April 2015 celebrating Fibre Fling

North Peace Spinners' and Weavers' Fibre Fling at Peace Gallery North, Fort St. John,
April 10-25, 2015.  Reception on Friday evening of April 10.  Weaving and spinning demonstrations will happen at certain times on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of each week.

 

 

This is a sneak preview of the items that I have submitted for Fibre Fling.  These blankets are about 32 inches by 45 inches long.  This project started with a large bag full of Handicrafter cotton yarn that was indistinct and dull in colour and not colour coordinated in any stretch of the imagination.  Some were plain colours, some variegated.  They were dyed at the Dyeing in the Rain Summer Retreat which was so named as I was the only one who braved the rainy downpour and continued my dyeing under the canopy of the picnic table.  Procion dye allowed me to use hot water from the tap, carried outside to continue the dyeing process. 

This is a log cabin pattern using thick and thin yarn.  The thin yarn is plyed crochet cotton dyed to match.  This yarn is not as soft as the Handicrafter cotton because of the greater twist but it works.  Nice to use some of my Mom's stash.

The first warp was enough for 2 blankets and one small bath mat.  I then tied on to make another set of blankets and tied on twice more to make 2 individual blankets, making a total of 6 blankets.  Having a limited number of balls of each colour made it hard to plan further than how I did it, that is my excuse for such inefficiency. 

The last two blankets are quite different than the first two.  The last blanket is the best!  I had run out of yellow.  I had 3 balls of red, green and white which I dyed a golden yellow.  The red and green did not significantly change colour with the dyeing, and the red being a primary red, did not match the fuchsia pink but I decided to be brave and bold and try it anyway.  This blanket is the most exciting and pleasing to me.  Hence it is not for sale, nor is it in the show.  This project again showed me that I get bolder in my designing as I go along.  Some of this is a result of necessity of using what is available, but it is all good experience.  Perhaps one should take it one step further and design another blanket as a result of all of the former experiments and see what results. 

The dyeing was a lot of work and considering how much water was used and the time involved, other than from the point of view of recycling a bag of yarn that would not be otherwise used, it is probably just as economical to buy the yarn pre-dyed.  Although I am not sure the colours would be quite as exciting.  Loved this project.  These woven pieces of fabric can be used for lap blankets, baby blankets, picnic blankets, large table runner or whatever.  Come and see them at Fibre Fling along with the many other exciting items for sale.

I also wove two blankets of variegated pink and green Handicrafter cotton that I did not need to dye.  Again I used thick and thin, using the plied crochet cotton.

The Shadow Weave table runners' pattern is from One Thousand-Plus and Patterns in 4, 6, and 8 Harness Shadow Weaves by Marian Powell.

 

The warp is forest green and raspberry 4/8 cotton and white mercerized cotton.  The weft of the first two was navy blue 4/8 cotton and mint green mercerized cotton.  Other variations of weft were forest green, light green and raspberry 4/8 cotton and acrylic yarn of mixed colours.  The variations got bolder and bolder as I progressed.  The use of acrylic yarn made the runner more springy. Shadow Weave is fun to weave as there are so many variations.  Using 4 shades of colours in one project is most satisfying to me as it makes the fabric richer in depth of colour.  Four of the six runners will be on display at Fibre Fling.

 

The first hat was dyed as follows:

Keeping a few yards of yellow yarn aside without cutting, the dry ball of yarn was placed in a dye pot with black dye.  Every 30 seconds a strand of yarn was pulled off the ball, pinching it between fingers to remove excess dye and placed in water to rinse.  This was repeated without cutting yarn until a third of yarn was dyed.  More dye was added, the process repeated and again dye was added at the two/thirds mark.  The yarn was rolled into a skein while still wet and steamed for about 20 minutes to set the dye. The skein was hung to dry, then rolled into a ball, ready for knitting.  The hat was hand washed and left to dry on a form to retain shape.  

The second hat was made with the darkest part of the first dyed skein and the lighter part of a second dyed skein.  Hence the distinct colour change.

PCSW Spinning Day at Cheryl Peebles' Studio and Gallery, 10244 99th Ave, Fort St. John,

April 11, 2015. $15.00 registration fee and no host lunch.  Non-members are welcome.

Remember Theo Moorman samples for exchange due at the Spring meeting.

PCSW Beginner's (and refresher) Tapestry Workshop with Elaine Duncan at Blueberry Camp, close to Prespatou BC, 45 minutes north of Fort St. John,  September 2015.  Five day or 2 day workshops.  As an alternative to tapestry, a spinning workshop will be held during this retreat. See Spring newsletter for details. Non-members are welcome.  Registration begins on April 11.  1358@telus.net for more information.

Happy Spinning and Weaving!  Happy Spring!

March musings 2015

 

The Weaver

 

My life is but a

weaving between my

Lord and me. I cannot

choose the colours;

He worketh steadily.

 

Oftimes He weaveth

sorrow, and I in foolish

pride forget He sees

the upper, and I the

underside.

 

Not 'til the loom is silent

and the shuttles cease to

fly, shall God unroll the

canvas and explain the

reason why.

 

The dark threads are as

needful in the Weaver's

skillful hand, as the

threads of gold and

silver in the pattern

he has planned.

 

VerseMarks by J-MAR

 

Felted picture by Rene from Christmas gift exchange

 

 

 

 

On Designing by Anni Albers- a book review written by Editor TATP.

 

Anni Albers' twelve essays, bound together in a book called "On Designing," puts into words the experience of the craftsman and artist.

 

She talks of the use of materials, to know one's materials, the need to experiment, to learn its limitations and its strengths, to immerse one's self in the material, to not be tied by any preconceived ideas about the material, to use one's intuition.

 

      To circumvent the No of the material with the Yes of an inventive solution, that is the way new          things come about - in a contest with the material.  It is this knowledge that rules are the nature   

      of Nature, that chaos is senseless, that is thus transmitted to and through a work that is art.

Function is a very important part of the design.  The designer should be anonymous in a good design.  No personality in the design.

     The good designer is the anonymous designer, so I believe, the one who does not stand in the
     way of the material; who sends his products on their way to a useful life without ambitious
     appearance.

Our crafts and our art are a personal reaction to the political and economic stresses and strains of our time.  Her essays are written between the First and Second World Wars and some after World War II.  She refers to nervous disorders being on the rise at a time when we have become more divorced from hands on creating.  She talks of the process of taking something that Nature has produced and taking it through all the steps of production to finished project.  We somehow need and thoroughly enjoy this process - something that the spinner knows, who purchases a raw fleece, washes it, cards it, spins it and knits, crochets or weaves it.

She talks of fabric in our homes, how this softens our environments which would possibly be otherwise stark and harsh.  For example, carpeting, curtains, placemats, tablecloths.  Function is very important, easy care qualities, keeping out light, privacy, sound barriers.  Use of colour, a less permanent and less expensive use of colour that can be more easily changed.  The fact that the fabrics wear out is welcome as it enables change which helps our mental health.  She says that too often we fall into the trap of having too much, too many decorative features, that make the rooms too busy.  We keep things too long that we made for short term use.

She discusses art versus craft.  She believes that art exists for its own sake.  Art is not functional.

     Only in work having no immediate purpose - in art work - do we try to practise
     her (Nature's) way of shaping things and thus give up our inconsistency.

     Art is constant and it is complete.

At the beginning it was a little difficult getting used to her language and how she describes the art and craft experience.  She puts into words what we, the craftsmens' and artists' experiences.  Her forthrightness in describing 2450 craft items as useless and with little artistic value is an elitist attitude but I have had the same reaction to craft items at sales.  She believes that craft MUST be functional.  I enjoy her description that art can be useless, it does not need to be functional.  Art has other redeeming values, of vision, expressing human values and reflecting Nature's laws of harmony, rhythm, and relationships.

Using today's standards this is an old book but the ideas are not dated.  The theme of art versus craft is a constant current debate.  The essay about double weave seemed a little out of context with the rest of the essays but it carried on the theme of craftsmen using their material for its best use.

I liked this book and found it thought provoking.

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We are saying farewell to Linda this month as she prepares to move to southern BC.  We miss her already but we shall stay in touch.

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North Peace Spinners' and Weavers' Fibre Fling at Peace Gallery North, Fort St. John, 

April 10-25, 2015.  Reception on Friday evening of April 10.

PCSW Spinning Day at Cheryl Peebles' Studio and Gallery, 10244 99th Ave, Fort St. John,

April 11, 2015. Pre-registration is required.  See Spring newsletter for registration form.  Non-members are welcome.

 Remember Theo Moorman samples for exchange due at the Spring meeting. This exchange is open to participants of last year's workshop.

PCSW Beginner's Tapestry Workshop with Elaine Duncan at Blueberry Camp, close to Prespatou BC, 45 minutes north of Fort St. John,  September 2015.  Five day or 2 day workshops.  As an alternative to tapestry, a spinning workshop will be held during this retreat. See Spring newsletter for registration forms and details. Non-members are welcome.  1358@telus.net for more information.

Happy Spinning and Weaving.  Happy Spring!






 

 

 



February 2015 As each year unfolds....

Results from the Peace Country Spinners and Weavers questionnaire are being tabulated and discussed.  Thanks to all for the response.

As each year unfolds

we weave more of the

miracle and wonder

of who we are into

the fabric of life....

...and all of life benefits

 

                                                                               Tree of Life Inspirations

                                                                                www.treed.com

 



WEAVING

Wrapped in sensible all-wool duffel coat

The woman who writes poems

        awaits a quick price check

        on two green bottles

              of All-New

              Diet 7 UP

Behind her eyes, kaleidoscope pictures

        of daffodils and conflicts

translate to clipped consonants and velvet vowels.

Shrugged into a Dacron hockey-club bomber jacket

The woman who knits sweaters

        leans on her grocery cart

        awaiting the electronic

                  "Have a good day"

                    Safeway till.

In her hand, Knitting and Crochet News

        drapes dark-eyed sylphs

in clinging capes and feather stitch shawls.

In the end it comes to one

Woman weaving visions in words and wool.

Mary Bomford

 



CREATIVE HANDWORK

     Star-patterned, geometric patchwork furls

From pricked and calloused fingers; counterpanes

With bright disharmony the precious old quilt,

Dinged and dimmed by countless launderings,
Greyed and snagged, thinned and stained by years
Of boys' "Forgot-to-wash" bare feet,
Puppy paws and kitten claws, new knives and scissors,
Cod-liver oil, fruit juice and milk,
The unheralded tummy-upsets that beset childhood.

Finished!

     How once she had despised
This frugal necessary craft,
Passed on to lonely, home-sick World-War-One brides
By women of old Peace River homesteads!
     For she'd been rectory-reared in "Old Land."
Soft hands touched water-colours, books and flowers,
Wrought needle-point and lace.

                                                           Now, lonely again,
But prideful, she pats the puffs between
The small-stitched quilted lines.

                                                    Gingham, muslin, print, pique.
The not-quite white of long saved flour-sacking
Snagging one a woof of sleazy rayon--
(She shouldn't have pieced that in
                                                       But it is gay,
Metallic bright with lustrous sheen.)
                                                                      Oh!
Is that a thick place in the filling? No,
It's only that the old one's lumpy. Turn the new one down.
That long rent, neatly base-ball stitched, is smooth
With faded denim reinforcement underneath.
(It tore when Tommy parachuted from the porch.
New nylon failed him too, on D-Day.)
But here a cut, scissored while young bones mended.

Pulled away from quick catch-stitching, ejects
A wad of wool-batt.
                     Quilts new-released are always
Smaller than the frame. This one would not cover
If she had not--there!--trimmed off the old
To square the corner, burned in Bobby's first
Experiment with fire. ("A too-short fuse,"
His buddy wrote them after Arnheim.)
Should she have pieced more border? No;

These days you don't get flour sacking. Those paper bags
Are useless.
With print at eighty-nine (the cheapest
That will wear). you don't buy more than needed
Now that John.....
                              NO!
                                 No, don't weep!
                                                           John wouldn't
Wish it. John loved shine and glitter...Brass nail-heads
On the harness...tinsel on cards...rhinestones on wrists...
Sparkle on snow...satin...AND STARS.
John said "They hide a deal of dullness."

The Coleman's dimming tells that fuel is gone.
It's long past midnight. Up the blind.
The sky's star-studded order domes the earth.

"Oh God,
From Thine unlimited supply has Thou designed
Unskimped ethereal gauze of ombre blue,
And sequinned it with cosmic scintillation,
Veiling from Thine eyes the dulling of the
Earth's bright beauty that man, still young
And mischievous, has wrought
With torch and blast and knife,
Heedless of handwork Divine?"

DOROTHEA HORTON CALVERLEY

Both poems are from Treeline II North Country Writers Editors Maidie Hilmo and Harry Moran Fort St. John Dawson Creek Treeline Press 1983.  These two poems are too wonderful to be forgotten.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Purse was woven with fabric samples, all acrylic, satins, suede. Two narrow braids were tacked together at intervals to make a wider handle and dyed to match.  The button was found at a knitting shop in Tofino, BC.  Sharon coincidentally provided the suede fabric to match.  4/8 cotton warp tied on to my existing shadow weave warp. One shot fabric and one shot 4/8 cotton.  I learned from this project that you can over dye 4/8 cotton once.  The cotton shreds with the second dyeing and is ruined.

• Remember to send Rene reports and articles for PCSW Newsletter by the end of February.
• Ask that question at the back of your mind for the Tell Me About column in Threads Along the Peace by Marjo. 
• North Peace Spinners' and Weavers' Fibre Fling at Peace Gallery North, Fort St. John, April 10-25, 2015.  Reception on Friday evening of April 10.
• PCSW Spinning Day at Cheryl Peebles' Studio and Gallery, 10244 99th Ave, Fort St. John, April 11, 2015. Pre-registration is required.  Non-members are welcome.
•  Remember Theo Moorman samples for exchange due at the Spring meeting. This exchange is open to participants of last year's workshop.
• PCSW Tapestry Workshop with Elaine Duncan at Blueberry Camp, close to Prespatou BC, September 2015. 1358@telus.net for more information.