It's morning. The hot weather's supposedly due to break today, and the sky is a moody greyish-blue. On the allotment the foxgloves have almost finished flowering, and all the strawberries have gone. I've still got plenty ripening in my garden as it's shadier in places compared to the openness of the allotment plot. For a fortnight now I've been enjoying the novelty of wandering outside first thing, pyjamas on and sometimes in bare feet, rummaging among the flower beds for berries. They're planted everywhere I could squeeze a strawberry plant in, so I keep seeing flashes of scarlet nestling among the Love-in-a-mist and Crocosmia.
The photo above is of a project that's going to be a small-scale thing, something that trundles on in the background. An embroidered fabric book. I've been seeing lots of them online, and wanted to make my own. Something I could stitch into every now and again, to be picked up and put down as the mood takes me. There's to be no pre-set design to the embroidery. It's to be a stitchy version of doodling. Threading the needle and letting the embroidery thread wander where it feels like going. Ignore the green thread, by the way. That's there to mark the fold line in the cloth. As a base for the fabric book I'm using pieces of my handpainted material, done with Inktense paint for the background and then stenciled over using acrylic paint. I love the effects I can get by using pearl paint and metallics.
It's afternoon. Very warm but with a welcome breeze. I had to pop into the library, and next to it is a newly installed veg library, part of a local Incredible Edible scheme.
I love the community minded thoughtfulness of this, putting inside packets of seeds and plants for anyone to help themselves. I've had a couple of courgette plants from there - at least I'm assuming they're courgettes, might be another form of squash. Handy replacements because the Evil Slugs have eaten both my courgette plants and my outdoor cucumber plants. I'll definitely contribute surplus seeds to the veg library, and might sneak in a few flower seeds too.It's evening. The light's duskier, and I've cast my stitching aside. I'll read some more of 'Queen's Gambit' - Katherine Parr's now married to obese, arrogant Henry VIII who can erupt into fury at the blink of an eye. It's her third marriage, and from what I've read the poor woman had no choice about any of them. The life of an aristocratic Tudor woman was one of servitude, albeit wearing beautiful gowns and jewellery. At least Katherine Parr outlived the tyrant, so the book will have a happy ending of sorts.
On that grim note, I'll say goodbye.
I know you love an experiment and an interesting pattern - have you ever tried printing on paper and fabrics with leaves? I've recently been re-inspired by this account to do more: www.instagram.com/gumnutmagic - especially the rusty can/ maple leaf one!
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for the comment and I'll take a look at your recommendation. I've had the odd half-hearted effort at printing with leaves using the gell plate, but I'd really like to explore using them with fabric. Want to try some solar dyeing too. There are always new ways to play, aren't there?
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