Ali George Artist

This week saw some creative repurposing. I returned several old books and a magazine to the trees - an older book on art history, a Steinbeck - Travels with Charley - and a gallery magazine. A few stars yet to be mounted and that is the Christmas / festive decorating effort for 2023. Another book, published in New Zealand (and no surprise given its quality) is The Untamed Thread. Sumptuous and one of the few that hooks into the soul from page one. A joy to flip through a friend's copy and now patiently waiting on my copy to arrive. It's going to be a brilliant and creative holiday.  

My mark making exerciseon fabric produced a delicate set of signs and symbols. I then repeated the exerciseon paper, folding each edge to ensure all marking carried across the page so make a seamless (no punintended) repeat pattern. This was then scanned and cleaned up before uploading to a fabric printing website. I ordered small sample pieces (a must before ordering or offering the fabric for sale). I got the scale wrong. It needs to be a much smaller version of the characters - I feel these have pixelated somewhat. Great learning and  another round of samples being ordered.Once I'm happy with both the fabric type and the pattern scale, anyone will be able to order fabric or made up pieces including doona covers, table mats and table napkins.  

I'm hooked. Just wondering what it is I am meant to be doing that I am so keen on making advent mitts. Not a red or green floral to be seen - these are all hand dyed and printed fabrics and a great way to make room for more dyeing adventures. Committed (or should be) to a studio filled with mitts ready for the men and women in my life who bake. [Pattern: available from Maria Shell - Artful Oven Mitts ]  

  More experimentation related to next year's exhibition. I used Maria Shell's template . I wanted to find something that captured my response to Karim Demirbay's sexist comment to a referee after being red-carded. To his credit, he is reported to have apologised (and why should that be something to celebrate). In exploring our exhibition title / theme I was drawn to the mitt as something that portrays the idea of  'knowing one's place'. Lots to think about, explore and many expiriments ahead. 

My favourite part of the post-dyeing process is when I get to make marks. I most always use block printing inks (oil based) which are messy and take days to 'dry' but give amazing results on paper and cloth. Sometimes I leave the pieces whole, while other times I love the way slices and snippets take on a different life as part of an overall composition. I also love how the fabric picks up the 'noise' from the inked base ( I use a Skvallra desk pad from Ikea , about $10  for a 60cm x 80 cm size ). 

  I have been dyeing quite a few metres of fabric, trnsitioning from clear orange through to muted blue. The muted blue ever so slightly dulls the intensity and it works better for me. These past days were spen+t at retreat with the tribe - and these log cabin blocks will most likely be part of an art quilt, destined I hope, for my exhibition with Rebecca Staunton Coffey in late 2024. These blocks have been  made from free cut strips and will blend with the next lot of fabrics, some light and medium values in the same colourway. The focus will be around deconstruction and I'm looking forward to seeing hwo it progresses.

  I made a king sized quilt many decades ago for a friend and after many winters she returned it because of wear and tear. Instead of faithful service, stories and history, she saw something that no longer held value. There were tears and wear points, and the only other option if I couldn't repair it, was to throw it away. I suggested she give it back and I'd turn it into bags. Fifteen so far, and that used one of the side panels. Two side panels and the top of the quilt to go. I'll try to find some other ways of giving the quilt a second or third life, ever so glad it stayed out of landfill.