Hiatus

I am producing-----organization,  I hope.

I've taken a week or so to re-organize my studio.  The amount of fabric, tools, magazines and books, cardboard, paint, beads and general stuff is much more than my room can hold.   I am being ruthless!  Ha, ha.  But- -I do have several piles of books and magazines and many sewing patterns to share with someone---- anyone?  I have pitched scrapes too small to use , bubble wrap, bags, dried up glue, bent pins and some things I'll never use.  I think I'll never use. I have found forgotten UFO's, project ideas, and things I couldn't find and therefore bought more. I don't practice just one art form.  I dabble!!!!!  Where do I put the rolled paper?  the flat paper? the pine cones I picked up last month? the paint, the dye? Where do I put the paper towel rolls? the broken eye glasses and the onion skins? I save for future use, even if I have no idea how to use it. How to sort? To categorize or not to categorize?  That is the question. I need to separate!  I need to combine!  I have an empty tub!  I have a half filled tub!  All my tubs are filled, I'll have to buy more! Will I remember I stored these two types of materials together?  Out of sight - out of mind. Oh my! There's not enough room for everything to be in plain sight. I need a step ladder to reach the top two shelves. Maybe in a few days, the table top will be clear again and I will start something new or finish something old.  In the mean time, sometimes it's  finding treasure and sometimes it's the sad decision to throw something away.  Either way, it needs to be done.

WOW! Natural colors from cold bundling

This is truly cool!  I opened my two dye bundles last Saturday.  The Coreopsis and yellow onion was very good. I had used a small apple branch and metal washes as mordants.  The area of fabric that was wrapped against the wood took on the image of the wood beautifully. I think I have devised a way that more fabric surface can be bundled tight against the wood in a future bundle.  The washers worked in some places, creating a dark mottled area under a few of the washers and a very nice circle in at least one place.  Now that the washers have lost a little more of their surface shine they may react better in the next bundle.

The bundle with the sunflowers was fairly moldy but probably should have stayed bundled longer to achieve a deeper color.  This one was not as wet to begin with  and was harder to keep a tight surface because the flower heads were so thick.  Again, where the wood was in direct contact with the fabric, the image was great!  The cotton in this bundle could be re-dyed in another bundle.  The colors were not as well defined as the silk.

I want to try so much more before the snow flies and when kitchen compost may be the only dye sources available.

One Down and So Many More To Go

I finished the Seminole quilt for my grand daughter.  She will be going off for her freshman year at college this week.  Time flies and things change.  I haven't made a traditional quilt for quite some time.  It was fun and this technique is fast.

So, one down and so many other projects to choose from!  I want to finish the other Coral Bell projects.  Two of the three are half way done and I have the idea for the forth.  Best to proceed with those.  Although I am working on the run-off series in my mind.  There is so much there to explore and techniques to experiment with.  Switching to fiber with paint, as opposed to the paint with fiber that I have already done, will be a challenge.  Texture will still be the star, but the color range of mixed paints is hard to match in fiber without dying.  I am not set up for anything but limited dye experiments.  The eco-dyed bundles are still hiding in my downstairs pantry.  Peaches are in season and I'm saving peach pits and waiting for the rabbit brush to bloom. As always more in the mind than under the machine.  I'd better get to work.

A Very Good Day

Five of our monthly group were able to get together today.  We had a great visit, exchanged of ideas, talked about what are currently doing and worked out some details for the show we are having at the library.  We will each be able to hang two or three pieces as well as the 10 collaborative pieces we made for a challenge our group took on. There will be a fair amount of work to do before the November show date, but it will be great to have our work shown.

One of our car pool wanted to stop to purchase some pastels and we were treated to a 'walk through' of the manufacturing room.  It was very interesting seeing pigments from around the world, learning about the base materials and binders and seeing one man creating these beautiful colors. He said it was better when there were two doing the work. The process is very manual, mixing the recipes, molding flats and sanding each piece.  I can appreciate the cost of these very fine pastels.

Energized.  Motivated. Ready to work.  Lots to do.