I dashed out before the storm came through yesterday and had lunch with Jake and was happy to learn that the wedding he and Missy are planning is going to be fun and not all that formal - a party to remember. This is a shot of Jake & Pop from last June. Poppy is still in the hospital making a slow recovery from pneumonia.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
storm passed
I dashed out before the storm came through yesterday and had lunch with Jake and was happy to learn that the wedding he and Missy are planning is going to be fun and not all that formal - a party to remember. This is a shot of Jake & Pop from last June. Poppy is still in the hospital making a slow recovery from pneumonia.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
color on hand
The big basket after I dumped and churned it.
The temps outside climbed to 70 today and the tree frogs started tuning up - prematurely I'm sure but all of this has conspired to get me thinking about and planning out the first dyefest of 2013.
I have a whole host of new colors to work with and a growing stack of vintage cotton and linen and a great swath of what I think is raw silk. No directions yet, just strong, complex color - a great cure for the blahs of January in Georgia.
The temps outside climbed to 70 today and the tree frogs started tuning up - prematurely I'm sure but all of this has conspired to get me thinking about and planning out the first dyefest of 2013.
I have a whole host of new colors to work with and a growing stack of vintage cotton and linen and a great swath of what I think is raw silk. No directions yet, just strong, complex color - a great cure for the blahs of January in Georgia.
unearthed and pending
I was digging through the large scrap basket yesterday, desperately trying to put together a neutral cloth burrito when I uncovered this little treasure. Here's the original post that explains it all.
For a little relief from the B&W series I'll finish it complete with the text somewhere on the panel. I may have to grow it a little to accommodate the word since it's only about 10x12.
My version of the prayer went like this:
Monday, January 28, 2013
we bring you an important interruption
I've been making very slow progress with the hand work on K4. It's taking a long time but I'm determined to finish this one before I commit to the intense machine work that I have planned for K5.
The goal is balancing the mechanical machine stitching with the organic and free flowing hand stitched lines.
But a certain feline codger has begun demanding that I devote my lap to his comfort. Somehow stitching can wait until he is back up to speed.
Voodoo anti-sketching |
Sunday, January 27, 2013
baste-orama
I like to baste. A piece that's had all its pins replaced by big running or laddered stitches is in a kind of transitional state, fixed but fluxable. Relieved of its steel burden, KV felt weightless.
I use a monster long needle and a single strand of king tut cotton thread. It has just enough "grab" to hold things together with minimal slippage. A few, small back stitches will pass for a knot.
Just like moving a mountain with a teaspoon, one spoonful, one stitch at a time...you look up, and it's done.
This is not me being all arty with Instagram here...it's me being all forgetful about what and how my big Canon is capable of. Point and shoot it's not. Time to dig out the manual, tinker a bit and take some notes.
Shopping around, it looks like this one is what I want to replace the camera that my brother and I dissected last week.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
working both brain halves
It still feels like Monday, with all that still needs to get done and all the things pending, good things.
I spent a little time updating the store this morning and, bit by bit, I'm tweaking KV...those splattery gray-green bits will have to go, no matter how much I love the cloth, they cannot play here.
That group of colors off to the left is called "Candy Bowl"
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
KV continues
Karma V |
It's good to get back to work.
Although I brought something along to do some hand stitching on, nothing got done.
While I was in NY I paid a visit to the Benefit Shop in Bedford and met the owner Pam Stone. What an amazing place and great purpose.
I scored several amazing pieces of vintage damask and a length of what I think is Shantung silk.
I'm having it all shipped because I couldn't cram everything into the two little carryons that I made do with this trip. All of a sudden I realize that I have a bunch of very cool cloth gathering for the coming dye season.
Now I'm going to let this one rest a day and go downstairs with this one and catch up on Dowton Abbey. I think some tea is in order too.
the original |
home!
While it was wonderful to see my family, it's so great to be home.
The chaos of a three generation household with elder illness and mama-baby drama thrown in is exhausting. I give my sibs all props for maintaining relative sanity any way they can.
Travel was thankfully uneventful but I'm not thrilled with Delta being the only choice between ATL and White Plains. On the way up they farted around on the ground 40 minutes past scheduled take off but someone how made up all but 15 minutes of it in the air. I could actually feel the g-forces. Coming back, Delta these winter-clad travelers needed heat on the plane instead of AC. By the time we arrived, envision a herd of steaming buffalos. I guess arriving alive is enough.
There are no pictures today because right after I took the night shots in the previous post, my camera broke when Charlie Brown yanked on his leash and sent it banking off my forehead on hard onto the frozen ground. My brother and I decided since it was already broken, maybe we could take it apart and see what was awry. NOT! Still, it was interesting to see what went on inside that slim little wonder. The other two Canons were waiting at home with dead batteries otherwise I would treat you to the chaos of my studio. Time to get back to work.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Monday, January 14, 2013
clean slate
It's easy to see how the possibilities never end I want to be completely satisfied with each aspect of the piece as it develops - why push ahead and commit when it's just not right or working.
I will be leaving this one alone for a while since I'll be leaving to visit with family in NY and can't take it along chock fulla pins as it is.
And I have a notion that this is only half the finished size. When I get back, I'll get another backing panel this size and mount it on the left.
I'd like to bring along some hand stitching but I don't really want to check a bag and don't want to risk losing any of my tools to the TSA. It will be a fiber free visit unless I go scrounging for used cloth with my sisters.
A change of scenery, climate, and activities will be good for me.
I will be leaving this one alone for a while since I'll be leaving to visit with family in NY and can't take it along chock fulla pins as it is.
And I have a notion that this is only half the finished size. When I get back, I'll get another backing panel this size and mount it on the left.
I'd like to bring along some hand stitching but I don't really want to check a bag and don't want to risk losing any of my tools to the TSA. It will be a fiber free visit unless I go scrounging for used cloth with my sisters.
A change of scenery, climate, and activities will be good for me.
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