New Projects Need New Painted Cloth

The last few weeks have been frustrating.
I've had several projects whirling about in my mind. The hold up was finding the right materials. Nothing in my stash seemed to be right and I was changing the project to suit the materials I DID have.

In the end it didn't work.
I knew I needed to paint or dye, but the prospect of that, indoors, in winter was not attractive. It's messy and the drying time is much longer.

But after a rest and a change of scenery this last weekend, I decided TODAY I would paint.

This first piece looks deceptively simple but its all in the material.
In order to create something like this....

I painted this.

This picture is actually stained glass.

To get the same lightness but earthy feeling I'm going to start with this cloth. This one will require one more wash of paint to make it less sky and more water!

 

A wash of orange and touch of brown....... Much better.

And as classic as this picture is....

it requires a very dramatic background.

And of course I always need fresh yellow!

As of this moment I haven't decided which one I'm going to start with!
Stay tuned!

New Quiet Time Handwork

Ever since all the "jane" blocks went together and were mounted on the frame, I've had no quiet work, work I could travel with or sit out in the summer yard to work on.

So this weekend I started on a pattern I purchased last June.

I had been assembling the material for this over the year. I've chosen some FQ and with my last purchase of shirts from the thrift shop I' think I'm all set.

This involves embroidery both on separate material AND on the adjacent blocks. I thought it was unusual and charming. There is a whole series of these available.

So on my Family Day weekend jaunt to the Thornbury cottage, ( the ice IS out) I started the fist of sixteen "Pre" panels. These will all be joined to make a continuous loop of embroidery around the quilt . I'm rather excited about this one.

Sandpiper On The Beach - Final

Who would have thought it would take so long to find the perfect spot for these two. At least 6 tries, 6 photos, 6 trips up the stairs to the computer, (not to forget the pestering of the resident photographer),  but its done.

One of the hold ups was, I wanted a different finish for the sky. The pattern didn't really suggest clouds, so I turned to the internet and found this pattern, Poseidon's Eye, another of Leah Day's work.
Always a great site for inspiration.

I'm leaning towards self binding this. I really don't like picking one binding fabric when there are so many dominants.

If you're going to TART it Up......

Go all the way.  😀

Once the starfish was beaded, I looked for other places to add beads.
The surf was a logically place to start.

I strung a long run of mixed white, silver gold and clear beads and then tucked then in and around the cheesecloth and organza bits.
All of the colour bands were given a serpentine/wave treatment in a few logical colours.
Wave lines were added in the sand. "Cloud" will be traced into the sky.
Not much left to do but the "stars" of our show.

Starfish On the Beach

This was hubby's suggestion. Gotta give him an A+

The beading took a full day. But it's a keeper.