INVITATION

Exciting times as we received a large box from the printers containing our individual post cards and invitations to our Degree Show. See my work and that of the other students in my group - we call ourselves the Northbrook Eleven 2011 - or see our work at New Designers 2011 at the Design Centre in London.

Degree Show at Northbrook College: Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th June 2011.

Degree Show on Stand T34 at New Designers, Design Centre, Islington Thursday 30 June to Saturday 2nd July 2001. www.newdesigners.com

Getting there slowly

My Final Major Project is almost at an end although there is still MUCH to do! I finished another length today and am very pleased with it as I used a tricky process. Having dyed some silk a beautiful shade of midnight blue using my own dye recipe from a range of direct dyes I started printing the geometric elements with a very dark navy. I then switched to discharge paste and selected some of the florals which would eventually become white. I wanted to stretch my printing skills so I opted to use basic dyes with discharge paste although these are very volatile dyes with unpredictable outcomes. After a LOT of colour testing with varying degrees of success I chose several colours from my colour story and selected the floral elements to create a colour "flow" around the design. I mixed a lime green, a turquoise and a bright firey orange. After an unbelievable amount of stencil cutting and screen washing the printing was finished last night. The length went into the steamer this morning and then during the washing out process the colours started to develop before my eyes. All the hard work and anxiety about the colour stability was worth it. I am delighted with the design! See the finished article at my Degree Show at Northbrook or at New Designers show in July.

Stitching by lamplight

Managed to finish an embroidered sample last night - will make into a shaped swatch. I am quite pleased with the results - this fits into my "revolutionary" colour way - with blazing reds and oranges with blacks, greys and blues.

Post Card

Am busy putting the finishing touches to my post card for New Designers 2011. It will act as a "calling card" but has the advantage of being bigger (A6 size) so that anyone interested in my work can jot down notes on the back. It was really difficult to choose a design that would demonstrate my range of skills but I chose this one as it incorporates both floral drawing and a geometric pattern. I put the design into a half drop repeat and the colour way, although a restrained palette, links to one of my project colour stories. The flower image on the back is one of my silk 3D flowers that I made to adorn a balaclava.