Planning July JQ

Still on the theme of text and linked to Petra - I'm working on the rock dwelling entrances again as the main shape/form within the piece.
I have plastic bag dyed the base fabric and then applied Thermofax prints, one of an extract from my trip diary as 4 blocks of text each turned 90degrees to each other and one stylised Arabic calligraphy image.
In my first experiment I tried free machine stitching the shapes and freehand writing.

I was very unhappy with the free machined shapes and realise that this will not give me the effect I was looking for.
Then I thought I'd try using markal sticks and a stencil to create the illusion of shape.

At first I used a gold stick which gave a very subtle effect, so tried a pinky red stick, the effect of which I like a lot. I think the dark edge and then lighter shading works well.
I also tried quilting by hand and will add further detail by hand, the older technique reflecting the age of the dwellings.

I'm now ready to have a go at the real thing!

First ISG Experiments

This morning I took the plunge to begin working on my series based on images from Jordan. I have always been interested in in using writing in quilts and these will be no exception. I've created 2 Thermofax screens with a section of text about Jordan which I will use to create background interest in fabrics. The text can be read and does make sense but its function is to create pattern and layers of texture. I am also using some arabic calligraphy to create interest.
This morning I have printed a short length of my own dyed fabric, just to see how the inks, meshes and my ideas work. I may use the length later but it is an experiment. My main concern today is that my hand dyed fabric is very creased and is reluctant to shed its creases!!
Next I want to look at some patterns that I can seek to repeat to form designs.

Angie's Homework & August JQ 2

Trying to de-clutter all but my work room - really hard to do but I'm fed up with living in a junk shop!!! So little time for my work. Wednesday is my deadline for Angie's homework so I have been experimenting. My notion of combining the two things has been scuppered by my lack attention to detail!! Angie's homework is too big to be a JQ and I'd loose the composition if I cut it back to size. So..... I'm experimenting with another, on the same theme, this time with the size marked out at the start!!
I added a frayed strip at the join and another to the right, but don't like the way it breaks up the space, so have removed it. I like the leaves which were transfoiled befoe printing and the red print links with the red voille.
I really liked using "Mistyfuse" with the transfoils - definitely do that again. and I do like the screen printed text as a background. Will get another couple of screens done - Thermofax are great.
Now I just have to trim and edge my work for Angie tomorrow and relax over the JQ - its not August yet!!

In the beginning....

All journeys have a beginning. Mine was in 1969 and started with the discovery of English Patchwork, in hexagons, over papers. It wasn't even a quilt, I didn't understand that it needed to have 3 layers - but I liked the symetry and the quietly repetative always growing activity. At this stage there was any design in it, it grew, like topsy, until it covered my bed!
Later I really understood what I wanted to do when I found "The Perfect Patchwork Primer" by Beth Gudgeon. Her tuition got me started with traditional designs and in the ditch quilting which I stuck with for a long time.
The next eye-opener was meeting Suzi Corke and spending 2 years being tutored by her in night classes. Her quilts were just mind boggling to a beginner but what a great teacher! She got me back to regular sewing, my job had taken over my life for a lot of years! Now I was designing and drawing ideas (badly)and I began to collect fabrics. Colour was the thing that drew me in and still is.

Wednesday
The next key development was my good fortune to enjoy a 2 day course with Lonni Rossi creating our own printed fabrics. What an eye opener! We learned to use Thermofax screens and I've been hooked since, just so easy to be able to prepare fabric just as you want it (on a good day). The fabric lay on a shelf for a while until I joined a day a month class with Brenda Boardman at The Bramblepatch - Explore your creative potential. A brilliant way to be "encouraged" out ones comfort zone, I learned so much and also gained the self confidence to try something different. Brenda helped me use my Lonni Rossi fabrics and I was thrilled with my 1st non traditional quilt, so much so that I had the temerity to enter it for Festival of Quilts. That too was a good learning experience - it made me quite dissatisfied with my efforts and it has spurred me on to do better.