WIP - Day 2

Maybe it's too early to say - but at the moment the jury is out in my mind.... can't say I'm overly enjoying the stitching at the moment. I'd used steam-a-seam to stick layers together and its tough getting the needle through it. Then again maybe its just getting too late at night for this type of stitching. Time will tell...

These are much more soothing to my eyes at the moment - you'll recognise the next one from my masthead.

Work In Progress - Day 1

I think I have mentioned before that I belong to a small group who make a journal sized quilt fortnightly as a challenge to ourselves to see what we can produce. Today I started my next piece so I thought I'd put something up each day on the progress for it - hopefully it won't be a complete disaster, cos if it is it'll be a rather public one! For my friends in the group who visit the blog (yes, I mean you Marilyn!) - you may want to tune out for the next few days so you can have a surprise on Monday...

The directions for the quilt were that the quilt had to be indigo and embellished. We agreed that the embellishment needed to be an integral part of the design of the quilt.

So this is the start of my piece.

It's feeling a bit to me like Rex Ray meets Andy Goldsworthy...

Something for Winter

It was such a perfect day today that you could have thought it wasn't winter at all, if it wasn't for the rose hips growing on the roses rather than flowers down at the Botanical Gardens. However it really has been pretty cold, especially at 8.15am on Saturday mornings when I am regularly found on an exposed netball court watching our daughter play. I've decided that what was really called for to more this more endurable during the wind and rain we seem to be regularly encountering was a new beanie. So here it is - modeled by a less than impressed boy. A Debbie Bliss pattern, sized for a 3-4 year old (not sure what this says about either the size of my head or my knitting), and some left over Debbie Bliss cashmerino arun. It feels great.
I think it will do the trick!

Linking texture to textiles

I was flicking through my photos and found some more texture shots I'd taken last year - these both came from LA and then I realised how nicely they linked to some textile pieces I'd done.

They are shapes that translate well into textile works and are fun to do.No doubt there will be more where these have come from in due course.

These slightly blurred images (sorry) are are Artist Trading Cards that I did using the shapes from the roots, which I ended up using as gift tags on presents last year. They were so fun and quick to do.

Fabulous Ironwork

I can't help it - my eye is just drawn to it. A combination of the line and, so often, the curves. Here are more favourites, from Melbourne...
and Napier - I nearly bought this, but couldn't work out how to carry it home without a car (my husband was so pleased!)
These were tempting too - another time I think...
And just to prove I can do something with textiles - here are completed curtains in son number two's room. I've also finished the curtain for son number one (you have to do things simultaneously when you have twins to avoid endless complaints and strife in the house) - so the only outstanding order now is from my daughter...

I am getting so sick of cutting denim!!! Probably time for a new cutting blade....

In the beginning

Yesterday I came across an absolute treasure in one of the local charity shops. I had scooped it up as another piece of denim to go into the unending curtains, checked the price ($3!!!) and saw that it had some writing on it, so decided to take it home for a closer look.

And when I did I discovered I had the myth creation story of Wellington printed onto the front of a strapless, fitted denim dress. It's a little hard to read in the photo - it says:

In the beginning

Taniwha Ngake, Whataitai

Carving the land

Te-Whanganui-a-Tara

This is the Maori legend of how Wellington and our beautiful harbour was created - Down the back of the dress is a cascade of silk - ruched and hand stitched. I can't imagine how it came to be in that Charity shop - perhaps it was a student textile project that the creator wasn't happy with. I will probably never know.

I feel like I have found a precious gift right at the beginning of Matariki - the Maori New Year.

It's all about Texture

So often when my camera finger is really itching it's for great texture shots which I snap to use as inspiration for a future stitching project. It means that our family photos are often an unusual mix of kids cavorting and interesting things I stumble across.
It's always the source of amusement to any non-stitching family and friends who happen upon a full set of our photos (or a slide show on the laptop).
So here are some of the texture shots that I took on a recent family holiday to LA - Universal Studios and Disneyland...
Not exactly your usual holiday shots - and I wouldn't have it any other way.