July

 A beautiful warm summer day for our meeting.  

Linda talked about next month's indigo dyeing.  If you need extra leaves for your dyeing Shirley has a lot growing in her garden.  Contact her to arrange to go over and pick some.  It is easiest to cut off the plant and then strip the leaves off stems when we get going.  Linda will send a supply list out next month.       You will need to have any shibori stitching done in advance.  There are lots of books or YouTube videos on how to do different patterns.  

Joan will be demonstrating her facing finish next month.

We talked about and agreed on the group doing a Whisper Challenge for the next year.  Those of us who attended the Quilt Canada show were very impressed with the World Wide Whispers displayed there.  Months have been assigned but some moving around is possible if needed.  The photo we work from will be chosen by a third party and not seen by anyone other than the first person on the list.  That way we are all approaching it equally.  It should be an interesting reveal next fall!

Show and Tell

Brigitte has been continuing on her hand sewing and has done two wonderful scroll's.  She approached a local wood turner to make her some spools and the results are great.  

Spool

Elisabeth brought along some of the things she did in the classes at Quilt Canada.  She was in class for 3 days and has a few things to show us in the coming year.

Inktense pencils with Ana Buzzalino

Raven with Terry Rowland

Shiva sticks with Ana Buzzalino

Shiva sticks with Ana Buzzalino

Cathy then gave her tutorial on making the little dolls seen in South American textile art.  She had kits for everyone and had done some of the sewing machine work herself.  A very well thought out worksheet and clear instructions made for everyone getting most of the way though making their first one.

Sample made by Cathy

Sorry, but I am not sure who's is who's in the following pictures, but you can see they are well on their way to being little guys to be placed on your background.  You make them longer in the arms and legs and trim them down when placed on your work.

June

 Our meeting was quite well attended with lots of chat about the upcoming Quilt Canada.  A few of the members are heading down to Vancouver tomorrow to attend.  Have fun!

We have been invited by the Monashee Arts Council to apply for the August Fibre Arts Show they are having.  Christine is going to forward the email to everyone.  

Linda brought along indigo plants for everyone and gave a quick demonstration of how she smushed them up and rubbed them into the fabric she had prepared before hand.  We will be doing to indigo in July and August.  In July Linda will show us how to prep the fabric and then in August we will do the dyeing.

Also in the July meeting Cathy will be showing us how to make her little people.  You will need a loop turner for this project.  She will bring the prepared tubes that we will be turning  and show the rest of the process then.

Tubes become people

Show and Tell

Elisabeth reused a hanky with orchids on it to make this lovely wall hanging.  She also found this great panel and wants to just frame it as it is and hang it in her home.  Lovely piece and why not?

Cathy also brought along a pretty white wire ballerina that is going into a future project.  

Betty showed us a basket made by a friend and she hopes to make some of her own as well.  Fabulous fabric choice in this one!

Shirley and Joan had a dyeing day with Indy and brought along some great shibori dyed fabrics.  They all look better in person of course.

This is actually a beautiful rich blue.

Chemical dyes

Dyed with Oregon Grape root

Indigo

Brigitte has been doing a Jane Dunnewold course and this is one of the challenges she has completed.

She calls it "Embracing My Dilettante".  

May

 Welcome back!  

We talked about the fall VSSQ quilt show.  We are entering our pieces individually for the challenge         A Page From My Book.  I put QuArtz in brackets on the form to help in placement.  A reminder that you must have renewed your membership and have your entry form in by June 2.

Cath is planning on bringing in a Fibre Art Network exhibit in November.  It is travelling to local guilds and we will have it at the meeting that month.  The exhibit is For The Birds.

Linda is still nursing the baby Japanese Indigo seedlings along and will bring them to the June meeting.  Please arrange with her if you can't attend.

Show and Tell

Shirley showed us her Page From My Book entry - Day is Done, Kal

Jeanette brought along a tassel she made from last month's button and a Reuse, Recycle jacket with some more great buttons!

Elisabeth had made more buttons and play with the checkerboard technique.

Cathy finished her A Page From My Book called Garden Games, and managed to incorporate all the techniques we looked at so far.  And even add a few more!  Some shrink art buttons and butterflies.

Shrink film butterfly

Linda has finished a wonderful scrappy quilt she calls Tips Up.  It will be at the show in September also. And has pieced a interesting background out of some of her indigo dyed fabric.  

Brigitte has been making some fascinating mark making tools, can't wait to see what she does with them!

We then played with the shrink film that Cathy brought along for this month's button.  We made paper templates and then transferred them to the film and cut them out.  Punching the hole now is very important as you will not be able to once they are shrunk.  She brought along water colour pencils and a variety of other marking pens to try.  Once they were decorated they went on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper and into a 350 degree oven for 1-3 minutes.  Always fun to watch them curl up and then flatten out as they shrink.  The butterflies were gently shaped with careful fingers as they cooled.  Cathy had printed the butterflies on a piece of shrink film with her ink jet printer and then we cut them out, punched holes and coloured before shrinking.

Supplies

Decorating before shrinking

After shrinking

April

On a lovely spring day we met again at the Clubhouse.  Bev joined us to see what we do and decide if she wants to join us.  Lets hope she does!

Brigitte is sharing the link to the opening Zoom of Cherry Blossoms, Textiles Translations.  You can find it on YouTube:            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay9Bv5ceZiE

We had some idea's for summer workshops in July and August.  Resist techniques using thread was one and Endy in Lake Country has some ideas on this.  Linda has suggested that everyone grow some Japanese Indigo and we use it in August  for dyeing.  She will start the plants for us.                              Cathy is still working on finding information on the making the little embroidery people and is talking to a woman in Chile about it.

We are looking at Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle for the next three months.  The latest Quilting Arts magazine has an article on recycle or upcycle.   Spring 2022, Issue 113.

Christine brought along a journal cover where she used an opened up pop can, burnt and embossed to decorate the front. 

Joan had made a man's tie into a purse and even had an extra unsewn one to give away.  

Sandie had a few interesting idea's and I even managed to get a few pictures.

A decorative wood piece from Windsor Plywood was repurposed into a stamp.  Various zippers and an old t-shirt were turned into decorative flowers.  The back pocket of a pair of jeans was repurposed as well.

 

Judith and Linda brought in the cards they made from the repurposed tea bags of a few years ago.

Brigitte had a beautiful cross stitch, a long time PHD, all finished and framed.

Linda also had a piece her mom had started and she finished, and various other quilts.

Joan brought along two pieces she made using the improv piecing techniques.  She also showed us Joan Well's updated book.

Christine is working on a background for her Page From My Book.  Some lovely wet felting and an aloe to come.

Buttons from Sandie and Elisabeth were admired.  Elisabeth used variegated thread to great effect.

We ended the meeting with Jeanette showing us how to do a traditional covered button.  I am sure most of you had clothes with these kind of buttons on them.