Sunday, September 28, 2008

I’ve been dyeing fabric this weekend for a project I want to work on using Jane Dunnewolds method of folding and wrapping with elastic bands. These pieces are all about 1.5 metres square and were dyed in black Procion dye. I think the next thing on my list is an Indigo vat and I shall definitely be calling on Neki if I do, she’s a master of Indigo dyeing.This weird looking close up shows the variations in colour where the fabric is folded, lovely grey/green colours.And you can see where this ‘leaf’ shape repeated itself along one side – bet I couldn’t do that again if I tried!I put a piece of folded heavy canvas in the same dye bath and used it to cover these box canvas frames. I’ve got some ideas on what I want to happen with these so will try them out next weekend. Its amazing how they look more indigo than black and its not just the photo either.I also used a piece of this for this months Calendar Girls postcard – a bit of a Japanese influence on this one.
This is the uninspiring picture we had to work on this month. Take a look at the other Calendar Girls postcards and see some of the wonderful interpretations they have come up with.Firstly, I coated the fabric with Polymer Medium.I wanted to use the Japanese symbol, a Kanji, for the word friendship and Google found me this.I printed it out on dressmaking pattern tissue in red ink using a laserjet printer, cut a postcard template so I could postion it correctly and used the Polymer Medium to fix it to the fabric.The fabric was laid on a piece of Pelmet Vilene then the symbol was stitched round in black thread.
I did this first as I wanted to work out where the rest of the lines of stitching would go. I marked these on the pelmet Vilene and stitched them in black thread.I cut and pasted the row of single flowers from the picture and used the photocopy filter to get an outline which was then traced onto Stitch ‘n’ Tear paper using a Light Box.I placed the tracing in the correct position and stitched around the flowers in red thread.Once stitched I removed the paper. Another two coats of Polymer Medium were put on top before fixing the piece to watercolour paper. I then used a couple of rows of zig-zag stitch around the edge to finish off.This months card will be on its way to Susan.

I made a start on the first exercise in the book ‘Find Your Own Visual Language‘. I set the timer for an hour and off I went. The idea was to choose a shape, cut it out in card then cut it into pieces and rearrange it to resemble the original shape, not adding anything and not taking anything away. This is first of the pages from this exercise - very cautious. :)You can see I got a bit carried away here, not quite sticking to the instructions, but luckily the buzzer went off – thats when I stopped. I found it a very absorbing exercise.I will post the rest of the work on the Finyovislan blog during the week. I should have mentioned last week that if anyone wants to join in with us just drop Wendy an email or a comment and she will sort you out. Exercise 2 in the book, which I shall start on next week, is cutting designs from erasers.

Also managed to do my screen printing for the Dye Hard Surfacing group this weekend. I used freezer paper to cut the designs from which I then ironed on to the screen. I used Jacquard Lumiere paints in Gold,Crimson and Metallic Rust - a fabulous colour - on Silk Noil and a polyester fabric. Some turned out well and some not so well. I would like to try a different method of screen printing in place of the freezer paper as it only lasts for a few prints. The swap is for eight fat quarters. I made the mistake of cutting the fabric into fat quarters before printing, I think it would have been better to have worked on a much larger piece and then cut it down. And I could do with more than one screen too!Not related to textiles now, but we have this Passion flower growing against one wall. Started off as a very small cutting we bought with us when we moved here four years ago and it has now grown up one side of an eight foot wall and right down the other side – we have to keep cutting it back to keep it under control. The flowers and fruit are really beautiful.But what I wondered if anyone knew is, can you eat/cook the fruit? And if yes, then any ideas how?

28 comments:

Gina said...

Very productive as always Lynda! I like your interpretation of the Calendar Girls theme - not an easy one.

Vicki W said...

Once again another great round up of techniques and samples! Love the postcard!

Carol said...

Lovely! Welldone on lovely work.

Wendy said...

The close up photo of your dyeing (second pic) has a very definate image of a King Charles Spaniel looking out. Very spooky. Bet you can't repeat that :)

Cate Rose said...

Gorgeous stuff, Lynda! Which Procion black did you use? I'm just getting started with fiber reactives (have been deeply into acid dyes for years), and shiboried a small piece last week to use for the back of a small quilt, using Jet Black, and it looks like medium blue indigo. I think I'll try all the blacks but I'm wondering what you used here.
Please email me off-blog, connierose0218@sbcglobal.net.
Thanks!

Sandy said...

Love the postcard and all your samples. The exercises look interesting. Maybe you can google the fruit to find your answer.

Sophie said...

Wow! you have been productive!! I love the indigo effect that you got from the black dyes. I find a true black is very difficult to get with procion - it's either green black or blue black.

I really like your postcard - thank you for sharing how you did it. I really enjoy reading your posts because it's the how that I'm really interested in and I like to see how ideas and end products can evolve...

If the passion flower is the same as the passionfruit the fruits are yumm! but i'm not an expert so don't take my word for it ;)

Unknown said...

1. love your exercises.
2.love your japanese card(jealous that im not getting it) :)
3. ahh! friendship!wish i'd be the indigo master you say
4.gosh you're lucky!take it from a tropical girl. passion fruit is deliciously acid and yummy. will send you a recipe.
5. black dye tends to halo(separate) as it's a mix of different dyes with different strike rates.

neki desu

Hilary Metcalf said...

Hi Linda - you most certainly can eat passionfruit - a great Australian addition to summer fruit salads and to top pavlovas. Yours looks orange - not sure what type they are. The common Ozzie ones are a beautiful purple - best eaten when the skin goes slightly wrinkly - cut open and scoop out the orangey inside, peppered with black seeds - the perfume is heavenly. You can make a passionfruit equivalent of lemon curd, or use it in sorbets or ice cream - or in icing for shortbreads- or just spooned over good vanilla ice cream - or sandwiched in a sponge with whipped cream - I think you get the idea!!

Looking forward to taking the workshop - cheers
Hilary in Australia

Alis Clair said...

Such a busy lady, you put me to shame.

I love the patterns you created with the dyeing and rubber bands.

The postcard worked out just great too.

Great patterns in your sketch book, looking forward to seeing your carvings.

The screen printing is wonderful and to top it all off great photos or the passion flower.

I have to go and lie down now but you did great!!!

Anonymous said...

Yes you can eat the passionfruit and flowers. I have this wonderfull book by E.de Lestrieux with beautifull foto's and recipies as well, called: taste of flowers.
She makes a "passion-pudding and decorates it with the sugared flowers.
Enjoy!!!!

Doreen G said...

Another great weekend of creating I see--I love the canvas box things.
Like others have said you can eat the passionfruit--very yummy.
As a child I used to eat these off the bush much to my mothers annoyance.
Take notice of what Hilary has said as she just lives a short distance from me.

Maggie Grey said...

Not sure that the passionfruit that you get in Oz is the same variety. We have this one, too and I've always been told that the fruit is poisonous. I'd love to hear differently as our is prolific too, but we can't afford to lose you, Linda!

Françoise said...

You've been busy!
Your dyed and printed fabrics are beautiful.
And I love the card you made.

sharon young said...

Love this month's PC for the CG challenge, sooo..... different!!
Your dye samples look super and I adore what you're coming up with on the screen printing.
I've been doing something very similar to your B&W exercises so was very interested to see what you came up with.
Many thanks for sharing your experiments , it made a lovely exciting post.

Shirley Anne Sherris said...

How busy is this??? And you say I am prolific - no contest here.
I like the blue that comes from dying with black. I have always mixed some black with blue to get this dark blue but no need - just use black!!
Will we see what all this fabric is for????
Cheers

Val said...

Wonderful post again Lynda - thanks so much for sharing. All very inspirational. I do hope your Workshops go well - I'm sure they will.
I'm not sure, but I think those fruits are the seed pods to grow more flowers - I've never known them to ripen enough to eat them as those oval brown furry things that you peel to reveal gorgeous green sweet fruit.........

Tiggy Rawling said...

Hi there - your shibori fabric is super. Working with Procion black is such a hit and miss affair. The addition of the symbol for Friendship brilliant, and I love the flowers.

Do have a go at indigo, not difficult, you just have to have the weather - this was not a good year. Indigo vat insulated in a black bin bag with newspaper lining seems to have been the order of the day. I love it, so magical. The reactions of students when they first use the vat is priceless. There is always one question, and the answer is no!

dot said...

Hi there
The folded dyeing is lovely Lynda, wonderful shapes and patterns. I use greaseproof paper for screen printing which adheres itself to the screen by the paint/ink as you make the first print and lasts for many, many prints.

Corryna said...

I love the fabrics you dyed. I can see a part of a face in the one with the red Japanese word on it. Lovely!

Debbi Baker said...

All fabulous Lynda!! I am very late reading this post - time has really got away from me recently. The screen printing results are lovely and the indigo is so beautiful. Really looking forward to the upcoming workshops!!

Becky Mairi Farrell said...

Wow you've been busy. I love what you did with the Calendar Girls piece, what a transformation from such an unpromising source. I never would have thought of dying canvas but want to now.

Unknown said...

As usual, your work and enthusiasm leave me breathless! So much so that I'm passing on an award to you! See my blog for the details.
Hugs! Gail

Digitalgran said...

Very inspiring as usual Lynda. I'm going to email Wendy now as I also have that book. How I'm going to keep up I don't know! But I already have the book and I'd lovr to work through it.

Kenning Stone said...

What an interesting blog you have here. And the artwork is beautiful. I especially love the 'Japanese' piece.

Our Hands For Hope said...

I loved seeing all the fiber art. Great and informative blog.
Terisa

Anonymous said...

Great post - I love the covered box frames
Karen

t said...

What a fantastic blog this is. I love it.