Weakness of the Flesh

I spent most of the day making 1/16ths of flesh.
Dyes I used:
seal brown, reddish brown, military green, teal, blue violet, black,caramel, toffee, turquoise, clay, brown 503, mahogany, straw, maple syrup, bottle green, chinese red, brick, rose pink !
What a surprise eh ?

Timely Message

Today as I realized I can longer procrastinate over something I must do I read this quote !
Vita of Sutton QC, Canada, wrote: “The more time it takes to decide what to do, the more time we will need.”

We talked yesterday at hook-in about the benefits of just acting when we are puzzled about how to proceed.
Doing something allows us to at least eliminate what won't work.

It is especially difficult to pick up projects you had some vigor about awhile ago and try get the engines started.
Just starting back in any where will be enough.
It ain't a thinking thing, it is a doing thing.

Our growth shouldn't proceed in a straight upward motion, how boring is that ? Like this tree is more handsome for it's sideways reaching, embrace the twists and turns that make up your creative life, it's all good.

Photo Credit:
Oleg Moiseyenko

I'm having a draw !

Hi All,
Tell a friend about this blog and I'll enter your name into a draw for a hank of silk satin. This stuff is hand dyed by me and it is DELUXE ! You can pick the colour of your choice !
So write in and let me know who you told in order to enter the contest !
Draw to be Held Canada Day July 1 !

Here is a picture of some partial hanks and the inspiration for them !

Paddling and Inspiration

Last night we went for a paddle in Spry Lake. It had been a tremendously windy day and there were piles of foam at the shore of the lake. I mean piles, it looked like Zsa Zsa Gabor ordered a bubble bath !

We saw a great blue and a kingfisher.
But the most amazing thing I saw was on the surface of the lake. The foam created little flat patches of bubbles. These patches made the most amazing shapes of animals and birds. I kid you not. I saw rabbits and turtle , deer and bear, loons, ravens and even people shapes. These shapes contained holes that fit in the outlines perfectly and these organic shapes enhanced the outlines.

I could clearly see where this could have provided inspiration to Norval Morrisseau and other artists of the north wood lands. All that needed to happen was a colour fill or three in each hole.
THUNDERBIRDS 1970s Norval Morrisseau

Look for inspiration EVERYWHERE !

Can it really be a month ? Inclusions and Shibori Crossed

Oh boy do I deserve the bad girl blogger award !
In my constant prep for a busy time in the hooking world here in Ontario I've neglected my blog horribly.
I did some amazing dyeing in the past few weeks and was so thankful for a very cool spring. My new stove did a terrific job, I love the control of simmering the kettle on low , it is very hot but doesn't whistle, perfection.

Just like you I like to return to the same colours time and time again. I done used up all my turquoise in the process !!
I could not get enough of it. Every time I turned around I found myself saying oh I'll just add some turquoise to that !

One thing I particularly enjoy is just throwing this and that together at the end of the dye day.
I had a deep blue/ navy prepared and only used part of it, as it sat in the measuring cup, lonely and unused I crammed an 1/8th yd of wool into it threw it into the microwave and it made such a lovely piece, so nice I kept it for myself.

My booth at the OHCG Annual ran like greased lightening, Thea , Ruthann, Heather and Christine all did a fantastic job !
It is great to hear all the wonderful comments and get encouragement about my dyeing and meet all the Welcome Matters.
It takes quite a while to recover from all the excitement though and I'm just now starting to feel like myself.

Here is
A fun thing I did a while ago....
I decided to place something on my wool before I pinned it up for shibori.
I had some lining and a silk tie laying around.


I pinned it up, and cooked it out like I would marbelizing.


Here is the end result, sweetly subtle.



Happy Dyeing !
Ps I didn't see a rug at the show, too busy or tired, how silly of me

Birdee is the Cherry on top

Yesterday's dyeing pile , the rich and the darks.

I

Is there any reason you can discern why I may NOT lay here ?

Trying Something New

I think it is important to try new things. Alone and dyeing today I made something beautiful, so I did it again and made a video for you. It is hard to stir and record action at the same time !

Sorry about the jerky middle part !!!! LOL I present Beautiful Dark Red !
  

A Perfect Hint

When the topic of washing wool came up on The Welcome Mat, drying it followed. I hate static and as we discussed the pros and cons of fabric softener member OneRugTwoRug suggested pinning a safety pin to the wool before adding it to the dryer.
I'm not sure why this works but it really does. Not a snap, crackle or pop to be found.
Now how can I get the cats to wear a safety pin... guess l'll try wearing one myself ?
It might help some things but it won't help others ... Look at my hair !



It was time to get my shibori wool and the latest samples from my future RHM articles on the shelves. Both methods produce wrinkled wool as we heat set in the wrinkles , but oh my what wonderful wool !
I got the iron and for the first time in my life pressed my wool. Many people advocate this as they feel it makes the wool go further.
I don't really like the feel of the ironed wool, it kinda resembled construction paper, indeed it did get bigger as well as thinner. Me I like a soft hand, not a smooth one in my wool.
The Wool

GLUEING

Is that even a word ?
I don't know but as a fiber artist I am strongly against glue, I'm such a purist I make myself sick !
Nevertheless even if glue goes against my grain I know lots of you like to use it and even get great effects from it.
I think glue is like anything there is a time and a place and you might as well use the right one.
The big question is what glue works best for which project ?
Your worries are over... go here and select what you want to glue to what, get choices for different effects, stiff , flexible, the option are amazing.
Long may you stick.

Pinning Big Wool !