There be dragons and sea creatures this way

We had a few days away last week over the hill from Wellington, in the Wairarapa. Our timing could not have been better. Even through the weather was less than spring like, the Greytown Arts festival was in full swing giving us plenty to look at and to stow away for inspiration.

The highlight for us was the Great Tape Art project which Erica Duthie and Straun Ashby worked on steadily over the weekend. The created a fabulous mural on the side of the supermarket, all from blue builders tape. Do have a look at their website to see some of the other wonderful murals they have created.

We paid it several visits over the weekend so we could see it developing. They did life size portraits of a number of the local residents, telling their stories.

 
It was magical.

And then, with some sadness, we helped take it down at the end of the weekend. Of course our lads found this to be a particular highlight.

Over at the church fair we came across this wonderful creation - the Cinema for the Poor. Wonderful pictures were wound through telling tall tales of adventurous lives on the high seas.

All overseen by an angel - "On the last day the trumpet shall sound and forgotten souls shall rise up from their graves and tell their never heard before stories"

It was magical.

Unsurprisingly I was also rather impressed by these rusted feathers on a very large moa in the main street of Greytown

and by the paint on the front door of the house we stayed at in Martinbourgh. I'm sure the owners plan to paint it but I loved it just as it was.

There's nothing like a few days away to bring a spring to the step!

Slowly, slowly makes the Quilt

I've never claimed to be a quick quilt maker and it's just as well really as this quilt is taking its time to find its voice. However, I am cautiously optimistic that I am getting there.

I now have four panels for the front. I was particularly pleased with the striped silk kimono fabric that I found for the sashing. it wasn't in my favourite $5 bin at Asia Gallery but was worth splashing out for.

Then I moved onto the back. More kimono fabrics and all from the thin strips rather than the full width. 

I like the softness of the colours on the back compared to the front.

 

I'm planning to quilt it in the four panels and then join them with vertical sashing. I've never used the "quilt as you go" technique before but thought that it was perfect for this quilt as it is rather large. This weekend it will be pinning up the quilt panels. Hopefully I'll even get some stitches into it.

Of course, this will undoubtedly take me some more time....



Back to the Studio

So the excitement of the exhibition is sadly now just a memory. It finished last Sunday - its always a little sad to see everything come down. For those of you who didn't make it.... here's a last couple of views....

 

 

 

 

The exhibition has given me a real push back into the studio to keep working on my Kimono Crosses. I've a rethink and am now working on a more traditional nine patch variation layout, with some patches blue and some red.

It's coming along and I'm feeling happier with it all the time. Thanks for the feedback - it was really helpful and just what I needed.

I'll keep you posted!