3D weaving inspired by a Geode

After I spent a weekend in Edinburgh on a 3D weaving course I decided to have another attempt at home.
I found some photographs of geodes on line and then collected blue and gold wool ready for weaving.
I warped up my frame with a blue warp and started on the weft.

Using a variety of shades of blue I started weaving a zig-zag pattern inspired by the pattern in the rock.

When I had woven a few inches I then started to weave in sections of about 3-5 warp threads joining the sections in a few places.

When I had nearly reached the top of the loom I stopped weaving, turned the frame around and cut the top warp threads leaving the bottom attached so I could push against the frame as I pulled the warp.

By pulling more on the outer warp of each section the weaving curved reminding me of the layers in the geode.

When I was satisfied with the curving I then tied off the ends and bound them, leaving the warp hanging as decoration. I then cut the other warp threads to remove it from the loom and neatened them off.

I am quite pleased with the result and going to have another go with a pinky/purple one.

Crewel Embroidery

Over the past few weeks during lock down I have been working on a couple of pieces of crewel work.
It is a few years since I have done any so I had to remind myself of some of the stitches. 
The first piece was an Art Nouveau flower with elongated and elegant lines.

I love the way you can subtly blend the shades of wool together by working long and short stitch.
The second piece was started at one of my embroiderer's meetings where we had to think of a contemporary twist on a traditional piece of embroidery.
I love the patterns on the gherkin and they reminded me of the grids  [laid work] in crewel work. I thought that I would put a grid over a piece of crewel work emphasising the geometric shapes..

I embroidered a flower in crewel work.

I made a grid with ribbon sewn over a sheer. Where the flower was I cut out windows from the sheer with a soldering iron and then attached the grid by cross stitch to the embroidery.

I then embroidered abstract shapes through both layers in the same colours as the flower.

Two different ways for crewel work.

Social Distancing - Gardening

The whole of April was dry and warm with varying amounts of wind. This also coincided with social distancing and I was able to spend most days in the garden tidying up, weeding and mowing the lawn.

Daffodils

Polyanthus and crocus

Forsythia

Forsythia and daffodils

Primula

Forest flame

Viburnum

Tulips

Flowering cherry

Berberis

Once we had rain at the end of the month all the green started to appear.

In the greenhouse the summer plants are all growing protected from the frost ready to be put out at the end of May. 

Social Distancing - Embroidery

During the social isolation of myself during the pandemic of Covid 19 I have been very busy catching up with my embroidery.

These are pieces made using blue and white material/ threads. Some of the blue material was died with quink ink.

The two squares are made for a project with the Embroiderers' Guild on Positivity and will be joined to other squares made by our members.

I have finished my tapestry weaving off on houses. The houses were woven sideways and I finished off with a new edging I was shown in Edinburgh.

Crewel work was used to embroider this Art Nouveau flower.

Etruscan photographs from an Autumn holiday last year in Italy  were used to make this small book.

The gecko was embroidered on the front of a tote bag I am making.