More Roadkill

Fragment of paper

Everything synthesises eventually

Accidental face from this dye lot, and most of the fabrics ironed and on the table.  One lot (left in the picture) came out horrible because the description in the shop (100% cotton, I think not..) was wrong.. And the pieces had big scabby holes in too.. I wouldn't mind so much if the stuff hadn't gone up 50% in price too...
The scrumpled bits are a beautiful crimpled cheesecloth-type stuff which I shall use as part of the supplies for my Sheer Delight class on Tuesday next week..

Washing Line

Part the first.. Reds, purples, darks, and blues to come

And the next Accidental Face

Well, while I was out..

I left some dyebaths on the table, and pulled the drop cloth up over the trays to keep the public out and the wet in..Here are the trays

I have made rainbows on a variety of fabrics, then laid treated (with soda ash) fabrics on top to absorb another part of the dyes. Then I put these under the edge of the drop cloth

And went off to teach Trees all day in Suffolk.  Nice class, nice Trees, lovely hall.. Nice lunch.. What more can one ask for..
I am really going to enjoy washing these out tomorrow..
More images when done

The drop cloths are 100% cotton sheets, treated with soda ash and dried, then laid on the big table whenever I do anything the least bit messy.  When the white sheet is (almost) no longer visible, I wash out the cloth and use the fabric.  So far I have made one every two years and they are fantastic.  Here's a quilt I made with one piece, screen-printed and stitched on top of the accidental marks

It's about 3 feet wide and is very simply quilted, mostly irregular lines from top to bottom, with a hand-embroidered sun

Time for bed..

Accidental Faces 2

Milling machine..  This one is Animal not Human, I think..

Accidental Faces 1

Hope this will be part one of an occasional series.. I see faces everywhere, it's part of the way the visual cortex works in humans from the very beginning of life

Roadkill 3, Tattered Strap

I have long been fascinated by the accidental detritus of the road.  As a cyclist, I look down more than as a motorist, to preserve my tyres and my position (preferably upright, thanks).  For a long time I had a massively flattened, bent, and samurai-swordish bicycle pump hanging on my wall.  Other treats have included a whole white sliced loaf (almost a whole street's-worth), a frozen chicken, and many an odd shoe... The local dustbin men drop big sinister red rubber gloves all the time, but I have resisted collecting them..
This little piece of strap had fallen from a supermarket-trolley.  I don't know what the security guys by the door made of my photographing it, but I got some seriously old-fashioned looks..

Roadkill 2

Sad small hat

Roadkill..

..cardboard cannot fight back

Sunday in the Snow

My Circle Garden in the snow..
I walked home last night at dusk, in a breathless and sacred silence broken only by the drumming take-off of a partridge.  I saw two tawny owls fly from the oak trees.  Utter perfection.