Here are pix showing a piece of coral reef I did using needlelace techniques - the first pic shows the finished needlelace, taken off the working backing but still needing mounting onto background fabric. The second pix shows the outlines and the beginning of the fillings while the piece was still on the working backing.
This pic shows an experiment with treillage - Elicia's filling is the one that looks like asterisks and Katie's Kisses is the one that looks like crosses. I did them to see what they could look like thinking I might use them in the coral, but in the end I used Tudor Rose filling.
Here are pix showing what I am currently working on - a fish made up in layers - yukky blue satin background, some silk-painted scrim, some organza, some fish shapes cut from an unsuccesful velvet dvoree scarf I did in a class, some purple and turquise free machine embroidery that I did on dissolving fabric, all covered with another piece of organza. On top, I've stitched scales and parallel lines to show the fins - just finishing the tail fin now. One pic shows the layers, one shows what you see looking at the piece straight-on, and one is from an angle, showing the stitching more in relief.
Here is a pic showing the January piece from a sideways angle, so you can see how the florist's glass blobs are in relief. It took me a while to put this pic up because I had to buy another packet of rechargeable batteries.
And here is a pic showing the first six all together, stretched onto posterboard. I may do beaded edgings or make them into an accordian book - not sure yet.
I also recovered these two stools and recycled an old quilt that was going raggedy at the edges. I felt a bit sad as I hand-quilted around the shapes because it's the first time I've ever done hand-quilting all by myself - it made me think of old friends.
And here is a close-up. The background fabric is shiny polyester that made me think of the grey days of winter. I did some FME along a horizon line underneath to represent the line of trees in the distance, but they don't show up in the photo. I realised as I worked on this piece that all my BJPs so far this year are to do with nature - the things coming into fruit or flower at the time of year, and I'll try to stay with this theme.
Here is a pic of the additional Take It Further December Challenge I did based on the idea of Mother Nature & generosity.
And here is a pic of a little bag I made for the daughter of some friends who came to celebrate New Years with us.
I crocheted this little woolly hat while watching the news the other day, but had a bit of a break from making things. It's that time of year - just mailed the last package out to loved ones for Christmas, along with all the cards and the newsletter. It seems to take longer each year, for a shorter letter!
Then I bought this magazine as a Christmas present for myself: it features the exhibition of Picasso & the Masters being held this year in 3 of the big museums in Paris. Although reading the magazine is not as satisfying as going to the galleries, I'm really enjoying it, and it's improving my French at the same time, adding technical art words to my vocabulary.
Which brings me to this sketch, my interpretation of the December Take-It-Further Challenge which is about generosity, or what giving means to me, using red, green and gold Christmas colours. My first reaction was to think of Mother Nature's genorosity and the biggest gift of all which I think is life itself. Having just reread Jean M Auel's The Plains of Passage, I thought of those little statues she describes of the Doni or Earth Mother, where the legs are just pegs and the head does not have a face, just spirals or decoration of that sort. I'll probably rework the sketch to make the belly more pronounced to stress the mother message. So I think I'll make that up using fabrics from my stash and free machine embroidery.
