Review of this Week

This week has revolved around my first week of training at the fabulous Palmerston North City Library, and getting ready for my eldest son's 10th birthday - very exciting to be getting to double figures.
I love working at the City Library again - Come visit if you are in town.
The library also has wonderful events - highlight of my week was attending a talk by Peta Mathias about her newest book


She was as fabulous in person as she is in her TV programs - she was witty, enthusiastic, honest and articulate, and I am now 21st in the queue for her book at the library - thankfully they have more than 1 copy!
I have continued to stitch the charity quilt, and I have done a few more pages for my paper/stitch book.
Blogs that inspired me this week :
http://mylifeonebitatatime.blogspot.com/2010/08/ordinary-life.html Lovely collage : paper & stitch
http://www.ihanna.nu/blog/?p=1165 Another beautiful embroidery from Hanna
http://friedaquilter.blogspot.com/search/label/fabric%20paper%20collage Inspiring fabric paper collages by Frieda Oxenham - and click here for her instructions for making fabric paper
Had to share this great YouTube video - seen on a couple of blogs this week
Looking forward to some DVD watching this weekend - will share if they are worth it. Talk to you again soon

Fabric Paper samples

Today I thought I would share some of my experiments making fabric paper. The woman who started it all was Beryl Taylor - with an article explaining her process in Cloth Paper Scissors Magazine. Click here and you will be able to download your own copy of this original article. She followed this up with her wonderful book, which includes fabric paper, and a mountain of other inspiration. I am a HUGE fan of this. Click on the cover to get the reviews on Amazon.Beryl Taylor's method combines fabric and paper with glue to make a unique surface which is stitchable. Her top layer is tissue paper, and she paints this, but in the samples below I have used coloured tissue paper. I can remember some I tried "bled" the colour, but I can't remember why that would be a problem. They are lovely bright colours, and are all very usable.

As you can see above, the best images to show through the coloured tissue are the black and white ones. Beryl Taylor uses muslin as her base, but I have found that I can use 'ugly' cotton fabrics from my stash. You just have to make sure you have good coverage with paper you layer on, or the paint/coloured tissue. This is an 'ugly fabric' back : - and now that I've posted the above photo, I've just had an "aha moment" where I realise that this fabric would be less visible if I pasted the papers to the reverse of the fabric! Something to try next time....I have lots more to share about fabric paper, so check back for further experiments and use of the fabric paper, and for other artists and their inspiring fabric paper art.

New

New fusing - peaches blockNew stitching - outside of book cover/wrapNew stitching - insideNew stitching close-up - the fabric is secured with the swirly free-motion stitch, but edges within the piece aren't neatened. I am liking this effect.New reading - loving this, even though the topic is heartbreaking. Click on the cover for amazon link.New job - start training tomorrow :-)

What's new with you this week?