Wednesday 8 July 2009

the one that didn't make it...

The reason I've been so quiet recently is that I've been making a project for Festival of Quilts. Never one to shirk a challenge, I've been making an artists book with double-sided see-through pages (one of my neighbours said "Isn't that ... sort of ... difficult...?" which has to be the understatement of the year) using silk organza, silk tulle net and pelmet vilene all hand-dyed/hand-painted. It has been a lengthy process and a testing one and I am now looking forward to getting it finished so I can get on with something else (like normal life perhaps?).

During the process there have been some cast-offs and casualties. The moth above is definitely not a cast-off (apologies for the inadequacies of the photograph though), merely the other side of something that really did not work, namely a dragonfly that looked as if it might sink if it ever managed to launch itself. The metallic thread seemed like a good idea at the time; by the time I finally admitted it wasn't the two halves of the page had been sewn together, and ditching the dragonfly meant I had to - very reluctantly - give up on the moth as well.

6 comments:

hippopip said...

Such a shame about the moth,but the book sound very exciting I look forward to seeing at the FOQ

Tiggy Rawling said...

I wondered what you had been up to! How many times have we had what seems a good idea at the time? However keep at it, interesting journey so far.
I look forward to seeing the end result at FOQ.

Kate North said...

shame about the dragonfly/moth - hopefully you will be able to use the moth side for something else (or just display as is) even if not in the book - it's a lovely piece.

mzjohansen said...

WoW Sandra!
These are truly awesome. Now I really DO see why you have been so quiet!

Heather said...

What a wonderful project. The dragonfly looks fine in your photo, and the moth is super. I'm sure you will find a use for it in another project. I love making fabric books too - will you show us yours when it is finished?

Lisa Dunn said...

I must confess, my eye must not work as critically as yours because I think the dragonfly is lovely too. :o)