Blues in the Mail

In response to the Dislocation theme for the next CQ challenge, I settled on  chopping up and rearranging this wonderful piece of hand dyed  cloth from Jo Lovelock ( looking forward to buying some more from her on Friday at Sandown quilt show)

Of course with quilt layered and a deadline looming, I found that  I didn't have quite the right blue threads for the job despite have a good collection - they were all on the red rather than green side of the spectrum.  However some quick online ordering from Barnyarns ('King Tut' and Madeira)  and Wonderfil brought some contenders winging their way through the post. Always difficult choosing colours from the screen but I think the heavier 12wt 'spagetti' and  fruitti' threads will do the trick ( they work fine in the machine with a 14 titanium needle and are nice for hand stitching too)

 

I'd intended to do some sample stitching today but a little fragile after a wine tasting session  yesterday at the Club at the Ivy ( very swish glass elevator) . So instead I took some photos with different orientations of the proposed indigo shibori layer that's going over the top and have left them around to marinade and mull over. I've also finally got round to ordering  indigo supplies from Kemtex - hope to be setting up my own vat in the garden in July, concentrating on dyeing pieces of vintage quilts.

Book of Elounda - Textures and Patterns

Some pages from my 'Book of Marks' from Elounda, Crete.

Compiled on site  from: watercolours and sketches on Fabriano Medievalis cards ; colour catchers  with frottage and acrylic paint monoprints ; fabrics brought with me -my own indigo and  hand dyes from Alter Ego (I'm also the lucky owner of one of Jo's sketchbooks thanks to a birthday present from Sue!) .

Inspired by the local landscape ( especially the clouds and sunrises over Spinalonga peninsula) and the textures of the flora and peeling doors.