Saturday, 8 May 2010

Wallhanging-progressing slowly

This term in class we do not have many techniques to follow, thank Goodness , I don't think my poor brain has room for any more! This means that we are working on our unfinished projects (too numerous to list!) . I enjoyed sitting in class chatting and adding in more stitch to my wallhanging. It is evolving now and I just keep laying on more stitch in different textures. I am glad to report that Dawn was very pleased with the way it is developing and made some very positive comments.
More photos of it soon.

At the same time we are working on the design and stitch samples for the box we are making this term. It is interesting in terms of scale to go from a 1 metre long wallhanging to a 10 cm square box. I found that when I tried to put the design for the box on paper I had been thinking too big! I had to start with the actual size of the box and draw the design inside it. From thinking bigger now I am thinking delicate and small. Good for the brain, anyway. Also I like to have a couple of things on the go simultaneously, as it provides variety and stimulation to switch between the two. Only problem is to decide which to work on !
More about the box and photos of it soon too.

Wednesday, 28 April 2010

Bluebell woods

Bonnie is having a moment of pure happiness amidst the bluebells.

Bluebells as far as the eye can see

The beech trees have a zingy green foliage which offsets the bluebells perfectly

Monday, 26 April 2010

Wallhanging-stitch

I have been hand stitching into the strips, using a variety of threads in different colours and textures

Sunday, 18 April 2010

Threads Together

These are pictures of my threads from Oliver Twist. I love the way these colours sit together. I like to buy the theme packs, as they look so pretty! It would take ages to hunt out the exact matches. Besides I think the mixed skeins are a work of art and I am quite happy to gaze at them! To me hunting out fabrics, yarns, thread and accessories, aquiring them, stashing them and photographing them gives as much pleasure as actually using them in a piece!

I am using some of these threads in my wallhanging. You will see how I enjoy placing the colours and textures together. Stitching is in progress, a photo will follow shortly.

Thursday, 15 April 2010

Wallhanging-Ready to add stitch

Here I have added strips of scrim to the painted strips. In the photo I cut into strips in my sketchbook the white stands out really strongly . I originally thought I would use a lot of white in this piece to link it, and maybe stitch it so it lay against a background cloth of white.
However, when I started painting the scrim, I found I preferred the colours of the blue/green. I have been working on the three strips which represent water. I added pieces I cut from the sides and laid scrim over the top of them, then painted over it to roughly match the colours.
Here are the three water pieces arranged together. I am pleased with this, and think I will proceed to add stitch. I will just work on these three as I love the colours together. Then I will decide whether to put the other strips back in. I originally planned to do all eight of them. Time also factors in this, as suddenly the deadline is next week! I will take out the white for now, and see how it is just in the watery colours.

Tuesday, 13 April 2010

Wallhanging-latest progress

I realise I have not posted about my wallhanging recently. I have been distracted by taking photos of textures, weekends in Whitstable and school holidays. The wallhanging is work in progress, but a lot of it still in my head. I have painted a series of 8 strips (like the ones in my sketch book), and now have started stitching pieces of white muslin over the top of the white bits. On reflection today, the white is too powerful, and the strips I really like are the blue/green ones which represent water. I am considering doing only 5 of the strips instead of all of them, as I think they will hang together better in the end. I will add a photo when I have arranged them to my satisfaction.

Saturday, 10 April 2010