60's Revival...........

I think I lost the plot with this and taken over the mantle from Margaret, as in, I don't know when to stop. However, the whole point of this group is to explore new challenges.

My thoughts were to revive a piece of cloth with a 60's pattern, layers of bright flowers and symbols. I started by researching Psychedelic, that was an eye opener, I never knew it was a drug in the 1960's. The modern use of the word which I am familiar with, describes anything with an abstract decoration of multiple bright colours.
So I moved onto Flower Power, only to find that in America where it originated, it was used to protest against the Vietnam War. Hippies embraced this by wearing embroidered flowers in vibrant colours on their clothes, flowers in their hair and distributing flowers to the public.

Phew! After all that I looked up some images, drew some flowers and swirls, painted one page in my sketchbook and got to work. Starting with a Transfer Dyed background and images, I built up layers with bonded appliqué using hand dyed fabrics. I used free machine quilting, hand embellishments and beads to bring the whole thing together.

Yeah Baby Yeah!!

I was going to call it 60' Revival Flower Power, but this mad little creation deserved something else, so I took inspiration from Austin Powers..........Yeah Baby Yeah!!
Sue

Gothic Revival

Hello
Ralph Waldo Emerson said 'Every wall is a door' but this month I have felt like every door is a wall and I haven't been able to get through!
I chose Gothic Revival for the challenge (April) and took some photos of Truro Cathedral and  the wonderful doors there. I had been very impressed by Wendy Dolan's embroidery technique based on an old door and thought I would have a go. All went well for a while but I struggled a bit with the colouring. However it is finished and it was really good using my old sewing machine again ( My new machine is not happy with certain threads, so we have fallen out) It has taken a lot longer to complete this challenge but I would not let myself start on Textures until I had finished.

Adding colour with inktense blocks

The finished piece - Revival

Thanks for looking. See you soon with Textures 

Margaret

Bridget Riley inspired Texture

Normally I create pleated pieces in a plain fabric, I really love the shadows and light play they create, however, this time round I thought I'd give a patterned fabric a go - the picture doesn't really do it justice.  

You really need to look at this piece which is an effect I was after.  I say it was inspired by Bridget Riley, however, unlike her work which is beautifully measured and precise my design is a little more organic.

I am in two minds about this piece, it has interesting qualities to it but I do prefer the effect in plain fabric - it's still only Thursday, who knows, I may make two squares for this challenge!

- Becca

Magic Numbers!

The challenge for May was 'Revival' and I have eventually finished my piece.  

At the last Festival of Quilts, it seemed that the 'Hexagon' was making a come back, as there were several quilts made with small hexagons.  So I decided that I would use this old favourite and give it a modern twist.

Magic Numbers - In production!

After deciding on Hexagon's I then had to think about how I would use them and settled on the Fibonacci Sequence.  So the size of them hexagons started at 1/2", and went up to 2 1/2".  The infill hexagons had 6 sides but of varying sizes. 

The fabric I used was all hand-dyed using a variety of techniques.  The modern twist was the addition of hexagons made from melted bubble wrap placed other a sheer that was trimmed away in places.

Magic Numbers - Close up

I am pleased with the result and hope you like it too.

Now to get cracking on 'Textures' this months challenge......

Dreaming on a sunny Wednesday in May

Hi there Blog followers
May I take this opportunity, Dear Reader to thank you for following the Textile Maids blog spot. It is great to know you are interested in our work so thank you all for your support.

We had a really lovely day on Wednesday working on our projects-Revival for some and for those up to date, organised members a fresh start on the new challenge of Textures.
 We were really delighted to welcome two new members to our group and look forward to their response to our monthly challenges. So a great big Textile Maids welcome to Jill and Michelle. It is great to have you on board.  We are all really getting to grips with the new subjects each month and in fact eager to rise to the challenge. So far, as you know we have had Heartlands. Close-up, Seeds, Dreams, Revival and now Textures. So, nothing too off the wall or obscure (wait 'till mine are picked out of the tin) just some good meaty ideas to stretch our minds.
At the 'Show and Tell' session looking at the Dreams challenge pieces it seems wonderful how we all approach the subjects so differently, amazing that in a group of people so in tune with the same discipline that no two pieces of work are remotely alike. This is diversity in action. In fact there is probably a scientific name for it.Or if not, there should be.
My favourite  piece is Rebecca's Do Androids dream of electric sheep. It is clever and fun.
I really love the electric sheep complete with flashing LED eyes. With my work I am always aware that I need to free up but Becca is so free she floats!

I feel we are really bedding in (or should that be gelling in modern speak) as a group now and everyone is so generous with ideas and support it is becoming a real unit. Not quite as Bertie Wooster would say ' Two minds with but a single thought, two hearts that beat as one' but certainly several ladies on the same wavelength having a blast once a month. The next blast is at Trebah Gardens at the end of June where we will be making the most of the facilities on offer. I have heard the restaurant  highly spoken of  in the cream tea department not to mention the home made quiche. Oh yes.
 The challenge will be Trebah of course so I guess those of us who can will be sketching  and painting and those of us who cannot will be taking photographs. Hooray for digital cameras (and posh phones)
Check in again soon for more blogs from the Maids.
Pip pip
Margaret

Do we dream in colour or black & white?

I was a little slower completing the 'Dreams' challenge.  After looking on the web for 'dream' sayings and phrases; I kept coming back to the questions "Do we dream in colour or black & white?"

I think I dream in black & white but the rest of the group thought it was in colour...........who really knows?

Design work

Anyway with this in mind I decided to use a photo that I had taken on a lovely spa day that our daughter had treated us too.  I printed the photo both in black & white and in colour and ironed it onto both cotton fabric and tuile.  The background fabric for both pieces is dyed using Inktense.

Inktense on Cotton

The piece is reversable, an idea that I got after seeing Liz's piece for the month,!!

'Do we dream in clour......'

'or Black & White?'

I hope you like it.

 I am now busy with 'Revival' our latest challenge...........and I am enjoying it so far!!

Carolyn

Yes - Androids do dream of Electric Sheep

Well, I have to say that this has to be my favourite project so far; all my own create fabrics and the inclusion of some electronics!

And thanks to Jane's suggestion of stretching the work over a canvas I now have a very nicely presented piece (just don't look at the back!)

Now on to 'Revival' and yes, I am thinking of hand embroidering the whole thing!

- Becca