Bits and Pieces

Bits and pieces to use in my art are found every where. My wonderful friend Emanda brings me treasures from her Antique shop. These are from a dead cuckoo clock. I am not sure what I'll include these in but they'll go into something. Any suggestions?

Sari Silk stuff

More on the sari silk - I am still using the first of 6 hanks of sari silk ribbon I bought from the Thread Studio.
My goal is to see how many items I can make from one hank.
I am now making book covers from it. Here are 3 that are still Works in progress.

This is a section of the first piece (I need a better scanner).

For this one the ribbon was ironed flat then woven on my ironing board. Next a piece of vliesofix was ironed on. That's as far as this I have gone on this one.

This is a smaller piece - I wove the ironed ribbon, vliesofixed a piece of thin cotton onto the back and then went crazy with my flower stitcher (from The Thread Studio). I hand embroidered the section on the right with button hole circles, cast on roses, fly stitch leaves, french knots and stem stitch

 

This piece has the woven ironed ribbon. I backed it with aquabond and then tacked a piece of solvy on  top with the pattern for the paisley drawn on top. I then freehand machine embroidered on to it with a variegated purple thread. 

I didn't need to use the aquabond I should have just attached a piece of thin cotton with vliesofix. As I couldn't see what was happening between the layer of solvy and aquabond I ende up with some holes I now need to cover and I have to attach something onto the back to stabilise it. I am going to add some more embellishment to this before it is made into a book.

More to come and there is still quite a lot of the hank left.

Sari Silk and Alpaca

I am inspired by my decision to see how far a skein of sari silk ribbon will go. I have finished the beret and scarf that I started a few months ago.
I bought the alpaca in Victoria when we were there last year. It is from a black alpaca and was already spun when I got it. I crocheted the beret and scarf without a pattern so I can't share those. Ravelry has a lot of patterns both free and available to purchase.
For the beret I crocheted a circle starting with a ring and working out in double crochet and then 5 rows of treble chain mesh. When it looked big enough I reduced down to a hole that fit easily over my head then without reducing crocheted a band. Next I threaded the sari silk through the mesh. For the scarf I crocheted a chain about 1 meter long. Then some rows of double crochet. Then the 1 treble 1 chain mesh for 5 rows, repeated some more rows of double crochet reducing over the length then some more rows of double crochet until the yarn ran out. More sari silk ribbon threaded through.
This is in no way meant to be a pattern.

A Sari Silk Challenge

Firstly apologies for my lengthy absence. Work, study – I have been doing a professional writing course on line, my daughter’s wedding and a variety of other stuff have been in my way, including my own mood swings.

On to important things. Back in April I promised a draw for these. 

Gina and Jules if you send me your addresses I shall mail them to you. I will be handing one to Bronwyn (She is my daughter and lives up the street from me). They are scarf clips and I suppose you could use them in your hair too.

I am involved in an exhibition at T’Arts in October. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it T’Arts is a gallery in Adelaide that specialises in handcrafted art. Originally textile art but it has now diverged into other beautiful OOAK works.

For the pieces I am displaying, which will all be for sale, I am keen to use what I already have. To that end I am diving into the stash. Practically nothing will be overlooked. I make no promises as to what else I will buy but I’ll try to be strong. 

Here is my challenge to myself.

What and how much can you do with 1 skein of sari silk ribbon and stuff I already have. OK mostly stuff I already have.
This skein came from The Thread Studio, to be truthful I bought 6.

Stay tuned for what I make with this first skein.

If you'd like to join me in this challenge please do so. There shall be no prizes given but there will be a great sense of acheivement in actually using stuff from our stashes. Leave me a comment and we will take it from there.

Mixed Media Art

The class I did at Fibre Arts Ballarat was Mixed Media Art Books with Jen Crossley of A Mark in Time
Jen is a fantastic teacher and the 5 day class was so much fun I wished I could stay another week.
The class was for 2 books. A cloth spined photo book I haven't finished yet. I didn't want to rush this so I just worked on the pages, this is one of those pages. 

I bought the cabinet photo from an antique shop in Ballarat, the lace and glass buttons are from my collection, the little butterfly came from one of the traders at Ballarat Fibre Forum last year and the page is from Jen.

I have nearly finished the metal covered book, I added a concertina fold section for some art work in the back. I also want to add some more embellishments to the spine. I am planning to use this as part of an exhibition I am involved in later in the year.

I also bought one of Jen's books - for no other reason than I loved it.

I can highly recommend the Ballarat Fibre Arts organized by Glenys Mann. I have been going for 4 years and love every minute of it.

Home Again

We are home, as you may have guessed from the title. The Husband and I have been to Fibre Arts Australia at Ballarat. This is an annual expedition for me, first time for The Husband. A great time was had by all. Here's a teaser of just what I got up to.

Mix It Up at Yankalilla and possibly free hugs

Looking for something amazing to do at Easter? I know just the thing. There is an amazing exhibition and sale at Yankalilla. Well truthfully there are 2. One is the Annual Art Exhibition in the hall at the showgrounds. Beautiful traditional paintings type exhibition.
Next door in the little hall is the place to go. A group of amazingly talented local and sort of local mixed media artists will be having their annual exhibition and sale. Not to be missed.

I had plans for lots of things but didn't quite make as much as I wanted too. Here are some of the things I will have on sale. They were whiet short sleeved business shirts and a few T Shirts. I bought them all ready made and have hand dyed them, none have been worn.

and these thingeys that Greg made.

If you leave me a comment with what you think these are I shall send one to everyone who gives me a correct answer by 5pm on Friday 30th March (My time). (Little hint - They are not a hair slide)
For everyone else I shall have another draw and send one to the winner.
Winners selected on 16th April.
I am going to be at Yankalilla on Easter Saturday Morning. If you see me there and mention my blog I shall give you a hug for free.