The Tentmakers Khan

A typical crowded souq where we mingled with the locals

I have returned from visiting Syria and Egypt. What an adventure! Lots of exciting things to see and the senses were once again fully challenged. Over the next few weeks I will blog about things seen and relating to textiles, as well as progress on my own new projects.
We spent time in the souqs (shopping areas) of the old cities of both Damascus and Cairo. Shop themes seemed to concentrate in one street and the Tentmakers in Khan was no exception. Panels of appliqued and quilted cloth were used to line the inside of the tents as far back as the time of the pharoahs. Geometric patterns, in bright red, green, blue and yellow cottons, seemed very familiar as many of these are still used today in western quilting. No longer regarded as a necessity in Egypt, this occupation is being threatened by cheaper printed quilts. The Khan stitchers, mostly men, continue their tradition and create an amazing selection of quilts and items, from small to very large, for the tourist industry and for local special events.
While waiting for my companions to finish their viewing/purchasing, I conversed with one of the stitchers while he worked, and he invited me to try my hand. I managed to achieve quite a decent piece of applique and I think he approved as he soon set to doing something else while I stitched. I had passed my apprenticeship!

A view through the tentmakers souq

He seems happy with my efforts......

My two cushion purchases, the birds were not a typical pattern, nor were the colours (paler than normal) of the geometric cushion, but they suit my intended use

Next Blog: Food Patterns

Off overseas again......

This week's blog is a day early as I will be on my way overseas again. This time it is to Syria and Egypt on a Tantalising Textiles Tour. Escorted by Jenny Bowker, a well-known quilter from Australia, we will be based in Damascus and Cairo, plus four nights on a cruise ship down the Nile. There is plenty of sights and history to explore in both countries – pyramids, mosques, ruins etc as well as investigating the traditional shops in the woman's souks, visiting craftsmen practising their centuries-old textile trades, plus markets and museums. Sounds wonderful doesn't it and I should have plenty to tell when I get back at the end of this month.
Recently I had to make a visit to my dentist. I questioned him about the latex gloves he wears and he gave me one to try on. These were far superior to the supermarket variety which inevitably leak and I end up with at least one distinctive coloured finger when immersion dyeing. I usually wear my bulky workman's gloves but when doing a small batch I prefer the disposable gloves. I departed with a box of 100 gloves, payment of which was added to my somewhat alarming dentist's bill. Those of you working in the medical industry will be aware of these gloves but others might like to consider this other source.
Below are images from another length of silk fabric length which I dyed recently.

A length of silk jacquard with soya wax spirals, stretched on my big adjustable frame, which then had one end tilted up quite high. Surplus dye, with fixing additives, was poured on to the fabric using a meat baster. The colours blended to create new colour combinations.

This piece was then overdyed, once again using up some surplus dye mixtures (note the colour of the spirals which had been white)

Next Blog: Home again.....

Black is not always black

Dye only

Salt added (from memory the colour change was more dramatic in reality)

Soda Ash added

Washed and dried. Definitely not black but still a nice colour, although it is somewhat darker than shown here.

Recently I dyed some silk fabric using a black dye. I already knew that it would not result in a black as this is very difficult to achieve by the hand dyer. This particular black dye does give a reasonably good black with a cellulose fibre eg cotton, but not with a protein fibre eg silk. I always find the changes in colour of any fabric as the chemicals are added during the dyeing processes, quite fascinating. This dye bath was no exception and although difficult to get good photos, they do show the colour changes.
I now have a photo of my piece in the Ready to Wear exhibition, Expressions Arts and Entertainment Centre in Upper Hutt, till 22 March. Below are images of my piece titled 'A Bit Cheeky'. Constructed from plain calico (muslin), this piece challenges the normal assumption of how a garment is worn by placing the body outside the garment, rather than inside. I hope it creates a few smiles!

A Bit Cheeky, front view

Back view

Side view

Next Blog: Off overseas again......

Tools of the trade

I am lucky to have a big studio, and half of my double garage is occupied by a five metre (5.5 yds) printing table. I am also a keen gardener and keep all my gardening tools and paraphernalia in the garage as well (yep, there is still room for my car!).
After having taken a photo recently of work in progress on my printing table I noticed that it also included a bag of lawn fertiliser. Not only was this on the end of my printing table but it had an iron sitting on the top! Secondly, I have always kept my printing squeegees and screen cleaning brushes on wall hooks which also hold many of my gardening tools. Obviously my passions are entwined. I kid you not, look at the photos....
Below is an image of a piece I have sent off for the member's exhibition at the Surface Design Association's May/June conference in Kansas City, MO. All pieces have to be 46cm x 46cm (18" x 18"). I have always found square dimensions quite difficult so decided to work a triptych and send just one of the pieces. And yes, I will be attending the conference.
Also now open is Thrift, the Art of Making Do, at Pataka Museum of Arts and Cultures, till 17 May. An excellent exhibition with some of our best quilt artists, Heather Harding, Katherine Morrison, Anna Prussing and Esther Woollaston. All artists use recycled fabrics and contemporary messages in their quilts.
Along with the Changing Threads exhibition at The Refinery Artspace, Nelson (closes 7 March), and the Ready To Wear exhibition at Expressions in Upper Hutt, the textile arts are doing pretty well here in New Zealand at the moment.

Next Blog: Black in not always black

Three Sisters III. Silk Broadcloth. Procion MX dyes and pigment. Painting, printing and discharge techniques.

Ready to Wear Exhibition and Silk Spandex length

The Expressions Arts and Entertainment Centre in Upper Hutt (836 Fergusson Drive) now has a Ready to Wear exhibition in their Mount Marua Gallery, 20 February to 22 March. This is a collection of works in a range of media which are inspired by the adornment of the body. Twenty-one artists are featured including myself. There are garments with a twist, jewellery, paintings, shoes, and many other things. Well worth a visit.
I recently completed another silk (and spandex) length. This was a remnant and already a nice soft buttery yellow. I set it up on my printing table and using my 'no frills' plumb line arrangement marked the repeat pattern placements with bits of sticky paper. Then using Procion MX dyes (a red, green, brown and a purple each mixed in a Manutex solution) I hand-painted the motifs. Because I wanted to soften these I squirted each with plain water after painting. This blended the colours and made them spread at their own will. I am pleased with the outcome and feel it would make a nice skirt.




Next Blog: Tools of the trade

Over dyeing an existing garment

I often get asked to over-dye existing garments. I am always very hesitant about this because (a) the fabric content has to be determined, (b) the sewing thread will usually be a synthetic and not over-dye, (c) folds, tucks, add-ons will act as resists, (d) existing stains or fading will not be removed by the over-dyeing process and (e) the original colour will affect any new dye application.
Last week I did accept a silk top and skirt as this did seem a possibility. It had no top-stitching other than the buttonholes, and the applied flowerlets could be removed before dyeing.
The original lime green colour would obviously have an influence on any over-dyeing. My client was relaxed about the new colour and my thoughts were to over-dye it with a purple as this could result in a rather nice aubergine.
Now my purple dye always turns white silk into a cerise. Sometime ago I discovered that a mixture of navy and turquoise, surprisingly, produces a purple on white silk. Purple and green do make a nice aubergine (are you with me so far?). The result however was the darker green. This was not unpleasant at all. I had removed the lime green flowerlets from the top before dyeing and once stitched back, helped to justify the lime green buttonhole stitching. My client will probably change the buttons to something more sympathetic to the new colour.
My third photo today is of one of my WholeCloth Banners which has been accepted into Changing Threads, an exhibition of contemporary fibre and textile art at The Refinery Artspace, Nelson, 14 February to 7 March. This exhibition is organised by the Arts Council Nelson.

The original colour of the silk top and skirt, flowerlets removed at this stage

Flowerlets stitched back on; all done!

NESTING 131cm x 99cm; Silk/linen blend; Procion MX dyes and pigments; dye painting, over-dye, discharge

Next Blog: Silk Spandex length

Silk length to match skirt

It is often said that things come in threes. Well, in the case of my being requested to dye fabric for people, this is definitely a proven fact. Last week it was the silk georgette for bridesmaids. This week it was fabric to match a purchased silk skirt that was difficult to match with a top; and next week will be overdyeing an existing garment.
For this week's fabric blended colours had been decided. I bunched the fabric, poured over orange, blue and purple dyes all laced with the appropriate fixing chemicals, and left it overnight. Next day I felt the resulting colours were too strong, so reduced their depth of colour with discharge. This always produces a more subtle blend of colours and usually some nice surprises.
I then decided to add a repeat motif of dots to tone with the skirt. The fabric was laid out on my printing table and I used my 'no frills' plumb line to centre the repeats. My plumb line consists of two river stones each in plastic bags tied to the ends of a long piece of string. This drapes over the table and tensions itself. I have two plumb lines and together they work well to line up patterns.
I wanted to space the dots 20cm apart and gauged this with a strip of paper. The registrations were marked with small pieces of stick-on paper. I then eye-balled each dot into the space between the paper markings.
The fabric was then cold-batched and washed.

Fabric bunched, saturated with dye, and left to cold batch

Cold batched piece washed, discharged and washed again

Plumb lines, paper gauge and stick-on papers

Dots painted inbetween stick-on papers

The completed fabric next to the skirt

Next Blog: Over-dyeing an existing garment