Blackwork

I am just sorting a workshop proposal for a Blackwork portrait class. I didn't have a digital image of one of my best heads so had to take one, thought I would put it here along with Lorde. One Black thread on cream the other white thread on black. Makes me want to start another one, no time at the moment, the idea will have to wait!

New Jacket

I am making a new jacket sample for my class in January. A suit jacket from the Op shop and a few strips of fabric. I just need to put the lining in, I have some crazy spots. The outside fabric is by a new group of designers called Cotton and Steel, very cool fabric. Once the workshop is over I can start wearing it, not sure how many jackets a person needs really!

Playing

I had to buy a new camera this weekend. My old camera just stopped working and is not worth fixing. Well after putting it off for weeks I went up to The Camera Shop in Warkworth, fantastic service and I now have an amazing camera that will take perfect shots for my book.
But a really cool thing I discovered when I got home is it has all these magic effects you can use on your pictures, I love this on, its called Punk, of course I would like it!!

My son at his karate grading, he just got his blue belt.

Kit having lunch

 

I can see some quilts or embroideries coming along pretty soon!

Dot quilt

 

I have just finished this Dot quilt for All Things Patchwork. I spent today cutting the fabric for a kit set. It will be sent off to a long arm quilter to quilt and then all ready for Symposium in January. I love the way some of the curves disappear and some are really strong.

 

I have had a quilt selected for the exhibitions at Symposium so if you are going look out for it there, I can't post an image of it here until after the show opens there. I just have to sew Velcro to Watching as that is going down for the Tutor exhibition.

 

 



Family day out

We have just had a fantastic day out in Auckland.
We went to the Art Gallery to see The Light Show and an interactive exhibition involving lots of white Lego which I forget the name of! Both were amazing. The Light show is really worth a visit, its on until Feb so there is still time. We had heaps of fun.
We then went to the Auckland Fair, a handmade fair in Shed 10 on the water front. Great work, got a few Christmas presents for my children straight from the makers which is great. My children like to pick their own presents, less stress all round.

Busy at work

All this from just Lego bricks.

Got me thinking about doing a piece of white work!

My creation to add to the display.

future quilt maybe.

extreme fussy cutting

I have just finished my Colour Quarterly challenge, I am part of a group that meets 4 times a year, we are given a Fat 1/4 of fabric each time to do something with.

This was the fabric this time

 

I had used this fabric in a different colour for some of my 100 faces. So I made a faces cushion. I think I would call it extreme fussy cutting!

 

A bit more Yarn bombing

I thought I would do some more yarn bombing around Helensville. We started tonight with a couple of small pieces on one of the crossings at school. I wonder how many people will notice? My son wore his balaclava again and took the photos. We went to a galley in Auckland today and watched a short film about some local street artists, very cool.

Paper piecing

Thought it was time to show you how my paper piecing is coming along. I really only do it when I am away from home so very slow, great fun and I love how its looking. It will be a very crazy quilt once its done.

Fashion Show

We are busy here preparing for a Vintage children's wear fashion show and sale. We had a house full of girls trying on dresses yesterday afternoon. I was given a collection of dresses from the 1970's, and I think some are from the 1960's as part of my Dress a Girl project. I decided they were worth more sold here and the money sent and my daughter came up with the idea of a fashion show. All the money raised is going to Orphans Aid International for a project they run in Uganda, we have already sent some dresses.
The show is Sunday 16th at 1pm at Helensville School hall if any of you fancy a day out.

 

The fabric is just fantastic, all the dresses are brand new and some still have labels on.

sugar skulls

My daughter is having a Mexican Day of the Dead day at school today. These were our contribution to the shared lunch. They are just made from fondant icing and painted with food colouring. Kit took some to work too.

profile

I have a profile on the website www.intocraft.com.au it is profiling the tutors for the quilt convention that I am teaching at in April. Looks quite good really, I find it really funny reading about myself!
I am teaching Curves, Heads and a Design your own block.

Heads

Curves

Design your own block

street art

We went to Rotorua over the weekend and there are few pieces of  amazing street art down there. These faces were new and have inspired me to do another big face quilt. The quilt will have to wait till I finish a few things but the idea is planted in my brain and will be sketched ready for when an exhibition comes up.

Yarn Bombing

 

Our first bit of Yarn bombing in Helensville. We decide to decorate the poles in front of Kits shop.

It is opposite to a child care centre which was closed by the time we got there so the children will get a surprise when they get to Kindy in the morning. Looks really cool so we will wait and see how people react to it.

 

My son put on his balaclava in case anyone saw us! he really looked the part maybe next time we will do it in the middle of the night!

If I did this in the dark I would need one of those torches that you wear on your head!

 

Kit crocheted the chain for this post and I did the flowers, he crocheted way more chain than I did flowers, I just spaced the flowers out!

 

 

3rd prize

I won 3rd prize in the Rodney Art awards at the weekend for my piece of Or Nue. So good to have embroidery hung with paintings and photography. I did have a conversation with one of the painters that didn't believe my piece was embroidery, not sure how she thought it was done, you can see the stitches!

Front cover

This is the exhibition catalogue for the show in the UK, I made the front cover! really cool. And I have since sold that piece of work which is even better. The work looked really great and my parents said it was hung in an amazing space.

Day 100

Day 100

 My 100 faces and last years 100 spiders will go into the window of SALT today. 83 commercial Rd Helensville. They will be there until Nov 1st. The shop is open Weds, Thurs, Sat 10 - 3. Of course you can see the window 24/7.

Face painting is not just for children. My children's school had Ag. Day yesterday, that's like a gala day but with pet animals. I had a stand promoting my Dress a Girl sewing days and next to me was the face painting. I love dressing up so I had mine done.

Day 99

Day 99

Only one to go!

Pixelated Face

Not sure I ever put a picture of this on the blog, well its hanging on Kits shop at the moment so thought I would take a photo. Salt is open Weds, Thurs and Sat at 83 commercial rd, Helensville.

My 100 faces and last years spiders will be in the window from tomorrow.



Day 98

Day 98

Day 97

Day 97

 

Windy Day

 

This piece will be on show from Friday in the Rodney Art Awards in Warkworth, NZ. A good friend of mine is part of organizing the show so I always try to get a piece of embroidery in. Its always good to have stitch hung in exhibitions with paintings.

 

 

 

Day 96

Day 96