Turn Around

10.10.10

Rag and Bone

One of my favorite blogs for seeing a vast variety of art and artists in paper and book arts is Rag and Bone. Some things that caught my eye on this visit:
Folded "word" books by Veronica Salazar

The classic British red phone booth recycled into darling little libraries

"Corrugations" folded by Dutch artist Noud van den Boer

Paper Couture

A Zoe Bradley Paper Dress Installation

Through the Rag and Bone blog, a Cardboardia Paper Clothing Gathering

Handmade Artist's Christmas Cards

Catching on on reading, and came across this article in the December issue of Smithsonian magazine about an exhibit of artist's handmade Christmas cards at the Smithsonian Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture. An interesting note in the article is that the cards were selected from a collection of artist's ephemera, an archive that includes journals, photographs, and sales receipts. (Be careful what you save!)

Blockprint sent by William Zorach, Lithuanian-American sculptor, and his wife, Margeurite, to artist Alfred J. Frueh.


Frederick Hammersley's screenprinted Christmas card design.

Chenille Love

I warped up enough for two scarves ... this is the second in progress, with a substitution of the black for the dark blue in the weft. I was a little worried that the pattern would not show up at all after wetfinishing. In the end, the patterning is subtle, but still noticeable in both scarves. The pattern is an extended point shadow weave (not that I really understand what that means, exactly) from A Weaver's Book of 8-Shaft Patterns. Sett at 20 epi (elongated the pattern into a long diamond).

Scarf #1 after wetfinishing.

Scarves #1 and #2. The black weft greyed out the color... most noted when side by side or when examining the fringe.

And speaking of fringe. I'm not sure what I did wrong, because I twisted fringe exactly the same way with a previous scarf. It could be because I didn't hem stitch the start and finish or that the fringe was a couple of inches longer. I pulled out the worming, but I'm sure it will do the same thing again when washed again. Since I put Fray Check on the knots, I'm not even sure I can retwist them.

How does your garden grow?

This year not so well. Guilty of outright neglect.
Next year will be better. Pinkie promise.
Right this very minute I am making a cold cucumber soup with fresh dill. Not from my garden, which has mostly never had veggies or herbs in it anyway. Unless you count the mint that threatened to take over the city. But still.
And I am trying these zucchini fritters from whipped to go along with.
(100 Proof Press (veggies), Herbarium or Leavenworth Jackson? (guano bag)
I cannot tell you how I ended up with a bag of dancing guano (that's bat ... fertilizer). Well, actually I can tell you how I ended up with it ... it came in a grab bag purchase. I don't think even I would willingly buy a stamp of a bag of dancing guano. It is kind of cute, though.
I cut the stamp outline and the shadow out with the Craft Robo.

From the Archives: Soft Block Carvings

Duke Ellington


The Tempest (sweet airs) - carved on one block, the instrument on the large surface and the bow on the side

The Arboretum (originally designed as a letterboxing stamp)

Not Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Looking forward to seeing "Julie and Julia" after having read the book for book group this year.
When at the Smithsonian Museum of American History this summer we saw Julia's kitchen on display. It would no longer be possible to place a stick of butter, or any other tribute, actually in the kitchen. It's all behind plexiglass now.

The 2009 Smithsonian Craft Show

Just a very few of the very amazing wearable art pieces shown at the Smithsonian Craft Show in 2009. From the fact sheet: "The Smithsonian Craft Show features 120 superb craft artists, each one reflecting the story of contemporary American craft in one of 12 categories: basketry, ceramics, decorative fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, jewelry, wearable art and wood. The individual artists or partnerships, including 44 first-time participants, are selected by a panel of 3 jurors, a new set each year, from over 1,300 applicants."




Turquoise Jacket/Scarf (handwoven complex twill in silk, merino wool, and rayon jacket, and handwoven and felted scarf in merino wool) and Blue Cool Squares (handwoven and felted merino wool jacket, handwoven silk and wool collapse weave scarf) -
by Patricia Palson, Contoocook, New Hampshire.


Detail: Firefall Euro Jacket - needlefelted merino wool
by Candiss Cole, Sedona Arizona.







These whimsical, organic, handfelted hats are by
Lauri Chambers, Nordland, Washington.

The Louet David Loom

It seemed serendipitous that I was musing about how a lot of the weaving drafts I was looking at in books required at least 8 shafts, (and I, alas, had only four) at the same time that I wandered into the basement of Lakeside Fibers during a spring sale. The store's owner(s) had decided to divest themselves of all weaving equipment and supplies and their demo looms were for sale. 

Kismet, right?

And so, the Louet David, in cherry, an 8-shaft, 10 treadle sinking-shed loom, joined the Harrisville in the sunroom. V-e-r-y tight quarters, but I made them fit, I think. Sort of.

The Harrisville Loom

Up into the light at last, with a warp that was meant to be a baby blanket for the child now graduated from college. I had to buy a new handle for the beams, and make a new bar for connecting the warp beam to the castle, but that was about it ...
This is a four shaft Harrisville Designs loom that I built from a kit. It has four treadles with direct tie-up, but if I ever felt the need I can evidently buy a conversion to make it six treadles.

I replaced many, many broken warp threads, but felt I owed it to the weaving gods to try to finish it.

Tied onto the the warp beam, but the replacement of so many threads caused this waterfall of tangled warp when finally ready. I cut off the last six inches or so... I didn't have enough weft for weaving the whole length anyway.

Started weaving and finished within two days. It's a waffle weave, though the waffle-ly part would be deeper with more shafts. The baby seemed pleased with it, though...

April in Chicago

An overnight trip to the Chicago Art Institute and the Field Museum. We spent most of our time in the African and Asian wings.

We missed seeing the Pirates exhibit at the Field Musuem, but we plan to return in the fall.