New print table

My Dad's old garage table has been given new life as my latest print table. Bob extended the legs to give me the correct height I needed.

I have used this green felt as the print pad as I had a large piece that was perfect for the top.

The top of the table was made of 3 panels and a bit uneven so my first layer was several sheets of newspaper followed by a piece of cloth to cover this. The green felt then went over these 2 layers.

The top was now smoother and ready for the cover cloth.

These handy clamps hold the layers taut. When not in use I have cover the surface with a water proof layer, easily clamped down. Now it's all systems go!


 

Houston quilts

If you are in Houston right now, at the Quilt Festival, you're very lucky to be surrounded by so many wonderful quilts and great quilters! I am here at home enjoying the coverage of the event via the internet. I have 2 quilts in the Hands All Around exhibit, Shake the Tree, detail above and Flood #1- River Rising, below.

Congratulations to all the prize winners, the quilts look amazing!
www.quilts.com has details of winning quilts.

Bark colour

Out on a morning walk, I just had to stop and take photos when I came across these amazing colours in the bark of the gigantic gum tree, near a local high school.

And lovely scribbly patterns from the insect life sustain by this beautiful tree.

 

 

Collagraph preparation

Shellac flakes are dissolved in methylated spirits to obtain the shellac liquid for sealing the collagraph plates I made earlier. Several layers need to be applied. These are the shiny flakes before dissolving.

I strain it and then paint it on. I'll stop at the fifth coating and then print!

The Promise of Tomorrow

Above is a working photo of trimming up the vertical edge for my latest Viewpoints 9 challenge quilt, made for the Environment and Ecology challenge which is being revealed today on the blog.

We have worked in a larger size, 40cm w x 80cm as these quilts will be part of the TIQE 16 exhibition in Taiwan.

Using various seed pods and seed grass heads I printed the images. Many seed banks have been set up to preserve species for the future, as man's influence on habitat destruction threatens plant extinction. Seeds hold the promise of tomorrow.

 

Monkey pod

I took this red hand dyed cotton to Hawai'i with me and used found Monkey Pods [ hope I have this right?] for some printing and rubbing while visiting Phyllis Cullen. The design was bland and indistinct until I painted the rubbed pods with white. The black leaf prints are from the Big Island too. Now I'm liking how it is looking and have plans for it.

Seduced by the Impefect series

It was so helpful to have my friends hold up the quilts from this series, as I hadn't looked at them in a grouping of 4, just 2 together at a time on the design wall. They were also generous in their comments and I have a few ideas to fix some "problem" areas.