DEADLINES

 I've been busy working on samples for FAB (Fiber Artists of Beaufort) - Japanese Rice Bags - each of us teaches a program and January was my turn!

The bags can be any size you like and can be plain or fancy.  I chose to make one from a quite gorgeous piece of Indigo-dyed Japanese shibori gifted to me by a friend.  I lined it with red reclaimed silk.  I love saving textiles and use them whenever possible.

The other was created using scraps from a felted/stitched garment and had Liberty Tara Lawn for its lining.

Then I needed some sample bags for the Savannah Guild workshop.  It always helps to refresh your memory with regard to materials and supplies required if it has been a while since you made one.  The bag advertised for the workshop was one that was made in a Jorie Johnson workshop that I took after my teaching venue in Scotland.  

We also learned how to make soy milk and how to use it to paint on fabric.  It had been a while since I did this so I had to practice,  The pieces I painted on silk (to use for felting) took forever to dry so I wasn't too happy with them but after doing a bit of research, I found that adding textile medium rather than soy it worked really well.   Because the textile medium thinned the sumi ink out, it dried much faster, and then I added touches of a lovely gold fabric paint just purchased recently at Dick Blick.  I will use this technique again and share my findings with my students.  It's also fun to use objects to paint such as small branches.

My sample bags.

Complete with silk lining and handle

work in progress . . . . 

We had nine students, one of which brought her homeschooled daughter and they were all happy with their bags - I was so busy that I completely forgot to take pictures!  I usually ask for a volunteer but we were all so immersed that I didn't.  Fortunately, Celia, did take some during the process which was a lovely surprise.  The bags were all felted when class was over, but students had to add lining and handle at home.  I'm hoping to get pictures of the finished bags soon!

As soon as this event was over, I had to meet a deadline for FACE (FACE of Fibe in the Rockies 2023  “Invitational-Juried“ Exhibit & Sale)

I entered photographs of three garments and the jury will select what to send.

The timing was really great because right after that, I received the draft of the Zero Waste Vest workshop for SEFAA in Atlanta in July.  

https://facebook.com/events/s/fancifull-mosaic-vest-with-mar/579187107493087/

. . . . Also, simultaneously I was invited by Spring Gardens in Okatai, Bluffton, SC, to do a scarf workshop in November so life is good since I love sharing my techniques! 

(But now that I have my new pc, I must update my blog more often as it took way too long to update it this time and keeps me away from my passions - life is too short to spend on the computer!)

SAVANNAH GUILD GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION; LEARNING NEW PC

I really had intended to finish up my blog posts a couple of days ago but with the new pc, I'm finding it quite a learning curve because my former Photo Plus 8 no longer works on Windows 11 so I was forced to install a new program and I think it will be fine once I get used to it; however, I made a giant error while getting pictures from my i-pad to my pc and changed the icon so I was unable to see what was in the folders.  Suffice it to say that it took hours but I finally figured it out so here we are - a learning experience

Now on to the important things!  The Fiber Guild of the Savannahs had their Golden Anniversary a few weeks ago and the members banded together to make it special and it was!  I was inspired by the Queen's Jubilee after I saw some women create a huge bed of textile flowers as a tribute to her.  Of course, it probably took them a couple of years to do as many as they had and we had only a couple of weeks.  The guild meets at Oatlands Museum in Savannah and they kindly give them a room and allow them to meet there as well.  In return, the guild makes things for their gift store to help them out as it is mainly staffed by volunteers.  The person in charge of the event loved the idea of the flowers and we had several discussions on how to accomplish something worthy in such a short time frame.   

I offered to create a wet felted background that was to be attached to a movable frame since we are in a shared situation.  I used a green wool background with brown branches and leaves that were stitched as well as a few sheep's locks to add interest.     

Cecilia Ridge who is also a guild member painted the top banner on silk and it is quite lovely.  Just the finishing touch that it needed.

Another event that Oatland has planned will take place, on April 29 from 10-2 is the Fairy and Gnome Festival so members have been diligently working towards this popular event.  All proceeds go toward feeding the animals!

Faerie Antoinette

Zelda Fae

Our daughter, Andi, and I had a fairy day - rare for us to play together since she has a full-time job on Hilton Head Island and feeds her horses before and after work.  We had a wonderful time and here are the results!  I would love to make more but I've been working on deadlines.  

LOTS OF GOOD THINGS HAPPENING

I really quite don't know where to begin!  Since the last post, I've been working on some projects for entries.  First, I was invited to enter the Hilton Head Library Garden Club poster contest.  I had a piece I'd been working on and off between other things, so I decided that "Early Bird" would be the entry.  When I read the criteria, I read that the piece should be a rectangle and my piece was mostly square at that point.  I decided that it needed more interest at the top and I wasn't so crazy about the flower either.  

                                             

It always helps me at least to just keep works in process close by until it usually tells me what it needs.  It became clear that it needed more attention at the top and I wanted the flower to look more like a camelia since they are in bloom in coastal SC at this time of year.  I also wanted to frame it to give it more of a presence so this is what transpired and I was really pleased with it as it had just the leafy garden effect I was after.

                      

The changes made were mainly to the top portion, adding a felted branch, stitching on some silk velvet leaves, changing the flower, and enhancing the embroidery a bit all around.  Then I had to figure out how best to frame it. I really liked this frame for its rustic look but it is a bit heavy and placing it in the center since it had a dip would be a problem, so the answer came in a purchased canvas that was 14", the exact size of the inside square and I covered it with the same shade of green silk.  This allowed the garden piece to sit on top and be secured using double-sided sticky tape.  I didn't win anything; however, an artist friend fell in love with it so we bartered for one of her gorgeous paintings - a win-win situation!  I'm trying to collect original art for friends for what will eventually be a gallery for our small carriage house.  

MORE TO COME SOON . . .  MUCH MORE!