Dyeing the Tree Cloths

I like the distinctive individual stained patterns on each of the Tree Cloths but I don't like the overall greyness. They don't look attractive.
Perhaps dyeing will help.
I torn off a sample from each Tree Cloth and scrumpled it in a tray, a la Claire Benn-Leslie Morgan dyeing technique.

Using Procion MX, I put in a layer of green brights.

2nd layer was green neutrals. Looking more interesting but not yet full of life.

I have also added to the dye batch 2 table cloths and some napkins to be able to compare results on a white base.
This is 1 of the table cloths with 2 layers.
I think they all now need an over dye. But what colour would tie all of that texture together?

Tree Wrapping

This is the Big-leaf Maple ...

and the Cedar....

and 15 months later here are both tree cloths washed and ironed, Maple (left), Cedar (right).

The Maple cloth has a lot of dark staining....

and the Cedar less but in the damp dark under the tree it rotted more than the other cloths.
Now I have to decide what to do next with the cloths.

Tree Cloths

Big day yesterday. 15 months ago i wrapped 4 trees in a length of unbleached calico and left them to experience a full cycle of seasons.
This is the Arbutus.

Douglas-fir

Here are the 2 cloths washed and ironed.
The Arbutus cloth on the left has much more staining but is rotten in more places than the Douglas-fir cloth on the right.

Arbutus cloth has circles of black staining in lines following the creases of the cloth.

Douglas-fir cloth is grey with all over staining and has green moss stains. The staining marks are more flowing.

Triage Centre in the Garden

Here on Vancouver Island it has been a long winter. The deer are hungry and looking for a tonic for their stomachs. They have been gnawing on the bark of our Indian Plum, so much so I was concerned about the tree's welfare.

My solution was to set up a triage station around the tree while I sewed, pinned and tied hand embroidered table cloths around the damage trunks.

The cloths were made to be sacrificed while protecting tables, now I am sacrificing them to protect living wood.

Hopefully, this will deter the deer and they will look for something else to eat.

Moon-Sun-Earth-Water

I received this wonderful image from my yoga teacher today.

Thank you for sharing, Livia.

It shows the sun setting over the North Pole when the moon is very close to the earth.

Beautiful.

VCA Lower Studio In Action

Have you ever seen such focus and awareness in a group studio?
Visitors often comment on the lovely atmosphere in the room?
The feeling is generated by the students who focus and work hard on each assignment while at the same time they are aware of others and respond with co-operation and support.

The central tables are where the students work and talk together. Each student can choose a marked off space when they want to work a the big tables.
We gather around the central table for Circle Time ( demos, group critiques, going through assignments, sharing of information).
Around the perimeter of the room each student has a table, which is their quiet place. They can work quietly on their own knowing they will will only occasionally be politely interrupted by others.
To the bottom right I have a table where I do one-on-one critiques. This is a most enjoyable part of the day because I make the time to see each student's work close up and they can talk to me about it.
Outside the room is the ironing table, light table, and spray area. The wet room is off to the right as is the bathroom and storage.
So this is where it all happens.

My New Quilt

My friend Carol made me a quilt!
It is a very special quilt because usually Carol makes her quilts for babies who have to spend time in hospital and she makes them for her family.
They are made from previously worn cotton velour clothing she finds all over the city.
She cuts them up and with her painterly eye she transforms them into works of art.
My quilt was inspired by a Mark Rothko painting, a painter whose work Carol knows I admire.

There is a surprise on the back - a Marimekko fabric to make a perfect match.
I feel honoured Carol gave me a piece of her treasured Finnish fabric from her collection.

A close up to show the elegant simplicity and genius of a Marimekko design.

Oops! This a poor image of the Rothko painting that inspired the quilt - and I have posted it lying on its side.
Mark would not be happy. In fact he was not happy with the way the original owners of the painting planned to display it either. This is just a 'sketch' of the real thing but he never made the painting because the owners of the hotel were going to hang it in a dinning room. Mark couldn't bare the thought of people eating in the presence of his work so he withdrew from the commission.
What would he think of it as a cosy quilt?

Thank you Carol.

More Portraits and Flowers

Here are some more of the portraits and flower drawings my Mark Making With Machine students did last week.
Each drawing is full of character -both the sitter and the sewer's personality comes through the quality of the marks made.

Drawing With Sewing Machine

At the beginning of my Mark Making with Machine course a number of students said wanted to learn how to draw with their machines. Last lesson we spent the afternoon drawing.

First they traced a flower to get the feel for making a line.

Next they made several drawings of the flower they each brought to class.

Then they turned their sewing tables to face each other in pairs and spent the rest of the afternoon drawing portraits.

Didn't they all do such a great job!!

ravenmade's books | LibraryThing

ravenmade's books | LibraryThing

Here is something to do in your spare time - catalogue all of your books.

A friend who is moving her library to her new studio put me onto this web-base program that actually does make a quick job of a mammoth task (if you have as many books as I have).

Of course it is a no-brain thing to do when one doesn't have the energy to do anything else or when one should be doing something else.

I made a random start on entering my library but now I have to think through as to how such a catalogue would be useful for my work.

One thought is it may perhaps stop me from buying duplicates of the same book - known to happen occasionally.

I do like the pretty list of covers it assembles.

More Student Work at Victoria College of Art

More Strip Piecing

Each person started with white fabric they then dyed and stamped before cutting into strips.

Once they had made the ground they embellished it with hand and machine stitched dots, lines and shapes.

Strip Piecing Project

My Mark Making With Machine class at Victoria College of Art had a great showing of their work in the studio this week.
The project was to use their dyed and printed fabrics to make a ground in their own colour palette.

It was called, 'The Project of One Thousand Decisions' because every step of the way they had to stop and make a conscious decision about how they would proceed.

It was so interesting to see how each textile was so different and reflected each owner's style when working with textile and stitch.

It was a rewarding project when class members were able to learn from others' results as well as their own.