Nov 20, 2014
In a season known for gratitude, events this week permeated my heart with thankfulness. It all began last Wednesday, when the Museum of Fine Arts Textile and Costume Society friends met for an evening of contemporary art. Tomie Nagano and Marilyn Pappas shared works in progress and outlined their work flow.
Long an admirer of Tomie’s quilts, the peek behind the stitches was much anticipated. However, Marilyn’s embroidery and collage were new to me. I am now completely a fan. While their creative process varies tremendously, both artists devote copious time to each piece. Clearly both women savor the process despite the gradual, meticulous nature of their media.
Tomie collects used textiles from Japan (fortunately, she says, this started when few appreciated the gorgeous silk kimono and obi or the cost would have been prohibitive!). Seeking to create an emotion, she cuts narrow strips, creating traditional patchwork blocks. She decides the size of her work, places each strip and block, numbers it all. Next, Tomie organizes each block into layers laid out in boxes, separated by tissue paper. Hand stitching and hand quilting the entire work, she methodically moves through the process. Her current project is enormous! A silk quilt displayed for us on her bed simply shimmered. This was one of the many advantages of the evening being hosted at Tomie’s home. I do love viewing bed quilts on a bed. Not to knock displaying bed quilts on a wall, but it’s a different experience.
Marilyn’s approach is more free form and yet equally time consuming. Her early work included textiles, but for many years, collage was a favorite mode of expression. Inspired by classical sculpture, she draws a rough outline on linen and begins to paint with one or 2 strands of cotton embroidery floss. The shading, the vivid dimensionality, the sheer quantity of stitches is mind boggling. She brought several pieces from her History Lessons series. We are not talking about small works of art. The torsos are often life size.
Can I ever embroider again without thinking of her?
After feeding our souls with their creative energies, Tomie led us to a magnificent buffet that she had prepared for the group. From the sushi rolls, stuffed avocados to delicious salads, the table was a visual and gustatory delight. A quick camera phone photo could only capture half of the bounty! A thank you note felt so flimsy after Tomie and her husband offered such hospitality. I am truly grateful for the evening.
Italian ceramics provided a glorious setting for Giardini di Sole’s Meet and Eat this week. Giardini di Sole curates a collection of beautiful and useful Italian home dec and garden tableware, lighting and stone tables (simply beautiful things! And in all transparency, I assist with their marketing and events). Goddess of hospitality, Josephine Wennerholm prepared multiple examples of starters, salads, main dishes and desserts with Elatia Harris of Lucy’s Mom Cuisine. The lively crowd left satiated both spiritually and physically! Jo believes in the ties created by sharing a meal. I know that nothing can be more inspiring than happy people enjoying and a good time together.
Each of us has the creative spirit, expressed in all kinds of ways (providing that we take time to listen). In the knitting classes I lead, the creation process simmers, coming alive in stitches or in thoughts while knitting. This week, we celebrated many new finished objects. What joy when your first knit sweater looks great on your tot or you wrap your first scarf around your neck! How stunning to see the color combinations felted into tote bags. What a vision when a beautiful scarf catches my breath as a knitter walks into the room. How cozy winter evenings will be with that newly completed afghan. I’m delighted to see their accomplishments.
As Fred Wiseman noted in his question and answer session at Sunday’s MFA showing of National Gallery, his documentary was a study of comparative art forms. My week was a study of creative expression. From stitches to squash, ice crystals to philosophical notes, I’m grateful for the perspicacity in my life.
Sep 16, 2014
I won’t have time. I may have time. Wow! I have a morning free.
Those of you who travel with non yarn loving family members know the dilemma: you head blissfully into a yarn store, content to browse for at least an hour. Even supportive and appreciative gift recipients can only handle so much yarn handling and pattern browsing. To truly enjoy a yarn shop sejour, send the friends and family away and soak it up yourself.
While planning a stopover in London with my hub earlier this month, I believed I might do my usual pilgrimage to Liberty (which was a bit disappointing this time… the fabric shopping is better in their online store!). With the London Fashion Week just days away, perhaps I missed the good stuff. I hoped to stop by Loop Knitting in Islington to pick up the newest issue of Pom Pom Quarterly. That seemed unlikely.
But serendipitous schedule scrambles allowed me to jump on the Tube on morning, knitting happily as the stations sped by. Once in Islington, I escaped the quickly moving escalator to find a cute little espresso truck. Good sign!
Loop’s little map did not have a scale identifying the actual distance from the station to the yarn shop, so I was surprised to find it not more than 200 yards away. The cozy little shop is spread on two floors, filled with foreign accented chatter, lovely shop samples and WHAT? – large selection of Quince and Co yarns. Fun offerings from Habu dotted the downstairs as well. Grrr.
Did I travel all of the way here to find yarns I already enjoy at home? Being Boston based, I know we have a fabulous LYS scene. I expected Debbie Bliss and Rowan yarns, UK standards available across the continents. But all of the way here for these quality materials I already knew? Has globalization hit the yarn scene, diluting the local characteristics of all yarn shops?
I found my Pom Pom Quarterly right away, but I felt like the spoiled little girl. Where were the UK indie yarns?
Whew! Upstairs, I found the cozy sofa, Jamieson spindrift (like smelling salts, I tell you) and a variety of hand dyed and small UK yarn providers.
Of course, I couldn’t resist the Old Maiden Aunt sport weight alpaca, silk and wool combo… and I needed a pattern to use that precious shank. So I purchased the Juju’s Loops book, which had a lovely fingerless mitt and sweater pattern that I couldn’t resist.
Excellent souvenirs, I decided.
Back on the Camden Passage, I continued up the pedestrian street to admire shop windows.
Cafes, antique shops (all closed on a Tuesday morning), chocolate shops mingled to create an interesting little walk. I was glad to for time to wander into Loop.
May 12, 2014
Mihoko Wakabayashi of Saori Weaving Worcester spoke to the Common Cod Fiber Guild on Friday night. Already intrigued by her Ignite CraftBoston talk in 2013 (catch her talk on the Common Cod’s Youtube channel), my Friday frazzled brain was ready for another dose of freestyle weaving inspiration.
Mihoko learned Saori technique while still in Japan, bringing her skills with her to Worcester in 2000. Founded in the 1970’s by Misao Jo, the Saori Weaving philosophy seeks to establish a worldwide movement to
weave and learn together in search of our true, hidden selves.
The practice encourages everyone to:
- Consider the differences between machine and hand made
- Be bold and adventurous
- Look out through eyes that shine
- Inspire one another and everyone in the room.
Mihoko brought the portable Saori Loom for demonstration
I’ve admired weaving and weavers for years, but kept my toes “out of the water.” When Mihoko opened up the Saori loom, I felt myself tiptoeing closer. Oh, I could have all the fun I want with this loom and it wouldn’t dominate any space in my house.
With my winter focus on the Master Knitter Level 3 portfolio, most of my free time has been dedicated to fitting into tightly defined parameters. This soul needs opportunities to wander and explore. A Saori weaving day will be in my future, perhaps with other Codders?
I still need to finish the last written details and pattern checking on my Master Knitter portfolio, but it’s very near completion…
I honestly thought that the portfolio would have shipped last week and had signed up for a free Pebeo demonstration at the Fenway Dick Blick store on Saturday. There was a bit of internal discussion… don’t go, focus on the portfolio…go, didn’t you learn anything at the Saori talk last night? You are so ready for a shot of creative playfulness. I’m so glad I did.
Tristina Dietz-Elmes led the group through 2 hours of possibilities using some of the new multi media. She shared a few of the results on her Instagram DietzArt account. As you know, I’ve enjoyed using Pebeo setacolor on silk and cotton since my days in the Castelli Romani. The session opened whole new playful doors. I had a great time watching Tristina mix, dip and dabble. As one who loves textiles, most of the mixed media products would send me into other creative zones, but that’s ok. Pebeo’s mixed media line allows acrylics to mix with resin or reactive paints. And they have new liquid resin panels where you can pour, stir, spread and watch cool things happen.
Wow! What a shot of energy that was for my compartmentalized black and white knitting soul. It gave me great energy for Sunday’s session with StitchMastery and assorted reference books. Can’t wait to play with the Pebeo Mixed Media line some sunny evening soon.
Oct 17, 2013
October 26 – 27, 2014
Amble on over to Cary Hall in Lexington, MA for the Rising Star Quilters Guild for eye popping quilts, a boutique of hand made items, raffles and scavenger hunts. Truly something for everyone, quilt fiend or not!
Autumnal Stars is the large raffle quilt at the 2013 RSQ Show
I’m donating a mini quilt for our raffle inspired by a hillside town in Italy. You can also see my contribution to the “Two by Two” challenge (photos up next week, I hope!) Hope to see you there!
Sep 1, 2013
Judging fleece at New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival
At my first New Hampshire Sheep and Wool festival with Guido, I was shocked when he confessed a certain attraction to the idea of raising sheep. Why on earth would you do that? Raising livestock reduces your stitching time!
Not one year later, Barb Parry‘s husband told the story of the day his wife came home with animals to graze in the back yard. Hanging around fiber animals produces a contagious desire to care for them, I gathered. Flockitis?
While I am far from interested in becoming a shepherd, attending Lucy Lee’s FiberCamp 2012 talk made me realize that I did want a fleece. Now why on earth did I choose to go to that talk? That’s the fun of FiberCamp… you’ll never know what you’ll learn. No hurry for this fleece, just… when presented with the right situation, I wanted a fleece. Not flockitis, just a fantasy fleece!
The situation presented itself last fall in Wisconsin. I knew that one of my sister’s dear friends, Laura Stremick-Thompson was raising Shetlands on Blind Faith Farm. She and her husband acquired their first registered Shetland sheep in 2009. I thought they just planned on hobby farming. However, Laura and Jim expanded the flock, adding other breeds and crosses. Clearly, flockitis was in the air, as they witnessed the first lambs born on their farm in 2010. Their closed spinner’s flock now has 15 sheep, including primitive double coated and single coated Shetland, Shetland cross, Bluefaced Leicester/Icelandic and Clun Mule. As you can imagine by this list of breeds, Laura is careful and dedicated to her flock, hoping not only for quality fiber but high quality of life for her herd.
What a fluff ball, Rupert!
Stella won won first place in the Double Coat Division and third place overall in the Shetland category at the 2011 WI Sheep and Wool Festival, and placed again in 2012. Also in 2012, Rupert captured first place in the Shetland colored, double coat class. Two others received third place in their categories. Here’s Laura sharing the ribbons with her flock.
Last October, Laura had 2 Shetland fleeces left. The color ways of Spectacles and Buckaroo sounded good over the phone. Sight unseen, I purchased them and shipped them to Boston. Buying a fantasy fleece was too easy.
Buckaroo as a lamb
Spectacles a few months after shearing.
According to Laura, Spectacles gets his name not only from his dark eye marks, but for the spectacle he makes of himself! The fleeces were much better than my pessimistic, novice fleece processing expectations. So clean, so beautifully skirted and with nary a second cut, the bags of lanolin smelling woolliness waited through the winter. On a hot summer weekend, I put on my swimsuit and washed the fleeces in the bath tub. What a jolly time that was! There was great pleasure watching Specs’ fleece go from beige to fluffy white and the delicate grey patch on his back. Buckaroo wasn’t nearly as dirty, but carefully swishing the laundry bags filled with fleece was really pleasurable.
Buckaroo’s fleece, tawny and luscious, before washing
That’s not a shadow, that’s Spectacle’s grey markings
I took some of Buckaroo’s fleece to wet felt immediately for a quilt I’m making now. Wow, Shetland felts much more slowly than Merino or Silk. His fleece has a lovely depth that will be great for this series on childhood camping experiences.
I haven’t finished carding, but it will happen someday. Once combed, I have no idea what I will do with the rest of this fleece, but it makes me happy just looking at it around my studio for the time being!
After processing all of Buckaroo’s fleece, I felted a portion to use in art quilts.
BlindFaithFarm has a shop at Etsy.com. In 2014, they plan to sell roving. If you’re interested in fleeces, catch Laura at the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival next weekend, September 6 – 8, 2013, where her flock’s winning traditions will hopefully continue. Laura can also be reached at laurast25 at wi.rr.com. You, too, could have a fantasy fleece!
