Saturday 27 October 2007

Textile Challenge/ October Challenge - Vessel

This month's Challenge for the Textile Challenge Group is to construct a 3D vessel. Well, still in my 'fantasy' mode (which I will be for quite a while) I decided to try my hand at an oil lamp! The fabric is built up from a piece of felt with painted garden fleece stitched into it and then blasted with a heat gun. Unfortunately it was the wrong sort of felt, and didn't melt, but the garden fleece did, which made a nice crunchy surface. I then painted it bright red (don't ask why!) then started attacking it with all sorts of other paints, and finally with a pearly paint. (click on the pic. to see closeup of the surface) I then ironed some fusibile web on the back, and stuck some crunched up dark grey tissue paper down, to cover up all the mess!! I then cut out the pieces for the lamp (four in all, two sides, a top piece and a gusset piece for the bottom) and hand and machine stitched it all together. Then I edged most of the seams with a hand dyed flat metallic knitting yarn, put some beads on the inner edge - job done! The little felt knob represents where the flame would be!
I thought I would include these Faery Shoes as well, as part of the Challenge. Well they are 3D, and could be termed as vessels! They are about 3" long, and made from a pattern by Annette Emms, published on Workshop on the Web way back in March 2005! Again, felt based, covered in Indian cotton fabric, stitched etc. and the soles painted, to give them rigidity.

Wednesday 24 October 2007

Trade in ATCs

A couple of weeks ago, I sliced a piece from my latest experiment and made two ATCs to swap with Dianne and Barbara (pix above). Well .............
Today I received this beauty from Di (last of her dragonflies - aren't I lucky) it is just gorgeous. Thanks Di, well worth waiting for. And .......
This beauty from Barbara. It is a piece of Barbara's experiment with Lutradur, and is just wonderful. Thanks so much Barbara. Finally .....
this is what the ATC from Barbara arrived in, together with some pieces of ribbon and lace. This envelope is something else - as you can see!! What a work of Art!


Friday 19 October 2007

Small Fabric Book

Having recently been inspired by an article by Ruth Rae in Cloth Paper Scissors Issue 14 Sept./Oct.2007, I have been making another little fabric book. This measures the same as an ATC - three and a half inches by two and a half inches.
These are the eight pages/signatures I made which of course finished up as four double sided pages. (click on pic. to see them close up) I used some of my rust dyed fabric for the background. When I stitched them together I inserted narrow lace all around the edge and beaded them, as can be seen in the picture above.
I made the cover from left over pieces of a previous experiment with lace, but of course to make room for the pages I inserted a half inch spine between the front and back. I haven't finished the edges of the cover yet, or decorated it in any way - I am waiting for my muse to give me a helping hand!

Monday 8 October 2007

Paint, lace and other stuff

I've been playing again with bits of lace, but added some fine netting, broderie anglaise, cheesecloth and gauze. The method used is similiar to the post I did on the 13th September, but the base is paper fabric I purchased from a florist shop. I am sending this piece to my friend who makes greeting cards, after having sliced off a small piece for a couple of ATCs!