Progress:ever decreasing circles

This weekend; a haircut (3-monthly mow); purchase of 2 pairs of sandals; a nice meal with friends (seeing that huge moon from the train) and some quality studio time (Ian was cooking for the 'hump' ie freezer) . The extra challenge for the first 4 months of this years journal quilts is to include circles.  My intention was to take the ideas from the first one and both carry over and change them over the subsequent quilts.
After weeks of having 'March' in bits on my table and design wall I got stuck in and  pieced 'April' and 'May' too - they still need quilting

'March '

I took the manipulated images I used for February's 'Anagramma In Vitro' and manipulated them further using 'cutout 'filter. I've been using 'Photoshop' for years (and that particular filter ) but have only just discovered that there are 3 different levels within it that you can adjust!!! Went through all my green stash (which is not small) and selected some Kaffe Fasset print; the reverse of a lurid pink and lime green graduated spot; and a touch of green shibori from Chang's.

'April'

The green shibori was the start of the next one with the addition of  2 African damask shibori fabrics.  I wanted to remind myself how to piece them together using a wavy line - a technique used in my African door quilts and 'Indigo Sea' - as I'm keen to explore this further. I included an offcut from Februarys' printing and then cutting Petri dishes from another piece I hadn't used, decided I liked the holes!

'May'

Then really on a roll, I pieced one of the African Damask fabrics with a print of sections of leaf cells from a scientific publication on Medusagne (Jellyfish Tree from Seychelles). A different scale of circle but still endangered plant related

I'd put the Slough Museum project on hold as there was some uncertainty  whether the exhibition would go ahead as the Museum is sadly closing later in the year. But the dates  having been confirmed, (  18 May to 11 June)  I fished out my samples of organzi books based on the Taplow Vase and pondered how to display them. I got a couple of brass rings from the sales table at last TVCQ meeting and I experimented with wrapping them around the hoops and  suspending them.  Ian suggested the spare airer 'tripod' which is banished to the cellar as it collapses with even 1 coat hanger on. Just the job but not for including in the final display.

Translucent Booklets

Results of  creative time on Sunday - inspired by pages made for Sketchbook Project, drawing multiple viewpoints of the 'Taplow Vase' on tracing paper and different cotton organdies , making them up into 'secret books'. Cutting holes produced interesting effects and I'll try stitched lines next and perhaps some different translucent papers? I can feel an expedition to Falkiners coming on......

Whilst taking photographs of the booklets yesterday morning  distracted by a glorious 'red sky in the morning -shepherds's warning' - well it did pour down in the evening.

Also on Sunday finally got round to taking a picture in situ of my stocking present to Ian - bunting made of alligator fabric above the bookshelf he uses for his Amazon Marketplace 'SNAPUPBOOKS' . Got enough fabric left to cover those folders.

Little Books

 It's been a while since I've been to a meeting of Thames Valley Contemporary Quilt Group and I've really missed it. How it's grown over the last 2 years!An excellent session on making books with Margaret Cooter (who's doing an MA in Book Arts at Camberwell ) and a brainstorm on forthcoming exhibition at Slough Museum. In the morning we made folded  'secret' and 'flutter'  books

 And in the afternoon we made examples of stitched pamphlet and stab -stitched books.

 I was particularly taken with the wrapped pamphlet - the cover offering more structure and protection as well as hiding the stitching!!I've already had a go at the stitched pamphlet format to make  watercolour sketchbooks as I couldn't buy ones I liked. I either glued on a backing (wasting a couple of pages in the process) or stitched it into a leather cover as for my Tunisian Journal.Putting  a cover on in  the way we were shown opens up all kinds of possibilities.

 It also made me think about getting down to changing the paper in the Moleskine Cahier supplied for the Sketchbook Project. I did a trial run replacing the horrid thin paper with decent cartridge (actually the contents of the leather journal I'd re-filled  with watercolour paper! ) Worked pretty well apart from the rounded corners but I've got a punch for that now! My theme is 'Inside, Outside' and I made a rough start with consideration of vegetables!!