New t shirt experiments

My dear friend Ellen agreed to model my new creations.  Once again I am working with procion dyes to create interesting effects on cotton t shirts I have bought from Dharma trading.  The cotton is lovely and it "eats" the dye well. 

This hoodie began in a pale yellow dye bath, and then I over dyed part of it with a blue.  The hood has stayed yellow as have part of the arms which gives it an ombré effect.  Then I printed it with a thermofax print I created.  

Ellen is sporting a sleeveless tee that was only partially dyed and then printed with another thermofax design.  To be or not to be......

Michael is modelling a tee shirt that was dyed in two different dye baths over a couple of days, rinsed and washed in between.  I left white at the chest line, and the dye creeped up and joined in spots.  I feel like I'm narrating my own fashion show!

I'm having fun with this partial immersion idea and plan to continue.  Thoughts?

First dye pots of the season

I have set up my supplies and print table for the season at my beloved "country house".  

In different parts of Canada this summer retreat is called different things; cottage,summer home, cabin, chalet, or country house in Quebec. (Which is where I am).  But as the saying goes 'a rose by any other name is just as sweet'.  Or something like that. 

I have brought tons of supplies and work in progress and a brand new bolt of prepared for dying cotton from Dharma trading so I'm all set!

Plunging into the first pots!

I will try to keep the lake and the wildlife from distracting me too much!

new vest idea

Silk Vest

I am working on a new idea for the circle vest that I had made in the past out of cotton.  This vest is made out of silk jersey and it is more of an oval than a complete circle.  It still has the large holes for the arms that I like but it drapes a bit better and is less bulky than the cotton.

I'm not the best model but I am just trying to get a sense whether the oval is better than the full circle and that the slightly shorter length in the back is a bit more convenient.
My friend, Kirsten, let me use her serger so I have serged all the edges rather than create a binding which was a great time saver and also reduces the bulk.

I would love your thoughts!
Can't wait to dye it!  The thread I serged it with was also silk.  A bit more expensive but a must if the dying is to be seemless.

SAQA Auction

SAQA on line Auction will be open soon

Benefit Auction

SAQA’s signature fundraising event starts Sept 18!

This is your chance to own beautiful, unique art quilts by some of the world’s finest artists. Plus, your purchases help increase the recognition for art quilts and the artists who make them while supporting SAQA’s exhibitions, publications, and education outreach. Thanks to our donors and bidders in 2014, the Benefit Auction raised over $55,000!

This is my submission for the auction
 

Every piece submitted is only 12" square.  Tiny treasures of fibre art!

Detail

my piece is called "Let's Chat" and is inspired by a photo of two very good friends enjoying the moment.

To find out more about SAQA, who we are, current exhibitions, artists, .... just google WWW.SAQA and review the colourful website!

details of my autobiography

An Autobiography

These are detail shots of my SAQA submission for the Balancing Act show.
The background fabrics are a combination of my hand dyes and commercial fabrics that I curved pieced together.
The balls are Kona Cottons, that I free motion stitched and then appliqued them on to the the background with extra batting behind them so that they could 'pop' forward a bit.  They were applied with a hand sewn blanket stitch.
The figure began with three photos taken of me pretending to balance balls in the air.  I transfered the photos on to the fabric, and then

hand embroidered the                                                                                                                               figure using a chain stitch                                                                                                                    using 3 ply of embroidery thread.The piece was then layered up and then free motion quilted with a red variegated thread in a way to suggest the movement of the balls in the air.

Balancing Act International SAQA Exhibition

MAR

27

SAQA Exhibition "BALANCING ACT" Opening at Houston's International Quilt Festival in October, 2015 includes six SAQA Central Canada Artists' work...

Many congratulations to our six SAQA Artists whose beautiful work has been accepted for inclusion in theBALANCING ACT International Exhibition...

Gunnel Hag

Phillida Hargreaves

Joan Hug-Valeriote

Sheree Rasmussen

Daniela Tiger

Maggie Vanderweit

Exhibition Description:

Throughout history, women have had to balance responsibilities to community, home and family while pursuing other interests, jobs or careers.  From those who helped farm the land to those who worked the factories during wartime, to those who stand shoulder to shoulder with men to pursue careers, and those who serve as caregivers; women have always had to juggle the various aspects of their lives.  This show celebrates women both throughout history and today--and is open to any interpretation each artist feels inspired to depict.  What have we accomplished that we now enjoy as rights and freedoms that our grandmothers and their grandmothers did not?  What obstacles are left to conquer?  We encourage both representational and abstract work.  

Premiere Venues

International Quilt Festival, Houston, Texas -- October 2015

International Quilt Festival, Chicago, Illinois -- March 2016

Quilt! Knit! Stitch!  Portland, Oregon -- August 2016



PINK LADY II, Joan Hug-Valeriote

MY DEAR OLD GIRL, Phillida Hargreaves

HANDS OFF, Maggie Vanderweit Meredith



WAKING UP TO MUSIC, Gunnel Hag

AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY, Daniela Tiger

Again, our congratulations to our Canadian artists selected for the Balancing Act Exhibition.

It is always so exciting to see that our Central Canada Artists are submitting work consistently through the SAQA Exhibitions Calls To Entry. There are a number of Calls posted at the main website that are currently open to ALL SAQA members.

Bethany Garner

Dwayne Wanner

Co-Representatives, SAQA Central Canada

Posted 3 weeks ago by B. Garner

Community Tree

The Healing spirit of Community

 I haven't posted new work in a while because I have been travelling.  Most recently I had an amazing adventure in India thanks to a wonderful yoga teacher, Indian tour guide, and sweet man; Vikram.  He took a few of us through the sights, sounds, and smells of Delhi, Agra, and a gorgeous retreat near Goa called Swaswara.

To Vikram, as a thank you, I gave this piece.  I thought he might appreciate that my intention was that we are all in the good hands of the 'spirits' or 'Gods' or whatever one might believe. And in positive community we can thrive in consort with nature. 

This piece began with white cotton. I dip dyed it after creating the resist design of the tree in wax.  Then dipping it in wax again, crackling it, and dip dyed it in blue, over dying half of it to create the green.

After layering it up the free motion stitchery created the faces and the hands.  I still felt it was a bit too monochromatic when all this was done so I highlighted the faces and hands with fabric paint.

I'll conclude this post with a picture of my friend and I riding an elephant up to the old fort in Jaipur.  (I'm on the left)  We had so much fun!