February 2018

Where have I been lately? Certainly falling behind with my internet updates. Time management has been at the forefront of my endeavours since January 1 2018. Besides the cattle work which is never ending, I did my usual stints at my paid job, then flew out to Ballarat for Fibre Arts Australia for a 5 day workshop on Rozome Wax  Resist with Kiranada Sterling Benjamin. A master in that technique, we were privileged to have her tutor us in Australia, she has spent a lifetime in Japan studying wax resists for making kimono silks and being American she found it difficult to be accepted by the Japanese early on in her career.  Whilst in Ballarat we ventured to the Botanic Gardens for a stroll down the Prime Ministers avenue. We found this quite unflattering bust of Ms Gillard, the only female Australian Prime Minister so far. There is a side on view photo which is more unflattering than this one which I will not show.

We thought the one of Mr Tony Abbott was a much better likeness of the person. It really was quite interesting seeing them all. The Ballarat City Council funds all of these and at approx. $50000 a bust they really don't want too many quick changes of our Prime Ministers.

We also found some pretty hydrangeas in bloom in the conservatory as well. There was a wide selection of colours apart from these dark orange pink colours. I would love to have a shady spot in our garden where I could grow some of these. The last one I planted died quite quickly.

The workshop was very interesting and Kiranada made us work very hard and quietly. She has recently spent an entire year of silence in New Zealand. After our waxing, dye painting, the wax had to be removed and the work steamed to remove the rest of the wax and set the dyes. All of our work was rolled up and steamed then unrolled on the floor outside of our workroom. I took a selfie while Meg the photographer was setting up for a class photo.

This was part of my display in the workshop display on our last evening in Ballarat. It showed all of the different techniques she taught us. I want to apply wax to some of my hand dyed fabrics, then overdye again.

A week after I was back from Ballarat, we had the sudden death of one of our Meredith cousins. There were 14 of us who were privileged to have Cyril and Adelaide Meredith as our grandparents. They shared their Hervey Bay home with us for countless hours of school holidays when we were growing up. They taught us many skills, my grandmother was the one who taught my sister and I to sew. Grandpa taught the boys to fish, and do carpentry and home repairs and extensions. It was a sad day farewelling Doss. There were only 3 cousins missing in this group photo. This group have seen a lot together being so similar in ages. My brother delivered a beautiful eulogy describing how some of Doss's life was made better by the time spent at Point Vernon as a child.

I mentioned I was joining the RTW Fast for 2018 and that I hoped to make 1 item of clothing a month. I finished this cotton shirt in time to wear it in Ballarat. I bought myself a mannequin to help me with fitting as I struggle trying to fit things on myself.

I have also been learning a lot from the Facebook Group. I have also learnt about pattern drafting from the large companies and when to do a Full Bust Adjustment. This makes sense why I have had a struggle  with fitting issues in some of my shirt sewing in the past few years.

I bought a bundle of vintage patterns on Ebay and this one was included in the bundle. According to my High Bust measurement it should fit. So I made a wearable muslin.

Here it is waiting for a zipper on my dress model. I had to lengthen the French Dart which was  a bit tricky. I didn't really know that there were different names for darts even before this venture.

I am hoping my speedo swimsuit lasts the year out but I did manage to purchase this Jalie Racer back pattern in all sizes so am ready to make it if I need to. I am continuing to swim each week, sometimes up to 5 km if I get the chance. The health benefits are too great to give up now.

This beauty was also in the bundle. I really like the top. I will have to grade the pattern up a size as well. 

For a few years I have remembered this pattern as my very first dress that I made solely by myself in about year 8 at school. I no longer have the pattern and have searched repeatedly to find a picture of it. Finally did but missed out on purchasing it. I just felt so good whenever I wore it. The stitching was probably atrocious but that didn't matter then.

Back to the Tangled Threads work that I have been doing. I have finished Joyful, it is just waiting to be mounted. Joyful always brings to my mind, Christmas colours so this is what I ended up with, Figure Ground ambiguity again.

Am working on Visibility which was due January and being 2m x 0.5m was always going to be a lot of work. I procrastinated, because of the sheer size. This is 2 different layouts which I could do. I think I will go with the first one. My take on visibility has to do with streets and roads. Vastly different interpretation  to others in the group.

Up until this morning I still had Blanket and Wonder to do in the 10x8 series. This is Blanket (the verb) in progress. I have used a grey organza over the lot to try to look like a misty landscape covered in fog.

Blanket, awaiting finishing and mounting.

That leaves me Wonder, not sure where I will go with it. The next large piece due is Inset which has to include metal and be 0.5m x1.5m and is due in June. I have some thoughts but not sure which way to go.

I am thinking my schedule just cannot cope with a weekly art project so that might become monthly like the RTW Fast effort.

This is some of my Series work. This is untitled at this stage but is inspired by Jasper Johns Flag series. I am thinking this could possibly work in with the word Inset but not sure. Hopefully some inspiration will come to me soon. I am also seriously considering having an Exhibition in the Wondai Art Gallery as they asked me to consider it when I dropped stuff off for our Tangled Threads Display. Not sure if I have enough work yet, but to commit to a deadline would be terrific.

On the home front, has been too hot to worry about the painting. We had an awful week of heat, I was glad to get back to the paid job solely for the air conditioning, January was a very dry month and the pastures were looking terrible, so the recent rain we have had was very welcome. The house and shed building projects are finished and the family has moved in. Business restructuring is in progress but will be a long term project for awhile yet.

Remember life goes on, and it is what you make it. So my message to myself and all, is stop procrastinating and do it.