The Patchwork Garment

Here's an update of the patchwork and black work garment I'm making. Lots of pinning and tacking and then chain stitching together of patches.

Interesting rust patterns as a result of wrapping the fabric around a tangled strip of metal. The diagonal rust lines remind me of the coat of a marmalade cat.

That's the front of the garment. Its got a square neckline seemed the natural choice because my patches are rectangles and squares. I'm having second thoughts about the blackwork sprinkled inbetween...... kind of gets lost, so I'm thinking of doing away with it. What do you think?

That's as far as I've got. Part of the back has been assembled and joined to the front. This picture makes no sense I'm sure and I'm not going to try and unravel the mystery because I've tried typing out a couple of explanations but they make no sense. So I'll say no more and hope the picture speaks to you!!!!

More patches of rust and tea will be required for the sleeves.

How has the week been? It's hot here, the fans are running at top speed. Hoping for some showers to cool the place down. Have a great weekend.

Markings on Cloth

 Markings made with rust and tea on cotton fabric.

 Some of these are the result of dye pot experiments which I conducted in November last year.

 Resisted cotton dyed with tea in a cast iron pot yielded grey and off white patterend cloth and these work well with the rust dyed cotton.

The experiments continue. I need a lot more to fashion a garment which I'll embellish with Black Work embroidery.
I need to make up my mind about the type of patchwork garment I'm going to hand stitch. Kimono? Kashmiri Phiran?
I probably need to create some stuffed steeped and stored jars as suggested by india flint. See jars created by others here.

Tea - A Fiber Book - page from Helen

 My fiber book in the 2013 fiber book page swap is based on the theme - Tea. I have a long association with tea. The first page I've received is from Helen in South Africa.
The page is made of tea bags stitched onto a shiny voile fabric and there are all manner of teapots inspired by flowers and vegetables attached to the teabags. Its a fantastic page which the photograph doesn't do justice to.  

Helen has sent me a tea bag of organic Rooibos tea to taste. I'll be saving the packet to make a page of different tea bag packets. 

A postcard of Table Mountain. Helen is lucky to get this fantastic view from certain rooms in her home.
Thank you Helen, its the beginning of a great book.