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 27

A L I S A

This is a progress picture of a tapestry weaving I'm working on. I'm very happy with all the techniques I'm using to create it. There's coiling, knotting and colour blending. It's about three feet wide and 4 feet tall. The progress pictures I'm taking are not the best as the studio has fluorescent lights. I will document the whole piece nicely when I'm done, but now I like to take a picture at the beginning and end of each session so I can note my progress. I'm enjoying the process so much and love learning from Ixchel who is a wonderful teacher!

J E N N E

I did not mean for this weaving to take so long, but considering half of it was woven with a severely bruised wrist and hand I am so happy to have finished it at all!  I love the interplay of warp and weft - a subtle stripe and also variations in texture. Also I have to figure out how to get a floor loom, Saori or otherwise.  Weaving on the rigid heddle loom works well but I really just want to fly right now. I can get into a good rhythm but its a bit slower than my hands and heart want to work at.

PROGRESS REPORT 13

J E N N E

This last weekend I took a class on Nigerian reverse applique techniques with Adebayo Agbelekale AKA IB Bayo  His work is AMAZING (incorporating every kind of dyework, quilting, sewing, all mostly by hand - mindblowing!) , and a lot of it is in reverse applique.  This is my sampler - playing with adding different color blocks and shapes.  His approach (a blend of technique from his family's eight generations work with textiles and contemporary African American quilting from working with Rachel Clark) is a really easy hybrid approach to doing the reverse applique.  The biggest thing I learned in this class is to just do.  I was paralyzed at a point with making the design - this is the third design after I decide to stop thinking and just get cutting.  It also has me thinking about what kind of iconography I want to develop - where are my roots in textile traditions, what are the influences in the past and today that I can express in pattern in thread.  Also to just start cutting and go with it!  

A L I S A

I know all I've been posting lately is stuff from my weaving class, but that is what I'm into right now! OK!? (not that I heard any complaints…) So, this is the complete exercise in gradation. It was really fun and super challenging to complete. I got a little bit cocky at the beginning of this exercise because I've always felt at ease with colour. Serves me right! This was indeed very challenging and there were parts I couldn't wrap my head around. Especially the horizontal and side to side gradients. I would be going to sleep at night thinking, "Ok, so if I did it this way…. hmmm, no… that way…." Thank goodness my teacher is amazing - watching her and having her explain things verbally and show me by doing has made this process so amazing. On to texture!