PROGRESS REPORT 31

A L I S A

I've been working on a bunch of stuff lately. Some weaving (you can see some of it in the background of this picture), prepping for some cool classes I'll be teaching starting in a few weeks and dolls. The dolls have paper heads and I use weaving, hand-sewing, crochet and embroidery for the bodies. I'm trying to add some birds and reptiles to the bunch. I'm also thinking of making some of them into hand-puppets.

J E N N E

Aaannnd we are back!  It has been a record hot summer in the Pacific Northwest and we moved back here right in the middle of it - it has been great for starting some dyeplants in the garden to quickly harvest and dry to work with when the rain comes (and rumor has it thats tomorrow.)  I took a natural dyeing class from farm to field with Local Color Fiber Studio on Bainbridge Island a couple weeks ago in which we harvested from the dye fields in the morning and dyed in the studio in the afternoon.  I never really had the space to really get into dyeing anything until now in our new house, and this class renewed my intense love of playing with color and learning about what can be grown here in this usually short growing season.  Already planning next years dye garden in a borrowed plot, indigo and other things but for right now just cutting and keeping dahlias, marigolds and rudbeckia for days.  Heading out on a hike to look for hawthorne berries and oregon grape tomorrow, hoping to forage some to try too.  

PROGRESS REPORT 30

J E N N E

Playing with color in different mediums.  I love watercolor and unearthed some watercolor crayons to play with.  Drips and drabs, wet brush dry brush moving the paper around.  Not much to report this week except for more play!

A L I S A

I'm enjoying making theses dolls! I've pretty much finished the Cat. I was concerned that there was too much going on with all the different colours and textures and was assured by my friend and studio mate Frances that in fact the Cat needed perhaps a Peter Pan Collar or an Elizabethan Ruff - thank you Frances and you're right. I'll be working on finishing that soon! Now I'm working on the Rabbit. I'm thinking about ways to make stands for them as well. I would like them to be scrappy looking too and may use some wood scraps and dowel. I'm going to consult with my brother who is a talented cabinet maker to see what ideas he has. For now I'm having lots of fun!

PROGRESS REPORT 29

J E N N E

A reknitted/revision. I had this little vest along with me while traveling all of last month and realized my daughter is just growing too fast for my knitting, that I need to add another 3 inches at least to make it a "dressvest" as requested. But it "has to end with the pink and then the blue" so I found another ball of Noro Kureyon and unknit it and am now adding length with the green yarn. Its nice to have a constant companion of a project like this one while contemplating the new possibilities of moving north - new energy, new directions. How to incorporate the forest into craft? How to marry the same divine presence felt in a redwood circle to the effortless energy of weaving weft into warp?  How to keep learning, keeping your mind and your hands happy. Planning, reknitting, revisioning.  

A L I S A

I have been working on homework for my spinning class a lot lately - it's just that time of year. Anyway, it's not very exciting to photograph or talk about. It's very methodical and specific… I'm taking a little break with some more freeform stuff. Finishing making some dolls that I've had kicking around for awhile. I'm very excited about the combination of techniques and materials I'm able to use - paper, weaving, crochet and, likely, some fabric too. Here's a little peek of a siamese cat I'm making.