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Friday 31 May 2013

Aubergine - Nothing for almost two months then two at once!

I loved the idea of working with aubergine - so much depth of colour, and that gorgeous sheen ... but how to re-create that in fabric. (I may have mentioned that I'm a very literal person!) In the end I added depth to a piece of purple satin with diluted black ink and was happy with the result. That was almost two months ago. Since then I've been scratching about with different ideas but with only three days to the deadline I decided that all I could do was make up the first idea that came into my head. I don't know what prompted it, other than the fact that I've been working with squares a lot, or what it means but here it is:



I wasn't happy making it, the inset green strip which is a technique I'm quite comfortable with, took two attempts. I ended up taking time over two days as I kept walking away from my machine and as you can see, because I needed a lot of steam to press the piece into submission some of the indelible ink ran - a final insult!

But this morning as I was clearing away the leftover bits of fabric something clicked and here is Aubergine 2 which took two hours rather than two months to make!


This piece virtually put itself together as it is an echo of work I've been doing since completing an on-line class with Lisa Call earlier this year. It's nothing more than a bit of fun - but it makes me smile!


8 comments:

  1. I can't help thinking you and Hilary are both over-achieving - two pieces each - I struggled to get one finished! Though I love them both Somehow the second appeals more - perhaps it is the feel of spontaneity? Looking at the first piece again I would be very tempted to get the purple thread out and add to the effect of the running ink, as though the square itself were melting.

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  2. I love the line and movement (no, not the ink!) in the first but, like Linda F, I like the spontaneity of the second. Isn't it super when something suddenly hits you, feels right and falls together?!

    Why are there occasions when everything conspires against you - my heart went out over the ink running. Can you make a feature of it? Add more? Add stitch all the way around? I'd like to see it rescued.

    Hilary

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  3. I really do like the first one and go with Linda & Hilary ... use the running ink. I have a very personal problem with even numbers and that is why the second piece with 4 blocks and 4 strips of green just did not have the edge over the first.

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  4. I do prefer the first one, Linda, and I think the contrast of the bleeding and the crisp shapes makes an interesting statement. Perhaps a little ink to enhance the bleeding effect?

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  5. Well done doing two pieces. I like them both, but the first has me looking closer and wondering what you were thinking. The dye running adds a texture to it.

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  6. I love the simplicity of both and do agree that the bleeding could be featured in your first piece.

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  7. I like them both but think if I was honest the first one speaks to me more - and the bleeding effect adds to the interest. As some of the others have said you could enhance this and make something very interesting happen.

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  8. Your first piece can now be used for our next challenge. I enjoyed browsing through Lisa's web-site, she's very prolific.

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