Sunday, November 05, 2023

Country comfort


 All Souls in the grove and then a road trip to pick Charlie up from school and stay over.  

A backyard campfire just for the good company and s'mores.





I'm glad the pictures have been telling the story because I have been putting words elsewhere. 

I also find I'm doing more listening than talking these days.

The world often leaves me speechless except for some lackluster swearing. 

Monday, October 30, 2023

The colors of stone

 

Hunter Moon by Colin

Camilla 


I went to the dye table with the colors of New England in my head. What I got turned out like carnival clown barf, except for these. 

This is Raven with a touch of Marigold and Deep Space for balance.

Some are darker, others lighter. I have about twenty skeins close cousins of these two and will post them for sale. The rest? 

Over-dyeing on the kitchen table eventually. 



Sunday, October 29, 2023

Queen of Swords for the day



I was up a lot in the night for no reason other than looking for the moon, window to window. I  should have slept in the car. 
At some point, I took my Tarot cards out and turned each one face up in the light.

So, come 7am this was the view from the foot of my bed. I took a few pictures and fell deeply asleep.
I managed to catch Jupiter peeking from behind a tree and the moon gone goofy with branches in the way. One more as the sunrise lit the moonset.






So what does a dyer do while waiting for the coffee to brew? Bring a wet bundle in and unwrap it right on the kitchen table. I doctored Raven just a bit. Love the results. I make quite a few of these. I got all the thread cleaned and laid out to dry, but the cloth will have to wait until tomorrow.

Cleaned up. shopped, cooked even. Cajun sausage baked with red potatoes. 


To frost the cake of this day, I invented a drink (if it has a name don't tell me) a fat ounce of bourbon, over a little ice. A hearty splash of lime and topped the big glass with apple cider. One was plenty.

I put on the movie, "The Two Popes", (I find it strangely compelling). 
Started a new heart made with this moonlight thread and caught a visit from a lap thug every half hour or so.

This Queen of Swords (today) is grateful for all of it. Purple right shoe and all. 




Saturday, October 28, 2023

Uncharted lands

 The temperature out on the deck did peak at 80, but the sun's angle was...elsewhere. I usually work much hotter than this, so I'm tempering my expectations. I haven't picked through the archives to confirm it, but this is the latest I've ever had a dyefest. 


There was little to no thought or prep. Just did it.

It's been years since I made liquid dye stock. Measurements? Are you mad? "Looks good" was the watchword. 

When I started throwing wads of wet cloth on the boards, I knew I was running out of steam.


The small, long bundles have six or eight skeins of thread inside. Those all had a brief soak in the magic sauce, and then I started slinging color. Dip, splash, pour, dash. Ruined one of my tan suede clogs. That was a poor choice.

The chemistry is over. The magic, the heart stuff, will come tonight when the full moon beats down on all of this mess and makes it special. 





Friday, October 27, 2023

Speaking of passions

 

Even though the first day was a little dreary, Fall in New England came through with color. I miss color.

The weather wizard wannabes are predicting 80 degrees over the weekend here in GA.

I'll believe because:
-there is some wonderful cloth
-there is undyed thread
-there is still plenty of dye.

Techniques will be new and experimental so results? 

The Good Luck gods have been very kind to me in all the small ways. What's one more go? 
A thank you to them.