WIP Wednesday

Linking up with Sharon at Pintangle for WIP Wednesday. This may only be my second time linking up, but already I'm beginning to suspect this is a great motivator for progressing projects. I've already made more progress on this block in a week than I would usually achieve in two!

Procrastination does have its upside though since I much prefer to be in the middle of something rather than the beginning or end, and now that this block is finished, I'm forced to move onto the next. Bubbling away in my noodle is the thought that I should let the fabric take centre stage for a change. There will still be plenty of stitching but I think the texture should come from how I play with the fabric–that's the plan anyway!

I also need to lay everything out and see how the quilt is shaping up as a whole, rather than simply looking at it in fragments. I hope I like what I see!

Elizabeth,
x.

WIP or WIGSP…

For the first time, I'm linking up to Sharon at Pintangle, and her Work in Progress Wednesdays (although Work in Glacially Slow Progress would be more apt for my white quilt).

It's a great way to celebrate even the tiniest amount of progress, and can motivate us to pick up unfinished projects that have been languishing at the back of cupboards and bottom of sewing bags. I've decided to join in as it might help me inch along my white quilt, which is often pushed to one side, in favour of quicker fabric fixes.

However, this block has progressed somewhat since I last showed it; now 15 of the 24 squares in the grid have been worked. More of the rust dyed backing fabric has been revealed where I've snipped away some of the scrim, but I think I should be bolder and cut away even more–what do you think?

Sharon's blog includes some fantastic tutorials, while her dictionary of stitches is mind-bogglingly extensive–so well worth a visit!

Elizabeth,
x.

PS: Apologies for the gloomy photographs, it's very grey outside!

Threaditation…

Galvanised by all your lovely comments I got cracking on the next block for my white quilt. Again, this will be another slow burn, something I've no intention of rushing–a kind of 'thread meditation' as Queenie so aptly puts it–or threaditation as it could also be shortened to. Queenie's phrase perfectly describes how I feel about hand sewing, for me, freestyle embroidery is the ideal combination of quietness, thoughtfulness and creativity, while at the same time producing something I'll hopefully treasure.

I have to admit that I'm hopeless when it comes to attracting feedback (and leaving comments for that matter: alas well intended efforts have occasionally resulted in the wrong comment ending up on the wrong blog–doh). So instead I've come to see this blog as more of an online journal filled with makes and musings and not concern myself with stats–it's much safer that way! I accepted long ago that I'll never be an internet sensation, so any feedback (as long as it's not from online casinos and the like) is always gratefully appreciated.

Anyhow, back to the block. Over Christmas I did a little more rust dyeing. I experimented with various combinations of vinegar (white and red) lime juice, lemon juice and even apple, hoping for different effects. On some fabrics I used copper wire, on others steel wire as well as screws and paper clips. And the results…well, all pretty much the same although the white vinegar and copper wire did produce a very subtle greenish tinge, which was totally lost when I rinsed the fabric through. How come that never happens when I try to remove unwanted stains, why do they stay stubbornly in place?

I'm using one of the stronger pieces as a backing to some drawn and cut thread embroidery. My first challenge has been trying to photograph it in such a way that both the backing fabric and the scrim-like fabric are visible and don't merge into a muddy oneness.

It's a WIP, there's still
lots of
tidying up to do. 

Groovy baby! A 70s style
effect produced by placing the
embroidery hoop over a
table lamp.

The second, will be knowing when to stop, when to stop drawing the threads together and cutting away bits of fabric before the entire thing falls to pieces!

Elizabeth,

x.

A little bit of stitchery

I do like to have a slow project on the go, something that seems to have no end in sight and changes as I work on it. Intentional slowness, and changing the brief as takes my fancy are the antithesis of daily life which is all about schedules, deadlines and delivering what was agreed. I'm certainly not complaining–I like structure–but sometimes it's nice just to meander through the stitches, and freestyle embroidery is the perfect opportunity for that!

A while back I posted pictures of this block for my white quilt–which is very much a slow project (almost glacially so). At the time, I thought it was virtually finished but then changed my mind and decided it needed more embellishment. So I added some fern-like shapes but used a finer, darker thread as I wanted them to look as if they are in the distance. I also added more French knots, some whipped wheels, a daisy, a few more bits of lace, then outlined everything with kantha. Now that every possible area of this block is covered, I guess I'll have to let it go, stop tinkering and say it is most definitely finished and move on to the next one. Something combining rust dyeing and drawn thread perhaps?

Elizabeth,
x

Rust dyeing…

I had high hopes for this, and I'm sure that one day, it will make a great addition to my quilt. First, I need to figure out a way of removing those dratted nails from the fabric without ripping it, or shredding my fingers in the process!

Elizabeth,
x.

Finishes and half finishes

Linking up with Catherine at Knotted Cotton to celebrate slow bloggers everywhere.

top left: a chevron quilt
made to order
top right: some rust dyeing and shisha
work for my white quilt
bottom row: mitts on sticks, binding
and a half-finished skirt

The last month or so has been all about quilts. A chevron quilt made to order, plus a little more rust dyeing and shisha mirror work for my white quilt. Two half-finished makes include some fingerless mitts – still on their sticks, and a skirt, which really is taking far too long to complete!

What have you been working on?

Elizabeth,
x.

Rust dyeing

During a break from quilting to order, I've played around with something a little more personal instead. I've been meaning to do some rust dyeing for ages, after all, it doesn't require much in the way of equipment, it's easy and safe, and can be done on any scale*. Simply fold, wrap, sew or twist your fabric around bits of metal (old keys, paper clips, screws–virtually everything works), put them in a bowl filled 50/50 with water and vinegar–and wait…

A solution of water and red wine vinegar,
plus a bundle of cloth and screws.

After several hours, I removed the bundle, then left it in the air to dry for the oxidization process to take place. Much to my delight, and Patrick's consternation (he told me the screws wouldn't rust as they were stainless steel) my piece of plain white linen was transformed in to a patterned fabric.

Stainless steel will rust!

I like the almost Shibori effect, which was achieved by wrapping wire and string around the screws. And since I don't really have the facilities, or space at home, to do indigo dyeing, rust dyeing may well satisfy my need to personalise cloth before it is sewn into, until I find another local indigo dyeing workshop. I'm going to play around with other acidic solutions, maybe by using white vinegar or lemon juice instead of red wine vinegar, it would also be interesting to see how the technique works on different fabrics such as silk or netting. Substituting steel or iron for copper could also be interesting–perhaps the result would be a verdigris effect?

A little bit of shisha work
to brighten the fabric. 

I love this impression left by a screw head.

I've added a few shisha mirrors, for a bit of sparkle. I hope that by embroidering around them with white threads, this piece might just find its way into my white quilt, if not, I'm sure I'll find a use for it elsewhere.

Elizabeth,
x.

* I think this would be a perfect way to keep kids entertained during the holidays, there are no dangerous chemicals, it's fun, and best of all they see science taking place before their very eyes!