Two more finished pieces

I have completed the Aubrey Beardsley based peacock piece and finally managed to photograph it. I traced the design onto a satin fabric using a white pencil crayon which rubs off when needed. I painted the peacock design with white acrylic paint and the flowers with red metallic paint. I gave the white several coats of paint but was never completely happy with it. However, I continue with the piece. I used a black rayon thread to free machine quilt the peacock and all other white areas. I used a red metallic thread for the red petals.

I was still unhappy with the white painted areas and almost ready to put the piece away and not finish it which isn't me. Then I remembered I had a bottle of pearlised medium and wondered how that would look painted over the white paint. It solved the problem and saved the piece. I was then able to continue to quilt the background and embellish with beads.

When this was finished I started a new piece. This was another Art Nouveau design. A very simple one which I could see as a goldwork piece. I chose a piece of black Thai silk for the background fabric. The face was created using padded gold synthetic leather. This was outlined with a gold thread. The remainder of the design was created by couching gold threads. Very simple and effective.

I haven't decided how to mount and present this piece as yet. I now have to decide on the next piece but that might be a bit delayed as I have finally received the first draft layouts of my book and have to work my way through it checking and making notes of any changes.

I also have my granson with me for the rest of this week - half term. So not much sewing anyway.

That's all for now.

Cheers everyone

New printer and peacocks

After much research and deliberation I now have my new printer. It is so good I am rather pleased that my old one gave up on me. The down side is that I had just stocked up with several batches of new inks. Fortunately they fit my daughters printer so they will not be wasted. I hate waste of any kind as you will all have gathered from my previous posts.

I have finished the peacock piece I began last week.

The girl was created by couching copper fingering on black Thai silk. I bought the silk many years ago while on holiday in Thailand. I made my daughter a suit with it and it has returned to me me for recycling. I had to unpick the skirt for this piece. The rest is now ready for future pieces.

I have already begun the next piece. It is a peacock design by Aubrey Beardsley who was a popular turn of the century artist who transformed the art of illustration. . I don't like all of his work in fact some of it is quite grotesque but this is one which I do like. I was having problems deciding on a colour scheme but with the help and suggestions from Lynda I have finally made a decision. It has already been drawn and painted onto black satin and is ready for stitching.

It would have been finished but I have had my grandson staying and I have also been preparing for a workshop I am giving next week. We have also had a day out at Thorpe Perrow arboretum. It was a glorious day with clear blue skies and warm sunshine. It was still wet underfoot so we had to use poly bags to kneel on while taking some of the photos. I took so many that it has taken two days to process them all.

The bark on this tree was peeling off but it was too high to reach. It would be interesting to use it on a piece!!

This was the bark at the lower level - a useful piece of texture.

I have been to this arboretum several time but can't really remember these stone statues which were covered in moss and 'grunge'. Couldn't resist taking photos of them. They were apparently some king and queen according to the owner. I was more interested in the textures and colours on the stone much to his puzzlement.

I quite liked this shield which was on one of the stone angels. I can see a piece in this.

I have a day to myself today (Sunday) as my OH is off to act as support crew for a rally team he gives advice to. Hoping to get a lot done so I had better get to bed.

Cheers for now everyone.

Printers!!!

My general A4 printer refused to cooperate last week. It printed out one piece then when I asked it to do a head clean, I got a couple of flashing lights and messages telling me it needed service and there was a communication problem. I have done everything I know to fix it but no go so I think I will have to get a new one. So.. I have spent the last few days sourcing, comparing and pricing printers until my head spun. i think I have finally made a decision and will get it next week. Decided to change make this time. Grrrr.

We had a nice day last week and we went out to the town's park to do some photography. It received grants and has gone through a big regeneration - not before time. It had been allowed to deteriorate and was well vandalised. It is looking good now so hopefully they can prevent those vandals spoiling it and to leave it alone.

We took a number of photos and here is the first one which shows just how the trees are turning.

There was a Mahonia bush which had beautiful autumn colours on it which was rather surprising as I have a mahonia and they are evergreen and mine stays the same dark green all year round. I have never seen one with these colours.

They have built new play and adventure play areas for young children and a separate one for teenagers - a good idea. There were some strong colours and shapes in the teenage area which was empty so we felt OK to do photography in there. We didn't take any in the young children's playground as it can be dodgy now to take photos with young children around.

This climbing panel was taken on its side to give a diagonal pattern.

Now onto some textile work.

I forgot to post one of the art quilts I finished a couple of weeks ago so I will post it now. It is a representation af a well known painting of a Geisha with a Fan. I printed it on silk , added embellishment and stitching to some surface areas before I quilted the whole piece.

This is the original picture of the Geisha with a Fan and this is how my quilt looks.

The hair and hair decoration were stitched first as you can see in this close up.

I also embroidered the design on the fan.

It turned out much nicer than I expected it to.

As I mentioned in my last post, I am creating another Art Nouveau piece. I said I had decided on the technique for the peacock feather and it took a couple of days to work it. I couldn't stitch it on an evening as the flare back from the metallic surface made it too difficult to see and was very tiring so I had to wait for daylight. I am now working on the lady and the background. here is the finished feather. Apologies for the poor quality of the photo. I took it in a hurry and bad light but it still shows the effect.

I gave a talk about my Egyptian project yesterday to a local embroidery group. I think I talked too much and some of the ladies missed their cup of tea as they had to rush off. Apologies to any that may read this blog.

Waiting in anticipation for the first draft of my book to arrive from the publisher. It is due in the next few days. I was told Monday 13th but.... post being post.

I will get back to the AN lady now - so cheers everyone until my next post.

Disappointing show

Well I went to the Fashion & Embroidery Show with great expectations especially as it had improved last year over the previous one.

There was a lot of very beautiful and high standard work to see from groups and individuals but sadly there were very few traders. I have never seen so few at a show. Consequently I didn't spend as much as I might have done with more to choose from.

I bought some transfer paints, more medium for making silk paper/fabric, a couple of jars of Lumiere paints, some gold and silver wax crayons to grate and melt, a few reels of thread and metallic twist and a few half meters of metallic fabrics which I couldn't resist. This small amount wasn't exactly cheap but no where near what i usually spend at a show. Unfortunately Ally Pally is too far from me and would mean overnight stays and I would prefer to spend that money on 'stash' so will not be going.

I am, therefore, a bit disappointed and down. Should not have built up my expectations so high. Came away early and got on with my own work.

I did meet up with a former coleague who had been staring at my OH who asked me if I knew this person. When I looked, I recognised her and we had a good chat and looked at each others pictures of grandchildren. Ahhh!!! Her friend, as it turned out, was going to the cub camp that evening which is where my grandson and his parents were going too for a cub camp weekend. Small world.

I finished the art quilt I was on with but not sure about it. (Twice now, although when a friend saw the last one I wasn't sure about, she liked it so.. but it didn't photograph well either so will not be posting it)

Instead I am posting a couple of the photographs I took of the fuchsias I did a study on last week.

I quite like them against a black background - more moody.

It did make me use a tripod - the one we dont't take with us because it is so heavy BUT it is fabulous for indoor work and I loved it so will use it all the time indoors and probably the garden although with this latest camera I hardly ever need to use a tripod even in the dark. A macro study is a bit different.

I am now in the process of creating a new piece. It is based on another Art Nouveau design and I think will be a layered piece with different techniques for each layer. I have decided on the peacock feather but not the rest as yet.

So on with the feather...

Cheers everyone.