For the past few years I have entered some textile work in the Royal Easter Show in Sydney, and this year I had two entries: a felted bag and a wearable art piece. Both won 2nds which I was pretty pleased with considering the number of entries this year.
My felted bag was covered in coloured craters and felt balls with shoulder length felt straps with knotted coloured tips at the end. The bag really cried out for a bright lining but the class was a felt only accessory - it may yet get its pink interior.
The wearable piece some may already have seen on my facebook page:
In this class there is as much emphasis on dressmaking skills as well as surface design, so the basic shift dress was made 'properly' with silk crepe de chine, bias binding hems, invisible zip, overlocked edges - everything I hate doing on slippy fabric really - before most of the 'fun' bits could start.
I dyed the dress to get the mottled effect I was after, and began constructing the hessian grid mesh.
It started as 2m of green hessian which became a haphazard grid through hours of drawn threadwork and even more cord making with free machining.
Separate machined cords in green and brown hessian threads were made on which to attach wet felted flowers and leaves.
In total about 200 flowers and 400 leaves were made and attached along the 1m lengths of cords.
The fun bit came when I could wind and twist and knot the cords into the dress, in an attempt to create a look like nature had taken over a dress hanging out too long!
and some of the detail:
My felted bag was covered in coloured craters and felt balls with shoulder length felt straps with knotted coloured tips at the end. The bag really cried out for a bright lining but the class was a felt only accessory - it may yet get its pink interior.
The wearable piece some may already have seen on my facebook page:
In this class there is as much emphasis on dressmaking skills as well as surface design, so the basic shift dress was made 'properly' with silk crepe de chine, bias binding hems, invisible zip, overlocked edges - everything I hate doing on slippy fabric really - before most of the 'fun' bits could start.
I dyed the dress to get the mottled effect I was after, and began constructing the hessian grid mesh.
Separate machined cords in green and brown hessian threads were made on which to attach wet felted flowers and leaves.
In total about 200 flowers and 400 leaves were made and attached along the 1m lengths of cords.
The fun bit came when I could wind and twist and knot the cords into the dress, in an attempt to create a look like nature had taken over a dress hanging out too long!
and some of the detail:
4 comments:
Very well done on your 2 awards, I'm not surprised, your work is beautiful, both are exceptional pieces.
You certainly deserve the awards,such a lot of work,have you any fingers left?
These are great Helen and well deserved prizes
Congratulations Helen! Both are beautiful pieces
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