I'm Vicki Welsh and I'm in my studios exploring quilting, dyeing, color study and fiber arts with a little photography and bird watching mixed in for fun.
Doesn't it figure that the weather would start turning beautiful and I would get sick! I have (and still have) the most hideous cold ever. It started Saturday and I am just now starting to feel alive again. I hope to be able to go back to work tomorrow. I was able to participate in a couple of conference call meetings and do some work from home today. I need to get the real work caught up so that I can sew all weekend - I'm way behind on my projects! I think that tonight I might have the energy to make a couple of sheets of silk fusion for class. Our project for lesson 3 is a box. After 5 days of hugging a tissue box I have decided that I will make tissue box covers as my box project! I'm serious....just wait and see what I post this weekend!
I did get a new book in the mail today. I'm thinking that I can use silk fusion sheets to make Embroidered Boxes.
I woke up yesterday morning with a horrid cold that seems to be going around the world right now. It's sure going through my office. But after a long nap yesterday I was able to finish two of my silk fusion projects. The photos aren't great - I just didn't have the energy today to continue retaking them - I think you'll get the idea. Both of these projects are from my Silk Fusion class at Joggles.com. You can read my previous posts about these projects here and here.
I did one more project this morning before I give in to my cold and just sleep the rest of the day away! I made a couple of batches of lotion. I started making lotion and soap several years ago. I do it primarily because of my severe allergies. My soaps and lotions have no colorants, no fragrances and no preservatives. Today I needed a new supply of lotion so I though I would share my recipe and show you just how easy this is! Lotion is so incredibly simple to make (much simpler than soap) and it's incredibly economical!
Boy, this was fun! You can read my previous posts here, here, and here. Today I got the last of the 17 yards in mordant, rinsed and dried. I actually only dyed 16 yards so that I would have an original for comparison. Unfortunately the photo just does not do justice to the results.
The 3 pieces to the left of the blue are actually light sage greens, there are 2 light yellows in addition to the one bright yellow and there are 3 really good pinks. The original muslin is the background fabric. Even though you can't see all of the colors you can see the variety of color depth that can be achieved with tea dyeing. I tried many times to get the photo right but I just could not get anything close to accurate representation of color. The whole project was a big surprise to me and I really enjoyed it! Now they go in the fabric cabinet while I ponder an appropriate project (or projects) for them.
Your comments on my tea dyeing have me cracking up! I'm glad everyone sees the humor that I see in myself on this one. I'm steeping tea for my last 4 pieces of the large muslin collection so I will have everything dyed today. I'll iron tomorrow morning (Debra, that's done to set the dye or else I would NOT do it either!). Then into 2 mordant vats, rinsing and drying. I'll post photos later tomorrow of the final results.
Today I went to the Mid-Atlantic quilt festival with a friend and my Mom. This year they have the best quilt exhibit ever. The caliber of quilts and wearables was impressive! One highlight was getting to see Summerset's "American Beauty" outfit up close. Please check out her posts on this outfit and see the quality of workmanship and design in this outfit.
