Watery waves: TAST 39-52

At last I have some time, so I am trying to catch up with all the TAST stitches within the year!! I am hoping to just creep in under the wire. This sampler is inspired by the coast and waves and is on a postcard sized piece of monoprinted paper that I made a while ago.
The stitches left to right are:
Reversed buttonhole bar, Berry, Spanish Zigzag Knotted, Pekinese, Thorn, French Knots, Pistil, Drizzle, Twisted Satin, Linked Double Chain, Spanish Feather, Knotted Cable Chain and Scroll stitches.
Again all were new to me, so I just tried to learn how to do the basic stitch. Maybe next year I can explore what else can be done with them and to push the boundaries a bit. I may do it as part of the Take it Further Challenge with Sharon B of In a Minute Ago.


This one shows a close up of pistil and drizzle stitches - they are great fun and for texture, so I will definately be using them again somewhere.

Below are a couple more close ups. This challenge has been so much fun and I am looking forward to next year too. I still have a few stitches I have skipped and will try to catch up with them before the year is up! 46 down: 6 to go!!

As usual, life is in the time of pre-Christmas holiday madness. I am really looking forward to time off and starting the new year with a new challenge.

Long ago I realised that new year's resolutions were not for me - I usually last until the 3rd week in January! But this year I am looking forward to replacing Take A Stitch Tuesday (TAST) with Take It Further , Sharon B's new challenge. This time it is a monthly themed design challenge with weekly reports of progress.

I've a few TAST stitches yet to post and it is week 50 (already?!). But I will finish them at some point soon!

The photo is of tree bark from Darwin Botanical Garden earlier this year. Just an amazing texture...

I'm still here...but look where I've been

Desert Oaks near Alice Springs.

Uluru (Ayr's Rock)

Red Centre landscape near Uluru.

View from the rim walk at Ormiston Gorge.

Wow! Is it really that long since I last wrote in this blog.

Life has taken over...a new job, a trip away and my Mum came to stay for 3 weeks - all ended up with me getting very distracted by life.


I was all set to photograph my recent TAST stitches at the weekend - only to find that my camera has died - I need to get it to the camera shop to find out if they can fix it. E18 apparently and some horrible clunking noises - the shutter won't open. Sigh....I feel as if I have lost a limb.


So I thought I'd pick something from my last trip away - to the Red Centre in October (Alice Springs and its surrounding area). What a beautiful, spectacular, spiritual place. I feel honoured to be able to visit. Obviously I took hundreds of photos ;-) , and this is just a taster. I'll include a few more in my next post and hopefully some TAST stitches too.

For the record I have now a sampler that includes: reversed buttonhole band, linked double chain, twisted satin stitch, zigzag spanish knotted stitch and pekinese. So I am there with you all, hanging on by the coat-tails as we come into the final few weeks!

knotted buttonhole chain

I'm not sure why but this stitch makes me think of ancient jewellery and archaeological digs - maybe Celtic bands. So the sample had to be in rich opulent colours and the "chain" had to be gold. I feel I want to add more stitching to this. I'm just not sure how or what yet...but it will come to me.
I had a great day at my art class yesterday. We did assemblage and I'm really pleased with what I did...a little treasure chest. I'll take some photos and post soon.
I started a new job today and we are off on holiday to Alice Springs and Ayr's Rock (Uluru) at the weekend - so life I'm definitely living life to the full. We have booked a 4WD campervan - I'm so looking forward to experiencing desert and wilderness. The skies are supposed to be amazing...
Then my Mum is coming to visit from the UK for 3 weeks, which will be wonderful. I'll do my best to keep up with TAST - it is a way of life at the moment!!

Cross Rice Boss

Just a quick post today. I enjoyed doing this week's TAST stitches - but it was very time consuming!

It's hard to believe that we are in week 38 this week...and I'm still going. I'm really enjoying the weekly challenge and almost keeping up. I've skipped a few stitches and still plan to catch up with them sometime soon. Those I have skipped are: cretan, crossed buttonhole, crested chain, shisha (to get the hang of it!) and this week's stitch, which is knotted buttonhole band.

Rockpool swirls

This is the picture of the amazing rockpool I saw near Port Stephens in New South Wales - north of Sydney.

Don't the colours and shapes sing! I love the way the seaweed floats to the surface and the shapes of the seaweed echo the sea-snail trails on the orange sandstone. You can feel the movement of the wind and water just by looking at it.

Wouldn't it make an amazing embroidery?!

Cable Chain Seaweed

As soon as Sharon B suggested this cable chain for this week's TAST challenge, I thought of seaweed. You know, that one that bursts when you stand on it on the beach. As a kid it was a regular beach activity, along with rock-pooling and building sandcastles. I like to think of it as an old fashioned version of the bubble wrap! In England there is one called bladder wrack (great name isn't it?). There seem to be lots of different types - the ones when I was growing up were muted green and browns.

I found a fantastic set of rock pools last year near Port Stephens in New South Wales, just up the coast from Sydney that would make an intriguing embroidery. I'll put the picture in the next post to do it justice!

I have always loved rock pools and still they are my favourite thing at the beach - only now I take my camera. I can spend hours looking into them to see what is caught by the tide and hiding in a corner. A whole world in a pool of water...

Shishas, Scrolls and Portugese Stems

I really enjoyed scroll stitch and portugese stem. Once you get the hang of them you could go for miles! They make lovely textured lines and I could see them being used in a thicker thread for some realy punchy height. Top picture - on handprinted calico.

The shisha stitch is one I have wanted to learn for ages. So I was delighted when Sharon B (InAMinuteAgo) made it the TAST stitch of the week. My first feeble effort is shown above. I will have another go and hopefully have more success. It is on a base of free machine embroidery over threads, sari yarn and fabric snips (which were originally on soluble fabric).

I'm looking forward to next week already!

Catching up with life...Starry Doodle Cloth

Where is the time going? Have I said that before?!

The new job is going fine - but I am struggling to keep up with my creative hobbies.

So I am multiplying stitches for TAST. I like the idea of a doodle-cloth and have done a starry one to learn single stitches. I may add to it, if I think other stitches will work in a star shape.

So this one has basque stitch, wheatsheaf stitch, lazy daisy, half chevron and some cross stitch variations...

I just love orange and turquoise together!

Rocky Inspirations - the whole piece

This is the full piece. I was thinking of rocky textures, of lichen, moss and rock surfaces. Hopefully, this piece has that feel.

I couldn't have done this without learning the TAST stitches - most are new to me each week and I am enjoying the ride. For this I used a variety of TAST stitches so far: french knots, bullion knots, arrowhead, long and short stitch, cast on stitch, buttonhole wheels, wheat sheaf stitch and a few others...the details are in the pictures in previous entries.

I have just got Beaney and Littlejohn's Trees as a Theme book - so bark and tree inspirations next, I think! I've got this amazing photo of the inside of a tree fern...

Inspired by rocky textures

Catching up on TAST stitches - inspired by lichens and rocky textures. This is a combination of buttonhole wheels, with french knots, bullion knots, cast on stitches and some wheatear stitches. The background fabric is machine stitched cotton, with melted painted Tyvek and throwers silk waste for texture. This is the last corner of my larger piece, which I will post soon.

Rusty Heaven!!

This is the wreck of the Minmi - off the coast of Sydney. James and I found it a few months ago - but I didn't have my camera. Today we went back. Pure heaven!! A very patient James humoured me while I filled my sim card! Below is just a taste of the beautiful colours and textures that I plan to use for inspiration in up coming work.

The rocks around the wreck are also fascinating - lots of erosion into layers and holes, with lichen highlights. I'll post some pictures sometime.

Catching Up!

It's been a busy few weeks - catching up from the UK visit and starting a new job. Now that the dust has settled I am catching up with some TAST samples!
The first one is a "double-whammy" - with satin stitch and french knots on hand printed calico.

This one is french knots and long and short stitch on melted and painted tyvek, mounted on machine stitched cotton, with silk throwers waste. This is part of a larger piece I am working on that is based on textured surfaces - rust and rocks that I have been enjoying recently.

Butterfly stitch on hand printed calico.


Lastly wheatear stitch to couch down silk throwers waste on a background of gold sheer, painted, melted tyvek and machine stitched cotton.

Back home again!

Where is the time going?

I've just got back from what felt like a fleeting trip home to England to catch up with family and friends. We were lucky to time our visit to fit in with a range of family events: my cousin Russell's wedding to Nadia, my nephew Henry's 18th birthday, my friend Kate's birthday and Father's Day! I feel like my feet have not touched the ground for a while now.

It sometimes feels strange to have more than one place I call home. I had a confusing conversation while I was away about where I was that prompted this chain of thought. Mum still lives in the house I grew up in - that will always be home. England (generically) - as I grew up there is home. Also now I have my home in Sydney, where I have my day to day life and live with James. How lucky I am to have this range of safe places, when many are not so fortunate.

I just love England in June. Somehow the roadsides covered in cow parsley is what sums up England in June for me - so I thought I'd include a couple of pictures. I love the airiness, delicacy and symmetry of their flowers and seed pods. These shapes will definitely become part of a piece of artwork at some point in the future.

Lots of TAST catching up to do...I've been doing a little bit of stitching so will post what I've been doing soon.

TAST - Basque Stitch

What a great stitch! I loved basque stitch. It's another one I will definitely be using again.

The background is one of my hand printed fabrics - using a roller on glass and then laying shapes as masks before printing. The circles are made by elastic bands and the long swirl with a thin thread. I really enjoy the effects that they made.

As I was stitching this one I was thinking about micro-organisms; things that you might see under a microscope. Shades of my past are creeping out! They also reminded me of plankton (I think that is what they were!?)- from the time we went swimming with dolphins off the coast of New Zealand. The sea was so full of little organisms that it looked like soup!

This one was fun to do!

Unhinged: Don't Press The Red Button.

The rust obsession started here!
I made this last year with the goodies that my neighbours threw out. The photo doesn't the textures justice. The red button is fabric covered with linen. It was amongst the box of rusty things and just seemed to belong with them.
I love the lock with the keys - all rusted together - so they had to stay together.
All mounted on black painted board.
The remained of the rusty things helped dye my material last week. I got some amazing close ups of the rust patterns and will post those soon.

TAST Palestrina Stitch

I really loved Palestrina stitch. I started it the week it was set - but wasn't inspired. I was away on holiday with just boring plain felt and couldn't get going. It wasn't until I got back and saw this piece of fabric I printed with wrought iron swirls that I suddenly saw a way forward! I really have to have the right background before I can move forward and get inspired with a stitch. It makes all the difference for me. Somehow the fabric tells me what stitch would set it off the best!!

The background fabric is a bought blue, slightly mottled, cotton. It has blue and red wrought iron swirls printed on it and also a henna hand print shape. You can see the fingers and thumb if you look closely. I'll post a pic another time. It is from a template for doing henna hand designs and I got it at an art exhibition called Goddess, here in Sydney, last year.

Below is a close up, because I just loved the texture and shapes in this section!

Rusty Fabric Dyeing - Results

Well the results are in and I'm feeling rather pleased with myself. For a first go they are quite interesting. I'll definately be doing this again. The first picture is with them on the line to dry and they are looking pretty bright in the sunshine. They dried lighter - as in the pictures below.

This first one was put in a bucket with rusty nails, a hack saw blade, door hinges, an old door bell and a few other bits and pieces. (Thanks to my neighbours for throwing them away). The fabric and the pits and pieces were layered together. Next time I'll aim for more contact between them and the fabric. They weren't very rusty and with their small size gave a delicate result.

I screwed up the fabric, added rust water and then half a kettle of hot water and a slurp of vinegar. This time I didn't use salt - but I might another time. They were in the bucket a week - with me rearranging them every day or so.

The results of the second one are more dramatic. I used old circular saw blades and they were pretty rusty. I particularly like the depth that the different shades of rust give this piece. I used the same method as for the other bucket.

I haven't decided what to use them for yet - but some ideas are brewing...

Rusty Metal Dyeing...In Progress

Can't wait to see how these come out. I've been meaning to try this for ages and finally they are nearly brewed.

My neighbours kindly left lots of rusty stuff in the back lane outside our house and I found all these fantastic things. The door hinges and keys became an assemblage piece. (I'll post a picture another time.) The rest I've had a variety of ideas for - but using them to dye fabric has been high on the list. At last they are on their way!

The circular saw blades are giving a great result with high surface area and lots of rust. I'm crumpling the fabric to give it a patchy look rather than pure circles, as I think it will have more potential. In the other bowl there are a variety of things - an old door bell mechanism, rusty nails, a hack saw blade, and other random things. They are less rusty and are just leaving simple lines and shapes - less dramatic, but they will be a good contrast to the darker, more intense other piece. The two big pieces are calico. I've also dyed some scraps of muslin - it hasn't taken the definition of shapes - just the colours. They've been going for a week now - and every couple of days I've shuffled things around.

It's due to rain tomorrow, so I'm going to take them out today and dry them - while it is easier!

I'll give you an update soon.

Tagged!

Well it's my turn. I've been tagged by Dy.
I have to tell you seven things you won't know about me and then tag seven further people to do the same.

I've been reading all those interesting things about you all - and then trying to think what I could say about me. I asked James (my husband) what he would tell people, and so now I think I've got my seven things...

1. I love the colour turquoise. The obsession developed slowly. Then everything I had was turquoise. I'm trying to wean myself off it a bit now. The thing about turquoise is that it reminds me of beautiful blue skies and water. It also seems a fun and hopeful colour to me. I read recently that scientists at John Hopkins University had discovered that the colour of all the light in the universe is light turquoise - so I am obviously onto something...

2. I've got one of those faces...everyone thinks they know me, or I look like their sister, cousin, friend... I'll have to post a picture, so you can see for yourselves.

3. In a moment of teenage experimentation I got my friend Jackie to bleach my hair blond. As my hair is dark brown, it took a long time and I chickened out too soon - and ended up with Johnny Rotten orange!

4. I love all things creative. As I child I was demoralised by art and craft in school and gave it up at the earliest opportunity. Mum had been an art teacher. Dad was a research scientist. My brother did arts; I did sciences, psychology and became an Human Resources Manager. Now that we have moved to Australia with James' job, I'm making up for lost time - enjoying art classes and exploring textile arts, mixed media, printing (especially mono printing) and loving it. A secret (not now that I've written it here) desire is developing...to find a creative career...

5. I love nature, gardening and the great outdoors. I'm never happier than when I'm in the middle of a green space - no traffic - just me and the environment - trees, sky and birds and beasties. Today's picture is of me taking a photo of an over inquisitive kangaroo on Kangaroo Island who could smell an apple in the car! Wildlife and cameras...

6. I just love my digital camera! I confess I am a little obsessive with it. James understands that when I have it with me, he is definitely second on my priority list.

And one more...
7. I love to experiment. My creations are process driven, rarely planned completely. I currently have a bucket and a bowl with fabric and rusty metal "stewing together" in my back yard. It's very exciting. I just love rusty stuff and have been wanting to do this for ages. I've no idea, as yet, what I'll be doing with it...but I'm really looking forward to seeing how it comes out.

I am now tagging seven people that I would like to know more about. Please don't feel that you have to do this - only if you want to. (I don't do chain letters.)
Conni (CJ33)

Annica (Fabulous Threads)
Elizabeth (Quieter Moments)

Ann Christine Dennison
Judy (Scott)
Ivana (Imichaova1)
Carina (Wardi)

Thanks for tagging me Dy!

Ripples

This is another of my favourite photos from the recent Kakadu trip. It was taken of the water hole at the base of Wangi Falls. We were not able to swim as the water level was too high - but it gave a wonderful opportunity to "stand and stare"...and for me to take some photos. The colours of the water reflect the beautiful tropical green pandanus trees around the pool, the beautiful golden sandy and pebbly bottom and the endless blue of the skies above. There may even be the trace of a turtle, a freshwater crocodile or passing fish - they were all there.

I was fascinated to read about the ovoid - the basic shape of water ripples and how it influenced Northwest American Indian art at the Ragged Cloth Cafe blog:(http://junomain.wordpress.com/2007/05/06/reflection-by-eileen-d/)

I have always been fascinated by the fleeting patterns and reflections on the water's surface and plan to use this photo to try and take this further. I'm not sure how yet. Watch this space...

My First Art Tag!

I was invited to join the Flickr Art Tags group (http://www.flickr.com/groups/arttags/ ) the day before we went away. It's been on my mind what to do, and I've lots of ideas, but little time at the moment. So I thought I'd start simply and use some of my favourite paper, that I made a while ago for birthday cards. It is layers of tissue paper glued washed with dark blue and silver acrylic paint. Highlights in pencil. The ribbon is the last piece of one I have loved using and saved back for something special. I will use it as a gift tag.

Rusty Barnacles and Woven/Whipped Wheels

I really enjoyed the rhythm of the woven and whipped wheels.
I have been very inspired by a photo of barnacles I took a while ago on a trip to Bundeena. It can be seen at my Flickr site (http://www.flickr.com/photos/luci_f/387560245/). It has inspired several pieces of work that I have done. I also wanted to try printing photos onto fabric. I don't have the proper stuff to do this directly, but stumbled on method that works for me. I print out the photo on my bubblejet printer. Cover my fabric with clear gel medium and then put the photo onto the fabric and smooth down. The photo transfers pretty well and I get some colour blurring and randomness which I like!
The picture below shows my results - with varying quality of prints and black and white version - onto cotton in the top row and muslin at the bottom. The muslin also had a rusty red monoprint of the same image onto it from a different angle.

I decided to use some of the muslin as a base for the woven and whipped wheels stitches and the end result is at the top as an ATC. I was fairly pleased with this - as it has the same "feel" as the barnacles I photographed, but has evolved to be more abstract.

I am planning to make my first fabric book on the day out at Bundeena, where I took the barnacles photo, as I now have several small pieces inspired by that day. Any hints and tips and links on how do go about this would be really helpful. In particular how to stiffen the pages. Thank you in advance.

Running Stitch

Today I was so inspired by what everyone is doing as part of TAST that I couldn't wait to get back into it.

I decided to go through my stash to find an interesting background. I recently went on a fabric printing course and have accumulated quite a few experiments that I thought could make interesting backgrounds.

I decided to keep it simple - as I have a few weeks to catch up. Much as I would like to have spent all week weaving lines of running stitch at different spacings! I'll have to save that for another time. Often that is part of the problem - too many ideas - not enough time!!

I really loved the fabric printing - it's going to be a big passsion. I love the bleeding edges against the sharper ones. The sharp ones are printed straight on top of the fabric. The blurry ones made by putting the fabric onto a paint covered surface and pressing the print block on top of it. The longer you leave it the blurrier the edges.

The blue shapes are made with a wooden block - an offcut found on the street near a building site.

I love this stamp (below). It is an old door handle that I found thrown out by a neighbour. It is repeated 5 times here - so the print is each row of 4 shapes.



This is my very favourite stamp - another door handle. There is just something about it that I love, expecially when it is repeated lots of times.

OK - so it is now in the open. I confess...I'm one of those people who just has to pick things up off the street to see what I can make or do with them...Fortunately I have a very tolerant hubby!!

Back home!

Isn't it great to be back home?! Especially after an amazing adventure! The three weeks in the Top End of Australia have flown by and I now have a head full of images and memories of a fabulous place.

I took my needle and threads with me - to try to keep up with the TAST challenge while I was away. I managed to do this sample - Oyster stitch. I enjoyed creating the patterns and rhythms and loved this stitch - once I worked out how to do it. It took 2 trips to internet cafes to do so! The light in places you stay is never that great - so the other stitches had to wait - although I did check to see what they were when I could. Palestrina next and running stitch and it's Tuesday again...so I'll have to swing past Sharon B's "In A Minute Ago" blog to see what this week's challenge is. Think I am going to be busy! I'm also really looking forward to seeing what everyone else has been doing in the group.

I'll write more about the trip to Darwin, Kakadu and Katherine soon - and post some pictures. It will definately go down as one of the best trips of my life!

Happy Easter, Holidays and Bonnet Stitch!

Happy Easter!

This week's TAST was a quick straightforward sampler - straight rows of bonnet stitch. But I like their symmetry and will be thinking about what I can use this one for again, when I have more time.

We are off on holiday for 3 weeks today! Flying to Darwin first and then driving onto Kakadu National Park and Katherine Gorge. It is finally starting to sink in. We are taking camping stuff and will spend some time out in the wilds - should be fun. I am so looking forward to being in the wilderness. Sydney is a great place, but having grown up in the English countryside - I am really looking forward to seeing some open space. I am looking forward to seeing so many things - ancient Aboriginal rock paintings, waterfalls, wildlife, Katherine Gorge. I'll tell you all about it when I get back.

Knotted Cretan Tree Bark

I have a passion for trees - verging on being a tree hugger! I'm the one stopping to stroke bark as I walk past a beautiful tree that catches my eye and doing strange things with the camera to get a close up of the beautiful colours and textures...

Knotted cretan stitch from TAST had that organic feel to it and I felt sure that some kind of tree would be part of the stitch study this week.

A while ago I created a couple of tissue paper and scrim backgrounds based on Yvonne Brown's article in Quilting Arts Magazine (Winter 2005 - issue 20). Of the pieces I made, the yellow ochre one looked unfinished until I added burned sienna to it ...and all of a sudden ...tree bark. It was the perfect background to practice knotted cretan on.

On Saturday I had a studio day with friends in the Blue Mountains, near Sydney and had overdosed on trees - so this was the obvious way to go. I used a sketch of tree bark that I had made as the template for the stitch areas - but took lots of artistic licence!

I found the stitch a challenge, but think I got there in the end. The main challenge was to get the tension right, before the knot tightened and left a loose loop. I've been brave and posted a close up, because I love the textures!