kaizen journey

Why wander?

2012-01-29T17:51:00.000-05:00

Her crown has been secured, and she trails a veil that remembers her path...
Of couse the question is,
why is she wandering?

Sometimes princesses have to wander

to quest

seeking

a voice,

a home,

a family,

their hands,

their love

usually the path winds through

unknown lands

Wandering Princess

2012-01-18T21:10:00.000-05:00

This one was born from a spiral.
but discovered a crown instead,
as I photographed tonight she decided to wander off
Its funny how they seem to embody little stories.

Persistance

2012-01-16T17:24:00.000-05:00

A spiral seems to be the shape that my learning takes
repeating the same lessons over and over each time a little further along the path
I have started this one over at least 6 times.
The tension would be wrong, threads would tangle or knot, or I'd forget a bead, so I would start again.
A learning experience to say the least.
Thus the name.

I may even try it again...
on a different stone.

Winter Silence

2012-01-09T17:54:00.000-05:00

It has been quiet here.
As an introverted person, when things inside get complicated I fall silent.
Silence has an inertial force,
it settles like a blanket
comforting,
cocooning,
creating space, a place for a voice.

(thank you for your kind thoughts and messages, although unanswered by me they were greatly appreciated)

small celebrations

2011-09-18T19:52:00.000-04:00

I mostly let the small accomplishments pass,
often with a throwaway attitude of "well thats the least you should be doing"
some people think I'm hard on myself, and I am, but its borne out of high expectations
(which is one of those good servant but a bad master things)
but I have to admit life is a bit nicer when I do take the time to appreciate the fun things I do and the small accomplishments
and
I'm making an effort to be a little gentle with myself right now because its been tough to get my head in the game lately
so here are some little bits that have gotten done in the last couple of weeks....
Mom sent me pictures of a chair she re-seated with some fabric I sent her

I love it, it just looks cool, a little funky but not over the top,

thats what I love about hand dyed textiles they have alot of life to them, and they don't have to be bright rainbows...

or they can be

these are a mini production run for next weekends craft fair

onsies,

baby socks,

big people socks, and a few other things
As long as I was in the dye studio I tried dyeing some more itajime for a prospective client

blues

and golds

and played with an idea of overdyeing some woven silk
I actually have gotten a little wrapping done as well on this new stone that is in progress

Today I ran a 5K (the whole thing) which I wasn't convinced I could do, given the sporadic training I've done over the summer.

(thats me!)
Its been a good week, I'm happy to be home

and I've given myself a couple of treats along the way

beads,

a new project to play with,

and Brownies!

Dillon wants one too

Landing

2011-09-13T20:43:00.001-04:00

Home again, rediscovering my routines, all the little comforts of home, reestablishing my familiar surroundings,
Everything as I left it.
Everything different.

Passing Time

2011-09-05T16:54:00.000-04:00

My visit with Dad was farewell, as I thought it would be. He fought Parkinson's Disease for 23 years. He was tired and ready to rest. I am grateful he gave me the opportunity to say goodbye in our quiet way. He passed on the 31st of August, 5 days after I last saw him.

I am grieving. It ebbs and flows.

My life goes on, blown around by hurricane winds. The part we shared together is over now.

I cannot begin to sum up a life in a blog post, or a relationship, he was my Dad and I miss him.

The feather as a passage

2011-08-18T19:16:00.000-04:00

in the the instant between

in/out
known/unknown
night/day

past/present
memory/hope
life/death

I am heading off to visit my dad and his wife for a week. It will be good to spend some time with them.
This feather is dedicated to him, and gifted to jude

Feather light

2011-08-11T21:06:00.000-04:00

Silk gauze, gifted from jude...
as light as a feather

Captured and tied

OMG! did I actually do some shibori?

Bound

2011-08-07T17:28:00.000-04:00

So it won't fly apart

outdoor sculpture

2011-08-07T16:53:00.001-04:00

Spent some time this afternoon looking at outdoor sculpture made from tree branches
I'd like to add some oomph to the garden and I thought I would see what sort of things other people do
Here are some of the places my finds led me to
this beautiful owl:

or a small city

An intriguing pile of spheres found on Dirt Simple

A majestic duo of horses by Heather Jansch

and this powerful bull

a Finnish sculptor

and this work by Patrick Dougherty

Its funny how someone like me who works in such a intimate scale can be so attracted to such BIG pieces of work
But a garden is a BIG piece of work made of tiny moments

Flaws

2011-08-05T19:28:00.000-04:00

Sometimes things are less than perfect,

Sometimes it works imperfectly.

fluffing

2011-08-04T20:32:00.000-04:00

The dog days of summer are here. We have had plenty of heat and very little rain, I'm really wishing I had gotten the mulching done this spring. In spite of that the plants are doing reasonably well. They have filled in considerably and I am starting to think about expanding the back beds.
These pictures are of the bird garden.
In spite of all the growth it was looking a bit bland. I don't get alot of summer flowers and I haven't gotten the right balance of foliage colors yet (work in progress doncha know)
I splurged last week and went out shopping for some annuals.
I found a half price sale! woo hoo!
I had some big pots to fill so I bought a bunch and headed home, halfway there I realized that I had more pots on the posts that I hadn't bothered to fill yet that would really perk it up so I turned around and went on back for some more...

mmm, my pictures aren't the best, but there is definitely a little more color and it makes me happy.

sitting on the edge

2011-07-29T20:37:00.000-04:00

Thinking about starting running again.

haven't run since May

Maybe run another 5K in the fall.

using the C25K program, like last time.

I like it

it starts with very small goals and slowly builds up until you can do the whole thing.

A good way to improve at any activity

I've been working a bit with that sort of a program lately as I wrap stones.
starting with small increments of time and then trying to check in with myself, see if there is any further I can go, anymore ideas I want to explore.

Sometimes yes,

sometimes no

improvement in increments

I am trying to use a light touch with myself

2011-07-28T21:11:00.000-04:00

I didn't plan this one, it took on a life of its own and I went along for the ride.

Sometimes you have an idea and it doesn't work quite the way you thought it would,

and sometimes its just fun to see where it takes you.

2011-07-27T21:54:00.000-04:00

Not too many words tonight, its late and I have spent most of the last 2 evenings at Karate classes, just a couple of images:
some new aquisitions:

and a few small additions to this one:

2011-07-25T21:03:00.000-04:00

Todays find...

(I added the eggs)

Hey thank you all for your comments, it does help to put things in perspective.
At some point in my life the activity of "making" got all tangled up with questions of worth and it can really f**k up something that really should be a joyful experience.
A good thing for me to keep in mind.

Some Little Some Big

2011-07-24T18:55:00.002-04:00

Carol was wondering about the size of the stones I have been working on.
It varies a bit some are smaller than a penny and some are nearly the length of my hand. This photo gives some reference.

They all were rather small at first and I just wrapped them up with thread willy nilly.
It was a lark. Something fun to do.
As I've gone on I've become much more attentive to the choices I have been making; what color thread? shall I add beads? how can I attach them?
At some point it became a more serious venture.
My taste began to assert itself.
Then questions of:
how best can I present these? Should they be framed? handheld sculptures?
Finally the big question: Are they worth it?
Yep that is where I got snagged, still am if truth be told.

2011-07-21T20:19:00.000-04:00

Adding some beads

Little Spirits

2011-07-20T19:52:00.002-04:00

They seem to develop personalities as I work on them.

No, that's wrong,

the stones have a presence before I touch them. The more I respond to that the more successful they are.

These photos were darker than I intended.
I like them though, it turns them into little planets floating in space.

2011-07-19T21:53:00.002-04:00

I have been considering taking Lisa Call's "Working in a Series" class. I know I could benefit from it, working in a series leads one so much deeper, and it looks fun and challenging.
but I also know that I don't have the focus for it at the moment, well, not enough focus to do my best, and my ego demands that that is what is required,
my edge is not about the work right now it is about the emotional hurdles that have become attached to the act of working
So I postpone, hoping to take it another time and start again on my own.
I am considering trying a series on my own, without a class.
Maybe some stones...

Hawk eye

2011-07-18T21:29:00.000-04:00

I spotted this today while we were out being walked by the dogs.
As Dillon towed me on down the street I cried out for Lar to grab it as Zena dragged him on by.
I'm not totally positive but I think it is a red tailed hawk feather. The only other possibility is a Turkey but I don't think so.
I play with the idea that found objects are messages of a sort. Not necessarily from any outside source, I think they are just a reflection of what is going on inside of us that we find because thats where our attention is at. Its kind of a chicken or the egg thing...
Which came first attention or manifestation?

Beginning Again

2011-07-17T19:00:00.000-04:00

I can't believe I haven't posted since May!

I was sure I had done something in June art/blogwise.

Nope.

Well there has been plenty to distract myself with; a Nidan test (passed!), vending at 2 Art fairs (both good ones), two new dogs (more in a moment), and most recently the release of "A Dance with Dragons" a book I have been waiting for for 6 years (it was awesome).

These are the two biggest diversions by far, Dillon and Zena:

Let me introduce them individually.

This is Zena.

She is about 2 years old and has never had a real forever home before. She is some sort of mix, we aren't sure what, Lab/Plott Hound/Pitty/?? There is no sure way to know. What we do know is that she is extremely friendly, a bit on the submissive side, untrained, and very bright. The first few weeks were full of accidents, upset stomachs, and nervous behavior (mostly mine). In the last week and a half though things have begun to settle down. She has begun to get the idea that this is hers, her home, her people, and she can relax here, and so can I.

This is our second adoptee Dillon.

He is 2-3 years old. A Chow mix, probably Shepard. He is a boob, no way around it, a complete mama's boy and as sweet as a bumbling goof can be. He was given up for adoption, is trained in the basics (sit, name, stay) and can probably learn more, he's really eager to please if there are no major distractions (chipmunks, bugs, other dogs, other people or grass).

The two of them have consumed most of my attention for the last month. I think it has begun to settle down a little bit now and today I actually spent some time in the garden!

Time for me to start thinking about working on some other things again.

Patching it Together

2011-05-31T21:33:00.003-04:00

Back from our whirlwind of a getaway! I did a little stitching while we were away but not much to show yet.

Last night after arriving home I poked at the shirt repair. It has arrived at a place that I like, the little blue flower has been attached and everything is tacked down well enough to go through the washer and dryer. I want to soften the hard cut edges a bit and make sure it will hold up to that sort of treatment.

Lar doesn't think he will wear it and that is fine, I think when it is done I may list it in the ETSY store if I don't give it as a gift to someone. It occured to me that it has a hippie vibe that might appeal to some of the people who visit the shop. I may look at doing more of that sort of thing to try to create a bridge between the products that are in there with the sort of thing I am more interested in doing. I would like to bring Shibori Designs the business more into tune with who I am as an artist... As it stands now the shop seems to belong to one artisan and the blog another. (actually that disconnection applies to most of my life... food for thought)

Post Dye

2011-05-26T19:28:00.004-04:00

My moons seem to be melting away!

I dyed a little blue flower too.
I will be gone for a few days, not sure if I will get much done but I plan to bring a bit of stitching along for the trip. We have one "pool day" so I hope to spend some quiet time then. See ya in a few!

Folded

2011-05-25T20:53:00.005-04:00

next the clamps...

Later the dye...

This experiment is inspired by Glennis' Moons

Mmmm... no.

2011-05-24T21:32:00.003-04:00

As usual feeling a little done in after karate class.

Prepping for a test is stressful for me, I have a little problem with performance anxiety. Second guessing myself is second nature.

Thought I'd mess with some mending, its an old shirt of Lar's with the collar worn through, possibly from his guitar strap.

Pulled out a few fabrics.

Snip snip, pin pin.

Interesting, but no.

Accumulation

2011-05-23T21:22:00.003-04:00

Tonight as I am straightening up the studio I noticed this relationship between these two projects that had run out of steam. They seem to need each other to continue. I am rethinking how I use this space. I need more display area and a larger work surface. There is one dead corner that is inexcessable and ends up being a dumping ground. A cheap and easy remodel may be in order. Something to consider as a fall project... I've made some notes.

I found a good way to store the strips and resorted all of my fabrics bins in a sort of strata according to "potential for use" in current projects.

Next up I will tackle the In-Box, I may need some wine for this one.

leafy tapestries

2011-05-23T06:04:00.004-04:00

Saturday we saw the sun! After my race was run I spent a good portion of the afternoon toodling around in the garden taking pictures and pulling up the occasional oak seedling. Between the compost and all the rain things out there seem to be doubling in size this year. I foresee some digging in my future.
Everything was looking like tapestries of color to me that day. Today the rain is back. However since I don't live next to a flooding river I'm not gonna complain (I may sigh a little though).

Excitement

2011-05-20T21:41:00.004-04:00

I'm pretty excited tonight for a number of reasons...

I just got this... I heard a good review over at Geek With Curves.

I have managed to clean out my google reader in the last week or so. Now I am left only with blogs I read. I'm trying to keep up with them, and add the occasional new one.

Geek With Curves is a new one that I like. Amy Ratcliff is more immersed in that culture (Geekdom) than I am but she seems to have a similar taste to mine and is articulate about what she likes and why she likes it.

Tomorrow is my first 5K of the year, and I think I'm ready.

The new book is being saved for our mini-vacation next weekend

I can't believe it but I'm finally going to Disney. No, its not a dream vacation but it will be fun.

Finally we have been approved to adopt 2 dogs the weekend after that.

(yes, we are that crazy)

Dillon:

and Zena:

coming soon!

Corvidae

2011-05-18T20:38:00.006-04:00

Still have birds flapping around in my thoughts, tonight a corbie landed on the page.

I think crows are interesting, predatory, alert, intelligent...

I share my love of shiney things with them.

speaking of which,

Oh my, I do love this !

Knotted Up

2011-05-15T20:43:00.002-04:00

It was a quiet day here. A few errands, a run, the final episode of Justified on the DVR (so. good.) and a whole lotta knots to tack down the new border to the original piece.
It has begun to look a little quilt-like in pattern and color. For whatever reason I didn't envision this. I think it is saved from being too country-kistch by the dyed fabrics and the color scheme. I'm rather fond of the organic look that the unevenly dyed fabrics bring to the weave. I used the knots to try to emphasize the color blocks. Now it will have to stew for awhile until it tells me what to do next.

2011-05-14T17:08:00.002-04:00

No birds today but I did grow this older piece by adding a border. This is a very slow piece of cloth, taking its time to develop. Not really sure if the thing in the center is a tree (it is tree like) and the different colors are referencing the compass points/seasons I figure I will let it gel awhile, just tack the weaving and let it suggest the next step.

Blogger Ate My Comments

2011-05-13T21:20:00.003-04:00

So blogger has been a little wonky lately and I seem to have lost a couple of peoples comments. Who knows they may show up again tomorrow.

I know one person commented on the drawing and I just want to say that drawing is like riding a bike no matter how long you are away you don't forget, just a bit shaky for the first few seconds then it evens out and you start to remember again.

Tonight I had a rather strenuous karate class, I am currently practicing for my Nidan test and DN my Friday night teacher is enthusiastic about putting me through my paces in preperation. He must know what he's doing since he is a Godon but I'm kinda pooped now and I whacked my knee on one of the harder parts ofsomeones anatomy, its achy and should get a couple of minutes of ice.

I think this calls for a nice glass of wine and a little quiet stitching.

I've almost finished with the background of the LBB so that is where I will start.

Gesture

2011-05-11T21:17:00.000-04:00

As I'm focusing on trying to get a sense of drawing with these fabric birds, I thought it would be a good idea to actually draw some birds. I haven't done much drawing in the last few years(more like 10).

At least not gesture drawing.

Very fast loose captures of the form,

Its is a good way to learn which are the important shapes,

And which lines instill the character,

Nothing precious about it, digging it out of the paper with my hands.

Fixin' Pie

2011-05-10T19:49:00.006-04:00

nope not cooking, just fixin'

I've spent quite a few days stitching the Magpie to the eclipse moon, enough that I don't want to unstitch it all...

too bad then that when I got done I was unhappy with the result.

I couldn't read the 'Pie from the background, not enough contrast in tone or temperature.

I considered a few alternatives, then inspired by the discharge experiments at SEW I opted to bleach the background out.

I stuck packing tape over the sewing in a sheet

Then I created a custom pattern by cutting (carefully) around the shape, peeling away the excess. I left extra tape around the edges to further protect the stitched motif.

Shiney!

A bleach paste was then painted onto the unprotected areas.

It worked really fast and more powerfully than I expected. So I had to put the whole thing into some vinegar water to stop the process. (not really recommended but effective)

Stuff I learned:

1. Water makes packing tape peel off of fabric

and

2. I should really test a bleach paste prior to slapping it onto a piece of stitching I'm fond of so whole heartedly.

In spite of myself it worked rather well.

For Mom

2011-05-08T14:41:00.005-04:00

I love this picture of my mom

This little girl with her barefeet and dungarees who grew to be the woman who taught me that going outside and gettting some fresh air is absolutely necessary.

As a kid she brought me to Audobon Societies, state parks and fabric stores.

She never flinched when I'd hand her one of my slimy or skittery finds, although she never let me bring home sea creatures.

Today she is an avid bird watcher, traveler, beader, crafter, and quilter.

I thought I would try to make a little something for her.

Since she is currently off on another road tour, its OK if it is a little late.

The project attracted intrest...

curiouser,

and curiouser.

Another bird, one of those LBBs

a little something to stitch, for mom.

Drawing vs Sewing

2011-05-05T20:57:00.004-04:00

Drawing is something I like to do I'm fearless, I just jump in and go... if its wrong, I erase it or let it go, I explore the shapes the relationships, I carve it out of the paper. The results are dynamic, messy and just once in awhile, with practice, I get a good one.

Sewing is something I struggle with, I admire it and value it. I love fabric and dye and all the possibilities, its an exciting medium for me, however I'm not sure I was given the tools to ever master it according to the "rules". It is a contemplative practice and I am impatient by nature. I tend to wander off, leaving unfinished shards in my wake. My stitches are uneven my seams are lumpy.

By drawing with the fabric I am trying to get the best of both worlds. The bold energy of drawing practice.

The contemplative construction of the sewing process.

Flights of Fancy

2011-05-04T21:27:00.004-04:00

Crow and Magpie

I've had these raggety birds flapping around in my head for a month at least. It was time to release them.

They have flown into the unforseen eclipse moons.

I'm trying to "draw" with the fabric rather than "sew"

Unforseen Eclipse

2011-05-02T19:59:00.002-04:00

I had planned a large Makiage circle like this:

Except in blue and on cotton gauze. Then I thought "hey lets try an ombre!" see if the makiage motif can't be darkest in the center and lighter at the edges...

This is what I got:

A reverse moon, an eclipse of sorts.

One Big Pile

2011-05-01T19:36:00.002-04:00

Well here I am with this weekend's project...

one huge pile of composted cow manure was delivered Saturday morning and has since been distributed as a top dressing to all of the gardens.

I'm pooped! (har)

Heres hoping that all of the plants out there really enjoy all of that composty goodness and grow like crazy.

Happily I did get into the dye studio for an hour this evening and I think I will get some interesting results.

Night Thoughts

2011-04-29T21:24:00.003-04:00

Its nice to have a warm enough night to sit with the window open in the evening. I can hear the peepers and one of the pairs of Canadian Geese that has taken up residency on Spring Grove pond.

Spring has come a long way in the past week, all of the trees now have some sort of blossom or bud action going on.

I noticed this afternoon that my brunneria has flowers. I wasn't expecting that yet. Forgot to get a picture while it was light out so here is a blurry shot in the dark.

Still stitching on this one. I'm varying the thread colors. More haphazard, as in the thickets it is mimicing.

The Hill

2011-04-26T20:14:00.002-04:00

This is my running program's Nemesis. The Hill. It is steep and long and just where you think its going to end there is a little more around the bend. Today I successfully ran up it for the first time ever! I didn't die or sound like Homer Simpson at the top either, in fact I ran for another minute afterwards.

This is a big deal to me. It gives me hope that I may be able to run the 5K I have scheduled in a couple of weeks.

Today was the first time my run didn't feel like a complete struggle this year after taking the winter off. I kept my breath and I was in the moment not allowing myself to get anxious about how much further or how much longer.

I wonder if getting more clear about what I want to prioritize art wise has anything to do with it? My gut says it does.

Time to stitch.

Regenerative Energy

2011-04-26T06:42:00.004-04:00

Cool and blustery still, but spring is coming. My garden is reemerging from beneath the wrack. These species tulips have begun to bloom since the picture was taken.

I've repaired the front wall, it fit back together rather easily. I have a theory that I was a stone mason in another life, and sometimes I wish I was one in this life too.

The spirea is opening its leaves. Soon all of its skeletal branches will be clothed in a cloak of green and gold.

Resilience is everywhere, spring peepers are all thawed out and singing loudly in the evenings trying ever so hard to attract the ladies.

No matter how delicate the daffodils appear they are tough, withstanding cold and rain, sometimes even snow, to forge ahead into a new season.

I am trying to regenerate too. As I have been attending to other chores I have let this group of experiments languish, lately they have begun to call LOUDLY. If I don't start to spend some time on them they will dry up and blow away. Ideas are like that, they start out all juicy and full of life but if they don't get the attention they need they wilt and can pass on.

I'm listening to the call this time.

A Way to Delay

2011-04-12T22:14:00.002-04:00

Not quite ready to start a larger project tonight so I played instead.

Adapting the woven boro to a vessel shape.

Oh the possibilities....

Other Side

2011-04-11T20:39:00.002-04:00

So this is what the other side looks like.

Today I sent this piece off as an entry to The Pawtucket Foundation Prize Juried Exhibition.

This is sort of a big deal for me.

It included writing an artist statement, getting the piece mounted, photographed and generally putting on my big girl panties. I actually made the decision a couple of weeks ago before the piece was even finished and that means I managed some serious focus for quite a while.

Not one bit of it was perfect, regardless, I am feeling kind of chuffed.

I think that whatever the outcome tonight was a win.

Spring Cleaning

2011-04-10T18:58:00.004-04:00

I spent the larger part of the weekend cleaning out my garden beds. Its looking much more respectable around here. Looks like next week I will have to repair my wall. The snowplows did some damage to it and my garden this winter, pretty unsurprising really, I expected worse. The snow was piled so high on top of it that it became a hazard to traffic visibility so they brought in a front loader to move some of it, moved my wall and a couple of plants too

I missed my girl while I was out there working. Last year if I was outside she was out there too, rolling in the grass, or eating it, or just shnuffling around. Sometimes she would stick her nose into the woodpile and snort so loud you could hear it across the yard. It was quiet without her.

As for the new piece I decided to try a bit of eco-dyeing...

At the end of the day I wrapped the new weaving into a bundle with some bark and lichens. Then I stuffed it into a strawberry pot with some compost. I figure I will check on it again in the fall and see what happens to it.

Just something fun

2011-04-08T18:13:00.005-04:00

Seeing this, and this, and this has me wanting to play along a little...

I snagged some scraps from the bin and wove something a little hairy and wild looking, which fits right in with my plans for it!

p.s. I did finish stitching, next step is to get it mounted.

2011-04-07T18:42:00.002-04:00

The bear went over the mountain...

The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see.

I do believe that I will finish the stitching on this piece tonight. I chose hand stitching because it seemed to honor the shibori best. Taking all of these little stitches has been like taking many little steps as I climbed a mountain. The next steps will take me over the top just like the bear...

Reflections

2011-04-06T19:52:00.004-04:00

Back in the depths of winter I took jude's Contemporary Woven Boro online workshop. It was a fertile experience.

jude was generous with her teaching and created a place for us all to share our experiments and thoughts.*

The piece I just posted about was one of my experiments from it.

Shortly after the class began I settled on focusing on how I could balance the dyework with the woven format. Then came more graphic dyework, and colors that were all around me in the winter landscape.

Once I chose that path a hundred possibilities opened. Far more than I can explore at once, so I started a sketchbook to capture ideas that I want to explore further and a file to save scraps of paper with notes jotted down. jude leaves many open doors in her teaching, new paths to explore. This is a journey that will continue.

* if you are considering trying any of her workshops I recommend it they are both stimulating and friendly.

Emerging

2011-04-05T20:38:00.003-04:00

I have slowly been coming back to the act of making things.

As tempted as I am to give long explanations of where I've been I think tonight I will just share the progress I've made on this piece.

I have been trying to get a little done each night, and slowly but surely I'm getting somewhere.

I have some special plans for this one when its done...

Something a little daring!

But for now I will snuggle up on the couch with Larry and stitch a little more.

2011-03-21T21:36:00.000-04:00

A little color experiment...

Wandering Back

2011-03-20T20:07:00.002-04:00

Should have left a "Be Back Later" sign!

I've been involved in a reorganization scheme that may help me feel a little less like the absentminded professor.

So far so good but lets see if it has any sustain.

I have a backlog of neglected tasks that I'm working through.

I've been doing a production run as well. This is one of the new scarves from yesterdays batch, looks a bit like a peacock feather. I love the way these colors interact on silk.

Frustrating to photograph though, lots of glare.

I tried messing around in photoshop to get the lighting right so the detail can be seen...

I'm pretty sure there has to be a better approach than just whacking around with the dodge /burn tool though. Time to look for a tutorial or something.

Shrouded Moon

2011-02-23T22:32:00.001-05:00

Playing with anchored weaving, quadrants, and gauze.

Wow! Thanks jude!

2011-02-22T21:50:00.007-05:00

I'm so excited! Today I received a little package from jude with a selection of transparencies to play with.
from top to bottom: cotton harem cloth, a jazzy eyelet, handkerchief weight cotton, krinkle gauze, silk gauze, embroidered linen? and another eyelet.
It inspired me to dig out my light table and play...

Harem cloth over bright red, lit from behind

and in front

jazzy eyelet over shibori

and lit from behind

handkerchief weight cotton, playing with diffusion and folds

krinkle gauze over loose dyework

Silk gauze over arashi

embroidered linen over batik

eyelet over itajime

Lots of food for thought here.

It is really interesting how the direction the light is coming from changes the look of the pieces so drastically.

makes me think about time and the passage of light as a day winds by.

visitor

2011-02-21T20:10:00.003-05:00

Someone passed by this evening.

Small footfalls like kanoko

2nd color begun

2011-02-20T18:58:00.003-05:00

Pale olive over thin gauze.
Mimicing the shibori lines.
Sap running beneath snow.

2011-02-18T21:59:00.000-05:00

First color is done now.

Let the next begin....

Quite lovely

2011-02-17T21:21:00.002-05:00

The results from the test are in. I'm not having much luck controlling my colors on silk. The results are gloriously askew; black turns maroon and copper, brown turns iredescent orange and olive, and grey turns bronze with steel blue edges.

Its pretty.

I tried all sorts of things to try to keep the colors from wicking like that, No dice.

I've decided that the silk has determined that this is how it should be, and I have to agree its a good call.

I am going to find another sort of scarf to use for my project and enjoy the silk just as it is.

2011-02-17T08:51:00.001-05:00

just sharin' the love

I've been getting into some fun treasuries on ETSY.

The process of updating the shop is ongoing a start and stop effort...

Points of intrest

2011-02-16T21:38:00.003-05:00

I've begun to look at the edges of the cloth and consider how to finish it.

This seems promising

Related?

2011-02-15T20:12:00.002-05:00

As I set up one of my recent "gleanings" for a photo I noticed a strange affinity for one of my recent shibori pieces.
It is as if they were made for each other.

Even more stitching

2011-02-14T20:05:00.002-05:00

It is slowly coming together. After many many small stitches the strips are slowly melding into a single cloth.

First stitches

2011-02-13T19:36:00.002-05:00

Basting

2011-02-12T23:45:00.003-05:00

This is only the second of my CWB experiments that I've basted in preparation for further stitching. I am going to explore some different cottons for doing my dye work on, this is pima cotton, dyes nicely, but I find it hard to hand stitch.
I don't want to use a machine on these pieces, I've been enjoying the focus of the hand stitch, and I prefer the way it "honors" the shibori.

Still looking at transparency as an element.

CWB another try

2011-02-11T23:38:00.001-05:00

Beginning a new weave....

Something to see

2011-02-10T20:44:00.003-05:00

Looking at these has made me think of this, truly beautiful work.

Gleanings

2011-02-09T20:40:00.003-05:00

I actually collected these back in the beginning of December, took the pictures, then wandered off.

Now all of the plants are crushed beneath the snow.

That first one is a cattail that has gone to seed. It has sort of felted itself into a little pillow. All the others are roadside weeds and a sedum flower.

I found the structures kind of fascinating.

Spikey

Soft

Delicate

the lack of color seems to bring the structures into focus.

Each one different yet following its own logic.

Order disintegrating into chaos.

Another dye lot

2011-02-08T21:36:00.003-05:00

Grey and brown.

Bold stark lines wrapped in white and soft grey. That is what I'm seeing now and that is what I'm dyeing.

Well that and these, the first try at a very particular dye batch, I learned a couple of things, such as I need to do more tests to get the look I want...

The silk reacts differently to the dyes than my usual cotton.

My colors are not as planned.

Time to make some notes, and think things through, and stitch a little.

CWB experiment 6-more transparency

2011-02-07T21:08:00.003-05:00

This is the last experiment from my first dye batch.

Here the shibori is being shrouded by layers of cotton gauze, interesting but not quite working the way I envisioned. It is really hard to see but each of the strips is 3 layers; plain shibori, covered halfway with one strip of gauze which in turn is covered halfway with another strip of gauze.

I was hoping for a gradual erasure of the shibori. The effect is not happening for quite a few reasons, color, contrast or lack of it, and the weave itself is distracting from what I'm interested in seeing.

I dyed up another small batch of fabrics to play with tonight and I may be able to take another whack at it tomorrow.

Ready to go

2011-02-06T20:57:00.002-05:00

Today the little bites didn't amount to alot of work getting done...

We had bright warmish weather so I ended up spending some time outside scraping ice off the driveway and going for a really nice walk.

but I've prepared the fabrics for the dye lab and tomorrow I may get a chance to mix my colors up and put them on.

I have 2 different projects I'm concentrating on, the CWB workshop, and a concept that may end up in the shop (I hope).

Small Bites

2011-02-05T22:37:00.002-05:00

Today I tried a different approach to my long standing, overwhelming to-do list.
I chose 3 to 5 things, and gave myself to them and only them, not the other 45 things I have stacked up. I also gave myself permission to say screw it to any of them if I really didn't want to do it.
Each time I finished, or got close enough, I went back to the impossible list and reevaluated. Then I picked a couple more (or not) and kept moving.
For today it worked, I got a surprising amount done.

Now I'm stitching a few stitches. Taking small bites.
Tomorrow it will be back to the dye lab for a few more experiments.

One Month

2011-02-04T09:17:00.002-05:00

One month ago today we lost our special girl Rasta.

It was time, she needed to rest, and we had the luxury of being able to say goodbye.

We are still heartbroken, she was our best girl, sweet and loving and funny. She completed our home in so many ways.

She had 50+ nicknames, 2 incredibly close calls (hit by a snowplow and a bout of Pancreatitis),

100s of songs were recomposed by us to celebrate her dog-ness,

the softest fur ever, nose wrinkles, a love for snuggling and so much more.

So today (and everyday) I remember her and honor that memory, grateful for the joy she brought us.

At in the moment

2011-02-03T20:13:00.003-05:00

At the moment I am trying my camera off of the auto settings (!)

I've been meaning to do that for awhile, yet somehow it seemed so easy to just let the camera make the call.

So tonight in the spirit of adventure I flipped it off of those auto settings and have started to figure out how the camera works. Be ready for some weird photos while I get the hang of this.

Messing with the ISO settings here and I am shooting in low light

this was the best of the bunch...

In that moment I'm stitching, The piece is an alter cloth that needs to be made.

CWB- 5th Experiment, encasing

2011-02-03T08:39:00.004-05:00

The big storm that washed across 2/3 of the country this week hit us with some snow and more freezing rain. Every twig is encased in ice. I know it can be horrifically destructive but we seem to have dodged that bullet this time. The aftermath of ice like this is a vision. Morning light glistens on every detail and glows deceptively.

This winter world I am inhabiting is surely influencing my choices of dye colors as well as my design ideas.
I did this before the ice but I can see the influence in color and action.

Wood grain shibori in grey and brown mimics the thickets of branches that capture me in the landscape. Each piece is isolated and encased in denim as twigs captured in ice. I spread out the weaving to give it some room to breathe.

I really like this one

CWB- experiment 4 weaving with transparency

2011-02-02T19:46:00.005-05:00

We have been experiencing BIG snow this past month, lots of shoveling. The world around me is muffled beneath layers, slowly disappearing over time.

Perhaps that inspired this thought...

What if I were to layer the pattern with something gauzy. To reduce it with the weaving?

This is my first experiment with it.

Light blue gauze layered over the makiage pattern.

I learned a few things here. The contrast of the shibori itself is a very important design element, And a pale background makes a difference in the visual weight. I will be back to this one.

CWB- 3rd Experiment

2011-02-01T09:51:00.004-05:00

Next question, how well can a single motif read when incorporated into a woven state?

Nothing very fancy here, a somewhat lumpy makiage dye and a straightforward weave. I tried to make the design bold enough in contrast to "hold together" even when torn into strips.

It seems to keep its form pretty well, has me thinking about varying the thickness of the strips, wide strips of the motif and narrow of the solid....

or transparency....

CWB- 2nd Experiment

2011-01-31T16:36:00.002-05:00

Right, so unlike many I don't have a substantial stash of woven fabrics (knits are another matter entirely)

I tend to collect dye-able fabrics, usually white.

I've found that I am becoming more and more interested in exploring working with dyed fabrics and the weaving method, how they can be used without overwhelming the design.

So I'm putting some time in in the dye lab to come up with some fabrics to work with.

I've found that certain dye techniques read as textures rather than patterns, it makes them far more usable. Low water immersion dyes make a texture that can look like suede. To create these 3 blocks I created color/ombres that shift from blue to turquoise, purple to turquoise, and green to turquoise. Rather than lining them up directionally I chose to have the ombres cross each other perpendicularly. I think the effect is nice, rich and a bit dynamic.

No clear idea of what I will USE these for but I've basted them and will wait until I do know

Starting thoughts -CWB workshop

2011-01-26T20:50:00.001-05:00

I've gotten started on the Contemporary Woven Boro workshop with jude.

Its been a rough month or 2, so its a late start.

I began with playing with a more involved weaving pattern, using 2 pieces of itajime. I like the way the regularity of the itajime becomes fractured and reforms into a new pattern.

As I was working on this I began thinking about new ways to use the tiedye. It is pretty "loud" partly because of the colors and another reason is that the eye doesnt find resting places with so much pattern dancing around. Got me thinking about ways to let the dyes sing out more quietly...

I will be stealing some moments in the dye lab for experiments to play with.

Sea life

2010-12-16T20:58:00.003-05:00

Tonight I had to dye up some socks for the store.
Since I had the dyes out I over-dyed the white motif I'm thinking of using.
the white seemed stark to me, it needed some warmth.
Looks like a sea creature that washed up from the depths,
got me thinking about the nudibranch inspired fabric I dyed up a couple of weeks ago...

Another Layer

2010-12-15T20:45:00.002-05:00

I dug out an old experiment, It seems to mesh with the woven piece

and I like the way it looks when light shines through

Hmmm

2010-12-07T20:41:00.002-05:00

A seriously weird color combo, Teal green, navy shibori scraps and bits of one of Lar's old shirts, more work to be done on it....

Old and New

2010-12-06T18:35:00.001-05:00

Mom's old bandana meets scraps from the Fire Haori in an experiment from c2c3. I kind of love this...

What happened next...

2010-11-29T21:53:00.002-05:00

Right so when last we left the story I decided to dye the ends in 4 different colors. I experimented last spring with ombres and I thought that would be the way to go, just dunk the ends and let the color wick into the fabrics. I figured that it would react differently with all of the different fibers...

It did!

I didn't forsee it traveling as far as it did in some cases though!

Interesting how it kind of stuck to the straight and narrow path and didn't spread weftwise... or is it warpwise?

also interesting that it didn't disturb the root motif too much.

I kind of like the results,

I think.

Of course laundering the piece after dyeing it made the fraying edges really come apart, but again, it feels more root like and organic so I'm good with it.

I think.

and no, I have no idea what comes next, I will have to mess about a bit more, and see what happens.

Catching Up

2010-11-28T19:38:00.006-05:00

OK I have been feeling very tongue tied for the last 2 weeks.

However the project has been slowly progressing so I'm going to try to catch up all the stages I've been passing through in one huge post.

Here we go...

I pretty quickly discovered that I wasn't going to be able to stabilize the weaving while it was on the hoop. So I took it out and began to quilt it onto a backing.

I chose to use a running stitch in soft neutral colors to anchor each square. The work was a bit intensive as each square the direction and color changed. As I was working it occur ed to me that the work might be a wasted effort as I planned to add appliqued motifs of some sort over the top of the weaving. things slowed considerably as I decided what I would like to add. While I was thinking I noticed this:

This is a piece that I have hung on my bulletin board, odd thoughts in collage form, then I noticed this:

A piece of dyed cotton gauze I made last spring. I liked the compass like way the motif splays out from the center, it relates to a cardinal direction/time/seasonal theme I had been thinking about.

It also connects to the root idea.

I cut two pieces over the woven work making a root-like mandala. I liked the mandala, it was a neutral color but darker than the background but I found that even though the cotton gauze is quite transparent it wasn't showing much of the ground, so the best solution was to stitch it down around the motif and cut it out.

Much better, the root mandala relates nicely to the grid too.

I've spent some more time quilting the background down now and looking at all of the extra fabric I left hanging off of the center. I'm circling back around to the cardinal directions...

and each cardinal direction can be a different color.

So I've constructed a dye structure to hold the fabric up while I dye the ends of the strips.

That's where its at, for the moment.

Whew!

Wandering Off

2010-11-16T21:02:00.003-05:00

OK So I'm already wandering off on a tangent, but hell, the tangents are where the fun is right?

No, really I WILL get back to the recommended process but I just had to try this.

I have about 40 of these cheapo embroidery hoops and they were just begging to be used for something... so why not weaving?

Of course how will I attach a backing... or will I?

Tangles

2010-11-15T20:43:00.004-05:00

I was captured in this web some time ago...

I love the organic texture of the weaving.

I've formed an idea for an experiment with fabric and time

tonight I cut strips of white for it.

All sorts of fabrics, cotton, silk, mystery fiber...

enough to play with.

a tangle to sort out.

New Adventure

2010-11-10T20:52:00.004-05:00

Ok so I've gotten myself set up to take jude's Cloth to Cloth workshop!

I'm excited. hopefully it will help me to focus a little better...

I think I will try to revisit thickets as my muse for the duration and see where it takes me.

so now I'm off to prep some fabrics for dyeing so I will have something new to work with!

Bird seed

2010-11-09T21:40:00.002-05:00

Yep I went to the bird seed... the glue is still drying, I may add more to it.

Patterns

2010-11-08T21:46:00.002-05:00

Playing with concentric patterns.

The one made of maple seeds turned out rather Victorian looking to me, or maybe Edwardian. As if it was made by some English gentlewoman sitting in her drawing room on a lazy afternoon to pass the time.

I'm not sure if it is done or not. I may break out the birdseed.

The second one is burnt shibori, I am unsure of weather I like this result. My first thought was... not complex enough, I do like the folds though... so maybe.

Done, and some Garden pics

2010-10-31T19:51:00.004-04:00

Finished the last small weaving, I am pleased with the way the blue connects the pine needles... sort of lace like.

We spent some time in the yard today stacking wood and enjoying the end of fall

I've got some pictures of the last blast of autumn colors, this hydreangea finally flowered this year for the first time (I think it has been planted for 3 years now) only one flower but the fall color of the leaves is surprising a smooth blend of green and deep violet/ bronze.

Purple smoke bush and spirea

Spirea and amnosia

Hosta that has become a strange sculpture

Near the end

2010-10-30T23:06:00.000-04:00

2010-10-29T18:06:00.000-04:00

Hmmmm...

inches

2010-10-28T20:59:00.003-04:00

Growing by inches, teaching me patience.

Ultra -Violet

2010-10-27T21:59:00.002-04:00

It was one of those days where frustrations seemed to accumulate as it went on. They seem to have dissipated now. I've started another small weaving. Trying a different color for the warp, electric royal blue... and a narrower shape.

5 min sketch

2010-10-26T21:09:00.002-04:00

A quick sketch of my favorite subject Rasta, our VERY tired dog.

2010-10-25T21:49:00.002-04:00

Another small weaving featuring pine needles and the fall colors that have surrounded me the last few weeks. The colors have begun to shift to bronzes and burgundys now. Autumn is mellowing.

Little Loom - How To

2010-10-15T21:13:00.004-04:00

Wow! I've been gone longer than I thought. Thanks for all of the comments... I've had a request for some directions on making a little loom so here goes:

First I cut a piece of thick watercolor paper (cold press, 140 lb)

to 1 5/8" by 4 1/2"

its stiff enough to hold the warp threads but thin enough to cut accurately.

then I cut a piece of heavy card stock cut to 1 5/"8 by 4 1/4"

this will be stiff enough to support the warp threads without bending

next I marked 1/8" intervals along both of the short ends of the watercolor paper and cut short slits at each mark

then I stacked the two pieces with the slitted ends protruding beyond the card stock to either end and wrapped the entire thing with duct tape to hold it together

To warp the loom I simply wrap thread around the entire thing going through each slit then tie the two ends together so it will hold tension

that is it quick and easy.

As to what I am weaving with... well aside from the found objects I'm mainly using embroidery floss since that is what I have at hand.

I doubt that this will last very long as the watercolor paper will eventually lose its stiff and no longer hold the threads properly.

However I think the basic design could be modified with more permanent materials so it could hold up over time/use.

Tossed By the Sea

2010-10-03T18:18:00.003-04:00

Today I went to the beach with a friend. As cloudy and cool as it was, colors popped and captured the eye everywhere. Rosa Rugosa is no longer blooming but rose hips are ripe and abundant.

Some of the colors were in my personal noncollectable range. This lobster shell glowed in blue, green and rust but would have smelled like a seafood restaurant dumpster in no time, so a picture had to do.

Goldenrod is blooming in the dunes.

A most astonishing blue and red. This really tempted me, I almost broke my rule (nothing stinky), in the end common sense prevailed. The white thing there isn't crab but shark cartilage. There was LOTS of that around. I wonder what is killing the sharks.
In the end the things that found their way home with me were pieces of driftwood.

More stones.

A few fragments of shells.

And finally two bird skulls scoured white and clean.

One is a gull (pretty sure of that) the other may be a cormorant.

they are graceful and exquisitely delicate, weighing so little you can almost feel the flight in them.

Finished!

2010-10-02T17:06:00.003-04:00