Busy Busy!

Last Thursday I went to London, first to Handweavers Studio. They have a very good exhibition of weaving on at the moment. Collapse weave, double weaves, twisted weaves, weaving from metal thread. They also had the 12 shaft loom I was interested in - which I have bought but it is really too heavy to lug round the City of London so it has been shipped . It should be here tomorrow. Then off to one of the Guildhalls for a very good party, lots of people I have known for years, lots of lovely food. Some speeches but all concise and funny. We were celebrating the host's Company being awarded a Queen's Award, I think, for Exports.  Then home by train to Leamington Spa (You try getting from London to Malvern after 1830 hours). 

 Before I was struck down with flu, I had started an online course with the Quilt University on 'Thick and Thin'. This is about using Manutex with Procion MX dyes. I tried Manutex several years ago and got nowhere so I thought the course would be worth a try.  The tutor is extremely good and we get a new assignment every week.  Well, I did the first lesson and then retired to bed. So on Saturday I set about Lesson 3 (I skipped Lesson 2) which was all about stamping and stencilling. I find the stencilling works a treat but the stamping tends to be blobby. The bamboos are stencilled as are the pink labyrinths below. The brown tulips are stamped and are not at all clear.

 The handle of the cotton is unchanged when Manutex is applied which is the reason for wanting to use this method.

 And on Sunday, I did Lesson 4 which was painting using Manutex. I was quite taken with my caladium leaves so cut a piece of cotton to fit an A4 book and painted a second lot of caladium leaves to fit a book cover. I also brightened up the pink to a red which looks better. I might add some machine embroidery to the stems and leaf veins. This will be a cased-in book that is, a cover for back and front with the spine integrated

I did do various other things over the week end but will report on them tomorrow. It is going to be hot again today so I must get out and water the garden pots.  Dyeing uses up lots of water and I was very economical over the weekend. When I had a basin of water after washing up, I put it on the garden.