For the Solstice

 

Studio cleanup

 

Valiant effort yesterday. I can even see the navy blue carpet and most of the work table. 

The trouble started when I open the closet and took out the river basket. The intention was to empty my little project bag into the river basket, but both were already overflowing. So I start started weeding both out putting a good portion of each into the basket that I pick Fat Baggies from.

Then I got crazy.

 I made up a bunch of scrap bags each with two random skeins of Dirty Thread. Each mystery bag is $35 including postage in the US. Email me.

All that heavy weight linen I have, acres of it? None of it went into the scrap basket because it's not hand stitch friendly. Even after dyeing. I tested two squares and just gave up hand hemming them into kitchen towels. 

It takes the dye well. Would make good tote bags. But the plan is to break out that heavy duty Singer 99k and make a big deck sail. After the trees that loom over the pool are gone next week, it will hopefully give us some shade. I won't waste dye on it. 

storm season

 Tropical storm Claudette will be on us soon. A week of clouds and rain, some heavy they say. The plants and wildlife around here are grateful. 

From the stitching chair, there was a brief splash of sun before the cloud cover solidified.  I held this piece of cotton up to the light and did my best to capture what my eye was seeing.

Some times there are pieces that you cannot cut, use, give away, or sell. This is one. 

I was folding and putting away all the cloth that's come of the latest dye sessions. Taking some time to make some order here in the studio and life in general. 

The store will be closed for a summer vacation. 

Writing and family stuff taking precedence for a while. One thing I've learned, cloth and thread are patient.

 

Things got 💙plum💙 out of hand on the dye deck yesterday. 

I remembered the unpredictable fun of discharging freshly dyed cloth. The great Put & Take.

Tomorrow is shipping day so if you ordered recently, some of this will be in the bag.

Meanwhile, Charlie has mastered the art of dragonfly taming. They love him.

Drifting through time

 

Killing time is a hideous expression. I've always thought about not having enough time. And the people who ran out of time when they thought they had more. 

 There was a bit of waiting for time to pass today, but I can't bear the thought of time passing without something coming of it -  something being done, made, created.

I've been sick for a solid week with an ornery cold that wanders between my head and chest depending on nothing. I have been cranky and anxious. But walking around stoned all day on a string of the most luxurious, cinematic dreams

compensating for the day-long sigh heaving.

While waiting for the medicine to kick in this morning, I mixed colors because it was easier than making coffee. Had two satisfactory appointments with contractors before 10. Landscaping and gutters scored. 

Transformed more  of that vintage cloth on the deck while waiting until it was time for my Covid test. Watched parts of that old movie waiting for the results (negative) and the dye to strike (positive). What else is there so easy to discover these days? And for free.

Just finished committing this latest piece to a canvas, every stroke telling me that I've made a mistake, but I know better. I also know what I'm procrastinating about, of course.