Travellers' Blanket. There is still time to book into the on-line workshop which starts on the 13th of August. Information for the workshop is in my previous post .

I went to my mothers on the weekend and admired this unfurling fern frond- nothing like that in this garden where we are living now- it's times like this I miss the bush and the forests which were part of our lives for 15 years. I don't think I am a a city girl at heart- small villages yes.

Travelling and Blankets

I have been working on the khadi cloth traveller's blanket and it is quite addictive- as I sit and sew I think I will just do another one and another one. The stitching is simple so it's easy to be lost in thought and think back on the wonderful trip I had to Syria and Europe and all the little stories that I encountered.At the moment I am filling in the tie dyed circles I made in the khadi cloth which I dyed a darkish blue. The paler fabric on the right hand side is also khadi cloth but has coloured threads and a slightly larger weave. I have used it for the back of this blanket.

I wondered for ages what to do with this piece of cloth as I did not tie dye it all over, but the softness of the khadi, the slight graduations in the spun thread of the hand woven fabric and the way the dyes absorbs into the fibres are all interesting. And so each tie dye is calling for its own treatment. I don't set out with a plan in the stitching , it just builds as I stitch and  as the colours demand.In the areas where there is no tie dyes I intend to applique some sari silk remnant which Fiona Wright sent to me - these are so colourful.

The on-line class for the travellers blanket will definitely go ahead- I have quite a number of people express their interest.The cost of the workshop will be $50 and will cover a 4 month period with access to a group for discussion and sharing work and stories!

This is the description:This class explores hand stitching and creating fragments of memory. It is inspired by the idea of the silk road and the great travellers ,like Marco Polo who travelled the road in order to source silk, eastern spices and other treasure. If you travelled that road and you could not write but wanted to keep memories of the  fabrics and silks you encountered, and wanted to remember the patterns and stitches and wanted to keep warm at the same time- what better way then to sew fragments onto a blanket- a visual aide de memoire. The texture is created with simple running stitch and the embroidery  on the fragments of fabric likewise employ simple stitches. This piece is about the rhythm of the stitching and to create decorative effects.

The layers have been created using hand dyed muslin and flannel- this gives the piece a lovely drape

We will spend the first session dyeing the muslin and flannel which is utilised in this piece. The muslin has been dyed ,using a shibori  technique in order to create the underlying grid . Then the stitching will begin!All other fabrics are scraps left over from  various projects.

Or if you would prefer to use khadi cloth- I can sell  it to you  but you will need to contact me.

In the spirit of sharing stories, on my second last day in France we went to Fontainebleau- the "small" home largely built by Francis I ( who was a great patron of the arts) and added to by various other French emperors  over the years.The photo collage is of various rooms in the palace as well as some of the entry ports and the small lake which was used for leisure activities. The rooms  are highly decorated with  fabulous chandeliers, tapestries or silk adorning the walls and four poster beds that look as if you are lying inside a jewellery box. Every surface is decorated, and so decorated that you marvel  at all the skill , workmanship  and art and you wonder how many people it took to achieve all this- quite a bit different to the blank white or taupe walls seen in so many display homes now a days with the huge plasma screen tellie dominating the scene. 

In my more proletariat days i shunned visiting such palaces for their ostentation and luxuriant excess of the incredibly rich- but when I think of all the fine workmanship, all done by hand; the marvellous rich texture of seeing in such a place; of  the artisans and artists that were fostered and who created this  incredible interplay of decorated ceilings, walls and panelling, carpets, curtains and tassels, furniture, chandeliers, paintings and vases I am aware that our world is so much the poorer for having lost so many of these incredible skills.The skills of the hand- see I knew I could somehow tie Fontainebleau into a traveller tableau......

                                     

Stitching a Khadi Cloth Travellers' Blanket

I finally finished all my paperwork  for taxes which should have been done months ago but got interrupted by various things. I hate doing the paperwork for my business, but once I start it is never as bad as I imagined it would be so I don't know why I put it off like I do. Anyway as a reward I have started stitching another travellers' blanket but this time with circular motifs and on hand dyed khadi cloth, with bumff as batting and khadi backing cloth. At the moment I am decorating the tie dyes of the piece I dyed but on the pieces where there is no tie dye I will work in some of Fiona Wright's sari silks ( from our Pukka Place)

I have also been inspired by the work of  my students at the Travellers' Blanket workshop I have been teaching at Jiddi's Patch here in Geelong. We dyed the fabrics first and then created the  quilt sandwich ( hand dyed muslin and bumff) and then started attaching the squares and stitching in embroidery detail. I could not believe how much work they had done whilst i was overseas and was gobsmacked at some of the wonderful embroidery they had done ( unfortunately the battery of my camera was flat so i can't share some of the wonderful things they had done). There is so much interest in this class that we are starting another class on  Saturday 13 August.I will also  teach the travellers blanket as an on-line course  and will start it at the same date as the real travellers blanket- that is 13 August 2011. The cost for the course will be $50 Aus and will go over a four month period, I will set up a group so we can share our work and discuss- I will also share details of the dyeing process for the blanket and of the stitching of my travellers blanket and any other inspirations and of course stories!. If you are interested please email me. I can be paid via Paypal but please email me first so i can send you an invoice.

I must admit I am in love with colonial knots- I love the texture of them under your hand and I like the way they sit on the surface of the cloth and yet are still soft.

I Feel Faceless

Some of you will know that i have been looking for a job since last year ( longer actually as I have been struggling to pay the bills and am getting  nowhere fast- the earnings of a textile artist are meagre at the best of times and right now, as everyone knows, and are likewise feeling the effects of this economic downturn, is not the best of times) and I am feeling totally disheartened and frustrated at the moment. Before I left to exhibit and teach in Europe I had applied for a fellowship at the state Library.. The object of the fellowship is to  use the collection of the library in a substantive way. Quite by accident ( whilst googling for the Ned Kelly Jerilderie Letter) I stumbled upon the incredible Press Dress of Mrs Butters which is in the collection of the  state library. I was so impressed by the  ingenuity shown in  creating the fabric for this dress I thought wouldn't it be wonderful to create another such dress - using digital technology which is wonder of the first decade of the new century and to  create a dress celebrating one hundred years of women's rights by highlighting women who had contributed to the art and culture of the city of Melbourne over that 100 year period. Everyone I talked to about this idea thought it was  a great idea and  something I could bring off ( I also intended to make a catalogue to  showcase the women and the process)....... well guess what......... the idea got the thumbs down from the library........I didn't even get to the referee stage of this idea.

 I  am feeling so frustrated  because  with all the jobs I have applied for and there have been quite some- I haven't got to the interview stage once- I know I can sell an idea if I can talk about it- which I guess means I am not so good at writing proposals ( I have had my resume vetted by professionals and they all seem to think my resumes are fine, I have several for different areas of work). And I couldn't even get a volunteer job at the Geelong Gallery depsite having a Masters of Visual Art & Communication- do you need a Phd to volunteer now????

So I am feeling faceless- a bit like this sentinel portrait I am working on- I didn't realise I had forgotten to stencil in her eyes until I started sewing and thought something didn't look quite right. My other sentinels stayed in France for  Le festival de fil en fil en pays de Chabeuil, les 22,23 et 24 Juillet 2011. It would be a real treat if one of them sold, because whilst I have been busy making  the big pieces very few little pieces got made to help things ticking over.

Thank you for your comments on the Jean Cocteau post. I loved seeing the chapel and his house and am so glad that you too enjoyed the little visit!

And i was quite surprised this morning when I checked visitor numbers to my blog ( I usually don't check when I am away) to find that I am 185  visitors off 350,000 visits. If only I could put those kind of stats in job applications! 

So thank you to everyone for your support and visits - it is much appreciated! And I will be keeping an eye on who will be the 350,000th visitor.

Jean Cocteau and Milly la Fôret

Jean Cocteau spent from 1947 ,when he purchased a house until his death in 1963 at Milly la Fôret. The village ( really town) dates from medieval times and older and still has a medieval market structure standing. The house is delightful ,situated overlooking a moat and small towered building and with a large garden. Here Cocteau made some of his most renowned work and indeed some of the rooms  still have their original furnishings along with many desks littered with books and artists' materials. I dream of having such a house... sigh....The top three photos are  Cocteau's desk, his view over the back garden and a view of the  side garden looking towards the house. The gardener was busy cleaning up the garden.

The house  has also had some of the spaces converted to exhibit some of Cocteau's art work and also to show videos of  some of his movies and interviews.

Cocteau also painted a small chapel known as ChapelleSainte Blaise de Simples.

Cocteau is actually buried in the chapel along with his adopted son Edouard Dermit. The Chapel was part of a larger complex devoted to  caring for lepers and was  run by the Knights Templar. All that remained when it was restored, were the chapel walls which were painted by Cocteau with medicinal herbs  and the resurrection. The Chapel is simple, quiet and magical and surrounded by a garden devoted to medicinal herbs. Between the  campanule fausse raiponce and the campanule â feuilles rondes i found this wonderful spiders's web. It wasn't like anything I had seen before- it almost looked like an  extremely fun spun bonded polyester and the water droplets weighed heavy and sat like shining irregular crystals in the web- ohhh to make such fabric  wouldn't it be wonderful? I just have no idea how you would create the droplet effect.

The Work and Teaching of Cherilyn Martin

When I have been in the Netherlands I have often come across the work of Cherilyn Martin but had never met her so I was delighted to finally meet the person whose work I had been admiring for many years.Above and below are images of some of Cherilyn's recent work and you will find more images on her website which I have linked.

 For Aussies- Cherilyn is one of Northern Europe's foremost teachers in teaching to develop your own work as well as  the use of other fibrous materials and  dimension in work and she will be in Australia doing workshops for Fibrearts Australia from 18-24 Septemeber in Townsville and 25 september-1 October in the  Hawkesbury.

NEW DIMENSIONS IN SURFACES & STITCH …a journey of discovery………


In this experimental class we will work simultaneously with paper, fabric and stitch. In a series of hands on experiments we will transform the character of papers and fabrics, building intriguing surfaces with a variety of mediums and surface design techniques……

The time spent together will not only be a journey into the third dimension, but a journey of self discovery.

A series of small works will be produced in this class ranging from 2D fabric/paper stitched constructions to off the wall structures.

In her classes Cherilyn encourages students to push the boundaries of ideas, materials and technique and to develop their own visual language.

Guess Where I Am?

 Yes I am in France and back in Le Triadou where we are having an exhibition this weekend at le Clastre- the little chapel here that is actually a gallery space- I am looking forward to seeing all our work in this wonderful little exhibition space! We are  l'Atelier Printemps Sacre and here is your invitation!We hope to see  lots of people there and the weather is likely to be better than last year!


L'Association des Créateurs d'Ici et d'Ailleurs (ACIA) vous invite



au vernissage de l'exposition de l'Atelier Printemps Sacré


qui se tiendra à La Clastre au Triadou (34)


le samedi 21 mai à 11h.




Le samedi 21 mai à partir de 14h,


l'artiste Australienne, Dijanne Cevaal, fera une démonstration


de teintures et impressions sur textiles à La Clastre.


Si vous voulez participer au stage, veuillez apporter des tissus 100% coton ou soie


et une participation de 5 euros pour les frais de teinture.






Le samedi 21 à partir de 14h,


Anne Deckers vous invitera à La Clastre à une démonstration de poterie


aux colombins et apprentissage gratuit pour les enfants






Le dimanche 22 à partir de 10h, ateliers de cuisine asiatique


au 151 Allée du Machessolles (300m de La Clastre):


10-11h Rouleaux de printemps


11-11h30 Nems (versions philippine, thaïlandaise, vietnamienne)


11h30-12h30 Sushi


Si vous voulez participer à ces ateliers, veuillez prévoir une participation


de 10 euros pour les ingrédients.






Le dimanche 22, à l'issue des ateliers une restauration sera assurée au prix de 7€


au 151 Allée du Machessolles (300m de La Clastre).


Sur réservation au 06 17 93 54 39.




Pouvez-vous transmettre cette invitation à vos amis,


ainsi que sa pièce jointe.




Amicalement,


l'Atelier Printemps Sacré 
 
 
My goodness a lot has happened since my last post! I have exhibited in Veldhoven, then in Parma- which was very exciting- good exhibition space, very keen students and lots of positive feedback! I hope to be back in Italy next year with new work. Met lots of people and had a lovely time with Sandra Reford who helped with translating and is a wonderful artist in her own right.
 
 
Places still available in Workshops in France
After this weekend I will be teaching in several places- and there are still places available:
 
24 May 2011-Best of Quilting- Gypsy Blanket- stitched and embroidered collage
26 May -dyeing- class is full
27 May 2011- Au fil d'Emma-Transfer Printing and Stitching ( lutradur)
28 May 2011- Au fil d'Emma- Tranfer Printing and Stitching ( lutradur)
31 May 2011- Best of Quilting- Free motion quilting ( 72 Ways- pique libre)
 

Six Sentinels are Finished

I am at the European Quilt Chamionships in veldhoven and managed to finish all six of my sentinels. I will be making more of them for sure! People are surprised at how large they are- but I always meant them to be large ( and the yellow one seems to be longer even though the stencil was the same size...) They are as long as I am tall or slightly longer.

Sentinels- statement


I have made six sentinels for my exhibition in the Netherlands and in Parma Italy- exploring aspects of the earth; a fusion of landscape inspired by Fred Williams and Judy Watson, a look at the french landscape so different and yet so similar to Australian landscape ( I am thinking Fred Williams would have loved Pic St loup) a tip of the hat to my heritage and a pervading spirituality and mystique of the land and my personal language of lace and the tenuous connecting threads of the lace.

I am using a hominid form to suggest Sentinel and I usedthe word sentinel rather than guardian as the word guardian implies looking after but also taking care of. Sentinels are merely guards, there is nothing proactive about their watch- they only watch and can alert others ,to what they are watching. It is for the viewer or others to act on what they see or don’t see. Each sentinel will deal with aspects of the environment, and whilst we know certain things must not be done, we are responsible ourselves to make sure they are not done- it is not some benevolent guardian that does it for us- it has to be us. This is why I have made the sentinels life size; to suggest the human aspect and they are the same height as myself so that I too must play an active role in protecting the earth.

I am weaving together imagery of things and myths i love.

I have a fascination with lace- when you zoom in on lace it is like looking at a thread map- the negative space as interesting as the actual threads forming the positive space . In this series I am exploring the land, or nature if you will but I am of nature too and I bring my past and present to this land- the past is full of lace, i see it in the old photographs of family, their finely starched lace caps. The idea of caps somehow intertwined with the idea of Madonnas and determined that my figure would have a head dress of sorts. The body is traversed by paths and transparencies that reflect the structure of lace.

I would like to see my sentinels in all corners of the world, big and small. I like the idea that they will be in many places watching, being reminders to take a deep breath in, then breathe out; let the good things in and put the bad things out.

So I have chosen a simple form that suggest madonna but also other spirit keepers from different societies and also a reference to the lace caps worn by my great grandmothers and aunts in Zeeland- a halo to suggest the spiritual aspect- an opportunity to decorate with thoughts of byzantine Madonnas of gilt and gold ,of lace intertwinings. It also represents the mother- watching over her children. She encapsulates a lot of things I want to say about the place i find my self in- Australia, but also about my migrant past and indeed the past of my family.

The Blue Sentinel

One of reflection and empathy, cool and thoughtful- what is she watching? At the present the world is in a bad state- when was it last like this? It is the sentinel that was there in the beginning, in the waters and the sea- watching life as it emerged, watching as it evolved, watching as it is squandering the earth’s resources, watching as we must draw deep within ourselves to have human empathy for the disasters we have created, watching as we must find solutions to the disasters of our own making. She stands cool and shimmering, her body encrusted with corals and urchin shapes.

The Red Sentinel

She reminds me of Demeter- the earth mother but also the watcher of her daughter- she could not prevent Persephone’s seduction by the seed of the pomegranate and the other world, the underworld- it was Persephone’s own action that meant she had to spend time in the underworld.It is a reminder to be close to the earth- to take care of the earth- if tilled with care and love it delivers great fruit.But if the tilling fails then the earth is waste.

Green Forest Sentinel

The forests are places of great diversit y of many life forms and of many plants some of them with great medicinal properties. We must look to nature for solutions and yet at the same time we must guard against destruction of our forests- which dwindle all days.

Dark Fire Sentinel

The fire within, the fire of imagination. Fire marks both danger and rebirth. In Australia where the land is subject to high fire risk , and on hot summer days when the north wind blows, fire is something that is feared – we have seen too many bush fires and seen the path of destruction that fire causes. And yet fire can be magical as well- imagine a warm wood fire on a winters evening, with a glass of red wine and a steaming cup of soup with freshly baked bread, or the imagination gets all fired up with ideas, so many that it is difficult to begin

Ochre Earth Sentinel

Ochre Earth Sentinel- this sentinel is the watcher of all things Australian- of our dry landscape despite small patches of forest and an eastern seaboard with tropical rainforest, of dwindling water resources of drought and sunburnt land. The water is the heart of our land, slow rivers flow through the land giving sustenance, to sometimes dry up in summers’ shimmering heat. We have to take care with water , it is not a never ending resource, it must be used frugally, but we seem to waste more than ever. There are parts of the world where water is as precious as gold, the only thing that sustains life.

Aubergine Tracking Paths Sentinel

Many people inhabit our land but the first people, indigenous Australians have a deep affinty with the land- the walk and sing the land, it imbues their spirit, and they take care of the land- they are the custodians and they do take care. We ,the after comers should take a lesson in loving our land and learning it’s tracks and songs so that we too can walk the paths and as a people take care of our land.

Sentinel Threesome

They are the spirit of the land- of the rivers and the plains and the mountains together they watch and hope we will awaken and that we will protect what is the most valuable - love of land and the humans whom inhabit it- to lay down all our differences and work together.

The liveliness of the stitch is what draws me most to textiles- that and the ability ot be able to colour it and print it. But the stitch is an entirely different mark making tool. I don’t aim for perfect stitching or perfect length of stitches- I want my stitches to speak , to add texture and sparkle if necessary

All my work starts as white cotton, is hand dyed, printed and stitched. I like to use simple techniques.

Travels in Syria

I know I have posted about Syria already but it is a heady experience- so many things to take in , so much to enjoy. So I just thought I would share a few of my favourite things. ( I will post about the buildings again in the future). The boy above is vending green almonds- they are kept moist during the day by ladling water over them, and then they are sold in a small bag with salt and you snack on them like you would any other nuts- They are considered a delicacy and the tatse is quite almondy milky salty ( sorry about the description...).

This absolutely gorgeous mirror was int he Iwan at the Azzam Palace- the iwan was used as a sort of outdoor sitting room in th ehot weather and is lined with couches and faces onto a fountain ( which was empty) and some lush citurs trees- the tinkling of the water form the fountain was supposed to instill coolness as well as the shade from the citrus trees. The trees were all in blossom when we were there and the smell was exquisite.And I didn't quite manage to squeeze myself out of the photo. I think I could stitch quite some travellers' blankets in such a spot!

Food is very good in Syria with lots of dips like hommus and mahamara and baba ganouj, and as it was spring lots of fresh young greens dressed with olive oil and lemon- and of course always a salad- you cut your own tomato and cucumber and nibble on a chilli!

Lanterns- these lanterns were in an antique store int eh souq in Aleppo- i just love all these lights- but getting them home to Australia would be quite a problem.

This man was making tradional filled bread in the souq in Aleppo. The dough is rolled ount and place on the dome shaped griddle- as it starts to cook he placed crumbled cheese and fresh herbs onto the bread before folding it in half and cooking it a little longer to melt the cheese.

Oh and the piece de resistance- a water jug with basin for washing- this nearly came home with me- the shape beautiful- it stood out in a junk/antique shop to beat all others. Just suitcases are not designed to carry such finery- but it would give me oh so many memoriesI can only hope that by next year this time of the year things have calmed down and Syrian people can get on with their lives again and we can visit again- we are definitely planning another trip.

Sad to Leave Syria

I am enroute to Bruxelles and very sad to leave Syria- but as the British and Canadian embassies ( Canada helps out Australians when we don't have an embassy on the ground) were pulling out  it would have left our group without consular support, and it was still possible to get commercial flights out. There were so many rumours flying around and information hard to get and often through outside news agencies ( whose reporting I have no faith in- what footage are we seeing and exactly where) that the many  Syrian people we encountered were themselves bewildered and worried , and simply want to get on with their lives .All I can say is that I do not consider Youtube to be intelligent and informed reporting of huge events affecting the lives of people, that when such footage is used ,context is important and news reporting agencies are not providing context and they seem to be using footage without being on the ground in the places they are reporting about.

On a personal level- Syria was lovely as ever- the people kind and charming, we did not encounter any troubles, though the atmosphere in Deir ez Zor was tense ( they thought I was a reporter and that of itself says something about the trust that people may hold for reporters). I am deeply worried about what will happen and hope that the outcome will be peaceful.Syria is a remarkably secular society and is nothing like the western media has made it out to be- it is a place where usually I feel safe and at ease, even in the  last weeks, where strangers become friends , where history seeps through every stone, yet life is very much part of present.

Five Sentinelles Done One to Go!

I can scarce believe it but apart from hand sewing five sentinelles are done! it's been a marathon of sewing and the bindings are on all  but one and the sixth one  is basted and set to go- so some more marathon sewing.I haven't worked this hard in a long time and I used up two queen sized batts- so thank you Victorian  Textiles for your kind sponsorship of Matilda's Own wool polyester batting!

On the Workshop  front.....
 There are still some places available  for my 5th of May workshop at the European  Quilt Championship- in  the Netherlands Gypsy Blanket Collage.  I have posted an image of the gypsy blanket just to remind you what it looks like- we will be working a bit smaller as it is only a one day workshop but the idea is to create contrasts and harmonies with thread!

I am also teaching this workshop in France at Best of Quilting in Marcoussis on the 24th of May and I am also teaching free motion quilting ( Pique Libre)  at best of Quilting  on 31st of  May.

It will be your last chance to do workshop with me  for awhile in Europe  because as a single parent travelling has become  difficult to arrange as someone needs to be home for my daughter.

Work Work Work

I have been slack in taking in progress photos as my sentinels develop, mainly because I am just working and working. I intend to make six and I am working on number 5 at the moment so i feel like I may actually get there if I leave the hand stitching to do when i travel to Syria next week. All together if i add all the quilts together they measure 4.5 metres wide by 170 cm long- that is an awful lot of quilting, and my back and shoulders are feeling it.

However the sewing time also gives me time to think about  what i want to say with the sentinels and the badges I want to make for them. They are  developing their own presences- much like a fictional character might  for a novelist  of a book.It's exciting - because things change  quite quickly , what i thought  would happen changes and adapts, and emerges as something different . The photo that follows is  something I will develop into a badge- it speaks small creatures making bigger things...the photo is small because the  thing I scanned was tiny- can you guess what it is ?- I have worked with it before and i think it is perfect for my blue sentinel.

And the sentinel  stencil is changing- in surprising ways - I am actually thinking I might make her into lace
 ( but I am not sure I will have time at this stage). I do intend to make more sentinels but will make some changes to the stencil- more ideas have popped up as I have worked.

Sentinelle #3- Blue

It's been a busy week- sewing, writing an article for Down Under Textiles, teaching the Travellers Blanket for the first time. On Saturday we dyed the fabric for the blanket, as the fabrics are not run of the mill patchwork fabric, but muslin and bumph in order to get the lovely soft drape. We will start stitching on Tuesday night.

I also have an article on foiling on lutradur in the latest issue of Down Under textiles. Here is the publisher blurb:
The next issue of Down Under Textiles will be out soon. I have some of my work included, showing readers how to use FOILS with two techniques - adhesives and iron-on paper-backed fusible web. 
There are heaps of other great articles and projects, so grab yourself a copy! It is NOT available in newsagents, call the publisher on 02 4365 2995 or email info@creativelivingmedia.com.au to find your nearest stockist. 

And work is progressing on the sentinelles- not quite as fast as I would like, but I have promised myself  I will do six and even if I have to stay up nights and do it , it has to be done. In the past i would too easily have settled for  five, but I have to push myself as I think six will look more impressive than five and  after I return for Europe I think I will keep building on the series- depending on how people respond to them. I have one more  piece of fabric to dye and to print- so then they will all be ready for stitch.The one I am working on at present is turning out much bluer than I thought she would- seems blue is ruling!