Inkle and Bowls

This is the first month of the Traveling Empty Bowls Fundraiser! Second Year I have worked with Second Harvest  Food Bank on this project, taking bisque ware bowls and underglazes out to groups in the counties served by the Food Bank through their local food pantries.
So far we have worked in Forsyth (most of those are not mine this year.. but met some folks at the Y I hope to schedule with!), Rockingham County at Beulah Baptist Church (really nice, fun and enthusiastic community supporters!), North Stokes High School with art students with wonderful designs and on to Rockingham Middle School today, out to Yadkin County and more. This is a great social project and we hope to represent all the counties that the NW NC Food Bank serves.


As I get to meet folks I share everything I know.. (almost!) as I get to work with so many different organizations that have opportunities.  At Beulah Baptist Church I get to share the Penland Scholarship for Rockingham County residents, at North Stokes High I get to share my
 LOVE of inkle looms!


One of my favorite weaving looms, an Inkle loom is a very old type of loom that weaves warp-faced bands. There are a gazillion publications on how to build one and how to weave but with lapses in threading I need a refresher. So here is one for all of us! As I was searching for a good image I found two of the looms showing how the heddles (circular knotted threads of a very firm non-fibrulating yarn) that wrap around alternating warp threads. These heddles are held stationary by wrapping around one of the specific pegs on the inkle loom.




By alternating warp threads, many colors and patterns are created. and there is always the opportunity for "pick-up" threads to float and make more designs, add beads if you are the beady type--  lots of options for variations. Smoother yarns work best as this weave is warp-predominate- i.e. the warp threads are the ones to show the most. The weft is visible on the sides and can be a fun accent as it travels up the band. As always, the archives of Mary M. Atwater give us great direction.




Hope you get a chance to weave on an inkle! If you are inspired, message me! I love this as a workshop! it is simple, fun and a great project for bands, sashes, trim and --- just throwing it out there, you can replace those heddles with cards to create card woven bands using the inkle as the tensioner.. helping to keep the tangles of a long strand under control.

Regrettably my images are not loading.. will try again later. (sorry!)

Wrapping up 2014 with Glitter

Wrapping up 2014, this has been a challenging year. I suppose they should be challenging or we would all be sacked out on the sofa with empty chip bags, cats and wondering whose turn it is to go get beer! Not all that productive!!






I've been digging in my personal resources a lot in 2014. And I've had the opportunity to learn a lot of new things. Not necessarily things I'd thought I would want to dig into.. bookkeeping, stocks and percentages, but coming from a family of engineers that information is another tool. And not bad stuff to learn. And, of course, I am in the "101" phase.






I've learned a lot about Community Art and Development, how they interact socially and economically and look forward to several upcoming public art projects.






I had a few goals to pursue and I am so glad I did that! Went to more festivals this year, checked out how they work, met some lovely artists at StokesStomp, in Galax at Chestnut Creek School of Art, and have enjoyed exhibits at Piedmont Arts in Martinsville. Piedmont Craftsmen's PopUp Art Project was great fun to work with, meeting a lot of artists and helping to install over 17 pieces of public art in Downtown Winston Salem, some in the Downtown Art District (DADA) and some scattered in other downtown areas!

Now I am getting geared up for the Second Harvest Food Bank and the Empty Bowls Fundraiser. Last year was my first with this part of the project and it was a blast! I  got to travel in the mountain-y areas (that I love!) meet some wonderful groups of folks that are nice, dedicated to helping out the community and when I was getting a tad behind with the schedule, I contacted our Arts Organizations in the state and had a chance to meet more artists, groups and arts enthusiasts.




You may notice there is no weaving listed here. Weaving is happening and it is time I got moving on the sharing that stuff!


I am setting a few more goals for 2015 now. KGTextiles on Facebook will get more attention, KGTextiles on Instagram and KGTextiles on Twitter will get more attention! And am loading up stuff to try out online sales. DyeCrazy at Etsy. And I have several workshops to teach already in ink on my calendar. That is VERY exciting! Have several to attend, too.


And a few more that involve being outside! I live in a beautiful part of the world and between the color, texture and great feeling from being out and about, it is time to move on.
Happy New Year! Let me know how you're doing!

Month Number 8

Again, the year has been traveling way too quickly.
I'm going to add a few photos of new weaving here but I did want to share some of the other blogs I write.

I have a very part-time job at the Rockingham County Arts Council, in Wentworth NC. I wear a closet full of hats with this position and lately, one has been very much like wearing a crow on my head. Yep, a bit bitter at some decisions by the board but.. things change and I'm hoping that this job i really do love will let me turn it back into what it was evolving before the wall fell (note reference to Star Trek TNG metaphor culture!!! hahah).
So, the jobs are as Executive Director- meetings, politicking, writing grants, bookkeeping, grants administration, events coordinator, gallery exhibit coordinator, website updates and a monthly or so blog there. One of my favorites got a bit personal and you can read it here. I really had fun with the artsy educational games! A new one to play with is Blendoku, a color sorting game.

Hayfield-green warp. 

Chickory blossom

With the giant cutback in my "regular job" hours (from 30 to 10 and yes, the pay cut is a tough bite to deal with) I am working to be positive about the time i have on my hands. I don't see ever NOT having enough to do! One thing is spending time with family, another is working on my garden and yard, and there are the two estates of my parents that have been so very difficult to deal with. But I will and this too shall pass, as my grandmother used to say.

I also write blogs for my friends who have businesses and soon i will launch my own website. I think it is time to do that in conjunction with my stab at getting back to weaving, art, workshops and festivals.
I have been teaching a bit.. it is so very rewarding for creativity as well as income (cats must have crunchies!).

Live Music!

Mullein plants

I had a chance to visit Elk Creek. My pal Marianne invited me for the pre-fiddlers convention and there was so much wonderful music. I have always liked traditional music and these folks played everything with enthusiasm.  The mountains are my favorite place to be and once again, the colors were very inspiring. A warm blue-violet chicory blossom, soft greens and earthy browns of hay fields and rusty red and bronzed oranges of climbing poison ivy are just the color ways for the square wraps I've been putting on my Nancy Bruce Leclerc.

Red to Rusty Orange threads for square wrap warp.

Hayfields and Christmas Tree farm.

Mallow blossom

An 8-harness twill with a few reverse points placed through the width.. the threads are different sizes from 16/2s to 5/3s and rayons, tencel, cottons and some silk.

Mullein, yarrow, chicory and Queen Anne's Lace

These have been a fun project- weaving a square with fringe on two sides. These fabrics have a wonderful hugging drape that can be cinched with a fibula, loose knot and a variety of twists for accent. yep, still need more photographs!

Getting Deeper into Surface Design

One of the reasons i have always loved Surface Design is the texture, whether it is texture to touch or visual texture that adds depth and color/hue variations.

I am excited to offer another session exploring introductions using a variety of techniques. So far, all of the students have been fun, playful and open to exploring. All of the right ingredients for a rewarding creative experience.

This session includes:

Acrylic Gel photo transfer

Marbling on Fabric

Silk screen printing with textile pigments

Appliqué and stitch techniques

Pigment removal/resist

dimensional stitching creating bubbles, rows and line

Block printing using linoleum

Composition, using selected samples and techniques to create a composition

This series of 8 classes will be held at the Art Alliance of Greensboro, located at the Greensboro Cultural Center on N. Davie Street. 

As an added bonus I have a homeschool drawing and painting class right after this class. We will work on some surface textures, portraits and a 3-D drawing and painting, plus lots of color mixing. If you are interested in scheduling classes for your group please contact me.

Another favorite surface design technique is painting and I am excited to work with the Second Harvest Food Bank on the Empty Bowls painting project!We are scheduling groups to paint bisque bowls that will be available at the upcoming April Fundraiser for the Food Bank. This is for the Northwest counties of North Carolina, helping to supply food to local pantries in so many counties. 

I've got some other projects on the burner too, working on grants, our upcoming Down to Earth exhibit at the Dan River Art Market & Gallery and a surface design piece i'm hoping to have ready for that exhibit!  

It is a busy winter moving quickly into spring.. I plan to plant some things that will be useful in dyes and more! Time to get a Dye Garden at my new space! 

Snow time like the present

Happy Horsey Year


Wow has it been busy lately!


I am excited about new warps and colors. Finished off "Coffee with Cream and some Alfalfa" yesterday and winding off some warps for neckties today, tyeing on a beachy blue and green scarf warp.




Starting off 2014 with several new projects, one of which is the Empty Bowls project with the Second Harvest Food Bank. While I am still one of the Fiber Bitches of Fiber Company (a title that is well-earned) the time I've spent working with potters and painters has not been wasted! For the next few months I get to travel with bisqueware and underglazes in northwest North Carolina communities and share the bowls and colors, take them back to be fired and all of these community creations will be available at the Empty Bowls Event  in April, raising funds and awareness for hunger in all of Northwest North Carolina.. and supporting the Food Bank, which in turn supports the local Food Pantries




And....
I've got an awesome Surface Design class scheduled to begin in March at the Art Alliance of Greensboro that is fun. All of the students have been great, playful and flexible. Something to really look forward to !This tinme we will be marbling on fabric, more printing -- silk screening, carved blocks, photo transfer, applique, resist and a few other things.






And a short workshop in \Social Media and Art- an Introduction March 20 at the Dan River Art Market & Gallery in Wentworth (that will have follow-up opportunities with the Business and Technology ). For those that like a social workshop setting and want to know what choices there are for social media in visual art,




Plus...
My pal and BFF Dee is selling off her studio so I'm weaving off her warps to help clean up looms for sale. If you have room for one more loom she is really doing this! And Yarn. She has awesome yarns. Contact me at Fiber Company, email me and I'll put you in touch.




With...
Grants. Why does the world come due in March.. well, it does. For me. But funding is always a good thing. Residencies, festivals, projects and all the great community that comes together for art and culture is what makes life even more fun.


guess I will add pictures here later.. it is no-load Tuesday!


Happy 2014!

Painting, Warp Speed! a.k.a " It IS a good day to dye"

I had a great chat this afternoon at the Arts Council with Debbie Moore, Director of the Fine Art Festival Association that included a lot of sidepaths. We also acknowledged that it is not unusual for artists to have these kinds of conversations, several levels, a variety of topics that carry on a thread to the next story then coming around to the subject you initially began to discuss.

So when I share that I am working on two warps that address a lot of ways to add color to the fabric as it is woven, that idea will resonate much clearer with the less-myopic folks. Not to judge... I truly admire the person that can accomplish one entire task from the beginning to the end without any distraction. I may never know that actual way of working... so I have two warps I am working with for a while.

One warp, a bright turquoise, not too long, about 14 yards, has a varied setting of yarn weights. It is on, ready to start becoming the string of five wraps with about five different wefts of varied thicknesses, a bright silk single-ply slub the first adventure. It gets all my attention during drying time for the second warp.



initial color field sketch
 

I love ikat, space warps, ties, clamps and all sorts of warp dyeing techniques. the one that is easiest to control the patterning for me is a painted warp. Often I use diluted textile pigments, this time I've mordanted the warp and am painting with Procion MX series dyes (there are lots of recipes online and through the dye companies so I won't waste space here.. it is time well-spent to check them out!). So I decided on color fields for this one. I wound on the warp carefully without much combing or shaking (used a nice mercerized, some tencel and a bit of rayon so it is a pretty slick warp) and pulled off about a yard to paint on a large piece of foam core. As soon  as it is dry I'll start to weave it with the two-block pattern I have threaded on this loom.


color pencils help with color selection

Pulling out short distances of warp and painting them on the board, letting the threads air dry, winding them back on the back beam and weaving the threaded warp lets the weaver create color fields and pictures without the disruption of threads stretching, twisting and getting out of place. Weaving starts in a couple of days... I'm excited!

Make room! Make room!

.......and Scene!
Yep. It is totally time to wind up some of these projects!

Mostly because I have to make room for the new stuff!

The late summer is time for workshops and music and fun. So, here we go!

First up are some drawing workshops with kids for Second Harvest Food Bank and this can only be fun. Kids are a great way to check your reality... how can they not! Fearless, creative, full of color and images and it is for a great cause.. holiday cards for Second Harvest and all of Northwest North Carolina.

Next up are several workshops in marbling. Marbling paper, fabric and who knows what else! Marbling has such a zen-ness to it. When laying in the colors for composition, pattern and visual textures it is so very important to have the whole bath calm and receptive. Having to create that calm is great for the marbling and for the composer!

After that are several dying and weaving workshops. All of the above will be a great break from marketing, filing reports and grant-writing. I hope you can join me in having some summertime fun!