Flamingo Tree

Inspired by Japanese fabric artist Noriko Endo, and the use of small slivers of fabric, overlaid with soft net. Especially effective on the quilt “Nature in NZ”, mosses, branches and the sun shining through.
This week I am going to try this technique with pink fabric and create a flamingo tree, the pink leaves are all abundant at the moment, and this may be perfect for the spiky leaves, instead of trying to appliqué individually or maybe cut-out the one large “leaf shape”.
Selected a bright pink fabric with a little gold thread embossed on it. Using the rotary cutter, slivers and triangles of fabric were cut, but this was difficult so ended up using the scissors, and cut the pieces approx 10- 20 mm long by 3-7 mm wide.
On a blue background fabric, pencil outlined the shape of the leaves and vlioflexed the brown trunk on. Machine embroider to create a dark and light side of the tree and outline some of the pattern of the brown fabric, as it reminded me of the bark on the flamingo tree.
I just threw the pink slivers onto the fabric base, and then arranged them until the impression of the leaves were created. I overlaid a fine white tulle, and pined it on place. Using a needle, I “teased” and moved the slivers more, to create sky between the leaves. Having the tulle on top really helped this process.
Monofilament grey thread and zigzagged around the leaves, and then straight stitch in a leafy motion to hold them all down.
Burgundy thread to create more dark on the trunk, and then pale beige to create more light. I should have removed the tearaway stabiliser on the back, as the quilt is quite stiff now.
Hand embroidered more burgundy on the twigs to give them a bit more life.
Perhaps I should have put some glue stik onto the background before throwing on the leaf slivers, to hold them into place.

Hamner Hills

Tidying up I found an old canvas that I had used when practising colour mixes with oil paints, it has to be at least 10 years old. The colours remind me of the hills in Hamner, South Island.

Using some left skeletons picked up on Mt Ngongataha, and using textile ink, painted them yellow, red, and orange.

Once dried the ink has given the leaves a little more strength, but using black tulle, collaged them as autumn trees to the canvas background.

Found some turquoise ribbon, and laid 3 strips inform of the leaf “trees. Felt the landscape need green, so chopped up a green fabric scrap into to bits, and arranged as shrubs on the right.

Twirled some ‘jazz” novelty yarn as grass/ flax at the front, but I am not sure if it is lost in the colours.

Sewed everything down with orange / yellow variegated thread, and managed to break 2 needles in the process. Perhaps the machine doesn’t like sewing through canvas?
Outlined the leaf shapes, do they look like trees? Used the skeletons as a guide and sewed over them for trunks and branches.

Looks a bit messy, but I like the trees.

Happy Villages Karen Eckmeier

Decided to try out Karen Eckmeier’s fabric collage technique, so cut 5 cm strips from 7 colours, in reds, browns and purples. I cut these into 5 cm squares and then, into a series of “steps”. 2 , 3, 4, and 5 step shapes.
Changed the technique from Karen, I laid out fusible Vilene with the “glue” face side up. I then arranged the “steps” onto this, starting with a dark value colour, and then contrasting it with a light value. Shapes were turned and placed quite randomly, nice not to think too much, just enjoying the process.
Once happy, I just ironed the pieces straight onto the Vilene. No glue to worry about.
Cut out some “onion” shapes for roofs, and some triangle shapes for roofs.
I thought some arches and awnings would look quite good too. Also cut some arch shapes and square shapes for windows. Tried placing the shapes onto dark / light combinations, and moved the windows around until I was happy with the placement.
A wipe of a glue stik onto the backs of the small pieces held them in place, while I pinned fine black tulle over the top. Sewed around all the shapes, and then cut the tulle away from the sky fabric.
It is a happy village, reminds me of the northern African communities.