Weaver Scraps!

It was that time of the year when 

weavers unite!  Our bi-annual state conference is always

a delight--an opportunity to learn from each other.

The next few blog posts will be showing off weavers' work and ideas.

First up,

what do you do with handwoven fabric?  How about covering buttons

with those small scraps?  The black and white is a lovely scarf, perfect

for man's wear.

How about a woven luggage tag?  Great idea!

and sets your piece off from others.

An apron is always appropriate--this one is worn by vendors

to spot the proper person to pay for that purchase you 

want to make.

An ipad cover!  oh yea!  

Here is the lovely scarf that was given as a door prize............

wish I had won!  This just a few ideas that work with

handwoven fabric.

Picking Their Brains!

Not only do we go to conferences to learn from each other, but we

are there to 'pick the brains' of our instructors, enjoy their work,

and relish in their enthusiasm for their art.

The instructors exhibit is one of the highlights--usually, you are only

able to attend 3-4 classes during the four day conference, so we

can view the work of other instructors.

This is Michael Rohde, "Acoma" tapestry in wool using natural dyes

Another Michael piece--look closely!  Do you see the face?

That is self portrait of the artist "Contemplation"--wool tapestry

with natural dyes--ingenious work!

Rosalie Neilson was showing, "Red Sky Crow" in Rep weave

Close-up of detail

Rosalie Neilson's rep weave 

"Green Grows My Garden"

detail

Rosalie Neilson's Rep weave

"Ascending Tiles"

Jana Vander Lee's silk tapestry, Navajo blanket warp set

"Gateway to the Dawn"

Deb McClintock--Natural dye shaft switching technique

Michael Rohde's tapestry "Indra's Net"

dyed with indigo

Eileen Hallman use of natural brown cotton warp,

handspun cotton singles weft--

"Zanshi Khadi:  Harmony"

Lynn Williams

"untitled" Silk fusion

Lynn Williams "Water Market"

silk fusion

Anastasia Azure

"Astral Aegean" dyed fishing line, plastic lacing,

enameled wire, brass, faceted topaz

Woven wire by Anastasia

Connie Elliott's Arashi shibori technique,

wrapped, dyed, wrapped and dyed again, then 

clamped on border--good use of indigo vat.

Connie and her core group did 175 Arashi napkins for

the keynote dinner--a real privilege to receive one of these

beauties!

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.