The Tree Wrap Experiment: Conclusion

A year ago, I wrote about wrapping trees...something I wanted to try after seeing it done by artist Lesley Turner of B.C.

As far as I can tell, the last time I posted about the project was six months ago...in December, 2015.

Well...Saturday (July 9) marked the 365th day of the Tree Wrap Experiment.  Here's the last photo of the fabric on the trees:

Last day - July 9, 2016.

Doesn't look much different than the first day, does it?

First day - July 10, 2015.

Close up, though...there's been some staining of the fabric and some interesting lines.   And some critters had to be gotten rid of...

I deliberately didn't want to wash the fabric, because I thought that might remove some of the stains -- especially from the synthetics (there were a couple).  So I bundled the fabric and string and put the bundle in a hot dryer for 20 minutes, as I'd read somewhere that this would ensure even ticks were eliminated:

Ready to disinfect!

 After this process, I laid them out on the freezer/work table on my back stoop:

Here are some close-ups...

Although they're really only stained -- no deterioration evident -- I have in mind a project...might even risk dampening them to add rusting...It will be awhile in the making...but I'm excited at the thought!

Edging into Autumn

September is slipping through my fingers.  It's almost Autumn...which this year officially begins on Wednesday.

Autumn...one of my favourite times of year despite the shortening days.  The air is crisp and fresh and some of the best trail runs take place because of the cooler weather.

My tomatoes are all in -- green ones in a newsprint-lined container for ripening.  My roses continue to astound me, as do the cosmos, so I'm leaving them alone for the time being.  And I still have to mow the grass at least one more time.  On the shopping list: spring bulbs, which I'll plant now with high hopes they will grace my south flower bed eight months (or so) from now.

It's a bit too cool to sit outside stitching so I'm back in the sewdio, working first on my "Lost Edges" piece.  I blocked it out on Friday using my usual technique of a foundation fabric (unbleached muslin) and lots of pins!  I wasn't about to risk fusing anything in place till I heard from EB!

While I like the piece, I was concerned it lacked a certain "spark"...

Materials: sky - indigo-dyed silk;
hills/"shrubs": assorted synthetic sheers;
background grass: "Fossil Fern", a classic
commercial cotton; foreground
grass: acid-dyed silk;
tree trunks: eco-printed fabric by arlee barr.

Detail 1

Detail 2

And here was EB's response:

I think you've done a very good job of contrasting the edges...and great fabric choices...I don't think you lack very much actually.  Perhaps some debris around the base of the trunks to "tie" them to the ground so they don't look as if they're superimposed...go back out to the area ...or ck your photo to see how the bases of trees  dovetail beautifully into the ground.  You want it to look as if these trees are just growing right up.  You might want to move the LH hand group a little to the left...allowing a view point through the gap...

I think the piece has plenty of pizzaz with that perfect mould (or whatever it was!) dyed fabric... and I love the way you have it going soft and softer...as it goes back.
don't think you need leaves...but maybe a couple of branches to tie the sides of the image to the frame....looks like a great place to go for a walk!

I grinned when I read "Perhaps some debris around the base of the trunks", because of course that will come with the stitching.  And arlee's fabric is printed with leaves...not mould! (grin) but yes, she still makes the best tree trunk fabric I've found!

So this morning I sandwiched the background, as I need to quilt it down (especially the sky) before I apply those trees...It will likely finish around 18" W by 14" L.

And what of the wrapped trees?  Just over two months in, this is how they looked on September 13:

Tree 1 - stains beginning

Tree 2 - staining too

Tree 3 - I'm wondering if'
these stains will last.

Tree 4 - least stained of all,
and I thought it was muslin!

The Christmas knitting is about to begin...as is the production of new minis for two shops, and one for a Christmas commission.

Speaking of commissions...My DD reported that her friends like the Maritime Memories pair...and this morning I picked up the medallion quilt from Sylvia Sawyer, long-arm quilter extraordinaire... Here's just a glimpse of some of the work she did...

Part of centre medallion, zinger, piano key border

Section of outer-most border (untrimmed backing on the right)

Part of inner border, zinger, piano key border

DD will select the binding fabric in a couple of weeks (Thanksgiving) and I'll bring it home to bind and wash before it goes back to her to wrap and give away.

I'm finding this balance of bed quilts and artwork healthy.  I find it satisfying to always have some of each on the go.  The bed quilt construction is rhythmic and methodical (for the most part); the artwork stretches my brain till it groans with that mix of pleasure and pain that is, I think, common to most artists.

This afternoon, I'm piecing the border for the Magic Tiles quilt I began a couple of weeks ago:

Pin carefully because this is sashed at an angle

You want the edges to be even in the end...

Linking this up belatedly to Nina Marie's Off the Wall Friday...hoping you have a creative week and a happy change of seasons.

Till next time...

It's Too Darned Hot

...to write much, so I'm going to post these...evidence of activity despite the heat.

I've been hankering to do this for some time now...taking a page from Lesley Turner, yesterday morning, early, I wrapped four trees: three aspen and one Manitoba maple (I think).  They are on the edges of a vacant lot a few blocks over, owned by Maria and Dave, from whom I procured permission:

Aspen #1 - piece of cotton bedsheet

Aspen #2 - a strip of a synthetic --
recycled from a defunct bedskirt

Aspen #3 - another synthetic (I think)

Manitoba Maple - unbleached muslin (I think)

I say "I think" because I didn't record which fabric went where.  Will now have to go and do that, of course!  All were tied with plain cotton kitchen-drawer string, and each one is dated:

They're not very visible from the roads that intersect nearby (the woods border a corner lot).

Later in the day I checked on them, and again this morning.  I'll have to let that go now, check less often.  Leave them to the Elements and to Spirit...for however long it takes...

Linking to Nina Marie's Off the Wall Friday...and signing off.  It's Too Darned Hot!

Sing it, Ella!