more work,more internet problems!

We are having lots of prblems with the net at the moment so this is a quick post while it lasts.The weather continues glorious so rusting and woad dyeing are the order of the day,and i'm busy making a book with prints made from natural materials picked up on my daily walks-more of this later.

 This waterfall waistcoat is now waiting to be dyed-sorry about the car in the background!

This is my wrap,made from old lace from a Brocante,scrim,silk scraps and ,finally,printed with a lace screen to pull it all together.I love lace, but not quite in the same way as others.More below.

Finally back on the net

We've had great problems with our internet over the last few days and it's only when you are without the facility that you realise how much it is needed.Hopefully ,back to normal now.
In the gap,I've been rusting fabric prolifically as the weather is very warm here and have even managed to sew some fabric together for new sofa cushions.

This is the fabric ,basking in the sun and dyeing quietly!

This is the beginning of one of the cushions.

I love the colour it's possible to achieve with such a simple process,but generally use silk for the base fabric.This time,I have used a variety of old cotton cloth, bought from local Brocantes, which adds an extra recycled element-always good to feel that things are being given a new life

Snow queen on her way to Denmark

Finally posted my work for the exhibition in Odense connected to the Felt in Focus week in July.I seem to have been working on this for a long time ,on and off and it felt strange to go into the studio the next day and not see it hanging/lying there.

The studio has sneaked into this picture.

This is the story roll which has digital images,screen printing and lace cut out techniques and ,as you can see, is Looooong.I'm never pleased with things i do, but sort of like this.
I'm now using the weld i grew in the meadow to dye anything and everything-there is so much of the stuff.Given that i don't much like yellow,it's a problem, but i can always overdye.The smell of weld in the slow cooker is all pervasive and this year, the yellow seems very bright for some reason.Never mind,woad will knock it back and also some of my rust liquid will go in there this morning. 

Sunshine and sketching

Nice to get back into the habit of five minute sketches again-and the bonus of sunshine helps a bit.These geraniums are at a very early stage in their careers-am hoping they will bush out a bit.
Currently searching for Bondaweb in France and drawing a blank so far.I thought i had some in my boxes in the studio, but must have used it.6 months here and six months in the UK is a difficult balance in terms of memory.Seems when I'm in France ,what i need is in the UK and vice versa.

back in France

Can't believe it's so long since i had time to blog,but now we are back in France there will be time to think and work creatively again.Have already made some monoprints,after a very inspiring course at Glos print co-op before driving down here.Cat is settled in and did the journey like a pro.Have also started work on more lace/felt combinations-taster below.

Still adding to this one and will probably kill it,but enjoying all the processes.It's a bit like making soup,sometimes the final ingredient ruins it.

I.m trying out combinations of heavy and light,creating layers and frills and generally trying to avoid finishing my final Snow Queen piece for the exhibition in Denmark.