Cushions!

Folding the fabric between bulldog clips creates an interesting star burst pattern.

Onion skins ... organically graphic!

This gorgeous orange was achieved in a dye bath of loquat leaves.

I completed these cushions a few months ago, in time for the launch in December and they've since been shown at the RAW showcase as well. Now it's time to show them to the rest of the world so I'll be listing them in my Etsy shop in the next week or so.
The tops are eco dyed silk (of course!) with eco dyed cotton calico on the reverse. I've experimented with a couple of techniques as you can see by the images. I used a Shibori method of folding the fabric in a particular way (there are hundreds of ways to fold for different results) and clamping with bulldog clips. This produced a star burst pattern both where the fabric was resisted and where the metal clips left lines of rust.
Another  technique I tried was an ombre effect.  This is where the colour graduates from dark to light across the fabric and it seems to be everywhere at the moment from bed linen to fashion to hair! My results turned out a little patchy, more painterly than smooth graduation of colour, but I think it's a cool effect all the same. My next project is to try the ombre thing again on scarves....
The cushions have an envelope opening and I've filled them with feather cushion inserts so they're really squishy and comfy!

http://www.ahomefortandy.com/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/AHomeForTandy

RAW Melbourne - Awakenings

Well it's been at least a week since the RAW showcase and this post would've come sooner if I hadn't been interrupted by my pesky appendix needing surgical removal in the following days. Anyway, I'm making the most of this enforced "sitting down" time to focus on my next move, reading up on marketing strategies and inspiring stories of craftsperson success etc. I am enjoying immersing myself in the wealth of information and literature available to me from the comfort of my couch via laptop, however..... Maybe it has something to do with my less than robust state of health, but as a designer/maker trying to get product made while managing the business side of things while coming up with entrepreneurial ideas while working full time at a day job.... all this information can seem rather overwhelming! Then I think of the alternative...which is to give up... and then I realise I what I've expressed on this very blog in the past, that I just have to do something every day and I'm moving forward.

The RAW showcase was a bold step forward. It was an opportunity to show my wares to an audience wider than my friends and family and I received insightful and positive feed back. Professional images and a video interview are still to come, but in the meantime, but here are some rough images of my display.
www.ahomefortandy.com

The back drop is a 6m length of fabric created for a friend of mine to use as a window dressing, much like one might use a sari (of which he already has a few!) He was kind enough to allow me to use it for the display and I think it worked beautifully as a background for all my work. But before I handed it over, I made sure to take some close up pics. Here they are....

Oak and prunus leaves and onion skins.

A rusty tin can adds interesting texture.

Wrapped, ready for handover.