'Lilli Pilli Studio'

                                                

                                             
                                                  
                                                 My trip to New Zealand for the 

                                                 Wearable Art Awards is getting ever so 

                                                 close now and my attention has shifted 

                                                 onto how I will present myself.

                                                 I am not one to fuss about my appearance these days.

                                                 In my youth I used to delight in being very 

                                                 fussy about how I dressed but as I have got older 

                                                 I prefer to put the effort and money into my work 

                                                 rather than my appearance.

                                                 However, I do like interesting and unusual clothes 

                                                 and jewellery and for an occasion like WOW 

                                                 I will put a bit of an effort in to express a bit 

                                                of who I am, in how I dress.

                                               In my mind I wanted to find a nice 

                                               fine woollen dress or shirt that I could dye in 

                                               eucalyptus and embroider to give a sense of the 

                                               landscape I live and work in.

                                              We have some great clothes shops in the Blue Mountains

                                              not cheap, but offering interesting designs in often 

                                              sustainable fabrics and at this time of the year it is 

                                              sometimes possible to find a bargain.

                                              However finding something that will not look ridiculous on 

                                              my more mature, rounded form is often quite difficult 

                                              at least in combination with the sale prices.

                                              But as luck would have it I found JUST what I was looking for.

                                              A beautiful cream merino wool shirt in XXL,

                                              marked down by half, and the only one in town! 

                                              It was meant to be.

                                              I said "wrap it up!" 

                                              She did.

                                              Then I did.

 

 

I cooked it and let it sit for a few days

 

on opening the bundle the colours where just what I was wanting

 

 

                                        However I do find it disappointing when a garment 

                                        made of wonderful fabric isn't sewn together with 

                                        the same kind of thread.

     

 

   

                                         If these lines of stitch had been in a natural protein

                                         based fabric they would have taken up the dye and 

                                         not be sticking out like sore thumbs.

 

 

                                                    Only one thing to do. 

                                                    Dye some of Beautiful Silks glorious 

                                                    silk thread to embroider into it.

                                                      

                                                       

                                              


                                                   So here is a bit of my work in progress.
                                                   My style of dress up sequin like.
                                                   More photos down the track.

                                                     And add some new heals to set it all off.

                                                   and I am nearly ready to go!

                                                      Meanwhile in the pottery studio

                                                      I am thinking of naming my studio
                                                                   ' Lilli Pilli Studio '

                                                      What do you think?
                                                      We have a lot of Lilli Pillis and
                                                      a large one overhangs the studio.

                                                 'Harry Kiln' has had a make over this week
                                                  with 6 new elements, a new thermocouple
                                                  and three new rods.
                                                 Not sure how it managed as much cooking
                                                 as it did up to this point considering how
                                                 much help it needed.

  I have been making some little lidded jars 

    as practice for my big vinegar jars that I will 

be working on next week.

                                                       
                                                             I do love carving in clay!

                                                  
                          
                                                                      Busy busy busy

                                               I will add this post to the Mud Colony -
                                              a place to share clay stories from around the world.