One of my 'side-lines' is creating knitted charity blankets from wools donated by those wishing to deplete their stashes. This is a win, win, win situation. Firstly I am using the wool; secondly, I enjoy the knitting in quiet moments; and thirdly, someone benefits from the comfort offered by the end product.

This week I completed another blanket; a baby's blanket using some of the softer colours. Marge had included some crochet rosettes in her bag of wools and I have attached them on to this blanket.

During the next week I shall deliver this baby blanket to the local Women's Refuge. It is winter here in New Zealand and hopefully it will help to warm some child, somewhere.

My next adult size blanket is already on the way....

An honour indeed....

Earlier this month New Zealand celebrated the Queen's birthday with a national holiday on June 6th. At this time it is customary to announce the Queen's Honours List to those “who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and the nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions, or other merits”.

And guess what, I have been made a Member of the New Zealand of Merit, MNZM, for services to the textile arts. What an honour! I feel humbled and excited all at the same time. The fact that the arts have been recognised and, in particular, the textile arts is very pleasing. We are all winners!

Looking back I started on this journey in the early 1970's, forty years ago, and it amazes me that I am still as enthusiastic as ever.

My medal will be awarded by our Governor General, at Government House, Wellington, in a few week's time and my boys have been instructed that they must attend! The image here is the man's version of the medal, as I haven't been able to find an image of the woman's medal!



This weekend the Surface Design Association conference is under way in Minneapolis-St.Paul, Minnesota, USA. Having attended the previous three conferences, a little bit of me is there. Here's hoping I might be able to return for the 2013 conference!

A new garment

Thanks to everyone for their very kind best wishes since my previous blog. They certainly help to 'share the load' and I am pleased to report that I feel good.

A couple of weeks ago I was to attend a formal occasion and although I already have suitable garments in my wardrobe, the urge to use a length of my own hand-painted fabric was too strong. I had been waiting for such an occasion to make up this length.

It was silk organza and like any sheer fabric poses a problem with the inside seams as they are visible through the sheer fabric. I joined the seams with a simple three thread over locker (serger) stitch, then pressed the edge to one side. With a steady hand I then stitched down the centre of the edge with a single line of straight stitch, from the front side of the seam. This certainly looked very neat. The sleeve and lower hems were hand rolled, and the neck edge bound with a binding.

I was pleased with the outcome. It was a test of my sewing skills and I feel I have passed my competency test in sewing with just one eye!

Below is the finished garment. If you think I did a good job in matching the diagonal lines of the hand-painted design, I have to confess that was pure serendipity! The lower front edges are knotted at the corners.

An update....

Last week I posted this blog but the blog people had a stuff up. Apparently blogs posted around a certain time were lost. In fact everything went off line. They say they are working on replacing them but this has not happened, yet... I am therefore posting this again. No need to read any further if you have already read it.

It has been awhile since I lasted posted on my blog. I needed to focus on some serious health problems that came out of the blue earlier this year.

I am now pleased to write that hopefully the worst is over and although more on going procedures will be occurring, everything has gone well so far.

Fortunately our health system clicked into urgency and I was fast-tracked through the system. Four weeks ago today I had a major operation lasting 11 hours. During this time I had an aggressive tumour removed from behind my nasal passages. Unfortunately this had affected my right eye, and removing it was the only option. I now also have some of my tummy muscles relocated in to my face to replace cheek bones which had disintegrated.

Sound horrible? Yes, it was but fortunately New Zealand's most highest profile plastic surgeon (he is also known internationally) works at my local hospital and he was is in charge of the team of surgeons.

I had 10 days in hospital and now, a month after the operation, I have been home quietly getting on with things and learning to cope with my new situation. I refuse to look back and welcome each little challenge as something to be overcome. It is all working so far! My team of surgeons are delighted with my progress and have been very encouraging.

I have always enjoyed physical activities with the aim of keeping myself fit. In fact they tell me I am incredibly fit (compared to most people my age) and I feel this has been a great advantage in my recovery. I am already back into walking, albeit at a somewhat slower pace.

I am not sure when I will next blog. I am finding myself drifting back to reading your blogs, and many of the other activities I have enjoyed in the past. It has also been a time to re-think the future and what I want to do. Too early for any decisions yet. One thing I am enjoying is being somewhat more laid-back in my daily life; priorities change, and I am quite liking it....

an unfortunate hiatus

Due to some unfortunate health problems I am putting this blog on hold for sometime, although I could quite well pop up, off and on. It will be difficult keeping me down!

I really enjoy blogging, love that you take the time to read it, and to leave comments. I feel I have learnt so much about myself as a person, and as an artist, as well as bettering my writing skills.

I hope all your creative endeavours continue to reach great heights and, for those who also write blogs, I still hope to read all about your making.

I did start a new piece last week, following my experiments with the three different substrates. The shape you will recognize. I have painted dots, some directly on to cotton duck, some on to pre-wetted areas, and other parts washed with water afterwards.

Thoughts on recent testing....

Firstly, regular readers of this blog will have received a 'blog doesn't exist' posting during the week. All my fault entirely. I was making a start on preparing this blog and inadvertently pushed the Publish button when aiming for another button. I quickly deleted the posting but it does remain in the system. I promise to try harder...

This week I have quietly contemplated my recent exercise in repeat dye and paint applications on to three different substrates. All three may be viewed here. The following are some of my thoughts on the outcome.

* I like the freedom in painting on the paper; gestural applications can be expressive, whereas on the fabrics they drag.
* Wet paint pools and blends on the paper, but the fabrics soak up the dye and restrict this activity.
* All printing and stamping techniques, using printing paints, respond the same on all three substrates.
* Applications don't dry as quick on the paper allowing for further activity, they don't dry quickly on the fabric substrates either where they sink into the fibres but are difficult to spread or shift further.

My preference, at this point in time, is the results on the cotton duck. I really like the way the wet dye wicks along the grain of the fabric. This seems to happen in one direction only, and in my test piece, this runs vertically. It softens the application and merges with the edges of previous applications. Also, wet dye does give total coverage, but not always fully as it will settle partly on the top surface of the fibres in some areas which I like.

Applications on the cotton duck.

As also mentioned in my previous blog I was planning to make a cot quilt to donate to the Christchurch earthquake victims. Using previously hand-dyed cottons, I have now finished my first cot quilt. I am not a quilter but did recall how to stitch and quilt at the same time. And with the help of the walking foot on my machine, I was able to machine stitch the whole piece.

My selection of hand-dyed cottons waiting for a purpose.

No, it is not an art quilt but I did enjoy the simplicity of the task.

Testing, testing...

Testing times indeed for New Zealand. Many thanks for your messages of support and concern. These are much appreciated.

Putting aside the tragedy here for a moment, I have finally done something I wanted to do for quite sometime. I decided to experiment with different substrates for the techniques I use in producing my art.

Set up ready to go. Left: paper (sketch book). Middle: my favourite silk/linen cloth from Thai Silks, USA. Right: cotton duck.

Each application was repeated at the same time on to all the substrates.

The final outcome. This is not an exercise in 'great art' but an attempt to record how different dyes, paints, techniques responded. I shall publish my thoughts in the next blog.

Testing times indeed for New Zealand. It is difficult knowing how one can help when living in other, unaffected, areas of NZ. Donations are important but there has to be more. Yesterday I realised I had a collection of co-ordinated hand-dyed cotton fat quarters left over from my previous business. I now plan to purchase some wadding and turn these pieces into cot size quilts. Autumn is around the corner, followed by winter. It will be cold.