Playing Catch Up

Well I am just not sure why the time is flying by so quickly at the moment.There are lots of exciting things happening that I will share in another post. Thank you to everyone who has left comments on my last few posts that I have not replied back to yet.

Time has been spent collecting daffodils and drying them out for use later in the year. I am sure that I could have collected more if it hadn't been for the rain.

A few weeks ago I was back in the studio teaching Natural Dyeing to a very enthusiastic group of ladies. On the dryer you can see red cabbage, brazilwood and weld.

I am cooking up a little fabric ready for a Festival of Quilts entry. Cutch for brown, weld for yellow and red cabbage for blue. Anyone want to guess what this is going to turn into?

In the next few weeks I am teaching lots of Jubilee workshops locally and I was contacted by the local paper for a photo which will appear in their Jubilee souvenir issue. After panic had set in that my face might still be around in fifty years I said yes. This was the little display before the photographer came.  I had a plan that I would not be in the photos - he had other ideas which included me wearing the Union Jack flag ribbon!

Yesterday I did a "Baby Bunting" workshop at a Children's Centre. This was very small people making bunting rather than tiny bunting. Lots of fun, I have a few photos for later as I am off to the Studio for the last Saturday of Open Studios and Art on the Map.

His "n" Hers

His - potatoes for sprouting

Hers - daffodils drying ready for dyeing

Studio Update

Yesterday I managed my first nearly full day in the studio. It was really productive and I made up a quilt top using some madder dyed cotton which had "cooked" on top of my woodburner during the cold weather. These photos just don't show up all the texture in the cloth.

I am also starting to dry out daffodils ready for workshops this year.

I am not sure if I have shown this but it is my C&G diploma final piece hanging outside the studio.

I am teaching a Procion dyeing workshop today. It has been such a long time since I did this as I definitely prefer using natural things to dye with now. I must remember to take photos.

Daffodil and Logwood

In the madness of my life at the moment I am trying to find some quiet times to stitch using the last of my daffodil dyed fabric from last year and some logwood that has cooked slowly on top of the wood burner this Winter.

I have used the machine as well for small parts.

Lots of hand stitching to feed my soul and keep me sane.

I love this dyed doily over the daffodil yellow.

This photo is very pale, not sure why - blame the photographer!

A peek at how the final thing might turn out but still a pale image. This is upside down though (thanks Blogger)

Daffodil Dyeing & Jumble Sales

 If you are a member of The Quilters Guild then yesterday or today a copy of The Quilter should have arrived through your letter box. Inside is the article on daffodil dyeing  that I have written. If you are not a member then I will be doing a little tutorial here in the Spring (advance warning to collect some daffodil heads). I just love the range of tones that you can get from this simple flower. I now have a basket overflowing with yellows, begging me to stitch them into them.

Last weekend I went to help at the Scout jumble sale with DS and this pile of clothing found their way home with me. So many lovely textures and colours just waiting to start a new repurposed life, these are mainly  cottons.

I got several pairs of jeans with fantastic pockets, just right for box making.

I also got some laces, embroidered hankies, and some linen place mats . I am well known for taking in stained and torn things like the table cloth below.

Finally a peek at my City & Guilds diploma work. This isn't a great photo but shows the midday and night time sky before I stitched applique cow parsley and sprouts over the top. I think you might get a better idea of all the stitching if you click onto the picture. Its nearly complete though - yipee!!