One Week Later

It's hard to believe a whole week has gone by. I did actually work but I was away in the north with some good friends from my Fibre Art Group.

This is what's becoming an annual thing, our long weekend of good friends, lots of of sewing, some swimming ( skinny dipping this time and no, there are no photos ) wine and great conversation as only women can have.

I took with me some UFOs one several years old. When I got home I finally finished it ( after a few idle days of catching up on sleep and missed routines)

I added the three cutout leaves at the bottom and then spent a whole day stippling this in mono filament. My ankle kept seizing but fortunately a trip up the stairs to a box of home made cookies was a great remedy.
The binding was added yesterday, and now this bright and cheerful autumn piece is finally finished.

The other big job I took with me was one that needed a lot of cookie breaks as well.

These hand painted cloths needed another whole day of stitching tight lines in pinks and oranges to finish it to this point. I only managed to finish one and framed it when I got home.

The first one I had done last year using grass silhouettes. This one I choose something that I thought was a bit more dramatic.

No it's NOT Lollypops!
The finish definitely identifies them as Teasel, a common road side weed.

Before it gets the finishing binding, I have to decide if it needs a little more, maybe some grass to soften. ???

One More Image Transfer

I played a bit with the order of steps. I had produced a number of cloths with rust already, so I exposed them to the same treatment. Yes I changed a couple of things. I ran out of white vinegar so I used wine vinegar instead. And I tried a different combination of leaves in the pot. I actually let it all set for 5 whole hours. (I am getting better), but I was disappointed this time. My white cloth dried a very pale green.
I did go ahead and try pounding a few different plants.
I used elm leaves first, but they were too tough; I tried potato vine leaves but they were too thin; I tried my maple leaves again and they were just right ( Sorry for the fairy tale ref. haha)
I used a long skinny piece (squaring off my previously stained material) and finished it into a narrow hanging.
So far, those japanese maple leaves are proving to be stellar. I'll have to try other maple sp. next time.

Image Transfer - Final

I dithered for a while on how to finish this. In the end I traced the leaves in the centre and left the rest. After all this is not a competition piece where every sq.cm. has to be quilted. I like the slightly asymmetric framing. It was finished with simple stitching emphasizing the rectangle.

And, of course, because I liked this so much, I had to do it again.
But you know you can never do it again. It will be different!
I wanted a bit more rust on the fabric so after I washed the sizing out of some pure white, I gave it a rust treatment first, rather than adding the rust to the mix.
I'm actually going to let this sit for the recommended few days. Then I'll do more flower  pounding.

The Garden - Late July - Early Rousseau

I'm  going away for a few days and I know my garden will look very different when I return.
Some of the Daylilies are on their last legs already. Some are just beginning.
The Crocosmia is in full bloom for the hummingbirds. Too bad its just so hot to enjoy sitting out.

The Pictures will get me through the next winter.

Chicago Apache

Crocosmia

Elaine Stutt

Silome Double Classic

Fanciful Finery

Yarrow

Common Echinacea

Strawberry Candy

Golden Prize and Chicago Apache

Image Transfer - Part DUH

I wasn't finished yesterday.
Until I could transfer leaf shapes, it wasn't finished.
I thought maybe the elm leaves were too tough, but then I realized there just wasn't enough contact for the pigments to move.

So I tried my old friend "Flower Pounding"

Success!
And the light in this photo is different. It's more natural, not my basement florescents.
These are from the red Japanese maple in my yard. Some have oxidized to black immediately.
I don't know whether there is enough Alum in the cloth from yesterdays' cooking to fix the red, or whether the black is a reaction with the iron. There is lot of room here for playing and learning.

I'd like the background to be a warmer colour. I'll have to experiment with different dyed cloths or over dying or painting.
As for finishing this one?...........
I have just the material!

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