Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Back to stitching and a fabric postcard . . .



Having a red and green stitching phase at the moment too - stitch sample strips I'm making into pages for a soft cloth book of stitching. I'm using any threads from my stash as long as they are more or less red or green.


And I've made my first ever fabric postcard - I was sure I'd cut it straight, but it looks decidedly wonky here. It's lying on a piece of dark blue cloth, it's not an edging.

Perfect tomatoes . .


. . as promised.









And a few more red and green bits -












The nearest we've got to one of the other complementary pairs are the irises, but I can't really try to make out the blue is lilac.
Have to wait for the purple crocuses in the spring.

Monday, September 11, 2006

reds and greens


There are so many patches of red and green in our garden. I'm looking out for the other complementary pairs, purple / yellow, orange / blue, but can't find any.



(Husband said why did I have to put a pic of these scruffy tomatoes in the blog when I could have chosen some of the 50lbs of perfect ones he's grown this year?)









Now just imagine waving a wand and getting blogger to put your pics where you want them . . . .

Here's the poppy pics mentioned in the previous entry! Intriguing shapes, the seed heads - a box, maybe? Click for a larger image and see.











Tthe perfect tomatoes will have to wait for next time, pics still in the camera.

from this to this . . .












Fascinating as the summer comes to an end what is happening to some of the flowers I posted pics of in earlier blog entries.

The crocosmia / monbretia (top set) has these lumpy sprays of seed heads that look even better enlarged. And the rosebay willow herb goes all long and thin with silky airborne threads that carry seeds everywhere, including my cup of coffee in the garden in the sun. (I wish I could line the photos up better.)

And poppy seedheads are always good value for stitching inspirations - pics in next entry.

Saturday, September 02, 2006

And yet another textile technique ...


... as if I hadn't got enough to keep me out of mischief already.
The visit to Eyam included looking round the craft centre there. This includes Woolgathering, a lovely little workshop specialising in feltmaking and yarns and related gadgets.. I found this kit for stickweaving, (not the yarn, that's mine), and was shown how to use them by the friendly proprietor.
And since Wednesday I've made these -


It's a bit addictive.

It's an abstract piece, based on seaside colours, the somewhat unrealistic ones you have in your head, you know, the sky is blue, the sea is green, the sand is yellow etc, etc. The woven strips will be hung on a piece of worn stick found on a beach, and may have beads added, or a shell or two.

An unusual way of painting pictures...


Well dressings in (clockwise from top left) Eyam, Wormhill, Eyam (children's well), Eyam again, and Foolow, in Derbyshire, UK. They are made by pressing flower petals, leaves, seeds, moss, all sorts of natural materials, into specially prepared trays of damp clay, following a drawn design. They last about a week and money is collected for various charities as people come to see them.
Try the link for more info about exactly how and why they are made. The textures achieved are well worth examining, and the colour shading, a lot of the pinks and blues are done with hydrangea petals. The drawing is good this year, I think, and some of the borders could be stitching designs for seams, once again! I see them everywhere now!

I haven't mentioned a technical challenge recently. This post reminds me firmly that I need help in getting the photos exactly where I want them. Anyone out there reading this got any experience to share? (I know I could ask Jenny again . . . )