August 25, 2014

Birthday 2014

My birthday week has started! I can't seem to just celebrate it on the day. It usually takes a week to fit everyone and everything in! My actual birthday is on 28th Aug. Starting from last night (Sunday night) my lovely friend Mel took me into the city for dinner at Mamasita, a Mexican restaurant. We had a lovely night and managed to get home in one piece! The next event is on Thursday when 12 of my friends and colleagues come to have lunch with me here at the campus. Then on Thursday evening I will join Mr Notjustnat and my daughter Kitiya for dinner in the city. Speaking of the city, I don't know if you have heard that Melbourne has been voted the world's most liveable city in 2014. I'm so glad to be living in Melbourne! 

Now where was I? Have been a bit busy lately with the Tree-House Studio. Every evening we are working on assembling the double wardrobes we got from IKEA to use for storage space. There are some updated photos at the end of this post. In between all that I squeezed in some dyeing and stitching. 


I posted the photo of that eucalyptus branch on Instagram and Facebook a couple of weeks ago. If you love eucalyptus trees as much as I do, you would put all the nice pieces of them in your dye bundle! I didn't open it until the weekend and the result is very pleasing, don't you think?


These three bundles included the one above. I was asked if I soaked and mordant them with iron and how long I steamed them for. I only wet the fabric before wrapping it. The answer is. No soaking or mordant and steamed for 1 hour.   


A week after steaming I just let them sit (dried) in the steamer. The outside bundle was completely dried when I opened it, but the inner part of the bundle was still damp.  


Another shot after the leaves were removed! Fantastic effect of two types of eucalyptus leaves used. This one was wrapped around a copper pipe.


Another bundle was wrapped around a steel pipe and only used one type of leaves eucalyptus (Sideroxylon) in this bundle. 


Putting them next to each other makes a lovely palette of colours. I don't think I can separate them. They are made for each other!


I dabble with a little stitching in my spare time. I started another simplicity block way way back. I wanted to use a couching stitch over a string that I had used for a dyed bundle. I finally got round to doing it and quite like the effect!


Another little stitching is this journal cover using fabric dyed with coffee, rust, eucalyptus leaves on vintage Japanese fabric. 

Prep work on the cover ready for Coptic binding into a journal. I will show you again after I finished it. Below are some photos of the Tree-House studio close to completion. 


The railing has been installed. The steps and railing timber will need to be oiled to bring out the natural colour and grain of the timber.  


Inside painting and flooring is all completed. It's a lovely, light space. Exactly what I need. The first piece of furniture are the double wardrobes we got from IKEA.


This is one wardrobe made up of two modules. After two evenings we managed to assemble it. Both wardrobes are going on the far left corner of the room. 


One of the two sliding doors is in place. The mirrors on the doors will make the room look bigger. There is another door to assemble, and then we have to start  over again for the second wardrobe. Both wardrobes will be placed side by side along the same wall. It's looking good so far. 

Thanks for checking-in on my blog. I'm sorry if I haven't been to visit many blogs lately. From now on I hope to get back to doing more visiting again. Hope you are all keeping well. Spring is on the way here in Melbourne.

Until next time.
Nat







19 comments:

susis quilts said...

dear nat,you are really an artist in dying fabrics, looks fantastic. happy spring!here it is like autumn already,grey,much wind and rain,but cosy inside, have a nice birthdayweek,susi

Debbie said...

Beautiful results from your dyeing and love the stitching as well.

deanna7trees said...

what can i say....everything you post is always beautiful and exciting. love the mirrors on your wardrobe. it does create an illusion of the room size.

Needled Mom said...

Your dye results are so gorgeous. It is so interesting to see the three pieces next to each other. YES, they need to stay together!

Your stitching is also beautiful. You always do such a nice job on your hand work.

It must be so exciting to know that spring is coming and your studio is coming to a completion. Won't it be wonderful to open the windows and doors and let the fresh air inside?

If I had those mirrors in my studio they would be covered with little one's fingerprints. The children always love the mirrors!

Needled Mom said...

I forgot to tell you.....have a wonderful birthday week/month/year!!!

Kim said...

Today is DH birthday and last week was my granddaughters 6th Birthday.
Happy Birthday to you Nat, I hope you have a glorious year of finishing projects and moving into your new studio.

Happy Sewing

Nifty Quilts said...

Happy, happy birthday! It looks like the Eucalyptus trees are celebrating your birthday week. Those fabrics make me gasp, they are so beautiful! Your new studio space is very exciting. What a great idea to have mirrors in your studio. Oh! And you stitched pieces! Absolutely stunning.

Betty said...

Happy Birthday. Love that block and I can see that you have been very busy.

Ginny Huber said...

Happy Birthday Week Nat! Lots of beautiful plans and photos of your inspiring work. Nice to see the studio coming along so well, too!

Queen Of The Armchair aka Dzintra Stitcheries said...

What a lovely post Nat full of your beautiful work! Happy Birthday Week....you sure know how to celebrate Girl! Enjoy!

neki desu said...

happy birth week!!
can i borrow mr not just nat? mr a movable feast bailed out from assembling ikea furniture.

Bev C said...

Hello Nat,

Happy Birthday, you share the same day as one of my Sister's.
The dyeing is beautiful, so much detail. So glad you got the wardrobe together, Ikea furniture is not that great for putting together in a rush.
Happy week ahead for you and Mr Nat.

Happy days.
Bev.

Jeanie said...

HappyBirthday, Nat! Sounds like a wonderful time -- and your projects are gorgeous, too!

Keep celebrating!

Jeannie said...

Happy Birthday week! I think I have told you about my 83 year old who claims that after 40, you get to celebrate a day for each year of age. I'm all for that! :D Your bundles always inspire me and they have the look of butterlies captured in motion. Tree House is beautiful. Be forewarned, you will move furniture around as you work to find the "just right" arrangement. Hugs!

Tracy said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WEEK, Nat! LOVELY new dyes... wow, these are so pretty! I love the embroidery--such fun with the couching. So exciting seeing more of your studio almost finished. It looks a wonderful, bright space--perfect for creating in. LOVE the wardrobes. Can see them now filled with fabrics and supplies... ;o) HAPPY DAYS celebrating YOU! ((BIG HUGS))

Els said...

Happy (belated) birthday Nat !!! All the best to you and I hope the work on your studio continues well, so you can soo start to use it ;-) Hugs

Anonymous said...

Can you wash the dyed fabric after it dries? Or would that make it lose the colors? (I know zero about this other than I came across this on Pinterest and the fabric you made is beautiful!)

Ellie Knol said...

Gorgeous... I am sad that it's autumn here now.. will have to wait for spring.. and find myself some eucalyptus trees. :) TFS!!

Anonymous said...

Do you have instructions please. They are beautiful. I live in the forest and the resources for leaves and things are abundant.

Thank you
Kathleen

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