Vogue 8184 again

So pattern Vogue 8184 got to go to another Australia Day event but in Shot silk (from the stash). I tried the straight skirt option. I added a wide velvet ribbon around the waist that at the back ends in a neat bow (and covers the zip). The necklace is a crochet of freshwater pearls, seed beads, crystals and flame worked beads. The band across the top I cut on the straight (unlike the pattern wHich suggests the bias - for a very good reason because the original pattern is split at the CF so it works that way duh Spike.)

Back to sewing again!

I have finally used my sewing machine for something other than repairs. The very popular Vogue 8184 made up in a light cotton from the Fabric Store (sorry Tessuti!) though it is fully lined with your "lemon voile". I like the band at the top of the bodice but next time I will cut it on the straight grain as the bias has caused it to pull which I rrealy should have though about properly before cutting. The pattern did take some fitting for me but it was worth doing so. My partner was very impressed only having seen his trousers being fixed on my 10 year old industrial straight stitcher. The pink shoes (I NEVER thought I would wear pink shoes) were $10 at Myers.

too hot and book cravings

Mm it's too hot to do anything, I'm one of those people to whom the idea of going to the beach on a hot day is torture..I would rather go to work. So i'm sluggishly drifting about trying not to read (as I glutted on 3 books yesterday, though two were YA so not such a pig out, but I did read a book the night before) trying to gather up the energy to tidy up the accruement of stuff floating about on every surface of which only the ceiling has escaped.

Wine

Why is it that in all the books I am reading all the characters are liberally quaffing great wine?

A picture from Chateuneuf du Pape..one of the wines mentioned of which I have tasted Red and White and wouldn't mind another opportunity. The white I remember being exquisite but that could have been the company I was keeping..

Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone a happy new year for 2010. I'm looking forward to another year studying and playing with glass.

A merrie silly season to you all

Some loot from christmas day. I have been eyeing up this revised edition for a while..thankyou!

Happy Birthday Mum!

Rocking bud vase goes home to mum for her birthday. I had trouble levelling the base while grinding and ended up with a 2 facet bottom. Mum says its all part of the charm!

Undercast over for another year

Well my family made it to the gallery on the last day, followed by a leisurely lunch. Today we 'bumped out' the exhibition to make way for the new. A success in my eyes on many account.

Undercast 2009

Well this blog has suffered in the organisation and goodness forbid spending time on another blog http://undercast2009.blogspot.com



Students of the SCA GLASS STUDIO invite you to a collective exhibition of their work at GiG gallery 70a Glebe Point Road, Glebe. With up to 20 different artists from all levels of practice from First year to PHD there will be a fantastic variety of contemporary glass on display and for sale. The eclectic mix of design and conceptual work reflects both individual artistic expression and our shared passion for glass. Be inspired and perhaps complete your xmas shopping.

Studio theory Essay

Slowly does it as usual (the last few days to be exact), 'Truth to material'....due Friday must be done by Friday morning for we have a mammoth claen up schedule for the glass studio...WOE betide any that miss that. Dougie is in bed, not feeling too good.

Artist of the Day, Laura Diaz de Santillana

Why Haven't I noticed these works before?

Offerings for assessment

Assessment day!

Visual diary wall

Would you cycle around the coast of Britain?

Whilst waiting for my lift, in the library (where else) I read an article about Nick Hand who has just completed a bicycle ride around the coast of Britain. Whilst raising money for a good cause he stopped to interview craftspeople on the way. He has blogged and twittered the process as well as producing short sound slides of his interviews. The range of people is quite eclectic from Glass artists, Kilt makers, bird ringers, paper maker, spinners, milliner's and even type writer artist's.

Enjoy! it looks fascinating.

http://slowcoast.co.uk/soundslides/

before sandblasting

Essay on 19th century art

For the last few days I have been rather consumed with our THAP essay. Although handed in 2 days late I feel it is the better for the extra time. the 3 works chosen are shown below linking them all with Romantic poetry or writings of some sort. Thanks to Dougie for taking the time to edit it with me until 1am on tuesday night...as reluctant as I was to do MORE it was worth it.
"the Lady of Shalott" (1888) J. W. Waterhouse.
" the fig tree chalice" (c.1896) Emile Galle.
" Chaucer at the court of Edward III" (1847-1851) Ford Madox Brown.

Sandcasting stage 2 ( for those who arrived some what later)

Anna and Joori with a spade :). Well for once I have to thank them for being late. Since we did the casting in two batches instead of one, there was enough space to try out another 'iceberg' for me (Andrew's suggestion). Andrew pushed the mould further down and built up sand around it to give the final cast more volume. When it came to adding the inclusion I nabbed the closest out of the hot box which ended up being the engraved piece.

After all the pieces had been safely delivered to the annealer by Marcus we (actually Deb) worked out the annealing schedule.

Sandcasting stage 1 (those who arrived on time or near to it)

Alice and Sarah graphite -ing their wooden push moulds.


Andrew suggests that either of my two blown inclusions in the hot box are a tad too big to go into the space that would be provided by my cedar mould. By now I don't really care about all the palava I went through to get it done over the last few weeks..maybe I had begun to think I was being a bit excessive? Any way I still had the copper netting that I had made, so that would suffice and the other two pieces could be kept for another time..at least the colour would be fixed.
Andrew pushing in the first mould into the hand mixed and fluffed sand and bentonite.

Spraying the voids with coke a cola (apparently there is a use for it after all) to carbonise the surface area which is then torched to help stabilize the shape in anticpation of being filled with hot molten glass.

mermaid's a'hoy!

Ok, so plan B or is it S by now? The express parcel hasn't arrived yet from ceramaglas so I have embarked on another idea... I have engraved the image of the mermaid on the blown piece which I will then fill with the enamel mix.


After I have used my blown inclusion with the engraving, Andrew walks past.."package for you"
Ah I think well a bit to late really, nothing to be done I've just used up my blank.

Kate however wasn't going to let this go by..no says she "I have some blown pieces you can use".. So we sort through some pieces and i choose one which seems the right shape (it has a few bobbles on..but i can work around those ..right!). I go and saw off the bit I need give the other half in for much needed cullet. Then off to screen print the decal emulsion over my enamel screen print. I wave it beside the furnace waiting for it to dry. So in the mold room I have basin of tepid water, decal and glass. The decal comes off like pressed noodles impossible to handle and all flibberly flobberly..hmm throw that in the bin SOOOO not going to work. What did I do wrong..OH YES of course what a ninny I am..the stress is obviously effecting my reasoning capabilities and probably my spelling too. For reasons that will be too hard to explain here for the final layer you need to make another scrren print that encompasses the whole area of te design not just the lines...which of course i haven't done. Oh well nothing to lose i'll just slather some on with the squeegee any way..more time spent at the furnace drying a much thicker layer of overcoat...drying dryING DRYING. So again I am in the mould room with a basin of warm water, the Decal, glass AND Howie and Kate. Soaking the decal works, it is still all floppy but slightly more manageable with helpful instruction from Howie. Remember the bobbly glass I mentioned earlier? well I thought it would be easy to avoid but hadn't counted on the decal being to floppy...it basically got put on where it ended up. Much to Howie's amusement the only bobble ended up under the mermaids now rather ample breasts! So now I have two inclusions to choose from. they will both go in the hot box tonight to warm up to 600 for sandcasting tomorrow.