Dye Crazy

I  finally set up an Etsy page. I was thinking that maybe small items might be interesting to shoppers there and I am just not able to do a lot of fall shows- I am looking forward to the West End ARTSFest in Winston-Salem with my pals Nicole and Olivia there too... it is a nice day show with a good variety of crafts and artists and they usually have music and a few other bits that make it a good day for everyone. And Blowing Rock in October. And I plan to participate in the Studio Tour at the Rockingham County Arts Council in November. I've  been working on inventory for all of these bits and pieces... and I'll have the info on my etsy page @Dye Crazy. Seemed appropriate....

marbled

Seaweed scarves are woven, knotted, washed, dried and pressed. Ready to go!

So when I am not in Fiber Co I dye, work on surface design. Today is marbling silk. I mordanted the scarves, set up a new marble bath-- the colors float pretty nicely in this warm-ish weather. I hope to have 8 ready to take to the studio tomorrow. All colorful, washed, dried. And I have lovely blue fingers! Yes, I have gloves. In the box.

I'm using some patterns I saw in the jasmine blossoms and grapevines. Really a treat to have so many plants for inspiration. I finished up a dozen- tried to get a good range in color. I didn't get to the greens, browns, golds and pinks yet. But the next set of scarves are mordanted and ready to go.

Just to keep with stating the obvious, I am no photographer!

Summer colors

After I finished the elegant gray scarves ( I do like them, I used some nice textures, ribbons, soft kitten gray colors) I realized the rainy days needed more color. So I ordered dyes I'd been putting off and now it is time for color! The greens I'd been saving were there- it would take a few days to get the bright honeysuckle pink yarns dyed, so green slid into home. ha! I am so NOT the sports metaphor!
It is bright and it makes me want seaweed salad. so that will be the working name for these scarves! I'm weaving them with different combinations, 18 -24 ends per inch, depending on the yarn type, and the wefts are some soft spun silks, cottons that are soft and thin, a couple of slubs for extra texture and a polymide variegated yarn that lets reds, browns, yellows and greens drift in and out of the length.
So far they've been fun to weave.

The pinks are drying today and I'll have that on starting tomorrow!

running behind again!

I am not very consistent at blogging! Well, consistency is probably not going to be on my tombstone, resume or any other declaration of "me". But I have been running- ahead and behind, and it has been great to be outside watching the amazing color transformation of spring. I ordered new dyes, and made some decisions about what i'll be working on, taking to shows, putting in shops and have committed to three shows this year, possibly more. And I am stepping up my workshops some. I do spend a lot of time alone when i am working and it is always a treat to meet enthusiastic students... I love taking workshops and teaching them. I'm excited about my upcoming marbling workshop- April 2. And I plan to have another one at the Art Market. So I am definitely adding some marbled pieces to my show and shop work. Marbling is so incredibly relaxing.
I have plans for two more scarf styles-- I've been having a great time with the thin silk and tencel scarves. I think I want to step up the yarn size and weave something waffle-y. and the resist scarf prototypes have given me some good ideas. I'll need to photograph those.
The next big plan is to try my hand at online sales. I'm thinking it will be painless- really, most folks are safely in the water now!
The last big business plan i have is to enter more local exhibits. After hanging so many art shows it may be time!

off to mordant some fabric and paper!

Daily source of DIY craft projects and inspiration, patterns, how-tos | Craftzine.com

Daily source of DIY craft projects and inspiration, patterns, how-tos | Craftzine.com

6 Tips for Exercising in the Dark | Active.com

6 Tips for Exercising in the Dark | Active.com
It's always a surprise for me! when my way-too-scheduled day ends too early to see where I am running. I get all excited about the sunshine when I wake up, kind of like seeing the cake before you start on dinner. And I really have been around long enough to know better. So, tweaking my schedule today for a better chance of getting it done!

Tie me up!

I haven't made a resist warp in a while and well, this seems the time to do just that. I have used tencel, rayon, mercerized and unmercerized cotton in the warp- all undyed and a couple have been bleached. I have tied off a design that uses two short stripes ending in  resist areas, and one long stripe ending in resist areas. I am thinking of a nice charcoal so I can play with the wefts - I should have enough for four scarves.
Here is a photo of the tied threads. As soon as I take the tape off I'll decide if I over-dye the whole thing or leave the white. Part of me is still entertaining the idea of stenciling or block printing on the white areas. Of course, if I leave the white IO can always paint and print anyway... decisions to be made!