Textile Feasts

Here are some further pics of my latest piece, plus some more travel photos, once again in the old souqs of Damascus. And a little story.....

Central area discharged by random stamping

Overpainting of central area with two dye colours

Central area further discharged with bubblewrap printing. I am not particularly happy with this outcome and while continuing with other areas of this piece, I am considering how to amend it.

Quilters in Stephan's shop doing what they do best - purchasing fabrics!

Ancient silk loom still in use in Stephan's shop. A grey, with silver metallic thread, was being produced. They do about a metre a week.

Stacks of fabrics in Faisal's tiny but fascinating shop

When Princess Elizabeth was engaged to be married to Prince Philip, the Syria government sent a length of silk fabric hand woven on the old silk loom in Stephan's shop, as a gift. The white silk thread was woven with a new design of two tiny lovebirds in metallic thread. However it was not used for her wedding gown and Syria was somewhat disappointed. However, it did become Queen Elizabeth II's coronation dress in 1953. Everyone happy!
This fabric and design is still being produced today, still with the metallic lovebirds but with different colour silk threads – he showed us one in green. If I remember rightly it was not cheap!

Next Blog: where did camels stay overnight?

Food Patterns

Lots of pics this week. The first were taken in a food souq (street) in Damascus. Followed by the start of my latest piece of work.

For those who may be interested in possible travel to Syria and Egypt here are contact details. Jenny was our Australian guide, and is also a quilter, and Tarek's company was the local contact. Both are highly recommended.
Jenny Bowker: www.jennybowker.com
Tarek Mousa: www.executivetravelegypt.com

Sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and lemons under cover

Meat shop - where do all these bits come from?

Fresh vegetables every day

As an olive fan, this had my eyes popping...

Dyed vegetables. Cauliflower on lower left, carrots on lower right

Spices

And here is the beginning of my new piece..... I will give the design source in a future blog.

My design enlarged by drawing up a larger grid on paper and copying from the smaller working design (taped on to larger paper design)

The fabric was given a base dye, and the paper design was securely pinned to the back side of the fabric. I then manipulated this on my small lightbox which allowed me to trace the design in pencil on to the back of the fabric. And yes, I remembered (just in time) to reverse the design direction. Using the pencil lines as a guide I then painted on discharge paste. Once steamed this removed enough of the dye to give clear lines on the right side of the fabric. I then repeated these lines with another discharge application on the right side to give bolder lines, followed by the usual wash and iron, ready for the next application.

Next Blog: Textile Feasts

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