Taunton exhibition

 I managed to get a couple of pictures from a friend, two of the general exhibition space and one of mine which unfortunately has a lot of reflection in it. You can also just see one of the pair of my other pieces.
Its a great space for exhibiting in.

What a plonker. Happy Christmas and Happy Solstice.

I don't think this expression is used much these days but I felt like a right plonker when after finally managing to get the South West Textile Group exhibition at Taunton Museum I forgot to take any photos of my own work or anybody else's for that matter. I wanted to show all you kind people out there my finished pieces finally hung.
Its a good exhibition beautifully hung by the museum staff and well worth a visit if you live near though it finishes on the 2nd January.
I am hoping that a friend might have taken a photo they can send me, otherwise I may be able to take a couple when we collect our work next year.
Happy end of year in whichever form you celebrate it and thank you for reading my little offerings and for your lovely comments throughout the past year.

Experiments with iron water

1 Eucalyptus dyed on silk noil

Quite a few images this time, the colours arn't great in the photos and don't really show the subtle variation in colours of the last few photos of iron dyeing.
The first four images are of dyeing I did on holiday in Rhodes, they were bundled and placed in a plastic drinking water bottle and left on the balcony for about 12 days, no direct sunlight.
These are not before and after photos but the undipped ones are very similar to the ones I dipped.

2 Eucalyptus dyed and then dipped in iron water

3 Eucalyptus dyed

4 Eucalyptus dyed and dipped in iron water

 The dark ones were soaked in the iron water for about an hour and then washed immediately. The proportions for the iron water are completely random, I did measure anything. These are all on silk noil and were dipped when I got back.

5 Cotinus and maple leaf dyed then dipped in iron water

Images five to nine are all on wool and dyed with leaves from the garden, again the undipped piece is to give colour comparisons. I wish I could get more true to life colours on these but I can't. piece 5 was dipped for one hour the others slightly less all were washed immediately afterwards. They had all been previously bundled and left to dry before being soaked in the iron water.

6 Maple leaf

7 Cotinus and dipped in iron water

8 Cotinus and maple and iron water

9 Cotinus, maple and iron water

I am very pleased with the results it good to get something other than brown. I will probably dip all the silk pieces and make them into a cushion as the colours go well with my with my sitting room furniture.

Musings

I have just potted up my mincemeat for this year's mince pies, a little late but hey I've been busy.

I am not visiting my studio today even if it is just down the hall, I have been sitting down there for the past three days hoping against hope that somebody might be brave enough to come and visit despite tipping down rain and storm force winds. I wouldn't visit me either. Better luck next weekend I hope, it is all looking so good and I have some wonderful work from other artists as well.

New work and some cards

I have enjoyed sitting and stitching in the evenings, this piece is going in my Christmas fair which opens tomorrow, I have some great artists taking part and the studio is looking very good, just praying for visitors now and for the weather forecast to be wrong.

The cards are also for the studio openings, I meant to take photos before I put them in their cellophane wrappers but forgot so they are a bit difficult to see.

Eco dyed and stitched

Robin card

Eco dyed and stitched fabric on card

I have also been experimenting with use iron water on previously leaf printed fabric, will post the results when I get time.

And the winner is

I left doing the draw until Monday to make sure everybody had finished Sunday in various parts of the world.
The winner is Eyreka, please send your details via djpawle@hotmail.com and I will have your gift in the post by the end of the week.

A giveaway

its really green

I have just noticed after months of having 29 followers I now have 31. I think this calls for a celebration so I am giving away this small woven silk purse with recycled glass bead closure. More decorative than practical.
I always think it is a bit strange having followers it sounds like a cult.
Anyway leave a comment and I will pull a name out of the hat on Sunday 8th November.