Tuesday, September 15, 2015

QOV 2015- a Block Drive!!!

QOV 2015- a Block Drive!!!  Quilts of Valor needs you!



Every year, Alycia, sponsors a quilt block drive!  This year is no exception so here are the 2015 blocks!  What fun these will be to create!  and you can stash dive, just as long as red, white and blue fabrics are used.  
What is QOV?  It is a small way we as fiberists can honor our military service personnel--so join in
make one block or many and contribute to this worthy cause.
Thanks Alycia for giving us a chance to assist in this outstanding way!

Monday, September 14, 2015

Want to Rub a Fish?


Soooo,  you are a fisherman and you either throw the fish back or you save it for the table--now, if you are one of those that say--"it was thisssssssss big" and nobody believes you!  Here is a way to prove the size...fish rubbing! It's called Gyotaku--GYO means fish, TAKU means print, rubbing, or impression. It's pronounced ghe-yo-tah-koo.  Early Japanese used this method of recording the size and type of their catch. It wasn't long before they realized that the images were beautiful art.



Isn't this just too cool?  How about a day of play and make some fish rubbings?  Don't have regular fish to use and don't want to go to the fish market?  There are rubber fish!!  Yes, rubber fish you can rub--how eeky is that?   Anyway, Here is another website that offers more information if you want to do some Gyotaku!





Sunday, September 13, 2015

Congrats! My Friends!

I'm so excited for my friends afar!  They have achieved  success in the fiber field with these exhibits!  
Here is information on East Texas Fiber Exhibit:  



The East Texas Art League will be hosting the opening of Fiber Fabrications, showcasing the work of Beaumont Area Fiber Artists,Elizabeth Ann Broussard, Dot Collins, Susan Cornell, Jerry Lynne Domingue,  Connie Marie Fahrion, Kathy Risinger, Christine Schmelebeck, Sherry Walker, and Sylvia Weir, from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., Saturday, September 26, 2015, at the East Texas Regional Art Center in Jasper, Tx.  .  The show will run through October 31, 2015.  Congrats--Dot, Connie, Sylvia!  You were always an inspiration!


If you are on the East Coast, drop in to see Antje Goldflam's work.  Antje Goldflam is originally from Germany and soon after her geology degree started to roam the world with her husband. She has lived in 8 countries-mainly in South East Asia. She sees herself as a global citizen and wherever she lived she enjoyed learning about new cultures, people and arts. She was a Chinese brush painting student of Master Lim Eow in Bangkok in 1989 and preferably paints landscapes, birds and lotus. - 

Wednesday, September 30, 2015 - 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm  
International Center (IC) See map
421 Temple Street
Event description: 
The Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) is proud to host a reception for the opening of the Yale Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Group's 2015 painting exhibition. It will be held at the OISS from September 16th to October 28th, 2015.
- See more at: OISS--Yale Education  So happy to see Antje's work!  

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Horsehair Fabric

Many moons ago, I worked at a French Colonial Plantation in Baton Rouge.  Sitting up on the ridge was this plain but elegant late 1700's-early 1800's home.
You wonder why I bring this up now--well, the other day, I was browsing the Internet--you always come across some interesting and astounding facts and fiction there!--anyway, back to the subject at hand.
My browser took me to this website about horsehair----I was reminded of my past history with this plantation.
In the parlor in this lovely little home was several pieces of horsehair upholstered pieces:

--A set of five American mahogany Classical style side chairs: Ca. 1820. New York. Each with a curving tablet crest between molded stiles which become the seatrails; horizontal back support with a central roundel flanked by foliate brackets; having a black pattern horsehair seat raised on saber legs
--An American Classical mahogany swivel piano stool: Ca. 1820-1830. Having a curving figured tablet crest and carved back support, the stiles sweep downward to form the seatrails; having a ring-turned support and three hipped and leaf-carved splayed legs ending with paw feet; the seat upholstered in black patterned horsehair

Since this was not one of those 'fancy' antebellum house of Civil War era,  docents spoke of the lifestyle and furnishings of the period.  Each room had a display piece and the one in the parlor was a horsetail so all could touch and feel.  Horsehair was a popular upholstery in that time period and for several years thereafter.  But, today, we don't see much of this elegant furniture.  In fact, I didn't know it was still being woven until I came across this video.

Have a look at this video: Horse Tales Vimeo Video by Nick Wilcox-Brown













Friday, September 11, 2015

A Pause For Remembrance

Today is the anniversary of that dreadful day September 11, 2001.  You will always remember where you were when you heard that news--the twin towers had fallen and many lives had been lost.

Today, let's take a moment..................................................................................Reflect!

The photos are embedded in your memories!


Thursday, September 10, 2015

Linsey-woolsey!

I've always been interested in how spinners and weavers of Colonial America made their clothing.
Since I have spun all types of fibers and know how long it takes to spin just one bobbin of any fiber--I'm completely overwhelmed thinking about their daily tasks and how they accomplished clothing their family as well as keeping food on the table!
The above quilt is an example of at least one textile that survived the test of time.

According to family tradition, the quilt is made of pieces of shirts worn by boys in the Lowrie/Knox family, several of whom died in the Confederate Army. The cloth, according to the family story, was homespun and dyed with walnuts and china berries.

Some of these textiles use 'linsey-woolsey', which means there is a linen warp and wool weft--all hand spun.  In later years, especially in the South, it would be a cotton warp.  Now, stop, think--how long would you take to spin and weave fabric for your family?!
check out Linsey-woolsey and Civil War Quilts 


Wednesday, September 9, 2015

One Skein of Yarn--What To Do?

There is a Knit Along on Ravelry (of course! my favorite go to website!)


Yelp!  It's that time again--time to start think about winter wear--let's begin with 
One Skein of Yarn and knit one of these delightful hats.  Most of these patterns use Worsted
weight yarn, but I'm thinking why not use two or three strands of my sock yarn to get the
gauge I need?  Another way to use up the stash!!  

Andre Sue Knits has this cute and simple hat.

Purl Bee always has fashionable patterns available

Balls to the Wall Knits has this cute Wickerwork cap designed by Gretchen Tracy.

Repurposing!

 Still cleaning out closets; finding all sorts of interesting things I had forgotten about.  Years ago, I had spun cotton and wove on indigo...