The sun is back!

We finally have the weather we are intended to ahe in France at this time of the year, so I'm a bit reluctant to be inside the studio.Nevertheless, my large fabric piece is at last finished, using all my dye samples from Sydney and Denmark.Now I am working on a pattern for a garment to make with the cloth.

Somehow, the colours look washed out here-maybe too much sun shining on it-but they are the usual rusts and woads.The cloth fills a whole table in the studio, so there is plenty to play with.As I don't want to waste an inch, it may be a case of one of those garments which just have two armholes cut into a rectangle and then draped artfully around the body-can I do draped artfully, I wonder? Does anyone out there have rough measurements as to where the armholes go?

new work

Inspired by my visit to the linen museum near Odense during Felt in Focus ,I've started  some new work-sort of based on the old work for the Snow Queen, in that it is modular and assembled from small patches of felt, old fabric and lace.A visit to a local Vide Grenier gave me some wonderful pieces of hemp and linen fabric, for once going for a song, so I've embarqued on another journey.Who knows where this one will end?



This is a close up,showing the knitting and the printed knit.



I've always been fascinated by old samplers and that is what I'm aiming for,at the same time as making apple jam,so the house is full of sweet jam smells and old fashioned lace work!The weather is a bit autumnal considering it's July, so maybe staying inside and working is the only way to take my mind off the lack of sun.

avocados

Look at this amazing colour from avocado skins and rust on organza!
Need to use it in felt now, but it really is strong and dark-picture doesn't really do it justice.

More Felt in Focus

More print and lovely colours.

a richly rusted sample

More student work and finally,a picture of the large hot water bath which was very convenient for drying and rusting our fabric.All my rust and woad books sold quickly and am now waiting for a new batch and working on further developments with the technique.My Snow queen exhibit was beautifully hung-thanks to the organisers-and i have been in the studio today,researching ways to progress the devore/felt techniques i used in the piece.It's always inspiring to go to a symposium, but this one has been amazingly stimulating.Hope they ask me back next time!

BACK IN THE COUNTRY AGAIN

My classroom at Felt in Focus! Met some lovely people,reunited with old friends and was inspired by other feltmakers.Now i need to relax and take stock of what was done and what i learned myself.

Some of the work done by students,using my techniques of felt collage and the dyed woad and rust fabrics,overprinted with natural dye extracts.More pictures etc later.

woad and recycling

Part of a shawl i've just finished,using old lace etc and dyeing all of it with woad.

It has involved several trips to vide greniers and brocantes and a lot of digging in my scrap bags ,but the end result is worth it.Very satisfying to have something nice which is having a new life.

Another view.Some may recognise pieces of my bathroom curtains!It always surprises me how many shades of blue come from one magical dyestuff,depending on the fabric involved.This has been a good summer for woad and rust and the temperature today is still soaring-too busy for woad today though.I'm off to teach at FELT IN FOCUS in Denmark next week and really looking forward to it,as i haven't been there for about 30 years.It will be nice to re visit Copenhagen for a couple of days,before going on to Odense to teach.

Finally,look how low this lake near us is-partly due to water being used for irrigation,partly lack of rain.Should be level with the trees.Still very tranquil and not a soul in sight except us.

Exhibition at St Avit

Took a trip to St Avit,to the Palissy museum to see an exhibition and having walked up the hill to the village(finding walnuts on the ground for dyeing which was a bonus) we found that the exhibition is only open in June on a sunday!Never mind, i did take some photos and i will go back,plus i have already used the walnuts and have a lovely warm brown on silk.

This is the door to the church in the village,which seems not to be used any more-no seats or evidence of people.It is all very atmospheric and slightly musty smelling.

These are the faded wall paintings in the church,which would look fabulous if restored,but still gorgeous as they are.

Finally,one of my best accidental photos ever,a view through the window of the exhibition we couldn't see.I,m not sure if these pieces were put here because they were inspired by the church tower in the reflection, but it certainly makes a dramatic image.