Strata experiments continue...

I am continuing to work from the rock strata patterns found in Petra. I love the flowing shapes and the rich colours. This time I have concentrated on one small section of rock worked at a larger scale than the previous samples. I have included a piece of velvet this time but it doesn't work well and I wouldn't bother to use it again. I like the use of distressed voile with markle stick over the stitching, it gives it a very textured appearance. The voile that I have left is too shiny and I need to look at ways of reducing that, far too synthetic an appearance for such an earthy subject!
I have also begun to experiment with a larger piece using different scales of strata which I'll share with you later.

Jo Budd and CQ AGM

I had a wonderful day in London yesterday at the CQ AGM. Its the opportunity to meet up with the folk one reads so much about on the yahoo site, to hear more about how CQ functions and what is in the pipeline.
Our speaker this year was Jo Budd. You may remember her magnificent exhibitions at FoQ, it was her boat series in 2007 which had me hooked and its lovely to think that one of these pieces is now in the Guild Museum permanent collection. Jo very generously took us through her portfolio with brilliant incites into her methods with particular reference to Male, Winter and Female, Summer pieces which were shown at the V&A last year. Her work seems so intuitive but with her painting background I'm sure that she must spend many hours in a sketchbook first.
I was also very interested in some recent small pieces she brought with her, the change of scale was very striking and I was knocked out by her clever evocation of snow.
As ever one comes away filled with ones own sense

of inadequacy!

ISG - Experimenting with fabric dyeing and printing - 2

I spent yesterday dyeing! A second set of cotton fabrics to be used in my "Strata" quilt. This time I was working on purples which I had already been told by Anne Beech, would be difficult for me to get the shade I was after! She was right, and I now need to invest in a Grape coloured procian dye if I want to continue with this colour range. She introduced me to a fascinating book - The "Fabric Dyers' Dictionary" by Linda Johansen which I shall have to get hold of if I want to continue to produce my own fabrics.
I think I can improve one of yesterdays batches by screen printing a grid type pattern over the surface which will work well in the small sections I plan to be working with. This fabric will form some "plain" blocks between the highly patterned and stitched strata blocks. I'm really looking forward to starting to stitch these pieces.
I also managed to screen print further on my tea dyed fabric for the "holes" range of work I'm progressing. I also managed to stamp that batch with a mini squares block that will provide textural interest once quilted.
Priority one is now to get my pieces from Angie Hughes' couse last yaer mounted before I go off on holiday.

Icons

I have just returned from a lovely day with Angie Hughes experimenting with techniques to make embroidered icons. Organised by CQ Region 7, 14 of us explored the use of metallic foils on black velvet to create aged icon images. I never thought I would find a legitimate reason for scoffing Ferraro Rocher or Quality street, but their wrappers work brilliantly!
The images are a bit too real for my taste, but the skills are definitely transferable and I can see their use in a future JQ at at the very least!
Photos show completed icon and a part close-up.

March JQ

This small set of pattern repeats has been an interesting experiment. I know I have made some elementary mistakes which I can improve on next time - I should have added the voile as step one and that would have avoided some heavy areas of stitching which look out of place. Here I have quilted each area as a separate entity, I feel I should try the same idea with a quilting design that crosses the pieced boundaries.
I do like the colours and I am now planning a larger piece with different sized sections and some plain fabric inserts to break up the busyness of the strata sections.
I need to go back the the "holes" work and progress that too.

The Ferrers Centre & Staunton Harold

Yesterday we visited Staunton Harold especially to see the "Flair" exhibition at the Ferrers Gallery. This, Design Factory show presented a fascinating collection of work from artists based in the east midlands working in Textiles, Ceramics, Jewellery and Sculpture.Its open until 10th April.
I was particularly interested in Lorna Syson's work with linen and yarns from nettles, clear clean lines and textures. Jeanne Roberts Nuno felting and screen printing was new to me and I loved the effects she had created. Anne Menary's witty collages with scientific themes were great fun. So pleased I went, very polished and professional finish to all the work, and I found a stunning pair of earrings, which I'm waiting for as they had clips and I wanted them for pierced ears.
The stable block where is the gallery is based has a great tea room, other galleries and "Breadfirst" a lovely deli-bakery - fabulous artisan bread and a great range of cheeses.
Had the weather been better there were a range of interesting walks in the grounds that would have made a great summer day out!

2011 Journal Quilts - March Quilt?

Following my experiments on Saturday I am now trying out ideas with them in the small repeat pattern shown earlier. We are working to a 10" square so I redrew it to size before tracing it onto Freezer paper. The fabrics had bondaweb applied to the reverse and the cut up freezer paper lightly ironed onto the RS of the fabric. To reduce the bulk I applied the shapes to muslin.
I then joined the sections together with fine seams to give the basic overall pattern for this experiment. Now I plan to embellish the surface.
I am feeling a growing tension - I am actually enjoying working on this smaller scale and wonder whether I will want to make a larger wall hanging, I am enjoying the intricacies of this scale which is really new for me.