Sick and Tired of being Sick and Tired

Have been home for two days sick - and this is the first time I have decided to do something - still in bed though :-)
Thought I would show you the bits I did over last weekend.  I put together the practice 3D Iris (the purple one) to see if it would work - just needs the stem and bits. Had to stand the flower on the top of my glue stick before I make a stem ;-)

 Looked better in the box when I put it away to be safe - looks like one of those flower shop deliveries.

Then I made thread only petals:

Lots of them

Know it will work - Van Gogh

Having stitched the third 'flat' Iris - I have cut them out and pinned them to the base.  So now I know that idea will work I am going to stitch more of them, some single petals for the three dimensional areas and it's time to get on with the sunflower ideas too.

Individual pieces - Van Gogh

Showing you - each piece is made individually - someone once suggested that I used my Computerised Embroidery Machine to make the duplicates I make - BUT  I DON'T !!!  In fact I have not used that machine (the Pfaff) at all since about 2012 - not even for dressmaking, let alone machine embroidery.
All the scissors, needles and cotton reels on The Mad Hatter were made individually and the flowers I am working on for Van Gogh are all individual...... I think this makes the piece so special - although very time consuming - it is very relaxing and satisfying - each piece is then unique !

Next step - Van Gogh

So  I now have try out yellow sun flower petals (some flat try outs) and some 3D and two blue Iris petals for the 3D flowers:

Back to work

Having spent last weekend tidying up my workspace I did nothing all week (apart from go to work as usual that is) - did a bit of thinking and planning though.

Today it is back to sewing. Did I show you the completed flat Iris: if not here it is...

Next it was time to make up the background of the jacket - thought I would use the blue I had intended to use for the 'Spring' jacket.

And here is the photocopy of the Van Gogh picture I am considering for the Sunflowers - a scale test on the back 

 Next time to consider how I will make the petals.  Appliqué or stitch? Or both..  Hmmmm we will see

Oh No Not again :-) and update on Iris work

OK so its day three of sorting out stuff:  decided it was time to sort these two areas - the drawers and the bead/button stack - so these:

Became these:

 AND I found I have 24 pairs of scissors in my workroom  and 5 dressmakers tape measurers !  Wonder where they all came from :-)

 Late last night I finished the first 'flat Iris' for the Van Gogh jacket.  The central petal needs to be a little slimmer at the top left,

Back to work :-)

OK so after the mega tidying session it's time to get back to some art work ;-)

I have dyed some white fabric and lace yellow ready for the sunflowers:

I have now made all the free standing petals for the practice iris - laid down on the desk (pic below) - think it will work.

 

Today it is the day to start the first of the flat Iris flowers - in the right colours - blue

New Work - Van Gogh

So - after much soul searching, some blog surfing, some comments on my blog making me think (thanks Gillian :-)) and a bit of general research I am just starting the next project - I have mentioned it before - An Artist Jacket - having done the Klimt jacket (there may be another version of that later) - it is time to start the next artist - Van Gogh.  For the moment  I am just starting my ideas.  I will not tell you the overall idea of the jacket at this stage so that you will have to keep coming back to see the work in progress :-) .

You may remember my jacket for The Mad Hatter (see blog post here or on my Body of Work blog here) where each pair of scissors, cotton reel and pair of scissors was made individually free machining on water soluble fabric? Well I have started my idea with the beginning of an Iris -