April 2018

Our April meeting brought another fun exercise, this time by Robyn . It was an exercise on extending a square, but using fabric and Vlysafix. We were all given two squares of black fabric already prepared with Vlysafix. We were then let loose with some fabric scissors and an iron to create something interesting. The bag above was Robyn's example.

Annette had used some orange fabric as a base for her exercise, though being photographed in two separate lighting areas, the two samples look like two different colours.

Gerri had used printed fabrics for her base.

Jenny used a neutral shade as a base to give maximum impact. The two samples  will be used as a background on which to add some more stitching, and maybe some more colour.

After completion of our fun play time, the four of us continued on with show and tell.

First up was Gerri's crewel work, the result of a class with Dianne Magro, held at Mollymook last year. The piece will now be made up into a bag. It was a great delight to Gerri to finally complete it.

Jenny had completed a baby quilt for a new great nephew. Made from a printed panel, Jenny has quilted it by machine  giving  emphasis to the designs on the panel, and a diamond grid in the background.

This counted and drawn thread needle case is the first of Jenny's UFO's to be completed . Commenced in January 2017 as part of an on-line challenge, it was left for some months while working on other projects. Jenny had finished off the stitching, lined it, then added a twisted hand made cord and tassel for decoration, and a hand made toggle for closure.

Jenny had also turned another UFO into another needle case. This piece was started in an Alison Snepp workshop way back in 2013. The end result was supposed to be a little hussif, but Jenny decided some time ago to turn it into a needle case. The piece had been left sitting with all the stitching complete, and a piece of homespun fabric with it, ready to be finished off for about five years. Another hand made toggle was made as a closure.

This is Jenny's needle roll from our March fun exercise by Annette. Extra feather stitches, french knots and woven wheels were added in both stranded threads and metallics to compliment the foils. A hand made twisted cord and toggle were made as a closure.

Sheila, although not present on the day, created a name plaque for a granddaughter using the instructions by Jenny Cochran Lee in the September/October 2012 issue of 'Cloth Paper Scissors'.  This is the fifth name plaque that Sheila has made using this technique.  

Sheila had another day of space dying threads and fabrics using bright colours.  All kinds of threads, laces and fabrics are placed in the dye with interesting outcomes.

Gerri had competed an alter cloth which now resides with the veil that she completed last year. Both are now in their rightful place in Ulladulla.

Jenny had completed another bobbin lace book mark. This one was an effort to tackle double eyed spiders, which so far have been a challenge. More practice is required to perfect them. The book mark is worked in Guttermann Sulky thread with a purple gimp down the side, and is a pattern from Australian Lace.

 Susan  has decided to be a long distance member of our group, contributing via technology. Her personal challenge for this year is working with the chain stitch family. She has done a long sampler, of line chain stitches on striped fabric.

Susan is also working on a table runner which uses part of a 70's tablecloth transfer. She is adding to the design in her own way, working with fabric and  threads she already has.

Gerri had completed two  beanies using 4 ply sock yarn purchased in Guyra a few weeks ago. One ball was sufficient for both beanies. Each beanie has a strategically placed opening for a pony tail/long hair to pop through, still keeping ears warm in winter.

Annette had made a coffee cup for the Craft Fair. She had seen the slogan on a car many weeks ago and thought it was very good. 'There Is No Planet B'. 

Annette has also been achieving two outcomes with one action. While riding her exercise bike each day, she is practising her drawing as well. Riding and drawing for fifteen minutes, getting better at both.

Our little group will meet again in May, so please come back for another visit to see what we create.

May 2014

Before we start into our May creativeness, whatever happened to April ? Our April meeting happened in the middle of Easter, and considering some of our members were going away, we decided we would have an excursion for those of us left. Five of us gathered at the Art Gallery of N.S.W. to view the  "Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures" exhibition. We met in the coffee shop for morning tea, and as we were leaving to view the exhibition, spotted another group at a nearby table. This group were a part of "Meet Up Sydney - Knitting In Public", and were having a wonderful chat, complete with lots of show and tell. So our visit to the Art Gallery was full of inspiration, not only from the exhibition, but also  from other creative textile workers.

Now to our May meeting.

There were only five of us for our meeting, but the show and tell and chat was certainly abundant.

Jenny had finished her Teneriffe doily. Started because she wanted something to take to a lace meeting one day, the doily is worked in DMC Cordonnet Special thread No 80. Each wheel is worked separately, then joined together. A filling has been  added to the center, then a final edge of detached buttonholed scallops worked to finish it off.

Donna's crazy patchwork piece which will end up in a Hussif, planned to be in a book form.

Robyn's corn pad inspired flower embroidery around a continuing crewel work piece. Note the fabulous  pattern darning giving the water ripple effect behind the body beautiful.

Dianne's corn pad inspired spiral design to front an embroidery roll.

Dianne's doily featuring Maderia work. The piece was worked in a class taught by Ellen Wells.

Jenny had been having some fun playing with her new digitizing program. This dragonfly is the first one that she had digitized, and above is the first test stitch-out. Although checking on-screen with a slow re-draw tool, the file still had some faults and will need to be fine tuned. The finished product is still usable and will be used to decorate a mug bag. The full story of this can be found on Jenny's personal blog.

Jenny had also set herself a new challenge, to knit a pair of gloves in 2ply yarn. After knitting a scarf in the same yarn, there was still plenty left over to make a pair of gloves. Knitted in Paytons Embrace, a 2 ply yarn of  90% Merino , 10%  Silk, the pattern came from a book " A Gathering of Lace" by Meg Swansen. The full story of these gloves can also be found on Jenny's personal blog.

Now for some pages of Susan's "Transformation" book, originally for the printmaking unit of he BFA course.The dust jacket was created from cut-out prints left over from another project, a close-up of a print created from a  'glue' collagraph plate, and the same plate over the end papers. This book is now an on-going project, further exploring the theme of transformation with prints, mixed media and even textiles.

I wonder what we will all get up to in June? Come visit us again to find out