Tuesday 6 July 2010

CQ Summer School - Indigo

Back from a very enjoyable and productive weekend at Alston Hall on Contemporary Quilt Summer School meeting up with friends old and new. I had chosen to do class with Edwina MacKinnon using indigo and potassium permanganate on theme of 'sea and sand' and having access to an indigo vat, I'd done a bit of preparation stitching lines in cloth (my train sewing projects) and seaming fabric tubes for pole wrapping.
I hadn't used potassium permanganate before (at least while not at work) - it was very straight forward and produced some interesting colours, particularly on silk
I was very pleased with the results from the pole wrapping, producing some lovely marks. The stitching results were a bit disappointing - I thought I'd gathered them up well, but obviously not enough although the blue on blue subtle markings I'm sure will prove useful. Just not sure worth the effort. I'll show some of my stash in another post.
Alston Hall is a lovely venue with glorious views over the Ribble Valley , friendly and helpful staff and very tasty food. We thought the meringues were spectacular until we met the banoffee pie.....Picture all these ladies saying 'I shouldn't really' and tucking in with gusto. Dyeing, painting and stitching is such hard work.

There were lots of photo opportunities - this door into the beautiful walled garden was striking
I however prefer a bit of weathering - revisiting my favourite fence post (I'll be very upset when they get round to repainting it!) and discovering the door to the glasshouse. Hope they don't renovate it too soon

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't know which is more fabulous, the meringues or the door!! You sound as if you had a wonderful time - I'm a wee bit envious!

JP said...

looks like you had a great time - been away on holiday so only just caught up with your back posts - wish I'd known you were coming back to Warrington as tat is where I am !!! - where were you as i don't recognise where it was ! do tell more!!

neki desu said...

glorious dyeing. and lovely decaying door and rusted gate.now what can i say of the meringues?