A Light Bulb Went Off.........................

Holy Smokes!  When I browse through my web reading list, I came across Melody Johnson's blog!  I love her work!  So colorful!  Delightful to look at!  And this time, the page hit me full in the face.............

several years ago, I did fabric swaps with other fiberists--we could do any design with our fabric--some dyed, some printed, some stamped, etc.  Any manipulation was acceptable--which means I have so many fabric swatches and I didn't know how to use them.

I did make a quilt using some of my natural dyed fabrics--loved the background fabric and wanted to use it.

This was a sampler quilt--each block using a

different technique

I enjoyed making the string star block

The background fabric was sheep!!

I made too many flying geese and didn't want to leave

them out--backing was a perfect way to use them.

Here are my bins with hand dyed fabrics

Some with manipulation techniques

such a wide variety that I can use!

............................I made some garments with the fabric squares but still have plenty left to create with.
Here are some ideas from Pinterest!

Everything Is Small!

Small Expressions 2017 is being held at Houston Center for 

Contemporary Crafts

There are some interesting pieces in this exhibit--remember

all these pieces must be less than 15" any measurement!

Al Canner, “Mid-Century Modern Pictograph,” 2017. Cotton and hemp cords. 13 x 8 x 8 inches. 

Elizabeth Michel, "Inscription 2017" cotton warp, wool weft

Michael Rohde, “Radiant,” 2016. Silk, natural dyes. 11 x 14 x 2 inches.

 Lillian Whipple, “Weaver’s Knot,” 2016. Silk. 15 x 12 x 1 inches.

Erin Miller, “Wool Packing Peanuts,” 2016. Undyed merino wool. 10 x 3 x 10 inches. 

Linda Barlow, "Cholla" Habu Yarn, thread

Jennifer Angelo, "Jack in the Pulpit in the Age of Global Warming,

Corriedale and Merino wool

 Andrea Cook, “Garden of Roses #87 Natural,” 2017. Raw natural canvas. 10 x 10 x 3 inches. 

Sandra Delozier, "Shore", cotton thread, metallic 

embroidery thread, muslin, textile paint

Rebecca McEntee, "Hosta Leaves", silk, cotton embroidery floss

Kathie Roig, "L.O.V.E. #2, Tencel yarn, cotton yarn,

linen, fabric paint

Ellen Schiffman, "Crack" Q-tips

Emily Dvorin, “Eye Tunes,” 2014. Lampshade, music paper, silk thread, paper rush, cable ties. 12 x 13 x 12 inches.

Jane Marie, “A Song of Swift Syncopated Syllables,” 2016. Gourds, devil’s claw pins, hematite square beads, copper wire, metal spring. 12 x 11 x 4 inches. 

Julie Marks Blackstone, “Knotty Girl VIII: The Krasner Fan,” 2016. Cotton embroidery floss. 9 x 9 x 1 inche

Amy Sloboda, "Floral Fantasy #1", cording, pearl cotton,

beads, cotton batik fabric

Jean Koon, “Steam Punk Pine 2,” 2016. Pine needles, waxed linen, copper foil, stainless-steel pins. 4 x 4 x 4 inches

Joh Ricci, “Chameleon,” 2016. Nylon cord. 4 x 5 x 5 inches. Photo by the artist.

Peggy Wiedemann, “Secrets,” 2015. Pakistani grass, India rag cordage, Irish waxed linen, escutcheon, keys. 7 x 11 x 2 inches

Nicole Bunting, “Who, When, Where,” 2016. Cotton fabric and yarn. 8 x 13 inches.

 Ruth Tabancay, “Micro-organism Lab Series,” 2016. Fabric, embroidery floss, petri dish. 14 x 1 x 14 inches. 

 Kate Barber, “Bind,” 2016. Polyester, linen, cotton. 9 x 11 inches. 

Beth Blankenship, “Oiled Elder,” 2016. Glass beads, thread. 6 x 10 x 13 inches.

The Swag Bag..............

Every conference you attend will have a 'swag' bag to give you as a participant--At a weavers' conference it's the same--you can't wait to dig through your bag and find out what 'goodies' are there!
This conference did not disappoint!  The weaves of the state are so generous with their creations--if you are assembling a 'swag' bag for your conference, you just might want to adopt some of these wonderful items for your goodie bag.

Each participant received their choice of a fabric covered notebook

Inside was pen and paper for your note taking during classes

Each name tag was looped with a Kumihimo braid

Here are all the goodies from my bag laid out for one photo

A nice fiber sample--this will be fun to spin!

There were two woolen hot pads--one woven and fulled,

the other fulled wool bat--perfect for the kitchen

A woven sample with the draft

A nice note card that contains as swatch of woven fabric

on the cover

And this handy gadget, which is a warp spreader for the times

you need to add a thread--

Such great gifts from weavers far and near!