The two pieces I intend to enter into Art Quilt Australia are ready for their photography appointment this week, and the recording of the Artist Interview for Quilt National 21 is done and sent to the Dairy Barn. Yesterday I felt free at last to unwrap my neon orange rip-stop nylon and start to learn its potential by making a few samples.

All of my art is based on inspirations I get from Landscape, and as I love repeat units too, I often see things in terms of rather diagrammatic plans. The brown squares on the second row are of a ~4cm sample square of brown suede I made about 10 years ago, the middle cut out and trimmed smaller to leave space, and then holes punched in parts. It’s not landscapey, but it is an image I have so often thought about but never actually used – yet. I love the idea of a repeat block surface design using this idea in some way – and its time may have come! Either leather or ripstop nylon would be perfect …

I do keep going back to certain things – I don’t believe it is lazy on my part, I have different things to say using some of the same ‘diagrams’ as I guess these are. Another approach to this length of nylon (which does tear with a satisfyingly loud, sharp sound, actually) is to explore textures with/without using the exactly matching orange thread. I used neon green in this very early sample (since I do still have about 2,800m of it) and found the circles were easiest to handle by first making a tube, attaching the cut length into place using the fine matching orange, and then couching/oversewing is manageable, though requiring a hoop or frame. So, a large textured piece? Something pandemicy? Samples give small concrete platforms that show possibilities.

Some more exploring will involve holes, and I was recently reminded of using a heat tool to melt/burn synthetics. ( I only use this technique outside on a windy day with my back to the wind to avoid breathing in any fumes)