Koigu Tapestry

I love my KoiguKPPPM and decided to explore its color changes in a tapestry done on a small frame loom. 

I am happy with this although next time I might make the wefts more diagonal and use more oof a wedge weave technique...

More small batch dyeing: annatto and sappanwood dyeing on wool

 More small batch dyeing probably for tapestry...the three on the left are annatto, sourced at Al Madinneh Halal Market here in Savannah, dark pink is sappanwood, next is annatto overdyed with sappanwood, far right is the end of the sappanwood dyepot, it went purply at the end! All are handspun wool, the roving was gift from Her Majesty Margo!

All except the overdyed one were premordanted in alum...

Carrot Top Dyeing

 I have figured out that my favorite natural dyeing is with materials from my yard/garden or the grocery store.  Last week, I came upon a youtube channel that changed my approach, both to how and what I dye. 

I had not tried carrot tops before. The vid that I was watching promised oranges. I got lovely greens. I followed directions, although I am the first to admit that I am BAD at weighing dyestuff and fiber, perhaps that's why I got greens...I will work to improve!

Here are some photos from my process, but I will leave it to you to view the youtube link below for specific directions!

Below is a large glass "pickle" jar in a "bain marie."  A paint strainer is used to hold the dyestuff. I love this method as the glass jar allows me to see what is going on inside. Watching color seep into the water is a large part of the fun for me. I will be trying this method with other dyestuffs. The glass jar also allows one to watch the color seep into the yarn or fiber once it is added.

The dye stuff  (in this case carrot tops)  simmers for an hour. Then, alum mordanted yarn is added to the glass dyepot, and simmered for an hour, then left to cool overnight. I was expecting orange but got a lovely green. (I love both colors so I did not care...)

here is the video link: thanks to https://wildcraftdyeing.com/.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs7FELt0NM4&t=240s

Update, 6/24:  I was lucky to find a bunch of carrots at the farmer's market and decided to try again this month, in part to be sure that they did not go orange, here is the result: 

No indeed, still green which is good, I love greens. The top 2 are mohair, the bottom one I think is polypay. All my handspun.

I have been trying to cultivate Queen Anne's Lace in a pot to no avail. I had a carrot come up by chance and so I did not pick it and it flowered. This may be the only version of the daucus family that I get to enjoy here in Savannah, not too unhappy, though...

Thoughts on Tapestry Weaving

 I sometimes concern myself with which aspects of a particular fiber project are indeed "art" (vs, "craft" or technique). So um yes in pondering this here is a checklist for a current project.  Some "art" some "craft"...you decide. Perhaps all of these constitute part of this debate...

These are all "checks in the positive"...

*my handspun yarn included

*a friend's handspun yarn included

*loopy mohair included (just joking...)

*yarn acquired at fiberguildofthesavannahs included

*Handdyed included

*loom acquired for free (thanks SWHFiberworks)

*barberpole and non barberpole yarn included

*wool AND synthetic yarn (eeks but the color and sheen is great) included

*spontaneous decisions about design

what have I forgotten?? It's not done but I love it

Singer Featherweight Concerns

 Last year, I bought  new Featherweight 221 here in Savannah. My sister spotted it and I credit her with being the enabler. I did not try it out before purchasing...a dangerous move.  I paid $295.

When I got home, I plugged it in and she hummed nicely and the needlebar moved, so I was happy. (They are all female, right?) I did not try sewing on it however.

The serial number indicated that is is a 1950 model made in Elizabeth, NJ.

Here is my source for serial numbers: https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/serial-numbers/singer-sewing-machine-serial-number-database.html

And here is my source for locations: http://www.oldsewingear.com/blog/where-was-my-singer-machine-made

Today I decided to take it for a spin. I oiled it up from directions from these nice folks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OyRXkSLcY8

After that I noticed that the bobbin case had a problem that could not be fixed, someone had snapped a minute metal part. But this guy was instrumental in helping me figure that out: 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLqIAIEiF0w&t=324s

Apparently it's good to check the bobbin case before buying and to threaten anyone doing service on your machine to not swipe it and replace with a cheap import...but I may try just that myself... (wish me luck). 

 But in the meantime, I have another Featherweight from 1940, also made in Elizabeth NJ,  that runs like a top, so I got that one out:

A Local Shawl

Here's a shawl of which I'm quite proud. The yarn came from a Cormo sheep at Pat Cook's farm, Four Arches. She has a lovely  B and B and I would recommend it if you want a stay in beautiful rural Pembroke Georgia! Pat's flock of sheep and others is kind of a rescue operation, making it even more special!

The yarn was dyed with two different dyes and one pigment. The dyes were madder for the pink color, and osage orange for the mustard shade. Indigo is not a dye, it is a pigment because is in insoluble in water and forms a physical and not a chemical bond with what is dyed.

The pattern I used is Muirburn by Anne Hansen, a variation on a Scottish hap shawl.  I have been a fan of Anne's lace patterns for a long time. 

Stitching with Natalie on Two Skirts

I relearned that I like to stitch.

Several years ago (2018 or 2019)  I was visiting a friend and another acquaintance in Savannah. The friend had a Craftsy membership and started showing us some sample courses. We spent a few minutes on the preview to Natalie Chanin's swing skirt class, which uses cotton jersey, all hand stitching, and reverse applique.  I went home VERY inspired. 

I felt like my creative life had taken a major turn; it was an epiphany. I went home, signed up for Natalie's skirt course. I did one from a kit before undertaking these projects here. I had never used cotton jersey in sewing. What a revelation! You can cut it and embrace the imperfection and beauty of wonky/natural/in the moment stitching!

My first from-scratch skirt in the style of Alabama Chanin. was made with: upcycled tee shirts, a stencil borrowed from Her Majesty Margo, day-glo fabric spray paint (who knew that that existed?) and cotton and metal thread. The pattern is in 4 panels (front and back, left and right), with a turn down waist to form a casing in which to  insert an elastic band.  They are both reversible so you can wear them with stitching side showing!

Margo's stencil being removed from the panel

Panel ready for stitching

Finished skirt!

The following one is a bit more original. At my Guild dye day I decided to dip skirt panels in indigo, using the same pattern as above. I found some unworn white tee shirts at the thrift store.  When I dipped them, I discovered that the indigo left beautiful lines on it, and I took that as my signal to embroider. I wanted to do 2 layers, so I bought some brown jersey for the underside. Two layers make a nice slightly heavier skirt. No reverse applique on this one, though...

My Grandmother's thimble in use on this project. I think she'd like that.

 

Stitching in progress...lines from the cosmic fate thanks to indigo dip, made manifest

Finished skirt!

As our tee shirts cover many miles over the world to reach us, I believe that creating items that we hold on to for long periods of time are important.