Block Printing

I'm writing an article for Online Quilt Magazine on Simple Printing methods - I needed a couple more photos so had a quick print session in my studio today. The top part of this print is done with a scored polystyrene tray and a square block of polystyrene. The bottom part is done with the block shown, made from hair elastics glued to a wooden block. After I washed the block, I overprinted with the wet block which gave an interesting effect. The larger purple circles were done with a slice of pool noodle. It was great to get back into the studio.

I've also updated the Designing Women blog after out May meeting so I'd love for you to visit.
Thank you for all the nice comments on my quilt in the last post - I was happy with how it turned out but unsure how other people would see it.

My DH is home from a few days in hospital and they seem to have sorted out his problems this time (fingers crossed) He is also going to have a series of treatments in a hyperbaric chamber which forces oxygen into the body cells and helps with healing.

And I have nice new purple glasses so my computer screen is looking bigger and brighter!

Something new

Blue and Green Should Never be Seen... 45cms x 75cms.

Strictly speaking, this isn't really new - it was pieced more than a year ago but yesterday I finished the quilting and binding. I had a small collection of hand printed and dyed scraps left over from a series of work on the theme of suburban gardens and I wanted to see if I could make the colours work in a quilt. I would really welcome any constructive comments.

In case you're wondering, the insects are aphids.

This is actually the first traditional quilt binding I've done. There are quite a few other quilt tops also waiting to be finished. As well this week, I've got my 2 entries for Quiltwest finished with labels, hanging sleeves and bags.

detail

Thermofax screen frames and May BOM done

I've read some discussions recently about using thermofax screens without a frame. I don't generally do that because it is just so much easier to use with a frame - I find I'm much more likely to make a mess if I don't.

Of course you can order them without the frame if you prefer.

But I often make my own frames. On the left is an A5 commercial frame which works well, but they only come in 2 sizes. For the small design on the right, I made a frame cut from the heaviest weight clear plastic sheeting. It lies nice and flat and is thick enough to form an edge around the design area. I attach the screen mesh in the same way with double sided tape then I tape around the printing area including the edge of the frame on both sides with clear packing tape - you could use the silver duct tape but I like my screen to be see through.

Other materials you can use to make frames: 

strong cardboard, which needs to be sealed with acrylic paint and taped all over on both sides to make it water resistant.

Plastic place mats or thin kitchen cutting mats from the $2 shops.

I've also shown some of the tools that can be used for the squeegee - I find the bowl scraper ($2.99 from a kitchen shop) works really well. The one pictured can be used on the narrow sides too which makes it more versatile. Other scrapers like the white one shown are good too. I find plastic loyalty cards are a bit small and light but they are good for very small designs. A normal squeegee is too heavy, but there are some lighter ones which are great. The sponge roller works well if you want a lighter feathered edged print - great as another layer over a previous print. I have not tried a sponge brush but I know some people like them - I've read that you can cut off the tip to make them firmer.

I've been sick the past few days - still recovering but I did manage to get the May Craftsy BOM done and I've made a start on last month's English paper piecing (below) all tacked on their papers, supplied by Liz, and ready to sew together.

Lovely rain today and yesterday - the garden is enjoying it - so are the weeds! 

Back to my blog

 I've been neglecting my blog - busy with family and doing things that

don't take too much thought, like the piece above which is made from leftover strips of quilt fabric, stitched with built in patterns and couched with yarns using my new sewing machine (below) The Brother QC 2000 has taken a bit of getting used to but I'm liking it. It does a lot of things better than my Viking Designer1, although there are still things I like with both of my old machines.

 

I'm also doing some quilting and even managed some dressmaking this week - finished a top that I'm happy with. This month's BOM is done with English paper piecing - I have everything ready but have not actually started yet. I'm not one for hand sewing but I think it will be nice to have something to take along and do.

Do check out the Designing Women blog - I did a post after our April meeting with lots to look at and other members are beginning to post too - wich is great.

DH is having further problems with his health - several trips to Emergency in the past 2 weeks. 

Happy Easter

   This is the KL bag from the workshop  a few weeks ago. Kaye adapted it from a style she saw in KL - apparently popular with the young night clubbers. The wrap around handles make it a more secure bag. I think if I made it again, I would line the handles.

postcard

  Not much work happening lately, I've been painting walls instead of fabric. I have made another bag which I haven't photographed yet and have been working on the DW red challenge. See the DW blog for my first piece.

Sewing

A week or so ago our local branch of the Australian Sewing Guild ran a bag making workshop with Kay Platts.
We had a fun day and came away with a few interesting patterns & techniques to try as well as the bag we worked on in the workshop - mine above. My daughter said it looks a bit country - a bootscooting bag? Unfortunately, I think she's right! I'm doing another one in blues & purples.

This quilted book cover was finished today, mostly done on my new sewing machine. The challenge with this was to use some really bad fabric. I've been buying some scrap bags of quilting fabric which are great value but there are always a few pieces that I hate. I did some free form piecing for the background, then added the embroidered denim square which I did years ago - it's finally found a place. Opened out cover below - the light is better on this pic.

Below: Marigolds flowering in our garden

Sculpture by the Sea 2012

This week has been slightly cooler so we finally went to see Sculpture by the Sea at Cottesloe beach. As always it was a fantastic event to visit and we had a great day out with a delicious lunch of Barramundi at the OBH too. Here are some of the photos I took. Above: by Toshio Iezumi

The exhibition finishes this weekend.

I was intrigued by this work by WA artist: Anne Walmsley - it's made from wool blankets, squashed into cubes.

The red boy: childhood - morning by Chen Wenling was shockingly stolen last night. It is made of solid aluminium but was broken off at the ankles and removed - such a pity - it was a beautiful sculpture and now it's ruined by some mindless idiot criminal.

The Yearning by Margarita Sampson. There were many more of these in little groups around the rocks as well as some knitted creations.

just another conversation by Robin Yakinthou

Ship of Fools by Deborah Halpern

Journal quilts, a bag, BOM

I finally finished my 4 12 x 12" journal quilts - they have to be in Canberra next Friday so I'm cutting it a bit fine but they should get there on time. Above is 'Moroccan Mosaic' detail below.

'Kiwi Greens' which I showed before. I've added some beads and french knots to indicate moss - its still subtle but as it's a small quilt it doesn't have to work from a distance so I think it's OK. detail following.

I finished this bag made with some of the fabrics (a scrap bundle) I bought in Japan.

And finally the Craftsy BOM for March. I'm happy with the way this turned out - its the right size - pink only just! and was enjoyable to make.

Thanks for advice on sewing machines - I've ordered the Brother - will get it next week. I liked the Juki but the Brother had more features and accessories and extra feet etc are cheaper. The only downside is that it is quite a large machine so won't be so good to take places but I did get a free trolley bag with it. Blackmore & Roy, where I bought it, were very helpful and have a full servicing on site and free lessons which I'll need because I've never used a Brother.

The winner is...

Well, we did the draw for my giveaway tonight. I wrote all the names on pieces of paper put them in a container and my husband drew out Joy V's name - congratulations Joy. The fabric below was printed with the thermofax screen design which is part of the prize package.

Thank you to everyone who commented - I do enjoy reading them and being part of the community of textile bloggers.

I've nearly finished my 4 12 x12 different country quilts. I'll post pics before I send them off.

Tomorrow I'm going to test drive a Juki Exceed HZL-500. I've been looking at buying a new sewing machine for a while - had decided to buy a Pfaff Quilt Expression 4 but when I tried it on the type of sewing I need it to do (free motion stitching on lumpy, thick, uneven surfaces) I wasn't convinced.

My dealer suggested I try the Brother QC-2000 which I was very impressed with but was a little concerned it wouldn't be strong enough so I continued looking. I've heard great reports of both machines so it may be difficult to decide.

Araluen

Last Sunday daughter Renee came up and we decided to visit Araluen, a park not far from where we live. These are a few of the photos I took there. The waterlilies were gorgeous.

So were these - I momentarily can't remember what they're called!

The bush looked a bit dry but the creek was still running.

There is still time to enter my giveaway - it's drawn on Monday. Details in a previous post.

New work

I've got to get 4 12" x 12" quilts finished very soon for the Aust/NZ Art Quilt Yahoo group. The theme is other countries - this one is New Zealand, inspired by it's greenness and lush ferns. I've finished Japan, Brazil and well on the way to getting Morocco done. The group is having an exhibit at the Melbourne Quilt and Craft fair.

While I'm happy with this, I think it may need something extra - its a bit the same all over - what do you think?

The yellow cotton fabric has leaf and gelatine prints the green/blue border fabric is sunprinted on silk.

Work in progress: Monoprinted with thickened Procion Dyes. I intend to give this a little more complexity with some more layers but sticking to the squares design.

This is better than it looks in the pic, it was a fat quarter of commercial novelty quilt fabric. It had little fluorescent orange bugs with green shoes and white googly eyes - one under each spot. No, I didn't choose it - it was in a bundle I bought.

I knew I'd never use it, so I altered it by stencilling the spots and then using some plastic lace to print the background with metallic copper textile paint.

Don't forget my give-away if you haven't already entered - details in the previous post.

Finally, a warm welcome to my new followers.

Catching up & a new blog started

My blog has been a little neglected recently. There have been a few things happening - first, I've finally started the blog for Designing Women (a textile group I'm a member of). Its early days but I hope it will have regular posts, member profiles, lots of pics and information to share. It is a big year for us because our next exhibition will be this November, so there should be lots of activity leading up to that. Visitors and comments are very welcome - click on the link.

The small quilt (55 x 38cms) above was finished Saturday. The pattern was from Workshop on the Web quite a while ago. I thought it would be good to do to learn some new techniques and use up some of my hand dyed scraps - I was pleased with how it turned out - slightly different to the pattern. I've also started a patchwork cot quilt which will be a gift for someone.

Give Away: It's still happening but I've decided to postpone the draw 2 weeks until Monday 5th March because there have not been many comments yet - please feel free to spread the word - if you post a link and let me know, I'll give you another entry. The winner will receive a small thermofax screen, a collage pack of some of my fabric peices - colour co-ordinated and more than enough for a book cover or small collage and a surprise pack.

My DD brought me these gorgeous roses as a surprise because she said she knew DH wouldn't remember Valentine's Day. She was right but he did spend most of the day making shelves for a wardrobe in a spare bedroom so I could keep my collection of quilt fabrics in order.

I've now sorted them into colours got them nicely organised - just need to get my sewing room done now!

This is my new computer and desk in the dining room. We had a big table there but it belongs to my other DD who is now renting in Perth so she took it back. We didn't use the area much as a dining room so we bought a smaller table which I use as a cutting table and the desk.

I wanted to keep my old computer because of my sewing machine software and also my machine uses floppy disks. I don't use the digitised sewing designs very often but may as well keep it going as long as possible. I bought a new printer too but it's gone back back to get fixed.

We've had a few issues with technology lately.

Feb BOM, more quilting & a Giveaway

Above: using scraps - I had a lot of pieced trimmings from another project so put them together in a log cabin design. This will grow as I haven't finished the cutting yet. It might make a background for something.

Below: my Feb blocks. Doing these has made me sure I'll never be a traditional quilter! (I was sure before actually) The left one wasn't too bad but the right one turned out 1/4 inch too small. I'm not going to do it again at this stage, maybe when it comes time to put them all together, I might get enthusiastic and redo it. The dark pink central shapes are not as dark as the pic shows.

My entry for Beneath the Southern Sky 'The Garden in a Dry Climate' was not accepted so I can post the pics. I was worried my photo may not have been good enough but apparently it was acceptable and met the requirements. They felt my quilt didn't fit with the others, which I understand. I printed the fabric using a photographic screen - its a repeat print which I've cut a section from. I added 3 appliques and free machine quilted it. It has wadding and a backing.

Detail below:

It seems I now have 200 followers - thanks all! So I'll have a giveaway - stay tuned for details. I'll keep it open until Feb 23rd and everyone who leaves a comment will be entered.