Tea for Two

Today is the reveal for Fiberactions' "structure" challenge (last for current group ~ new group commences tomorrow).   My piece is called Leaf Structure and the diptych measures 20 x 30 inches.  The pieces are two old cotton fingertip towels with original embroidery and lace at the bottoms.

The fabric was eco dyed with eucalyptus leaves and rusty objects.  Each piece is backed with another eco dyed fabric, and I've used flannel for the batting.  They are handstitched with rayon sewing thread.

I love hand quilting eco dyed fabrics, even though the rusty fabric presents stitching challenges.  I'm seeing this as a new direction for me.

After the holidays I'll be putting my Etsy Shop on hiatus while I figure out what I want to do there in future.  It's feeling now like hand stitched eco dyed fabrics might be that new thing.

But, having just kind of committed myself to eco dyed fabric...I'm also amidst a few fiber-reactive shibori batches that have been waiting for my attention for months, all fabrics that wanted to be overdyed.  I'm definitely not giving that up.  In fact, one of the pieces I shiboried yesterday was originally eco dyed!  Mixing metaphors, which I rather enjoy.

A reminder that everything in my Etsy Shop is on sale at Half Off, currently and through December 15.  Don't wait to get those art quilts you've been thinking about because they won't be available after the end of the year.