jack dandy

i had occasion to go to town today
on a client visit
taking a shortcut to the hills again
i swung by an emporium on a quiet back street
and having a minute or two to spare
popped in to have a look about

i found this extraordinary treasure
a Union Jack
stitched together from carpet pieces
and not just any old carpet
they were pieces of Afghan treasure
so far as i could tell

i was mightily intrigued by this, so i had a little google-rummage
and came up with some interesting links
here and here
it's a lovely piece but somehow i can't imagine chopping up perfectly beautiful rugs in order to piece a flag...

some tidbits to share

i opened my recent copy of Textile Fibre Forum
and found something that looked familiar

the flyer for the Beautiful Silks Natural Dye Symposium
has an image of my work as background.

which was a bit of a surprise

but i reminds me to remind my readers of this splendid opportunity
to participate in workshops that all have natural dyeing as their common thread

i've signed up for a couple of classes including Velma Bolyard's shifu books
and Trace Willans' all natural mixed media workshop

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while we're on the subject of workshops, my friend Pam de Groot
is keen to wander Europe
teaching her own brand of magic

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and in case you hadn't noticed in the sidebar, a lovely place to investigate [and follow bountiful trails through the virtual forest] Robyn Gordon's blog

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also in the sidebar, helpful reading for those who want a guide to buying fabric

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last but not least
an image of a delectable patchwork piece i was shown by a friend recently

found nine-patch

back to Yankalilla and the Colours of Home

it's a tight week [off to France at dawn on Thursday]
but i was keen to see the flags we dyed at Yankalilla a few weeks ago
fluttering in the wind
and the big cloth that was pieced [with lots of handstitching]
from silk dyed with bunches of greenery from people's gardens

so i pootled down to the south coast
sadly no time for puddling in waves

the two separate pieces either side were extra bits
that i made to give the patchwork some friends

i hope they find a permanent home for the big cloth...

yankalilla

those nine days away were fabulous

working at Yankalilla
in the midst of beautiful rolling hills that look like sleeping beasts



driving down the coast each evening
to a wee house by the sea
wandering over the cliffs in the gentle last light



we dyed and dyed and stitched and stitched

97 leaf-printed flags will flutter at the Leafy Sea Dragon Festival



and a huge hand-pieced patchwork will hang at Yankalilla
dyed with the "Colours of Home"
[about 3 metres high x 6 metres wide]

the last stitch went in at 7pm last night
by which time it was getting a little dark

for photography

and now i think of it
my first solo exhibition since 2009
opened at the Orange Regional Gallery last Friday
there will be a gathering in the space on April 13
...swing by if you're in the area?