tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18655018959787587852024-03-13T21:43:03.065-04:00Millstone ArtworksAdventures in art, the natural world, and the overlapping places in betweenMillstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-31889098549042804442014-08-19T20:11:00.000-04:002014-08-19T20:13:57.496-04:00New Show at BALE - South Royalton, VTMy friend/coworker Ned Swanberg and I are having a show at the gallery at <a href="http://balevt.org/" target="_blank">BALE</a> (Building a Local Economy) in South Royalton, VT later this month. It's a sort of resurrection of the <i><b>Confluence </b></i>show we had together at the Gruppe Gallery in the spring of 2013, although we will both be showing some new pieces that were not in the Gruppe show. It opens on August 30th and runs through September 24th. There will be an opening reception on August 30th at 4pm. This <a href="http://us5.campaign-archive1.com/?u=785aa01f7bce73caec0f6177a&id=355cc97f81&e=620572437d" target="_blank">link</a> has some additional info.<br />
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Below are some images of some of the pieces I will have on display.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckGA7vET0yvShV_CN7_EYL7kmbVhMbPUHzwfJEehI4dgXatbljZI89d2FA4uWo0R00VXy7oN2b4Qi3A9rZiiWx1ZRR_4iBdMHyl4JBBDBHGspdkg0d7DgMTIexny8SG-P1fIoBPKqdsbd/s1600/Ghosts_in_CPOM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckGA7vET0yvShV_CN7_EYL7kmbVhMbPUHzwfJEehI4dgXatbljZI89d2FA4uWo0R00VXy7oN2b4Qi3A9rZiiWx1ZRR_4iBdMHyl4JBBDBHGspdkg0d7DgMTIexny8SG-P1fIoBPKqdsbd/s1600/Ghosts_in_CPOM.jpg" height="506" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ghosts in CPOM - Gyoatku Fabric Collage</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdimgKjkO8mjNV3G9YWaB33kaFSbEJL2MLTLrCadisgIFWb7eXXy7bixbIgm7xHiiiDG2qt36ZC5ISHS3yKXqe0G7gXdRWGIjnc9JwxUjGWy3pEv1pPCiNh3UWRMhFjgM2yQ-BbBbrKqg/s1600/WeAreFamily.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdimgKjkO8mjNV3G9YWaB33kaFSbEJL2MLTLrCadisgIFWb7eXXy7bixbIgm7xHiiiDG2qt36ZC5ISHS3yKXqe0G7gXdRWGIjnc9JwxUjGWy3pEv1pPCiNh3UWRMhFjgM2yQ-BbBbrKqg/s1600/WeAreFamily.jpg" height="502" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We Are Family (<i>Percidae</i>) - Gyotaku fabric collage</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOqS9ZC_UWqojeogPBKvxNRkeM3R9xSB9fSx8S_TbdAmHBc7-ZpFM4A0RFz5sWWrm5nH9h658O56fmnV5gyrCsOEjLDCkbyK9bNpw6dGXF_IIQhxGQNi8ZZ6qG55UkpAYddGbHrGQxNwWN/s1600/camelshump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOqS9ZC_UWqojeogPBKvxNRkeM3R9xSB9fSx8S_TbdAmHBc7-ZpFM4A0RFz5sWWrm5nH9h658O56fmnV5gyrCsOEjLDCkbyK9bNpw6dGXF_IIQhxGQNi8ZZ6qG55UkpAYddGbHrGQxNwWN/s1600/camelshump.jpg" height="640" width="638" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camels Hump - hand dyed felted wool</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5J7yW3_whol55X7aNrk1eCAjbhjbhNnnpY_tEzL3lzNDwMz4KvauEBjjaGsksEqvCbgLRT_RuVqpsrxDtNmS2uS70XYXOwqQYd6o-8sLAQ4vYJeyu4vBuruTIQIh8AIMHVorrb-7FiQfy/s1600/Meander_IV-G.Alexander.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5J7yW3_whol55X7aNrk1eCAjbhjbhNnnpY_tEzL3lzNDwMz4KvauEBjjaGsksEqvCbgLRT_RuVqpsrxDtNmS2uS70XYXOwqQYd6o-8sLAQ4vYJeyu4vBuruTIQIh8AIMHVorrb-7FiQfy/s1600/Meander_IV-G.Alexander.jpg" height="640" width="438" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meander IV - Stitched and inked paper</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2X5YMrEh3AjslSWOwJGAVZyLNwrkgElRLEsSturtFHSgYxhMxLgm3_uQVKYvJtinN4BD7EGz_H2WhjkHVbXoWepmUP7UbjZ71osT-j56JOj_z47DXLkuXw_UQ92ydIJm49RvNaX25UWQO/s1600/Mt.Mansfield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2X5YMrEh3AjslSWOwJGAVZyLNwrkgElRLEsSturtFHSgYxhMxLgm3_uQVKYvJtinN4BD7EGz_H2WhjkHVbXoWepmUP7UbjZ71osT-j56JOj_z47DXLkuXw_UQ92ydIJm49RvNaX25UWQO/s1600/Mt.Mansfield.jpg" height="404" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Mansfield - February - Watercolor and ink</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWhXaPKGrwc1HkmIexLj4whdhlsHXRIzpiTEJUT1A5IUkjVEyYtjVUGZ3Dv-lIDnNIiOO3USS6WV5nBrbpQZFWn0LMmp0pIoVE9aoW4-3hPwWVRQb7dLrkXQqQ5zhdZmI5uoC4Vexjpcm/s1600/PrestonPond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWhXaPKGrwc1HkmIexLj4whdhlsHXRIzpiTEJUT1A5IUkjVEyYtjVUGZ3Dv-lIDnNIiOO3USS6WV5nBrbpQZFWn0LMmp0pIoVE9aoW4-3hPwWVRQb7dLrkXQqQ5zhdZmI5uoC4Vexjpcm/s1600/PrestonPond.jpg" height="640" width="420" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preston Pond, West Bolton, VT - waterlor and ink</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc009F-1D-CtcMcCTwZD-KeMWnJb0AouWDZASwYveG1yHp2KvWPIsmH1JwyBlPqpZVSWSKHuTHlt-HZrPxaAWWqpOgt9Rq-RsMID0Qfha-2iNdGYRXy3I6bfpO_LVy6fP54rrHZtr4Zld1/s1600/SummerFreshet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc009F-1D-CtcMcCTwZD-KeMWnJb0AouWDZASwYveG1yHp2KvWPIsmH1JwyBlPqpZVSWSKHuTHlt-HZrPxaAWWqpOgt9Rq-RsMID0Qfha-2iNdGYRXy3I6bfpO_LVy6fP54rrHZtr4Zld1/s1600/SummerFreshet.jpg" height="416" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer Freshet - Mill Brook, Jericho, VT - watercolor and ink</td></tr>
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And here is the official press release!<br />
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<b>Confluence Art Exhibit Opening at BALE</b></div>
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A confluence of Japanese-style gyotaku collage, river-themed
fabric art, and watercolors are featured in an exhibit by Gretchen Alexander of
Jericho, and Ned Swanberg of Sharon, at BALE in South Royalton. An Opening Reception will be held on
Saturday August 30 at 4 pm. </div>
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The exhibition examines mountains and rivers with the
perceptions of naturalists.
Gretchen Alexander is currently expressing her interest in aquatic
ecology through the fiber arts including a Japanese fish printing technique
called Gyotaku and felting.
Gretchen will also share riverscapes in watercolor. Ned Swanberg will share plein - air
watercolors inspired by the White River and New England mountain walks.</div>
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BALE, Building a Local Economy is a community resource center
for local economy initiatives that emerge from the creativity of people and
communities of the White River Valley. Our core vision is that of stewardship
of place – our home and our communities – and of our relationship to the
natural world of which we are a part.</div>
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The Confluence art exhibit can be viewed at BALE on the green in South Royalton
Vermont at 35 South Windsor Street.
The exhibit will hang from August 31 to September 24.<a href="http://balevt.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc;">www.balevt.org</span></a></div>
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Gretchen Alexander and Ned Swanberg work in the Watershed
Management Division at the Agency of Natural Resources. As colleagues, naturalists and artists
they have both drawn from the rocks and rivers that define our bioregion and
inform our culture. Their work
ranges across scales, textures, palettes, and emotional tone.</div>
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<!--EndFragment--><br />
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For more information on BALE and the upcoming exhibit please
contact Chris Wood at<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="mailto:info@balevt.org"><span style="color: #1155cc;">info@balevt.org</span></a>
</div>
Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-3572579590524097682013-11-30T18:20:00.000-05:002013-11-30T18:20:13.678-05:00Show at Richmond Family Medicine<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4aswXraByuqit8QSbVLTg5ALLh88Hco9OHoHq7t-KFT3G3pKAyInKcg-yxyVNJEwXFjXRoshX1NZh8XBUhbEkiQNhQ3zFZcSlL6v1X1lxPGnjTwJwoYU18aqnapC-S3sFXQkIlLXe_Ob3/s1600/IMG_2464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4aswXraByuqit8QSbVLTg5ALLh88Hco9OHoHq7t-KFT3G3pKAyInKcg-yxyVNJEwXFjXRoshX1NZh8XBUhbEkiQNhQ3zFZcSlL6v1X1lxPGnjTwJwoYU18aqnapC-S3sFXQkIlLXe_Ob3/s640/IMG_2464.jpg" width="454" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watercolor in progress - Preston Pond, West Bolton VT</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My friend Mary is the office manager at Richmond Family Medicine, a short drive down the hill from the road we both live on in Jericho. Mary and I have been friends a long long time -- since we were babies and didn't yet know we were friends. Now we both have busy lives with kids and work and the whole shebang and don't often see eachother despite living in such close proximity. But we have the kind of rooted friendship that endures on random hellos in the grocery store, waves from the driveway, and occasional catch-ups, and I feel happy knowing she and her family are just down the road. A few months ago she asked me if I'd be interested in showing some of my work in her office space, and I didn't hesitate to say "Yes"! The office she manages has beautiful natural light and is a great location to display artwork. I've even had a bit of success in selling a few pieces from the show and had some great feedback from acquaintances who happened to see the show. Many thanks to Mary and Richmond Family Medicine for the opportunity to show my work! The show will hang through December 2013 and come down some time in January.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPxDMC_L7STEVcuMACJezvkNejT8IXy2orw-NbMGHrRRas5A9QdFqe1MvOiPJqf7dGnju5LvEv5r0hh5M0N9kwCFZdEFTY1G2xby_V4GC4U4mJIEISzAYbUqxKsHbe-NDNH9h1qLUq1Pe/s1600/IMG_2088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPxDMC_L7STEVcuMACJezvkNejT8IXy2orw-NbMGHrRRas5A9QdFqe1MvOiPJqf7dGnju5LvEv5r0hh5M0N9kwCFZdEFTY1G2xby_V4GC4U4mJIEISzAYbUqxKsHbe-NDNH9h1qLUq1Pe/s640/IMG_2088.jpg" width="531" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mill Brook, Jericho VT</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSagvgil-9rmJZyc-gm4GVAblPBijz5kvlk8VYSbnh1KkrFRUxpB5NKIpZv5ekrtlDDWmxlfjH1SpX3RGRMs69BcW05Og_-bU-RYrkPck03uOer4ehSjBRoow3xWdKSOUBwTdmjAu_JJX/s1600/IMG_2090.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwSagvgil-9rmJZyc-gm4GVAblPBijz5kvlk8VYSbnh1KkrFRUxpB5NKIpZv5ekrtlDDWmxlfjH1SpX3RGRMs69BcW05Og_-bU-RYrkPck03uOer4ehSjBRoow3xWdKSOUBwTdmjAu_JJX/s640/IMG_2090.jpg" width="532" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squam Bog II, Holderness NH</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdAKmMzkWnU8VSxexQbF3CWYdHtsObk3zgLkOHQOTKrgkT00lvYOsupd1JYrxAkRx_91NjMLOUwMosWBe2NhOFt9DKqSO0VSuNIE9rF7j53ryD1CwS8Au23JRvknNP7m0nFr1cwPdOK3Y/s1600/IMG_2095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdAKmMzkWnU8VSxexQbF3CWYdHtsObk3zgLkOHQOTKrgkT00lvYOsupd1JYrxAkRx_91NjMLOUwMosWBe2NhOFt9DKqSO0VSuNIE9rF7j53ryD1CwS8Au23JRvknNP7m0nFr1cwPdOK3Y/s640/IMG_2095.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camel's Hump in felt</td></tr>
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<br />Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-89675347606213431672013-04-12T22:17:00.000-04:002013-04-12T22:17:21.067-04:00Confluence - New Show!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My mother has been gracious enough to offer me a slot in her gallery schedule in June 2013. I've been wanting to do my own show for quite a while, but creating a large body of work with limited free-time is very challenging. Even though June is a few months away, I felt like I needed some help and asked two of my co-workers, Sacha and Ned, to show their work with me. The three of us work together in the VT Agency of Natural Resources Rivers Program, and given the many layers of themes our works encompass, we decided to call our collaborative show:<br />
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<b>Confluence:</b></div>
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<i>Rivers and Mountains</i></div>
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<i>Art and Science</i></div>
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<i>Workmates and Friends</i></div>
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We came to know eachother as artists by accident through casual conversations. The three of us share a mutual interest in natural history and science, and upon Ned's suggestion, we started to share a journal in which we take turns recording our thoughts and sketches. Looking forward to continuing this creative journey with my friends. Here's a sneak peak of some of the pieces I've been working on for the show:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dJpQXgrANixnUra3ZrPIqH2TnamWJEmYmfVyOI7dCckzXxbzeUTZCEZlRijGZWOKSvYZxGDwRlaDHZZ2JM7UKaNXPtdDjQgU3LQn21uQddUqcSBZ2CRKR0zroigKUOUNUEO9MI3n-t5Y/s1600/meander_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dJpQXgrANixnUra3ZrPIqH2TnamWJEmYmfVyOI7dCckzXxbzeUTZCEZlRijGZWOKSvYZxGDwRlaDHZZ2JM7UKaNXPtdDjQgU3LQn21uQddUqcSBZ2CRKR0zroigKUOUNUEO9MI3n-t5Y/s640/meander_1.jpg" width="442" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meander I - batik and hand stitching</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Third Branch of the White River - hand stitching</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibl8VgaYbcI6xFELb1Tx2WGzoCGY3az8zYD6IocX8k_III4HxnAzJbifnH5wxE7GwxcVSGzbflVxQb0QXArlWkJGX1bXhBwsfB8lOkmQBn1Z-RCB_A3_z0L37jiP2wldYbLXVPFGlyqjbh/s1600/meander_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibl8VgaYbcI6xFELb1Tx2WGzoCGY3az8zYD6IocX8k_III4HxnAzJbifnH5wxE7GwxcVSGzbflVxQb0QXArlWkJGX1bXhBwsfB8lOkmQBn1Z-RCB_A3_z0L37jiP2wldYbLXVPFGlyqjbh/s640/meander_3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meander II - batik and hand stitching (in progress)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American eels - felt and embroidery (in-progress)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Mansfield, Jeffersonville, February - watercolor and ink</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squam Bog, NH - watercolor and ink</td></tr>
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<br />Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-34317731333042665122013-02-14T19:41:00.000-05:002013-02-14T19:41:58.486-05:00Homemade Valentines<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJrNhvitYrSIQgcTLvM1UfBgNAuxYx4afOzyCB2ds7DlLBIrocMvtp4XJWo0GrGBHlRy2zyxRSN-9m0PY2_8HbL64Ea6n_37WcboufvQcsFUZz68m0Xgn1QLPCXUfwzM0LbY8XbXco4hT1/s1600/DSCF6741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJrNhvitYrSIQgcTLvM1UfBgNAuxYx4afOzyCB2ds7DlLBIrocMvtp4XJWo0GrGBHlRy2zyxRSN-9m0PY2_8HbL64Ea6n_37WcboufvQcsFUZz68m0Xgn1QLPCXUfwzM0LbY8XbXco4hT1/s640/DSCF6741.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
I have always hung on to making Valentines for my family members. I'm the only adult in my family that still does this, but that's never deterred me. Mostly I just enjoy an excuse for a little art project, and I've always felt that's important to let others know how much you appreciate them. It's easy to share kindness, and it makes people happy, so why not? <br />
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This year's Valentines are unique in that they are two sided -- one side graces some of Henry's finger-paint artwork, and the other side are some of my fishy/landscape doodles.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOf4haIuBxZQg-E48Q2tEZBI5kniWG7qPb9UQal-YTaN-F2B89o7IgmqlDFyOXDOLM4L4YaTJT2Ekrb5Yu0Nud8jcd2V8y7sSyXouD-cTX55npxFTRa2lhuwcGCYNuROq8jemYghyphenhyphenLefo/s1600/DSCF6735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOf4haIuBxZQg-E48Q2tEZBI5kniWG7qPb9UQal-YTaN-F2B89o7IgmqlDFyOXDOLM4L4YaTJT2Ekrb5Yu0Nud8jcd2V8y7sSyXouD-cTX55npxFTRa2lhuwcGCYNuROq8jemYghyphenhyphenLefo/s640/DSCF6735.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The H Side</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvdPCRojAdMbX-YpvA2rJh0L9FsKSuIhH-ZOr1UYExq29tSDRzqaRq89TUwRoXG_-0xnyu3do76MBefxv86eRDPmNixk76oOawrVxazm9SernjatoQDkrRhQXfsQ-DLuoyEg-C8gZ6ON1d/s1600/DSCF6738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvdPCRojAdMbX-YpvA2rJh0L9FsKSuIhH-ZOr1UYExq29tSDRzqaRq89TUwRoXG_-0xnyu3do76MBefxv86eRDPmNixk76oOawrVxazm9SernjatoQDkrRhQXfsQ-DLuoyEg-C8gZ6ON1d/s640/DSCF6738.jpg" width="638" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The G Side</td></tr>
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I don't know if kids still make Valentines these days. I remember in elementary school that my handmade Valentines were not as coveted by my classmates as the store-bought Scooby-doo variety, and I was one of only two kids in my class that actually cut them out of construction paper and doilies. Has that trend changed in 30 years? All I know is that I look forward to making more Valentines with this little guy!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZGqJx8e3eeAlBfgjvWT78maNvpOhfKv5lob76867wXZMtjsbbXfwYPV0rj70YVjmPGDhyphenhyphenjkSWh0VVmI2HMSC7PyRQMJUQ-5fr9bSyQFt6_hyphenhyphenBhT5y2zXZKFa-08dhJLuVugKnp1aIZhY/s1600/DSCF6731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZGqJx8e3eeAlBfgjvWT78maNvpOhfKv5lob76867wXZMtjsbbXfwYPV0rj70YVjmPGDhyphenhyphenjkSWh0VVmI2HMSC7PyRQMJUQ-5fr9bSyQFt6_hyphenhyphenBhT5y2zXZKFa-08dhJLuVugKnp1aIZhY/s640/DSCF6731.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Henry gets into his artwork!</td></tr>
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<br />Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-39725215160690458742013-02-13T13:49:00.002-05:002013-02-13T14:02:02.865-05:00Felt Slippers - Round 2As I mentioned in previous posts, I attempted to make a pair of felt slippers for all the lades in my family for Christmas this year. Of course, I decided to do this just a week before Christmas. Given that I had failed miserably at trying to combine some scrap prefelts together, I needed to first make some felt. This is a shot of some carded fiber being laid out for wet felting.<br />
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I then cut out the slipper pattern pieces and started to needle felt the seams before sewing them together by hand.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXpVTYXhpmkoFVZz15DTUI6C9Nu2uqGaAkdoIevh7ccN_uMEdbsGr_a3ZzaWQssBmXnFDwnSY-ez6dgM8-NPQw0u2hAxFognAO6s-1OijjYqNHjf4PuQx_JFs5DmIVVVfM4XBd-ySBMfku/s1600/DSCF6631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXpVTYXhpmkoFVZz15DTUI6C9Nu2uqGaAkdoIevh7ccN_uMEdbsGr_a3ZzaWQssBmXnFDwnSY-ez6dgM8-NPQw0u2hAxFognAO6s-1OijjYqNHjf4PuQx_JFs5DmIVVVfM4XBd-ySBMfku/s640/DSCF6631.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I lined a few of them with super soft alapaca fiber -- that's the brown fluffy stuff in the photo</span></td></tr>
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Once they were all assembled, I bound them up with rubber bands and binder clips to do some physical resist dying. However, I didn't quite get the effect I was going for. I think my mistake was that I pre-soaked the slippers in water, which you usually do when you want to promote uniform uptake of the dye. However, the point of physical resist is that there is uneven uptake of the dye, so I kind of blew it there Next time...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5drmQWS2m-6zOOE_CZ45sdeAAQGAS9E1OXaSMv2UGm8-xFzRWdwxcP5unpG7XM9C_GWAOtThhhFUjKkiLdyvpACDomwdQT0X1LJlfggjy7qaJulyJTLmUblgVcjZ-SQHaNIPcNp2Ckboz/s1600/DSCF6633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5drmQWS2m-6zOOE_CZ45sdeAAQGAS9E1OXaSMv2UGm8-xFzRWdwxcP5unpG7XM9C_GWAOtThhhFUjKkiLdyvpACDomwdQT0X1LJlfggjy7qaJulyJTLmUblgVcjZ-SQHaNIPcNp2Ckboz/s640/DSCF6633.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fully felted and sewn together</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzN_IIHY03ZTy_tmnq1EE_65VrXgQw6HRDjJBcTs5KlDbQLOSqISTeL_uKVX1mic24kRb24syRPemSVpEqyVfYStML269QKFUIMxE1LaGTiffbJQBmCkhd9iqeRueADqwAeYJWx_lOeSDz/s1600/DSCF6634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzN_IIHY03ZTy_tmnq1EE_65VrXgQw6HRDjJBcTs5KlDbQLOSqISTeL_uKVX1mic24kRb24syRPemSVpEqyVfYStML269QKFUIMxE1LaGTiffbJQBmCkhd9iqeRueADqwAeYJWx_lOeSDz/s640/DSCF6634.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bound and ready to be dyed</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mxUzKBqbBLoIFLQvwwycu7ERbQ4JpEpBpuQ5lQSN88-jTrghUtRqp6cpinIPZgOoUoU8m5XA-sz5SUBOg2e2r5JOjo1D-aV0hcdI8nyiRj4JtXEdfm51GeaOjkCFE74nz_Vucg4LikcC/s1600/DSCF6636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mxUzKBqbBLoIFLQvwwycu7ERbQ4JpEpBpuQ5lQSN88-jTrghUtRqp6cpinIPZgOoUoU8m5XA-sz5SUBOg2e2r5JOjo1D-aV0hcdI8nyiRj4JtXEdfm51GeaOjkCFE74nz_Vucg4LikcC/s640/DSCF6636.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Five pairs of finished slippers</span></td></tr>
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Voila, five pairs of slippers. After rinsing them out after the dye bath, I decided to pop them in the dryer for a few minutes to speed up drying and tighten up the fibers a bit. I checked them after a few minutes and was very pleased with how they were shaping up. "Just a few more minutes" I thought to myself, and popped them back in. Brian always tells me I'm very absent minded -- the sort of person that puts on a pot of water to boil to make a cup of tea, gets engrossed in something else, and completely forgets about the pot on the stove. I think "absent minded" is a bit of a misnomer, because the mind isn't absent at all -- it's that you're lost in it. Well, true to form, I totally forgot about the slippers. When I finally did remember, it had been more like 15 - 20 minutes instead of just a few, and they had all shrunk down to toddler size! "Oh crap", I thought, "don't tell me a I just made five pairs of kids slippers". I whisked them out of the dryer and dunked them in luke warm water and started stretching them out by hand and around my own feet. Luckily, they stretched out to almost their original size. I was still able to gift them along with instructions on how to stretch them further, if needed. I think everyone was able to get them around their feet eventually!Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-75218833557488226832013-01-02T19:30:00.000-05:002013-01-02T19:30:00.149-05:00Christmas Stockings<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDG_vRtPuPCZnPM3hHxSaGx17-ZDu-I8uGIRddXlB4NJlQ9bApVKLdpNJWGMRksqGDkTGHYOKwO9JN5GbY2GfFoXN3PTEhabUrvGvHabYqcP7KQOEXrp5UGJEeO0TjgkpUVITBStY5H3M4/s1600/DSCF6642_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDG_vRtPuPCZnPM3hHxSaGx17-ZDu-I8uGIRddXlB4NJlQ9bApVKLdpNJWGMRksqGDkTGHYOKwO9JN5GbY2GfFoXN3PTEhabUrvGvHabYqcP7KQOEXrp5UGJEeO0TjgkpUVITBStY5H3M4/s640/DSCF6642_2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Christmas stockings have always been one of my favorite holiday traditions. Growing up, my Mom hand knit stockings for all of the kids in my family. Mine has a Santa in a chimney on it. I've always treasured it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Because the stocking my Mom made for me makes me so happy, I decided I would make one for my own son this Christmas. I found a free knitting pattern on-line and dug out some leftover yarn my Aunt had given to me, and went to town. I didn't have the correct needle size for the pattern, but figured bigger is always better, right? Well, the proportions came out kind of funny -- sort of ended up as a giant tube.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhasrZI7kKNkTZtJKOdw2Ng9HpZqShZpocGnMRKliJ1bnMoE5vKbhrQn6rvGBvDtwdCsnUvBUC3HjDCCvK_ruP1H9KAhZB0EqFNx1tv0IfniiMq50xOIk7fMJ9PcVFLeKJcrqRZ69UqZbV3/s1600/DSCF6646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhasrZI7kKNkTZtJKOdw2Ng9HpZqShZpocGnMRKliJ1bnMoE5vKbhrQn6rvGBvDtwdCsnUvBUC3HjDCCvK_ruP1H9KAhZB0EqFNx1tv0IfniiMq50xOIk7fMJ9PcVFLeKJcrqRZ69UqZbV3/s640/DSCF6646.jpg" width="296" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Well, there were still two weeks until Christmas, so why stop there, right? I decided to use smaller needles and pay better attention to proportions and make one for Brian. I developed a diamond pattern repeat and went to town. It came out much better.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtEOuU4klw7trJ6_M6ZixyuEUlB8lHI5b0VIi4tNVz4QeXM89sSddrhBb10lPpX7GTQxLDYFZkG3xehHyV350kfXXmzmm839mR2XLmx81Is47esB67prLSEOpZOfdL5JA7EcNEmQOkJub/s1600/DSCF6644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtEOuU4klw7trJ6_M6ZixyuEUlB8lHI5b0VIi4tNVz4QeXM89sSddrhBb10lPpX7GTQxLDYFZkG3xehHyV350kfXXmzmm839mR2XLmx81Is47esB67prLSEOpZOfdL5JA7EcNEmQOkJub/s640/DSCF6644.JPG" width="374" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Still a few days left before Christmas... I kept knitting! This time I made one for me. I had run out of red yarn, but had some nice blue. To keep it seasonal, I was thinking about a pattern that was sort of starry nightish. That reminded me of some mittens that our friends in Norway had knit for me many years ago. I dug them out of the mitten drawer and copied down the pattern with a few edits to adapt it to the stocking.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNPjqyixOBZ9zLCmz_aqVAibByEoHZkA33c78skZyCHznfcKbziedviNc2EeVQSYlU-Eq-QcRSmwX7S4Zhb7rIKbfDYWhb3s2lQqd9bSUpe1neLtOEEWYdPQPr5QBqd3K10GkdODSweJw/s1600/DSCF6652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNPjqyixOBZ9zLCmz_aqVAibByEoHZkA33c78skZyCHznfcKbziedviNc2EeVQSYlU-Eq-QcRSmwX7S4Zhb7rIKbfDYWhb3s2lQqd9bSUpe1neLtOEEWYdPQPr5QBqd3K10GkdODSweJw/s640/DSCF6652.jpg" width="402" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hand-knit Norwegian Mitten made by Marie-Brit</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lygbY-D4RxEGl3ATkCMEsAuZ68T-G2ANsFPQv6HEpK8VBMEPjqjfqVseCacEzZCbmwTGJ8l_Apxh1kE2Rq09yZSXMlqY9kTPyXA8gnYjAEexKwscUCw5u4Dg6MhyySDmizChx7grs9sH/s1600/DSCF6655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lygbY-D4RxEGl3ATkCMEsAuZ68T-G2ANsFPQv6HEpK8VBMEPjqjfqVseCacEzZCbmwTGJ8l_Apxh1kE2Rq09yZSXMlqY9kTPyXA8gnYjAEexKwscUCw5u4Dg6MhyySDmizChx7grs9sH/s640/DSCF6655.jpg" width="532" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pattern adapted from mitten for stocking</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I finished it on Christmas eve - just in time!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLj5KLvTPGagE5h7a0IPWQanXb-rWm3fMC4IUwVtZ0qu81KamYEHR8h2ScO3sLeTs0y5IEyA-RWOezKCJv18nwrhvc-UoWxegdw2WqFzN0bwo_z3B1EujJIEomGtqnDgd9fdbJkwZnNhpy/s1600/DSCF6640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLj5KLvTPGagE5h7a0IPWQanXb-rWm3fMC4IUwVtZ0qu81KamYEHR8h2ScO3sLeTs0y5IEyA-RWOezKCJv18nwrhvc-UoWxegdw2WqFzN0bwo_z3B1EujJIEomGtqnDgd9fdbJkwZnNhpy/s640/DSCF6640.jpg" width="326" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No, it doesn't say "retch"</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjRcd0BPwAkA2jrcZHeYiPiM5nMkgywBGOaLyCxMfD5itLqBOAqeOe5s_aN-8tu4mMCFO4SFAapBk-TNz586iAj9TLz19PDGCxejOhISchMmIWZQaDB4vUAaTRJFbTpmrECHhyphenhyphenKHpg1Xi/s1600/DSCF6642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjRcd0BPwAkA2jrcZHeYiPiM5nMkgywBGOaLyCxMfD5itLqBOAqeOe5s_aN-8tu4mMCFO4SFAapBk-TNz586iAj9TLz19PDGCxejOhISchMmIWZQaDB4vUAaTRJFbTpmrECHhyphenhyphenKHpg1Xi/s640/DSCF6642.jpg" width="410" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vo9OMVvq09gLmfmyttW-A3x1nQf3TYbeG-WRe-BnnaX5eGxktWbZ9nkavG0bCtoJAil-Q9E2X4nf4rf90JeXvLkWfDtcGgBry90NjKqebuZAITGjiHECySiuv8_qZfw_xuUiXQwBiimB/s1600/DSCF6641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vo9OMVvq09gLmfmyttW-A3x1nQf3TYbeG-WRe-BnnaX5eGxktWbZ9nkavG0bCtoJAil-Q9E2X4nf4rf90JeXvLkWfDtcGgBry90NjKqebuZAITGjiHECySiuv8_qZfw_xuUiXQwBiimB/s640/DSCF6641.jpg" width="340" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Here are our stockings loaded up by Santa on Christmas eve. Henry's stocking may look funny, but it's very functional! I'll probably make a better one for him in the future.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And the look on his face Christmas morning made all that last minute knitting worthwhile!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOOFen5O1pNIY40SKmB_OcIK_if1ZFl82lxYRnL404oIezNCjvDzQ8O8RtpZh3KJ9fSQIrlutQKTtawPeV2W0-NBSe9h8TeyVLfQOE4guYHA9jw3H8Wb7O2DlYKR8vzYXLG3nkMd-usBL6/s1600/IMG_0539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOOFen5O1pNIY40SKmB_OcIK_if1ZFl82lxYRnL404oIezNCjvDzQ8O8RtpZh3KJ9fSQIrlutQKTtawPeV2W0-NBSe9h8TeyVLfQOE4guYHA9jw3H8Wb7O2DlYKR8vzYXLG3nkMd-usBL6/s640/IMG_0539.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's all this?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is that for me?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3RYRnxbMj_Ay2bWEdfR5xVj_c3vivCw1lnF3L90kduWea0GG2CXs7ZjcGQUP0xvuj8E5-sbod6gtFTrFY4PbPiKcwqsM9Lmg3wlR1TKgV12XODln7SKVLY8AnHbzPMnOMkSbmWmX6I3sT/s1600/IMG_0550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3RYRnxbMj_Ay2bWEdfR5xVj_c3vivCw1lnF3L90kduWea0GG2CXs7ZjcGQUP0xvuj8E5-sbod6gtFTrFY4PbPiKcwqsM9Lmg3wlR1TKgV12XODln7SKVLY8AnHbzPMnOMkSbmWmX6I3sT/s640/IMG_0550.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is fun!</td></tr>
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<br />Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-25803442591502686322013-01-01T15:47:00.000-05:002013-01-01T15:47:17.717-05:00Failed Experiments<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqAB9loPkWwgHl9ZKMxgCLRObDRBv41reUUHHgubq6HiR1B34UzOnnIFyeq8lqgVhT1NEZPJChNIFeWDFrNStsv-rLZY7mDpMeoaVrQT8v1_rfpeFdQSl2gO32yLMlE9vKV0WbV6_sJkOO/s1600/DSCF6650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqAB9loPkWwgHl9ZKMxgCLRObDRBv41reUUHHgubq6HiR1B34UzOnnIFyeq8lqgVhT1NEZPJChNIFeWDFrNStsv-rLZY7mDpMeoaVrQT8v1_rfpeFdQSl2gO32yLMlE9vKV0WbV6_sJkOO/s640/DSCF6650.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">It is often said that great things are often discovered by accident... this was not one of those times. If there is one thing that I have learned (over and over again, it seems) it's that there are no shortcuts in felting. I made a last minute decision (the way I make most of my decisions) to make felt slippers for all the ladies in my immediate and in-law family for Christmas. I had a pair for my Mom already finished, but I needed felt to make five more pairs, and only had a few days left to do it. I had some pre-felt (slightly felted material) scraps laying around from a previous project, but needed bigger and thicker pieces, so decided I'd try to combine them into a larger piece. I did't feel like I had time for traditional methods, so concocted an idea of basting the pieces together with sewing thread and throwing them in a hot water cycle in the washing machine... the idea being that the layers would fuse and firm up as it felted. It didn't work.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIbpr1XF-SG751l-yII06rVInmKQagmjG75ahYw5kr_pCfdqIhAwYS65szLlo3mxoHHpeG25uHeM1G3GcHjRwokaShr-Ql9UeRLiu0X_gXD_TM54M9JPQ6YqlLvLU9uVk6VDQn1_fVWVm/s1600/DSCF6648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIbpr1XF-SG751l-yII06rVInmKQagmjG75ahYw5kr_pCfdqIhAwYS65szLlo3mxoHHpeG25uHeM1G3GcHjRwokaShr-Ql9UeRLiu0X_gXD_TM54M9JPQ6YqlLvLU9uVk6VDQn1_fVWVm/s640/DSCF6648.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And I'm not sure why I thought it would work, because I've actually done something like this before with similar results. Wishful thinking, I suppose. I guess some lessons have to be learned over and over again. I saved this crazy mess to someday be the innards of something sculptural in felt.</span><br />
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<br />Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-6965858839219916552012-12-19T22:25:00.000-05:002012-12-19T22:25:10.873-05:00Felt Slippers - Round 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large; text-align: start;">Last Christmas, while visiting in-laws in Illinois, my mother in-law showed me a felt slipper pattern in Martha Stewart magazine. I thought it was pretty neat, and since then have had it in the back of my mind for something to try. Over the summer, a coworker of mine gave me a fleece from her flock of sheep, and I said to her, "I'll make you some slippers!". Well, a year since I saw the pattern, and 6 months since given the fleece, I'm finally going to make good on my promise.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the summer I washed, dyed, and carded the fiber:</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMIil8zRvJZFjdqpijK1EvWvSloGtborkKk8wgsJOgSWxs5LL6Me60u9_OwwFcGJVCozZnGW0PVyRtGGAWqKrl-qt6q5EDrioRFjeQyfiDRgg90jlBZAIuRS9yIPirYnmeKbnYvLdmdI6/s1600/DSCF6438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMIil8zRvJZFjdqpijK1EvWvSloGtborkKk8wgsJOgSWxs5LL6Me60u9_OwwFcGJVCozZnGW0PVyRtGGAWqKrl-qt6q5EDrioRFjeQyfiDRgg90jlBZAIuRS9yIPirYnmeKbnYvLdmdI6/s640/DSCF6438.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Willie sporting a sexy shaved leg post ACL surgery. Poor guy!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carded wool</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the fall I wet-felted the fiber and tried some physical resist dyeing techniques:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_nFBKacOW4ABW8NXClOjWwD2aFACRCJLAaZ3aipUbH5U-dntmKxkf6wAFKi4Byl4QTkW85InjgzGgKjNh9WVClksi6754tpKKbta-xelSThfDQQK7UrXHbkeBaBu9YOoF5uz3xA6eH4x/s1600/IMG_0012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_nFBKacOW4ABW8NXClOjWwD2aFACRCJLAaZ3aipUbH5U-dntmKxkf6wAFKi4Byl4QTkW85InjgzGgKjNh9WVClksi6754tpKKbta-xelSThfDQQK7UrXHbkeBaBu9YOoF5uz3xA6eH4x/s640/IMG_0012.jpg" width="258" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All tied up and ready for dyeing</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHdmGBULCbRtnPJoT1UkrGdgFnRqQDpU2_be2YM-yrjynfYAA6Yi85JBnpJWfdbvGUMDhTT8YcwW_mkVUiB2EY7kRCGvSbblhCTCS_DuFEmK69_IRYXBEiO_ODajK66Tsmn0889hXSTlh_/s1600/DSCF6564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHdmGBULCbRtnPJoT1UkrGdgFnRqQDpU2_be2YM-yrjynfYAA6Yi85JBnpJWfdbvGUMDhTT8YcwW_mkVUiB2EY7kRCGvSbblhCTCS_DuFEmK69_IRYXBEiO_ODajK66Tsmn0889hXSTlh_/s640/DSCF6564.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each side was very different!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Two weeks ago I cut the felt into pieces using a pattern. There was enough for two pairs of slippers:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I tried using my sewing machine to stitch some patterns into the felt, but broke three needles before deciding it was just too thick for that type of technique. Henry helped me prep some fiber I used for needle felting the seams.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8sppvCiUThE_DOzVrw2whr53WMYUhLODcyahWzsVnTQCNVHIenOCkxW4je2mM4XzMZ2jX-3kFv5ArXuYfBnQlnESqpokavCxEv3AFKKWYj2lwce8KlG0mqgL6BkLzgn1k_LNr-j2a35sa/s1600/DSCF6578.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8sppvCiUThE_DOzVrw2whr53WMYUhLODcyahWzsVnTQCNVHIenOCkxW4je2mM4XzMZ2jX-3kFv5ArXuYfBnQlnESqpokavCxEv3AFKKWYj2lwce8KlG0mqgL6BkLzgn1k_LNr-j2a35sa/s640/DSCF6578.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Felting assistant</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> And here are the finished slippers. They are extremely thick and feel pretty luxurious on bare feet. One pair for my coworker, and one pair for...?! You'll find out after Christmas! Hope the recipients like them!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The slipper on the right has some machine stitching, but I gave up on that before getting to the other slipper. I guess that makes them truly one of a kind, right?</td></tr>
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<br />Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-67619670554446135552012-12-19T21:06:00.000-05:002012-12-19T21:06:37.162-05:00(Belated) Show Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here are a few pictures from my show in New Hampshire a few months ago. It was a fun experience. Most of these works are now for sale in my Etsy shop, as well as on display at the Emile Gruppe Gallery (thanks, Mom!)!</span></span></div>
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<br />Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-68824178719214298082012-09-23T16:30:00.000-04:002012-09-23T16:30:50.939-04:00Something to Remember Me<br />
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One of my mentors from my college days at UVM is moving on to another position out of state. I attribute her with piquing my interest in aquatic ecosystems, and she also hired the man into her lab that eventually became my husband. So, needless to say, she's had a big influence on my life. I stopped by the other day to say goodbye, and gave her this Gyotaku fabric/rice paper collage to remember me by. The fish are printed on rice paper, and sewed onto a back drop of very light rice paper that I tinted with watercolor. A piece of orange fabric with bubbly blue dots underlies the entire piece.<br />
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The little fish are smelt that once lived in Lake Champlain. I embellished them with some beads. The big fish lurking in the corner is a Brook Trout that once lived in the ECHO Lake Aquarium. It's giant for a Brook Trout, and is posing as a Lake Trout to be more lake ecosystem appropriate.<br />
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These are my chops and signature. The square cop translates to "Water Art and Life", and the circular chop represents the stylized initials of myself and Brian.<br />
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Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-33976694575222832142012-08-15T22:38:00.001-04:002012-08-15T22:45:48.361-04:00A Show of My Own<br />
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I haven't posted here in a while, but it's because I've been busy. For the past four months I've been spending most of my "free" moments (which are very few and far between) working on new pieces for my first ever show of my artwork. Exciting!<br />
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Although the show is a pretty low key affair in a cafe in a state I don't even live in, it's kind of a big deal to me. Besides being the first public display of my work, the process of generating a body of work for a specific purpose within a finite time frame was a new experience for me. It was satisfying to set a goal and reach it.<br />
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This show will feature all Gyotaku pieces. My new work is Gyotaku fabric collage and rice paper collage. My SDA critique group is primarily comprised of artists working with fabric, and their work and ideas have served as fuel for new directions in my own work. Here are some pictures of some of my new creations:<br />
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I called this one "summer school". It is comprised of three 8 X 11 panels. I created it as one piece and then cut it into sections, sewed a border on each, and stretchd them over wooden stretchers. This was my first experiment with Gyotaku fabric collage. Much of it is machine stitched, but there is also some hand stitching on the fish, which are yellow perch. All of the material except for the green is from a stash of fabric in my mothers closet that has accumulated from projects over the years. It was fun to remember some of the clothing, quilts, and other projects from my childhood rummaging through these fabrics.<br />
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Some detail of each of the panels:<br />
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I call this 10 X 10 collage "The Blues" - again featuring a school of yellow perch. The background is silk offered up from an SDA critique group member's stash. As soon as I saw it I knew it was perfect for water. <br />
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This one was originally going to be two panels, but many people who saw it in progress encouraged me to keep it whole. I call it "Yushoku", which is the Japanese word for "dinner". I quilted the background and added several beads to the fish and other elements.<br />
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This one is an 11X14 called "Ghosts in CPOM". When I told my husband Brian the name, he said "Wow, that's nerdy". He was referring to the fact that CPOM is an acronym commonly used in the aquatic ecology world for "coarse particulate organic matter". AKA little bits of leaves and wood you find in the stream environment that serve as a food source and habitat for macroinvertebrates and other creatures. Yeah, I guess its kind of nerdy, but this is what the leaves in the background fabric reminded me of -- what the bottom of a pool or the edge of a lake might look like in fall, with ghostly fish slithering by. And I like a name that needs a little explanation - and something that draws the science into the art.<br />
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This one is also an 11 X 14 and called "We Are Family (Percidae)". Also a bit nerdy, I suppose -- all of the fish are from the family Percidae. Actually truth be known, they're all yellow perch. But when I was working on this piece, in my head I was singing along with Sister Sledge, "I got all my sisters...".<br />
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This is the last fabric collage piece - a small 8 X 10. I call it "tradition" given the black and white color theme with red details. It doesn't show well in the photo, but the background is actually two different shades of white and heavily quilted.<br />
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In addition to these new fabric collage pieces, I also created some rice paper collages using similar techniques. These all feature yellow perch, my favorite species of fish to print.<br />
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The show will also have a few more "traditional" fish prints and some of my colorful batik prints. This rockbass is one of my favorites.<br />
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So, in case you find yourself in Rocherster New Hampshire the month of September, stop by the Portable Pantry and check out my work! Details can be found here:<br />
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<a href="http://no27gallery.com/27_Gallery/Home.html" target="_blank">No. 27 Gallery</a></div>
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<br />Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-13128137273664914722012-04-28T16:06:00.000-04:002012-04-28T16:06:26.401-04:00Professional Development<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In the past month I've had a little flurry of professional development opportunities that have been kind of exciting. First, I was contacted through <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/millstoneartworks">my Etsy</a> site by <a href="http://www.no27gallery.com/27_Gallery/Home.html">No. 27 Gallery</a> in Rochester, N.H. about having a show of Gyotaku fish prints on rice paper. I said, "Sure!". They curate a number of small spaces around Rochester N.H., and we're scheduled to have <a href="http://www.no27gallery.com/27_Gallery/Exhibitions.html">a show in "The Portable Pantry" in September 2012</a>. Never done anything like this before, so should be interesting to see what it's like and if it generates any interest in Brian and I's collaborative work. Between now and then, Brian and I plan to work up some new original fish prints, and I'm thinking I might also like to experiment with some Gyotaku collage or fabric pieces as well.<br />
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Next, Brian and I were invited to be vendors at a local Japan Festival this past weekend that was held at <a href="http://www.aikidovt.org/">Aikido of Champlain Valley</a> in Burlington, VT. There were several other vendors present focused in traditional Japanese arts including bonsai, origami, and ikebana (flower arranging). While we sat at our booth selling our Gyotaku wares, we were treated to demonstrations of Taiko drumming and Aikido martial art. I really liked learning about the philosophy behind Aikido and the focus on being present in one's own life (living in the moment) and maintaining a calm focus during what could be otherwise stressful interactions. I think I might check a class out sometime, maybe when Henry is a little older and we could do it together. Our booth was next to the <a href="http://www.jasv.org/">Japan America Society of Vermon</a>t, and we were invited by their president, Larry Solt, to participate in their <a href="http://jasv.org/matsuri/">Matsuri</a> (festival) next year held at St. Michael's College. That should be a lot of fun and so interesting to be surrounded by a culture I greatly admire. I wonder what <a href="http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/85929/vermont-reads-2009-finding-way-home/">my great uncle Taka</a> would think?<br />
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Lastly, I now have a <a href="http://www.surfacedesign.org/users/gretchen-alexander">member profile</a> on the Surface Design Association website. So, I'm all set to be "discovered"! I had my Surface Design critique group today, so now I'm all filled with new creative ideas and inspiration - such a good feeling!<br />
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<br /></div>Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-16204701285350020332012-03-05T12:29:00.011-05:002012-03-05T13:23:51.777-05:00Octo-update!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2eQuQ9MU57XL2yycptAF4t0166CMmoKwmALDb_DS4uM_KszwR7JT9hp-uh5cQtU27vizelSOfghP1S3LJEd3Z4n_FJK9505op9W3U-rXjabd8hYnce3zJR1Z3cHOHM6atiedPTLqyTLC/s1600/finsh_tentacle3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2eQuQ9MU57XL2yycptAF4t0166CMmoKwmALDb_DS4uM_KszwR7JT9hp-uh5cQtU27vizelSOfghP1S3LJEd3Z4n_FJK9505op9W3U-rXjabd8hYnce3zJR1Z3cHOHM6atiedPTLqyTLC/s400/finsh_tentacle3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716467766824195506" border="0" /></a>It's finished! I took advantage of a strangely warm Saturday to put the finishing touches on my octopus rug. It needed one last round of wet felting to smooth things out and firm up a bit more, and being a wet and messy process, I like to do this outside. Even though it was the first week of March, I was comfortable out on the deck without a jacket. Felt good to be working out in the sunshine.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4pelJlGWwEKFDNqwVMJL9-sfdmbVBJ4UrZiiOL4KKPWkJ0DnF6PsMAH_7gfyo_o_4ebeAJdQhcT1D79W2dJGCFDHJwkTqDXW_6Og_hyvh1tPIyeM-k6RFVZoetLcOQoJ9Vpsl2SjrPRa/s1600/felt_view.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4pelJlGWwEKFDNqwVMJL9-sfdmbVBJ4UrZiiOL4KKPWkJ0DnF6PsMAH_7gfyo_o_4ebeAJdQhcT1D79W2dJGCFDHJwkTqDXW_6Og_hyvh1tPIyeM-k6RFVZoetLcOQoJ9Vpsl2SjrPRa/s400/felt_view.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716466864878698178" border="0" /></a>Here's a picture of the rug rolled up in plastic, ready to roll:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrlxAqOPUW6Sazl4z82erXj6IZvAos4cDN8t_Pm5aN8xciAWEHKKXvkKNyNv2P6ICzdGT-zTL-02jcVXIxe1biDmQTKX9sm1qI7cZbIyPVseqSNcV5EgBcHsmaKCoO-cc5CG8oEtlRoNhn/s1600/felt_role.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrlxAqOPUW6Sazl4z82erXj6IZvAos4cDN8t_Pm5aN8xciAWEHKKXvkKNyNv2P6ICzdGT-zTL-02jcVXIxe1biDmQTKX9sm1qI7cZbIyPVseqSNcV5EgBcHsmaKCoO-cc5CG8oEtlRoNhn/s400/felt_role.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716466861177709330" border="0" /></a>And unrolled:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpgilVWWcZvfRnxDt3dfVFFz-7BYg3jVDLO6smLL0wrN7YcnVQnTx8ewHV0OirvPyqGlh4xRBzznOOKXCobFhMayGsEXNFqspT1a6pu_as-OI4XYQu2pIPul4E4gDhbXLUGwW7x9ijQPqZ/s1600/felt_wet.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpgilVWWcZvfRnxDt3dfVFFz-7BYg3jVDLO6smLL0wrN7YcnVQnTx8ewHV0OirvPyqGlh4xRBzznOOKXCobFhMayGsEXNFqspT1a6pu_as-OI4XYQu2pIPul4E4gDhbXLUGwW7x9ijQPqZ/s400/felt_wet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716467286185080562" border="0" /></a>The soapy hot water helps the fibers relax and open up their scales, and the rolling makes them slip past one another and lock on to eachother. Here are some photos of the rug after I finished felting the final time, but still wet and soapy:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmk1MAtqcwWYayfpOo02_qP61SAxXdM020PmbDVv3dyrYmK3BUiZIhqesZK178Fjt-Y1bzo4kC4aIz-ltvU9zUXJWXdZ5TH8B6xtKsNx09gN9I2OKCyVrJfEwYtA4yHQB7MZwABaDUjMHp/s1600/felt_wet_octo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmk1MAtqcwWYayfpOo02_qP61SAxXdM020PmbDVv3dyrYmK3BUiZIhqesZK178Fjt-Y1bzo4kC4aIz-ltvU9zUXJWXdZ5TH8B6xtKsNx09gN9I2OKCyVrJfEwYtA4yHQB7MZwABaDUjMHp/s400/felt_wet_octo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716467281851483938" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jqkyarESAYPKx3B-1xUBNvp7rREobCJsXBkjIF5FSogWhEBg4KqCPbOksSvXcaO-AToQK7IpbzTiL9ovCXh_foCl-zSnpsAJE1EOWH5Mt7hrB-TlaOIeWjRM4d8dXzlVKn1a8DKDJ_Xz/s1600/felt_wet_closeup2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jqkyarESAYPKx3B-1xUBNvp7rREobCJsXBkjIF5FSogWhEBg4KqCPbOksSvXcaO-AToQK7IpbzTiL9ovCXh_foCl-zSnpsAJE1EOWH5Mt7hrB-TlaOIeWjRM4d8dXzlVKn1a8DKDJ_Xz/s400/felt_wet_closeup2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716466879265259218" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSfDp5e-nRSJ9hqhlveLyCzPVsibeJj4FjwwrC5QZylnS5Y8wRcgQMpFvo_R_nYTUHHqJ2tfzEtRpOuLZjt-NCPRgrHjgLP7QOqyqCCYfvjaHEYElqWfdXwySdjVGshDOs4iesfbpfQEZ/s1600/felt_wet_closeup.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSfDp5e-nRSJ9hqhlveLyCzPVsibeJj4FjwwrC5QZylnS5Y8wRcgQMpFvo_R_nYTUHHqJ2tfzEtRpOuLZjt-NCPRgrHjgLP7QOqyqCCYfvjaHEYElqWfdXwySdjVGshDOs4iesfbpfQEZ/s400/felt_wet_closeup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716466874818220786" border="0" /></a>A nice place to make some felt:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4HoEP5VTklu9KOnxfV_HQ1nERC3RQOebYH-NyIBZERfloj23f3psCFq9FmFd-JuUW2gzIyJHxe5jGoH3jS9_z-WVfXXCj8LuyD5Dz6ysrQB6mg9FG4exPIFZQRye5pMpiogmGmJD7Trh9/s1600/view_to_river.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4HoEP5VTklu9KOnxfV_HQ1nERC3RQOebYH-NyIBZERfloj23f3psCFq9FmFd-JuUW2gzIyJHxe5jGoH3jS9_z-WVfXXCj8LuyD5Dz6ysrQB6mg9FG4exPIFZQRye5pMpiogmGmJD7Trh9/s400/view_to_river.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716467828358721186" border="0" /></a>Meanwhile, back in the house, Willie takes a nap while Henry climbs the stairs. Being a nanny wears Willie out! (Don't worry, Willie wasn't the sole babysitter while I was felting - there were some human adults around!)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zNVT3p0XfiWTRPYnvQ6hy-D90-4nePYnvOONzRqxtXuHw5bl4YrNoskrLgjEl8wB1MFvBJ9qTedJwT0NhyphenhyphenJHPhS8YUI3lNC6Ia394tIXrer6bDLOHF_yeDlwRdmT3PQnDswYLoxeJX7F/s1600/willie_naps.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zNVT3p0XfiWTRPYnvQ6hy-D90-4nePYnvOONzRqxtXuHw5bl4YrNoskrLgjEl8wB1MFvBJ9qTedJwT0NhyphenhyphenJHPhS8YUI3lNC6Ia394tIXrer6bDLOHF_yeDlwRdmT3PQnDswYLoxeJX7F/s400/willie_naps.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716468009590262370" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhke0Qmfa6fdxNqqqJ4UMHoSNBCnvUC31lVgnevIRubYDdZkz799YtCELZ3pQHJhVX06e0oVJ6b2JezEL0FrIegpikdEBm97D3XLESLyjlLL84KHGUB1YJZl6gPC3MrjF3J2Gsl9hXnS4mQ/s1600/Henry_climbs.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhke0Qmfa6fdxNqqqJ4UMHoSNBCnvUC31lVgnevIRubYDdZkz799YtCELZ3pQHJhVX06e0oVJ6b2JezEL0FrIegpikdEBm97D3XLESLyjlLL84KHGUB1YJZl6gPC3MrjF3J2Gsl9hXnS4mQ/s400/Henry_climbs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716467773248159986" border="0" /></a><br />I joined a critique group of the <a href="http://sdavermont.blogspot.com/">local chapter of the Surface Design Association</a>, and brought my octopus rug to the group for feedback a few weeks ago while it was still in progress. I had mentioned that I intended to use the piece as a functional rug, but the group felt it should be a wall piece. Willie had really taken to lying on it while I was working on it, and scratching it up (and undoing my work), so I decided to take the critique group's advice and hang it on the wall. I'll have to make another rug just for Willie. I sewed a dowel onto the back, and voila!<br /><br />This is the finished piece hanging on a wall:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rUgPhyrVngm6MCnaRMeDS3EUm8UYrucTnOpECwyHJRMr0hvRVfVs3ARLni0l9YeJVHutueFUESTT96u5K60Sa1APuxSWLv75xEyeVLDcoYct1bt9yObIn8SF_bGPD-K4e1xrfgG-uicT/s1600/finsih_full.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rUgPhyrVngm6MCnaRMeDS3EUm8UYrucTnOpECwyHJRMr0hvRVfVs3ARLni0l9YeJVHutueFUESTT96u5K60Sa1APuxSWLv75xEyeVLDcoYct1bt9yObIn8SF_bGPD-K4e1xrfgG-uicT/s400/finsih_full.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716467771621484962" border="0" /></a>And a few closeups:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJMzN0VivIkjlLCFdyyIttkuoUG5RDfaKR_AOMzEaXbSlSmcS4ZgjcQOQvZw4LuMdavRSgSl0H1A0hZi2mWoL8E9oOCowiqnvbterBTBEG0Ayzm5ihnrx-vptsdYIwBE-ziDAzNJDddnp/s1600/finsh_head.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJMzN0VivIkjlLCFdyyIttkuoUG5RDfaKR_AOMzEaXbSlSmcS4ZgjcQOQvZw4LuMdavRSgSl0H1A0hZi2mWoL8E9oOCowiqnvbterBTBEG0Ayzm5ihnrx-vptsdYIwBE-ziDAzNJDddnp/s400/finsh_head.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716467301237248114" border="0" /></a>I was surprised that the golden silk threads really faded with the second wet felt. They started out more saturated yellow and became more straw colored. I think perhaps the dye was not fixed well in these reclaimed threads (I did not dye them - they were purchased as a bunch). The magenta threads seemed to hold their color fine. Nevertheless, I still like the effect they give.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNx8CUEW716eXERipkA5PSWu3UTMcJtVkT7N56iDcoysGv6OPlUcwv5NbNXt1UY1yVdMk5IU5k-yk-W3-1mCH3_c1uQUWYB0ZUTFAGVaxIDVKIXHFVyZDYZF7hUpFWM4bqQ9t3NTHr-CDa/s1600/finish_tentacle.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNx8CUEW716eXERipkA5PSWu3UTMcJtVkT7N56iDcoysGv6OPlUcwv5NbNXt1UY1yVdMk5IU5k-yk-W3-1mCH3_c1uQUWYB0ZUTFAGVaxIDVKIXHFVyZDYZF7hUpFWM4bqQ9t3NTHr-CDa/s400/finish_tentacle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716467293813365410" border="0" /></a><br />This is my favorite section of the rug. I like how the tentacles seem like they are flowing and undulating (at least they are to me).<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE0kEGbzi86RUob2XIIcygIPT5EqhoO_B3wgYoCvz1s6uZvkNXBdCM_DdJBAL6VQOHvii2EWIUsCN_xkFvh1qBm0m1fU4BQc5ZuhVZszWaa1d8KDFHmrZYvCCzH1fFz7tNCkho9gnrC60A/s1600/finish_tentacle_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 233px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE0kEGbzi86RUob2XIIcygIPT5EqhoO_B3wgYoCvz1s6uZvkNXBdCM_DdJBAL6VQOHvii2EWIUsCN_xkFvh1qBm0m1fU4BQc5ZuhVZszWaa1d8KDFHmrZYvCCzH1fFz7tNCkho9gnrC60A/s400/finish_tentacle_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716467291856808882" border="0" /></a>I plan to hang it on my purple wall, next to my eels. Hopefully eels and octopi get along.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaTXi-e8eLNO0bsfzOmTpcHadxdoJCMsoivNE0dzMgvKTerWFGPBQimwkF-8b2p6y7s0jCwWS-iUTlXcVoJbzTNqMqt0zDogcQVrErmd-q-Y2u97PJgoN6p4VG7Ml03DUk24DB5vXPmZt/s1600/eels.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaTXi-e8eLNO0bsfzOmTpcHadxdoJCMsoivNE0dzMgvKTerWFGPBQimwkF-8b2p6y7s0jCwWS-iUTlXcVoJbzTNqMqt0zDogcQVrErmd-q-Y2u97PJgoN6p4VG7Ml03DUk24DB5vXPmZt/s400/eels.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716466855075263586" border="0" /></a>And a few more pictures of my beautiful boys, and thanks to Brian for granting me some time to finish my rug!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTHSrA6hnh2jI-GxRcauHtHuUQcpdAe1alFuI3mIFoWc8kuAPlkBMzGct1XEsB0sAYv4vb-kSob1yh0yjppUpNvZrnkQF2cWqU36MZAqfZUbGGKxS-SaFJ0GS_H4nDsWrfvFpu2gHRXY8/s1600/willie_beauty.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTHSrA6hnh2jI-GxRcauHtHuUQcpdAe1alFuI3mIFoWc8kuAPlkBMzGct1XEsB0sAYv4vb-kSob1yh0yjppUpNvZrnkQF2cWqU36MZAqfZUbGGKxS-SaFJ0GS_H4nDsWrfvFpu2gHRXY8/s400/willie_beauty.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716468005013472242" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc8m8_DQnh6TOuzsAuEbcv_PYeLKuWmEh-y_wihdP2VFTfn81OyDSabE6E6r76z-3TFwOn1uQnPE2YPB6-4_Qo305CxA5l9HPBqMm1r0yFSvcBh8L1WrQrRmjSuF_bPbfslFiskzXWJg-Y/s1600/Henry_pensive.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc8m8_DQnh6TOuzsAuEbcv_PYeLKuWmEh-y_wihdP2VFTfn81OyDSabE6E6r76z-3TFwOn1uQnPE2YPB6-4_Qo305CxA5l9HPBqMm1r0yFSvcBh8L1WrQrRmjSuF_bPbfslFiskzXWJg-Y/s400/Henry_pensive.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716467784726491618" border="0" /></a>Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-8956606742140289452012-02-25T17:22:00.015-05:002012-02-29T22:13:52.064-05:00Felt Landscapes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9Vjl357_LCAq3FaWMRblZsbdJVO-2PWbdDYhG3QRe8XxucS2PCTOVprdLOGp2p61cMsUjPr9pXbmTQygY5qcsqDCHceePZRstI2U_ofZMkiviRRbjNWq5CDR031FQW08CWWayatN-6O5/s1600/mtn_sun.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9Vjl357_LCAq3FaWMRblZsbdJVO-2PWbdDYhG3QRe8XxucS2PCTOVprdLOGp2p61cMsUjPr9pXbmTQygY5qcsqDCHceePZRstI2U_ofZMkiviRRbjNWq5CDR031FQW08CWWayatN-6O5/s400/mtn_sun.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713202750172447970" border="0" /></a>It feels so good to be starting to experiment with something I have been thinking about for a very long time -- landscapes in felt. It's funny how ideas can stew for a long time, and then all of a sudden, they're ready to pop and I explode into action. I go through cycles like this, where I am not actively creating, but mulling ideas as I drift off to sleep at night. Then something randomly piques my interest (like an inspiring picture or a conversation), and all of a sudden I'll start a new project. Then I become an obsessed insomniac, unable to stop thinking about the project and the next time I'll be able to work on it. Sort of sounds like a scary drug addiction, now that I think about it... I wonder if there are similar chemicals being released in my brain? Guess I'd rather be addicted to art than anything else.<br /><br />In this particular case, the trigger for starting a new project was a photograph of a gooseneck barnacle I saw on an old nature calendar -- I was intrigued by the colors, patterns and textures of this amazing creature, and started to envision how I would recreate it in felt. It's a bit of a roundabout chain of thoughts that lead me to felt landscapes instead of barnacles, and that's a topic for another day (in the mean time, you should <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=gooseneck+barnacles&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=Gtc&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=GulOT-ixDYXy0gGYm83pDQ&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CBgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=604">Google gooseneck barnacles</a> if you've never seen one - amazing!). I do intend to work on a gooseneck barnacle project, but that idea is still incubating a little more.<br /><br />Anyhow, I've been working on some felt landscapes on days I'm not working at my real job and my little one is napping. I figured out the other day that this probably affords me about 4 hours a week to work on artistic endeavors, and although that's less than I'd like, I'm actually kind of impressed with how much I accomplish in that time. I think part of the reason is I spend a lot of time thinking before the actual doing. So when the opportunity arises to work on a project, I know exactly what I want to do.<br /><br />So, here are some photos of works in progress. These aren't finished pieces, and since this is a new format for me (a smaller wall hanging rather than a big thick rug), I'm experimenting with different techniques.<br /><br />Laying out the fibers to gauge color combinations (decided against a dark sky):<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0UazhT5y8sHWdvugQ6OVycLGMAInhHWpe9T3EZNsdywTPXXubfjgC658YbSC4awdbxmK4_dLAQm699LaeRFbi1y_nHfoLdtd-eSm-W9lm0RYCZxB3UvuTMT7jDhw5xNi2XRMsOiOCvYK/s1600/hump_layout.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0UazhT5y8sHWdvugQ6OVycLGMAInhHWpe9T3EZNsdywTPXXubfjgC658YbSC4awdbxmK4_dLAQm699LaeRFbi1y_nHfoLdtd-eSm-W9lm0RYCZxB3UvuTMT7jDhw5xNi2XRMsOiOCvYK/s400/hump_layout.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713202518763778802" border="0" /></a>A mountain landscape taking shape, loosely based on Camel's Hump (or at least the Camel's Hump in my mind - the view from the north, of course):<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSpsiuJX39_JS41TmX1K_iJB8TBft_sRThjA7sIbZMXippqTZTjvuyBC86S4W1-ZQkM1ARKRxQ0CHhdo7Hj_F-1PeajJQxCXj0jjHo92mT6PxLZXmrvhkntS2NGRGnqZBnEY6IfwvXCxJ/s1600/hump_takingshape.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSpsiuJX39_JS41TmX1K_iJB8TBft_sRThjA7sIbZMXippqTZTjvuyBC86S4W1-ZQkM1ARKRxQ0CHhdo7Hj_F-1PeajJQxCXj0jjHo92mT6PxLZXmrvhkntS2NGRGnqZBnEY6IfwvXCxJ/s400/hump_takingshape.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713202521135913842" border="0" /></a>Adding some foothills and firming things up a bit:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi582FwUqfT1lL1n45OMLrQEFZB7tKZQ_P5syKT_tCJ8IYCKcP4uacc7S16mFHiMequF1s-Kas_8iMB_TwPIrWncVZ9f0K7wNCFARBs7BuJa00MjizlPvyiAV_APIWwG3ilisqSUJch8fNi/s1600/hump_takinshape2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi582FwUqfT1lL1n45OMLrQEFZB7tKZQ_P5syKT_tCJ8IYCKcP4uacc7S16mFHiMequF1s-Kas_8iMB_TwPIrWncVZ9f0K7wNCFARBs7BuJa00MjizlPvyiAV_APIWwG3ilisqSUJch8fNi/s400/hump_takinshape2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713202527652419874" border="0" /></a><br />And made smooth with a final wet felting:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznawdeaWBN4S5UMVTNgszar5ZkkSOyGHJPykuskn4Gb_eo4clzeRU_yN7beIQOWCl-DAsOhlBwb9Z-UUiEW5zUJdbHaS5PYc5zlxjb0eNxNZnHxDgPZlOI9Q9sUzfTiaS1JQ906eDEeyV/s1600/hump_finish.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznawdeaWBN4S5UMVTNgszar5ZkkSOyGHJPykuskn4Gb_eo4clzeRU_yN7beIQOWCl-DAsOhlBwb9Z-UUiEW5zUJdbHaS5PYc5zlxjb0eNxNZnHxDgPZlOI9Q9sUzfTiaS1JQ906eDEeyV/s400/hump_finish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713202511415401122" border="0" /></a>I'm thinking that I may add some texture to this with some hand stitching, but am not certain what style I'll use, so am giving it time to stew for a while. I have a second felt landscape in the works where I am experimenting with various embroidery and stitching, and this will probably influence how I approach the Hump piece.<br /><br />Starting to stitch:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoIwvZAfgbDGUqccHi199dwtT8WPtnZsbHHxTwbE_xlri_KSDaRjCSuAERcJH_ROfIoAOaTy1BrUibwiFVSJMIY0sNXNpcBgVVY4oXHY7jZ6djMBP9vzTsFKGlJUW9vDSKEH0lPGdwskxJ/s1600/mtn_full.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 232px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoIwvZAfgbDGUqccHi199dwtT8WPtnZsbHHxTwbE_xlri_KSDaRjCSuAERcJH_ROfIoAOaTy1BrUibwiFVSJMIY0sNXNpcBgVVY4oXHY7jZ6djMBP9vzTsFKGlJUW9vDSKEH0lPGdwskxJ/s400/mtn_full.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713202747021245794" border="0" /></a>Some detail:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCRSVjdQHJeeac2xl9n-fTCwYbtyrjQYvDtdkT4cS5BUMzk8ag8FBVAL-hcTGkWi9tnYyqp_aLbcezmq4Ie5l1xOTfdUXp8qBSnFANsFBCVnmEVbIpgK-t9TfqS7OeAmx8mfl6FpbPOxq/s1600/mtn_close.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCRSVjdQHJeeac2xl9n-fTCwYbtyrjQYvDtdkT4cS5BUMzk8ag8FBVAL-hcTGkWi9tnYyqp_aLbcezmq4Ie5l1xOTfdUXp8qBSnFANsFBCVnmEVbIpgK-t9TfqS7OeAmx8mfl6FpbPOxq/s400/mtn_close.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713202532689488818" border="0" /></a>A little more progress on the stitching:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDsAtMMDeps9lk6K6TqSB1GLRnmvworjiacTbxS9XPUqm0TQCL5xyL3mGLhjDJGW913xXmSd37yiXidWNIxgDE5apTGhHVvfrfHzLoYEt_tXaf6JpN3-jvE9jtX_wM1S9qRCFBkXCaaDEh/s1600/landscape2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDsAtMMDeps9lk6K6TqSB1GLRnmvworjiacTbxS9XPUqm0TQCL5xyL3mGLhjDJGW913xXmSd37yiXidWNIxgDE5apTGhHVvfrfHzLoYEt_tXaf6JpN3-jvE9jtX_wM1S9qRCFBkXCaaDEh/s400/landscape2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714756904521224978" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9B-LnbkWnXPUdxVL9ZSy0GdYPkdr-SJ50KMYAfduBKRoN9XWtqurZIVMlEjZJttgzaMMGzRYOhnSq0GfhGEzEzleqWDxqI1NKwobTv1YI8ySedLMoHJoUziyCPQFZdl36Ildm2zA_wF6/s1600/landscape1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9B-LnbkWnXPUdxVL9ZSy0GdYPkdr-SJ50KMYAfduBKRoN9XWtqurZIVMlEjZJttgzaMMGzRYOhnSq0GfhGEzEzleqWDxqI1NKwobTv1YI8ySedLMoHJoUziyCPQFZdl36Ildm2zA_wF6/s400/landscape1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714756898961743890" border="0" /></a><br />It's difficult to see in the photos, but I like how the stitching makes the felt puff up and add some dimension to the piece. My plan is to stitch more heavily in detail in the foreground, and have less density in stitching towards the background. I think for the sky I will use very small stitches with a single strand of thread and lines emanating from the sun. I'm excited to see how it turns out!Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-76615394024306884722012-02-25T16:45:00.009-05:002012-02-25T18:07:51.266-05:00Mountain Goat<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1vzVRztzAPL4rDoCPhUq_idKyMEN5fRsgQzPs1n3C9qsDRjwo6OCEuRf53kE8uceNA0EmDh-qp2LNbPFKI_EZYcsNSBdwHH5QCi-7xz2QyqCc6zW_bIJU9_JpcclmDcUCq1tAoSO9OIM/s1600/mtngoat4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1vzVRztzAPL4rDoCPhUq_idKyMEN5fRsgQzPs1n3C9qsDRjwo6OCEuRf53kE8uceNA0EmDh-qp2LNbPFKI_EZYcsNSBdwHH5QCi-7xz2QyqCc6zW_bIJU9_JpcclmDcUCq1tAoSO9OIM/s400/mtngoat4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713195478590891186" border="0" /></a>Last summer, my friend Sacha did some traveling, hiking, camping etc. in the U.S. Rockies. On one of her hikes, she came upon a little clump of fiber that had shed from a Mountain Goat. Knowing I have a thing for fiber, she brought it back to show me and let me keep a little. Holding it in my fingers, it was fun to imagine the life of the goat who had worn the fiber, scampering over mountain sides, doing things that wild goats do. It was extremely soft, and I could imagine that if I were living off the land as an early human, it was a substance I would seek out and use for clothing and warmth. <br /><br />I kept twisting it in my fingers, and decided it would be fun to try to spin some into a bit of string. I removed some of the debris that had collected in it, carded it a little with some hand carders, then spun it on my spinning wheel. I then Navajo plied it (a technique that allows you to ply from a single strand instead of two), and voila, I'd made about 10 inches of Mountain Goat yarn. I decided to memorialize it by attaching it to a felted pin cushion I had made in the shape of a mountain. I even made a little mountain goat with pin legs to live on top of the mountain. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXO4Hnw7yqdyg4sgCl9Hd5zTXosa2OC-rvLQLeBESQ7mkHoMqkQl-N8AfvPwHrqkTn49XXRGb0PabLOBq_lui-C4fRXUsZGrCy34aCLw00POyFM0lEYiJbvV82r0RPI4YZ_PvvPc8vUReI/s1600/mtngoat2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXO4Hnw7yqdyg4sgCl9Hd5zTXosa2OC-rvLQLeBESQ7mkHoMqkQl-N8AfvPwHrqkTn49XXRGb0PabLOBq_lui-C4fRXUsZGrCy34aCLw00POyFM0lEYiJbvV82r0RPI4YZ_PvvPc8vUReI/s400/mtngoat2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713195475520545762" border="0" /></a><br />I was feeling lazy, and wasn't really sure how I'd attached them, so didn't give him any horns. Poor little hornless Mountain Goat.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4vU1autUDySKr-Qgt3cXmpK1nzpTX9sldrXzsKcN2cZ5RSazNhTHJ-EDosYSpR-41erh2Gv-Sb62euUcICASsCtMc3ZRuLSQcGRb8KbfaRdXGh6228WZW87wh0pSkizZZjsYqDX3G8rzU/s1600/mtngoat1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4vU1autUDySKr-Qgt3cXmpK1nzpTX9sldrXzsKcN2cZ5RSazNhTHJ-EDosYSpR-41erh2Gv-Sb62euUcICASsCtMc3ZRuLSQcGRb8KbfaRdXGh6228WZW87wh0pSkizZZjsYqDX3G8rzU/s400/mtngoat1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713195471328359842" border="0" /></a><br />I attached the bit of Mountain Goat yarn with a needle felting tool in a spiral around the mountain and outlined the snow cap. I'd originally made the pin cushion to give to Sacha as a little Christmas present, but it wasn't quite finished in time. Now that it had her Mountain Goat yarn attached to it, I knew of all people, she would appreciate it most, and just gave it to her as a random, occasion-less present. The best kind of present to get, in my opinion!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7jNHGSmiyA-DIQkQtX-auhj8_cECkUEOqZGdcKMXVmNaJxnwSo6d3eMbz3tjuIrIsUATaIsosmZBBLkYXR01Rf64yHIxu1Or3M6ZjFBs1AymAAFyYnKwCZE9VEBqRzMpfLhLJw24u_Z4/s1600/mtngoat3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 273px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7jNHGSmiyA-DIQkQtX-auhj8_cECkUEOqZGdcKMXVmNaJxnwSo6d3eMbz3tjuIrIsUATaIsosmZBBLkYXR01Rf64yHIxu1Or3M6ZjFBs1AymAAFyYnKwCZE9VEBqRzMpfLhLJw24u_Z4/s400/mtngoat3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713195477355702466" border="0" /></a>Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-13183742171431770462012-01-08T19:32:00.017-05:002012-01-08T21:36:25.141-05:00Octo-Progress<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3NggQwwgWjg9qsH34Uj_Q9JxfSM2B_jVnUqqjncSECYrOgTtCV2uQVxy4TiDXBvshjSaQwrn6il9u2OuYwALCmlk7YRXJvyGehBu9VJ_qk2gkfvdKtZqqB88V1x2gxf-LPH9J6UZQ-WXX/s1600/needle_sucker_detail.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3NggQwwgWjg9qsH34Uj_Q9JxfSM2B_jVnUqqjncSECYrOgTtCV2uQVxy4TiDXBvshjSaQwrn6il9u2OuYwALCmlk7YRXJvyGehBu9VJ_qk2gkfvdKtZqqB88V1x2gxf-LPH9J6UZQ-WXX/s400/needle_sucker_detail.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695424323595550162" border="0" /></a>For my birthday this year, the only thing I really wanted was a day all to myself to do some felting. My lovely husband granted my wish by being on baby patrol all day, and late last summer I indulged myself in a project I'd been thinking about undertaking for what seemed like an eternity. An octopus rug.<br /><br />I don't know what it is about me and cephalapods, but I'm just in love with them. Octopus, cuttle fish, nautilus, squid... they're just such amazing and beautiful creatures. I love their color changing abilities, their mysterious life histories, their amazing tactile and cognitive abilities. And the world they inhabit is so foreign and strange from a human perspective, but also incredibly beautiful. Vibrant colors, interesting shapes, bizzaro life forms. I love it. I think some people who are drawn to the aquatic sciences are drawn there because they feel at home in the water -- and on one level that is true for me, especially fresh water. But on another level, I am drawn to water because it terrifies me, the ocean especially. It's like an alien world right here on our planet. I'll never forget an experience I had while snorkeling in Hawaii -- I was swimming over a reef near the shore watching the schools of tangs and butterfly fish, when all of a sudden I found my self floating over an abyss. The ocean floor had dropped out from beneath me and there was nothing below me but hundreds of feet of dark, crystal-clear water - a shade of blue so rich and pure it is imprinted in my memory. I had this panicky feeling similar to what I imagine I might feel if all of a sudden I found myself floating in outer space. So vulnerable and small. And while it was frightening, it was also exhilarating.<br /><br />Anyway, back to the rug. I'd been thinking about an octopus rug for a while and had been slowly dyeing fiber in the colors I thought I would want to use. I started my day by looking at some pictures of octopi on-line and made a very quick sketch of a very general layout I had in mind.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9RxJfEVZrpytnQPyUHL-bw4jJu5YS9rDKScjfrT3h_1Stss1gUCncNvsSSrpvEogN5g0AG3KQIX25fOfYAOeIE4-NWcTqQMfa8mbY7eNQR_PGZFFaZHl1TQzUOaCAnKCSHtFUd9gQRrnD/s1600/octo-sketch.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 279px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9RxJfEVZrpytnQPyUHL-bw4jJu5YS9rDKScjfrT3h_1Stss1gUCncNvsSSrpvEogN5g0AG3KQIX25fOfYAOeIE4-NWcTqQMfa8mbY7eNQR_PGZFFaZHl1TQzUOaCAnKCSHtFUd9gQRrnD/s400/octo-sketch.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695426848967449346" border="0" /></a>Next came the task of preparing the fiber. For the base I wanted to use a mix of brown Navajo-churro (given to me by friends Ben and Grace of <a href="http://tamaracktunis.com/">Tamarack Tunis</a>) and some Montadale-cross (from <a href="http://jerichosettlersfarm.com/">my sister's farm</a>) I had dyed purply-blue. This is a picture of the mixture prior to carding it.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_GErcN06n7q-ff6KMzNRIfzGBxr5vyAKDZIsHJRsOOaZ0qjLBH5oByFX0dcdCQWcIL-mWzMHv64IhVBdkMMOB2jvRQveHv3yttoqxwhyqfv_NHa7F0cxsN_wIbgRjIhO3_shUyRRIyGx/s1600/base_fiber.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_GErcN06n7q-ff6KMzNRIfzGBxr5vyAKDZIsHJRsOOaZ0qjLBH5oByFX0dcdCQWcIL-mWzMHv64IhVBdkMMOB2jvRQveHv3yttoqxwhyqfv_NHa7F0cxsN_wIbgRjIhO3_shUyRRIyGx/s400/base_fiber.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695424041283455986" border="0" /></a>These are some pictures of the carding in process.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUyYf23XTqWWcOJbuj6IvG3a2A0WBBxxao-eqcfFEnk1BYRx09z8DIR_gpyQ0ZdLsl_zoLNtM07P4_tEFvTzPYNtuVTuGE19vSrGIk7lWyOiuY774btxubWhq2JYPRktMQ5rMLeD6lEOnF/s1600/carding2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUyYf23XTqWWcOJbuj6IvG3a2A0WBBxxao-eqcfFEnk1BYRx09z8DIR_gpyQ0ZdLsl_zoLNtM07P4_tEFvTzPYNtuVTuGE19vSrGIk7lWyOiuY774btxubWhq2JYPRktMQ5rMLeD6lEOnF/s400/carding2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695424064537124786" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9RxG6iIlYYdVgnba4DPw-lThGHuh0DdHrQ3ti3on1UEbXtYTRJAXptKcYazrWPTuMFMtLII_8nppZZn0ZTrCMwFhUAipnWki2kNLIxNWosxh9Aw2cf33mAadNR2oxKH-84e1ZE_b9-YU-/s1600/carding.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 301px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9RxG6iIlYYdVgnba4DPw-lThGHuh0DdHrQ3ti3on1UEbXtYTRJAXptKcYazrWPTuMFMtLII_8nppZZn0ZTrCMwFhUAipnWki2kNLIxNWosxh9Aw2cf33mAadNR2oxKH-84e1ZE_b9-YU-/s400/carding.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695424047224080498" border="0" /></a>In addition to the base fiber, I carded some orange and yellow Montadale-cross fiber for the octopus body. This is a picture of the prepped fiber, ready to wet-felt:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXho9RG0F7t5rjV2Lct1qtm-Z-oCdnkNweOCkCYbbpmhBVhGYZi6j-Qh-5SNSC9bnNNXVA_VuS4mYo2q5BZGI2t0tAEp17mh8XX5Ln6uwFx6qFb9-_g4GL5XOc6rOSW3zgsBHOcOPS90Xq/s1600/carded_fiber.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXho9RG0F7t5rjV2Lct1qtm-Z-oCdnkNweOCkCYbbpmhBVhGYZi6j-Qh-5SNSC9bnNNXVA_VuS4mYo2q5BZGI2t0tAEp17mh8XX5Ln6uwFx6qFb9-_g4GL5XOc6rOSW3zgsBHOcOPS90Xq/s400/carded_fiber.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695424042626582322" border="0" /></a>After wet felting several layers of the base fiber to create thickness to the rug, I was ready to layout the top layer that would have the main design of the octopus.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPF-MWbQwiagligHF3twJ9GMtPaLqgAPVyztRHIXFTD5MvRLfjZyEJAszl0whHvSoHEayLaoAgZqBsuZoVwgRz_iThvpAElPTMHFLzbI8LdcqmQYK8JSek_9KEY8mA6-QHVX1fXxmIe4n/s1600/layout.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 273px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPF-MWbQwiagligHF3twJ9GMtPaLqgAPVyztRHIXFTD5MvRLfjZyEJAszl0whHvSoHEayLaoAgZqBsuZoVwgRz_iThvpAElPTMHFLzbI8LdcqmQYK8JSek_9KEY8mA6-QHVX1fXxmIe4n/s400/layout.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695424065366300978" border="0" /></a>I also interspersed the wool with some salvaged silk threads I bought on a whim at <a href="http://www.northeastfiberarts.com/">Northeast Fiber Arts Center</a>. I love that place -- I have to be careful when I go there as I could easily spend my entire life savings. My thought was that the silk threads would create a wispy underwater feel of an octopus swishing its tentacles through murky water. After the layout was complete, I continued with the wet felting process. This entails putting hot soapy water on the rug, rolling it up, and agitating it by rolling it back and forth - over and over and over and over... It takes a while for the fiber to start to have a firm felt consistency. I knew I planned to give the rug some needle-felt finishing details, so didn't worry about getting it fully felted -- just enough for it to hold together well. Here it is after I stopped wet felting and laid it out to dry:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDErWd0rxAF1CCEB9sahH3F9vYEaRPfLP3z74IQJAxIE_S8vuI2MT7VCvlWsJ_PGzc1jV4IEpgCX0MtPFF1zVGQXU1ypyCbPBGI1mHK0N6ot9wJEAqI_41aVed0qclqx_0VKLuqIiPJhId/s1600/wet_felted.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 246px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDErWd0rxAF1CCEB9sahH3F9vYEaRPfLP3z74IQJAxIE_S8vuI2MT7VCvlWsJ_PGzc1jV4IEpgCX0MtPFF1zVGQXU1ypyCbPBGI1mHK0N6ot9wJEAqI_41aVed0qclqx_0VKLuqIiPJhId/s400/wet_felted.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695424347639622866" border="0" /></a>This is the first time I've tried laying-in some of the top design during the wet felting process rather than doing all of the top detail with a needle after wet felting the base. It results in less-crisp edges, but it saves a lot of time, and for aquatic subject matter, I think the effect is suiting. To me it has a fluid, underwater appeal.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVOj_6SIo8dpF7jrtpfy1TmzL7BQKFBt7ZO7-b4i7BiAv05Gcj-pwfln1n747yFMNZlCgeo2MDpXtjKOg9VXEdJjl2-E-fjqZD10YHfllLT71ncD6cDdAoKh6xBwsFoEaJAc5fRVhcJJp/s1600/wetfelted_detail.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVOj_6SIo8dpF7jrtpfy1TmzL7BQKFBt7ZO7-b4i7BiAv05Gcj-pwfln1n747yFMNZlCgeo2MDpXtjKOg9VXEdJjl2-E-fjqZD10YHfllLT71ncD6cDdAoKh6xBwsFoEaJAc5fRVhcJJp/s400/wetfelted_detail.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695424356990269650" border="0" /></a>And there it sat for months. Tropical storm Irene had come to visit, walloping Vermont's rivers, and making work at my real job as a State river scientist crazy and stressful. Between that and using my "free" time trying to increase inventories for holiday markets, harvesting the garden, making Christmas presents for family, and oh, there's that wonderful little boy in my life... anyhow, the octopus rug project got shelved for a little while. Until yesterday.<br /><br />Yesterday I started needle felting in some of the details -- the eye and suckers, as well as making the rug firmer in general. Here's how it looks so far:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RDxrkgQv2aRdok3xATmqmzdS76lhpY1bGXpYggHJB1RPPrEz6DlcAIiD73nzlgSj0-u4yQxgD5S_Gi2CjmU9cb2RLeWUQaa2dwB_e_Bm0M0_ivPoV6_lsgvP4IXWgBHolYIam8Z59ZjY/s1600/needle_suckers.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RDxrkgQv2aRdok3xATmqmzdS76lhpY1bGXpYggHJB1RPPrEz6DlcAIiD73nzlgSj0-u4yQxgD5S_Gi2CjmU9cb2RLeWUQaa2dwB_e_Bm0M0_ivPoV6_lsgvP4IXWgBHolYIam8Z59ZjY/s400/needle_suckers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695424331110664658" border="0" /></a>After I finish the suckers and firming it up, I'll wet felt it one more time to create a smoother finish. I'm excited and pleased with how it is turning out. My intention is for this to be a functional rug -- that is, actually use it as a rug instead of a wall hanging. I'll post an update when it is complete.Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-3345268840071553002012-01-04T12:09:00.006-05:002012-01-04T17:04:52.221-05:00Henry's Wooly Leggings<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmWMqtEGlDokUE02qW7EJFM_ZwmH2-1a9AuSwI_6ki8cSn0vh8eIhJMR_aTcoM9QELzWq7d811JVE81LzzvoSnqYBSgMYE7idgfXYC1iO6e15HUFacQxeBagMlgSuaug8XHLqeB2TCbJ5S/s1600/bath.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmWMqtEGlDokUE02qW7EJFM_ZwmH2-1a9AuSwI_6ki8cSn0vh8eIhJMR_aTcoM9QELzWq7d811JVE81LzzvoSnqYBSgMYE7idgfXYC1iO6e15HUFacQxeBagMlgSuaug8XHLqeB2TCbJ5S/s400/bath.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693825500210291042" border="0" /></a><br />This is a guest blog by Henry. He wanted to tell you about his new hand-knit wooly leggings:<br /><br />Hi there. I'm Henry. I'm almost 11 months old. My mom just finished knitting me these super-warm leggings, and I wanted to show them to you. She tells me she started knitting them before I was even born... it' s taken a while to finish them. But luckily they fit just right. And it's a brisk 5 degrees Fahrenheit outside, so they're keeping me toasty.<br /><br />I decided to test them out in all the things I like to do. Sort of a test drive.<br /><br />Good for sitting and playing with toys? Check.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYqpSLrSmyIzUxoCmOtGu2vmvEoUstxVlMLs6ohgAu537LizQjU3PI_SrcgaGZppRywxek5M18pqpMVwmtIfY1q1L5m6nhRn9Qb4bxkriq48wPbsJsRcH_ZF0nwK93aM_cOeRpsvEseB4h/s1600/smile.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYqpSLrSmyIzUxoCmOtGu2vmvEoUstxVlMLs6ohgAu537LizQjU3PI_SrcgaGZppRywxek5M18pqpMVwmtIfY1q1L5m6nhRn9Qb4bxkriq48wPbsJsRcH_ZF0nwK93aM_cOeRpsvEseB4h/s400/smile.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693825861504139842" border="0" /></a><br />Good for crawling? Check.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1R831n_wpHUS8jLfp7KDqwtd-6EG5yDYSUWD-mbAMBHCGHhXVlC9vT8sbN8tcq1Q4BIVvdgxXVbUNyAZnH4dCUbCKfXUKAEcDwalpZ6jHRO4y2DTgsxt8gOc1wa7TJBrLUtoOuTSb1ob/s1600/crawl.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1R831n_wpHUS8jLfp7KDqwtd-6EG5yDYSUWD-mbAMBHCGHhXVlC9vT8sbN8tcq1Q4BIVvdgxXVbUNyAZnH4dCUbCKfXUKAEcDwalpZ6jHRO4y2DTgsxt8gOc1wa7TJBrLUtoOuTSb1ob/s400/crawl.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693825835082801858" border="0" /></a><br />Good for climbing? Check.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgO4tfnJs9raWgFwZ0mhHYPWRThXk-dyolGKIyj4a8KhkGaTNtX_RYujl8UVVK2A6DzK4TLWWnPgX2oh8_DP-J-n_Bz0hPKWk-3zJbWl76GVy7Nx0pwIWEE0DdZemsDSoKMgHYuzGXhYD/s1600/climb.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgO4tfnJs9raWgFwZ0mhHYPWRThXk-dyolGKIyj4a8KhkGaTNtX_RYujl8UVVK2A6DzK4TLWWnPgX2oh8_DP-J-n_Bz0hPKWk-3zJbWl76GVy7Nx0pwIWEE0DdZemsDSoKMgHYuzGXhYD/s400/climb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693825529366115458" border="0" /></a><br />Good for standing? Check.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaW83cd4aj86DjhX4WQ4XlJSrUzac96yoRbUBPop8J5H0rHgVCt0UmMMDvHQ_l4UV7HcnRwvxjSw6k_JG9040Lwpso8gGyrPWCh6q4Nh5loiFmRkumHRGXb0VAZ3P-Sy33MAw_70ihwVv_/s1600/stand.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaW83cd4aj86DjhX4WQ4XlJSrUzac96yoRbUBPop8J5H0rHgVCt0UmMMDvHQ_l4UV7HcnRwvxjSw6k_JG9040Lwpso8gGyrPWCh6q4Nh5loiFmRkumHRGXb0VAZ3P-Sy33MAw_70ihwVv_/s400/stand.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693825871128557234" border="0" /></a>Good for doing lunges? Check.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmtsTpEfGvhnniEoN1wMBm3P3F5Bd3w2aPWALVGVKCYFdVYMY7p66IXmGJPvVr21kMA1DdQVTAnrQ9zlbaF-L_tybN9vyyk01ptsYX8ZX4mHjbdYlclFZrOuYb1_SRa0clI_BWA8ARCYX/s1600/lean.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 387px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmtsTpEfGvhnniEoN1wMBm3P3F5Bd3w2aPWALVGVKCYFdVYMY7p66IXmGJPvVr21kMA1DdQVTAnrQ9zlbaF-L_tybN9vyyk01ptsYX8ZX4mHjbdYlclFZrOuYb1_SRa0clI_BWA8ARCYX/s400/lean.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693825841297229090" border="0" /></a><br />Good for reading? Check.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ICvVpz1SpZGyA-wfz3S2v-4Zz4bsDwRcPzPy8SUIPgsnux-utdSD_8M-9QmOUS_YAeXjjscKXqN35JcHGBZjJ4JucZpLZYECV_HR9buOigRYEKTzdGKhnee-ZNN7QpK5hspEq_e_RSNe/s1600/sit.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ICvVpz1SpZGyA-wfz3S2v-4Zz4bsDwRcPzPy8SUIPgsnux-utdSD_8M-9QmOUS_YAeXjjscKXqN35JcHGBZjJ4JucZpLZYECV_HR9buOigRYEKTzdGKhnee-ZNN7QpK5hspEq_e_RSNe/s400/sit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693825847648993938" border="0" /></a><br />Good for being upside down? Check.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwv7iResplUn5m9GkCnfR3LmKQPlXqDpz2iz6IT0-pKw8ZwYPEw8jhpjVKFLkrnZRUrJJbrViq6qLi0ifwiIIDLLNWcXUbctosfIVbepB9j8Qurw2RBZvnANJsTtdGehoQUtYt-CStKdsj/s1600/upsidedown.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwv7iResplUn5m9GkCnfR3LmKQPlXqDpz2iz6IT0-pKw8ZwYPEw8jhpjVKFLkrnZRUrJJbrViq6qLi0ifwiIIDLLNWcXUbctosfIVbepB9j8Qurw2RBZvnANJsTtdGehoQUtYt-CStKdsj/s400/upsidedown.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693826396226736018" border="0" /></a>Good for spying on Dad in the bathtub? Check.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPrTpBXA9oIa6e_j0yO0-ROBwZf2Ul5BNDrogvDzaZ2PVG8WwUvq0RV6GcDMALUBqjSY7nPZfMmMol1n_BsceI5KtIZXIeB7hpngmZNzaZLvE3MTZKof6S6C-ojRty5c3wY6tzGGNWWq6v/s1600/bath2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPrTpBXA9oIa6e_j0yO0-ROBwZf2Ul5BNDrogvDzaZ2PVG8WwUvq0RV6GcDMALUBqjSY7nPZfMmMol1n_BsceI5KtIZXIeB7hpngmZNzaZLvE3MTZKof6S6C-ojRty5c3wY6tzGGNWWq6v/s400/bath2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693825504700178402" border="0" /></a><br />Do they make my bum look cute? Of course.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLN-fRTFENkCE6H3YHlUKPSBfxw_cqY69OwBf-9ierNckmAK952bQmu0eLpwZbPJuV9rytkWF4Qbm2lhCie3edVegZXbUhLGzgmICcXq8nrnSA00JBOxvzFYFVdy0V_3Yt38RwfWlI84Te/s1600/behind.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLN-fRTFENkCE6H3YHlUKPSBfxw_cqY69OwBf-9ierNckmAK952bQmu0eLpwZbPJuV9rytkWF4Qbm2lhCie3edVegZXbUhLGzgmICcXq8nrnSA00JBOxvzFYFVdy0V_3Yt38RwfWlI84Te/s400/behind.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693825517239486898" border="0" /></a>Hey Mom, these leggings check out. Thanks, Mom!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCTDzP0wBQPmRo9rp0_4ne-a7wShNMVrQBKY7ppgH34l45zYfaRXkxaIxslaEtMAIVzqorMW4ePlU0xQVItymIFDV-mbsDS_OiVb_SgKnELCzthjlOvmHog6AcLR8sOfP9ID9mpcqw-3UO/s1600/thanksmom.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCTDzP0wBQPmRo9rp0_4ne-a7wShNMVrQBKY7ppgH34l45zYfaRXkxaIxslaEtMAIVzqorMW4ePlU0xQVItymIFDV-mbsDS_OiVb_SgKnELCzthjlOvmHog6AcLR8sOfP9ID9mpcqw-3UO/s400/thanksmom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693826391279060226" border="0" /></a>Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-31575038046676927242012-01-04T11:55:00.015-05:002012-01-04T16:17:02.045-05:00Hand-made Christmas Presents<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmCXQO3FY1poh84GX0euqs4BSwPtJV183xpFJehBcxuH9-Kg8xQ7aFHUe25OkUwTmvKF7PyCuNf6opqpDjIEkbThZKZ_-BuaDIdDSLLuPMkKKYMjXHguQRODjr8AWfmhBtFaIIRS1dEql/s1600/in-progress.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmCXQO3FY1poh84GX0euqs4BSwPtJV183xpFJehBcxuH9-Kg8xQ7aFHUe25OkUwTmvKF7PyCuNf6opqpDjIEkbThZKZ_-BuaDIdDSLLuPMkKKYMjXHguQRODjr8AWfmhBtFaIIRS1dEql/s400/in-progress.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693879886513288018" border="0" /></a>For the past few years I've been primarily making my Christmas presents to give to family (instead of buying them). This year it was a little (actually, a lot) more challenging to find the time to work on projects with a 10.5 month old baby boy in the mix, but I did manage to pull a few things together.<br /><br />For my sisters and brother, I made some mittens out of various bits of wool... or are they oven mitts? The inside of the mitts are sewn from felted hand knit sweaters (knit by my mother) that had been worn out. I felted (actually, the correct term is fulled) them by putting them in the washing machine with hot water and just a little soap. The outside cover for the mitts were sewn from scraps of wool left over from a neighbors sewing project. She had given a giant bag of scraps to my mother to use in her braided rugs (thanks Judy!), and my mom passed on to me the bits that couldn't be braided easily. The resulting mitts are a tad (actually, a lot) bulky. They'd be good for stationary winter activities where you don't actually need to use your hands, like, um, maybe ice fishing? Unfortunately, no one in my family ice fishes or spends much time stationary in general. For this reason, their gifts were accompanied by a note that said:<br /><br />"Warmest mittens in the world or best oven mitts in the entire universe? You decide!!"<br /><br />I made a series of patterns for different size hands and for the insides and covers:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyHmS15ggdyiNGgSIWz2DQseX9YHTZS78IHErRReuD-NMF3_9Urh20Ke4Wk7P9c8mojInLfkdxMrSiNkh45IdeG24dxHYbyWsNwWmsELBLQFMBXOAuCwQLC_14brXwiMBTukV-lmkIKcZ/s1600/patterns.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 284px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyHmS15ggdyiNGgSIWz2DQseX9YHTZS78IHErRReuD-NMF3_9Urh20Ke4Wk7P9c8mojInLfkdxMrSiNkh45IdeG24dxHYbyWsNwWmsELBLQFMBXOAuCwQLC_14brXwiMBTukV-lmkIKcZ/s400/patterns.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693874289208804706" border="0" /></a>If I ever make these again, I'll make the thumbs longer. I hand embroidered the cuff with a cross stitch -- this was born out of necessity as I couldn't fit that much material under my sewing machine foot! Even though they came out much bulkier than I would have liked, there was something very satisfying about creating something useful out of materials that were no longer serving their original purpose - sort of giving it new life. I believe in this day and age it is termed "up-cycling".<br /><br />Christa's mitts:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKA0erJUJ313ibiMKRrMpRizlu9lXFPx4VoWOZ5ruWbv0PsnQO5XVFXPU_x4JBLblHp2y5dEyG-q5lTCGIWB2TaBhkmyipfmZHoaLRrc4GAtcOFkq6-RyjPRdQu7pp-i8WYjMJH24OczWW/s1600/c-mitt.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKA0erJUJ313ibiMKRrMpRizlu9lXFPx4VoWOZ5ruWbv0PsnQO5XVFXPU_x4JBLblHp2y5dEyG-q5lTCGIWB2TaBhkmyipfmZHoaLRrc4GAtcOFkq6-RyjPRdQu7pp-i8WYjMJH24OczWW/s400/c-mitt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693824613465449714" border="0" /></a>Andrew's mitts (match his Johnson wool Jacket):<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJ3Hq6peqOW3-DX4BsUV0sNw_-HNH92Jm1P4ImVgGklGolILLoV01MnHHPRgbwvNsyh-TJu6VjAgXWRgOydse7TEZjLrqO-6BlnbNQuOfy5gyDTTudseARV7Tajxq5xBl-U6M4TieRBO5/s1600/a-mitt.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJ3Hq6peqOW3-DX4BsUV0sNw_-HNH92Jm1P4ImVgGklGolILLoV01MnHHPRgbwvNsyh-TJu6VjAgXWRgOydse7TEZjLrqO-6BlnbNQuOfy5gyDTTudseARV7Tajxq5xBl-U6M4TieRBO5/s400/a-mitt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693824357634397442" border="0" /></a>Jeca's Mitts (covers sewn from lots of thin strips):<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7tZwKakOZ7kNLUmayc7GOyWJJGgWTd9tSnZjE6mHmjiXdZmc5ys7s2kZ8jooNFos1DJC8yHGqsPZtdpHvqAIcYykQ3AYRwvkDJJNF3n7QIhG-6hC9cJmdQ8poqVtMEQrQgDUmwNIZXAG/s1600/j-mitt.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7tZwKakOZ7kNLUmayc7GOyWJJGgWTd9tSnZjE6mHmjiXdZmc5ys7s2kZ8jooNFos1DJC8yHGqsPZtdpHvqAIcYykQ3AYRwvkDJJNF3n7QIhG-6hC9cJmdQ8poqVtMEQrQgDUmwNIZXAG/s400/j-mitt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693824363805875986" border="0" /></a><br />Jeca trying out her mitts (turns out you can use them while walking a dog without too much trouble):<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrXqK7r4sGfX8BEL1Dcw9bfBkY2L9fkk_cIFxgJzkY7waDwFgwxwI1etzswjZXSfczdjmA8oCc3ARLF3DeWeZPg-yVWqbqPWUHPPX8HrtQZG_4efDvTPBvwB5QAlOcL2XKAA3MiH6LqieJ/s1600/jeca.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrXqK7r4sGfX8BEL1Dcw9bfBkY2L9fkk_cIFxgJzkY7waDwFgwxwI1etzswjZXSfczdjmA8oCc3ARLF3DeWeZPg-yVWqbqPWUHPPX8HrtQZG_4efDvTPBvwB5QAlOcL2XKAA3MiH6LqieJ/s400/jeca.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693824612614103970" border="0" /></a><br />I made a gray and red pair for my Mom that I didn't get a photo of before wrapping them up.<br /><br />Speaking of my Mom, she got some hand made birthday presents (this year we celebrated her birthday, New Years, and Christmas all on the same day, as I was away at in-laws for Christmas). I knit this hat almost entirely while in Illinois visiting the in-laws. I took advantage of the time Henry had playing with cousins and aunts and uncle and grandparents to crank out a knitting project I'd been trying to get to since the summer! This block hat pattern was designed by a very talented local knitter named Marci Harding. I love this pattern and have knit it many many times.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1epXWMFBWcXMN3g4Jgy5BlPOPIbmwi9dMe4H5EOE533XvbJ_oWh85g9fIiMfqo0h44II4RvGWx43PazaWPHqSXMHswquQ_49dZV4_aWrGc7Gph6LlVn7ajpSeyvOQtWINT-PzabnNhyphenhyphenIi/s1600/momhat3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1epXWMFBWcXMN3g4Jgy5BlPOPIbmwi9dMe4H5EOE533XvbJ_oWh85g9fIiMfqo0h44II4RvGWx43PazaWPHqSXMHswquQ_49dZV4_aWrGc7Gph6LlVn7ajpSeyvOQtWINT-PzabnNhyphenhyphenIi/s400/momhat3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693824636328591426" border="0" /></a>Mom trying it out on a New Years Eve walk:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz94FClVPA-FXyF6Kbw9SgQ0n0oavO4mQ39SLH7fT8pB9eyWYlAG2VJd073N-uz72iROXhqm7Vnw1-PpWoEi_5sYC83fKJQS2X0o_LPMBUTYX-JA-K1KU2NSb6-TCWTymyd29eFWdQy05U/s1600/momhat1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz94FClVPA-FXyF6Kbw9SgQ0n0oavO4mQ39SLH7fT8pB9eyWYlAG2VJd073N-uz72iROXhqm7Vnw1-PpWoEi_5sYC83fKJQS2X0o_LPMBUTYX-JA-K1KU2NSb6-TCWTymyd29eFWdQy05U/s400/momhat1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693824619161957202" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_m4Ll7p1TjFQTOBY9xIAdYOc_nm0Okfubd-v6uGeFzTwrIRUsUoS9VWmN-sI3Q1JGc_IgaDODz-zG5z-8hTgKr4sLLtJV6UPEyZjakjRO1VwYQNiCjiUci8undSpzT-12NTyIOUyucgQO/s1600/momhat2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_m4Ll7p1TjFQTOBY9xIAdYOc_nm0Okfubd-v6uGeFzTwrIRUsUoS9VWmN-sI3Q1JGc_IgaDODz-zG5z-8hTgKr4sLLtJV6UPEyZjakjRO1VwYQNiCjiUci8undSpzT-12NTyIOUyucgQO/s400/momhat2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693824629509620978" border="0" /></a><br />Mom and Jeca were a little apprehensive about appearing in my blog, but I assured them that I was pretty sure that cousins Julie and Laura were the only people that actually read it (thanks, guys!)<br /><br />I also gave my mom a Gyotaku shibori shirt for her birthday that I had printed and dyed earlier in the fall (at the same time I made a shirt for my sister Christa's birthday).<br /><br />Front:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURZkzXJISvqbLrD2C3OUZtmjhUHymvZKyWhaohglCRA9gY32pNDs2bavyHFw5Xhu7iSR5HimjEowqpwHD2k48VMaFr5gLm_0jzl-NotPft3vaaRq1HNVlghYVqqs7SwY1Fvolul1jrRHw/s1600/momshirt1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURZkzXJISvqbLrD2C3OUZtmjhUHymvZKyWhaohglCRA9gY32pNDs2bavyHFw5Xhu7iSR5HimjEowqpwHD2k48VMaFr5gLm_0jzl-NotPft3vaaRq1HNVlghYVqqs7SwY1Fvolul1jrRHw/s400/momshirt1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693824764839858978" border="0" /></a><br />Back:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIl754fBtUi6ygw5ifl23cFGD_kI72keuH1-ps_1-_NmLNJ-rE5ARtods4IZjG2e-qEVNClZbDyfLsPvz687RNhErNXUsdh-Mobwlb2jh3GBk6RBgIE-JPLHk0Mr-aI3K1KJxAbB_WiXHV/s1600/momshirt2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIl754fBtUi6ygw5ifl23cFGD_kI72keuH1-ps_1-_NmLNJ-rE5ARtods4IZjG2e-qEVNClZbDyfLsPvz687RNhErNXUsdh-Mobwlb2jh3GBk6RBgIE-JPLHk0Mr-aI3K1KJxAbB_WiXHV/s400/momshirt2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693824766201996290" border="0" /></a><br />It's always a good feeling to give something hand-made, and it's sort of a double gift. A gift to me as I enjoy the creative process of making something with my own hands and imagination, and a gift to the receiver of the object, as well a little piece of my soul.Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-67482442738514616942011-11-26T15:08:00.009-05:002011-11-26T15:26:37.775-05:00Commissioned Gyotaku Batik Napkins<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTRPyiVC2ywu8j5NxxrydadMDIzVekFbOFsNx9uehDLSqUtCA7Xk8zzE3ksi0KakczZeAKs4Y5kDPhDQ7JjCKgSM8mJ_Q9CFF35mXEsBC6NTCIzVZ7H7I8MEdhI-mWuoF7R8qezu7pipLN/s1600/perch-zoom.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTRPyiVC2ywu8j5NxxrydadMDIzVekFbOFsNx9uehDLSqUtCA7Xk8zzE3ksi0KakczZeAKs4Y5kDPhDQ7JjCKgSM8mJ_Q9CFF35mXEsBC6NTCIzVZ7H7I8MEdhI-mWuoF7R8qezu7pipLN/s400/perch-zoom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5679399803473925298" border="0" /></a>I made this set of eight napkins for a friend on commission. They will be headed to New Zealand as a gift!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1NBpvjlw3EDYTKivGae3SElu-ItmGfZUVJ-GRx_UNtlvK44IQJt11uJO8auy8_0vMgpIG17w8-vzwnd5z_xAWJU_yF_uL7nJMzfzABUe_eGEOxXNoiqTEZwrrtM6M0JnrVK2W-CnPISh1/s1600/napkins-8.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1NBpvjlw3EDYTKivGae3SElu-ItmGfZUVJ-GRx_UNtlvK44IQJt11uJO8auy8_0vMgpIG17w8-vzwnd5z_xAWJU_yF_uL7nJMzfzABUe_eGEOxXNoiqTEZwrrtM6M0JnrVK2W-CnPISh1/s400/napkins-8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5679399658493412930" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM9TcWiJrasNBR0kFmL9x3wQ9vO9USs_L9-cmY10HbHWW_f0XHgUscAWF65b1xrhTiSmV5CcWgXDvQojcG-_pUOBzQey1YtAyCzw4z1G9VWA0V1guwKUcHPy3NoM1CSKcrvHX3_UpnZ2L_/s1600/napkinPackaged.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 393px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM9TcWiJrasNBR0kFmL9x3wQ9vO9USs_L9-cmY10HbHWW_f0XHgUscAWF65b1xrhTiSmV5CcWgXDvQojcG-_pUOBzQey1YtAyCzw4z1G9VWA0V1guwKUcHPy3NoM1CSKcrvHX3_UpnZ2L_/s400/napkinPackaged.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5679399397405802546" border="0" /></a>To make them, I sewed the squares of muslin to finish the edges, then hand-printed them with yellow perch. First I dyed the fabric yellow, then waxed out the fish etc. with soy wax. Next, I dyed the fabric Aqua-Marine, but because of the underlying yellow, it came out more of a spring green color. I removed the wax by ironing it out into newspaper. In the past I have boiled out the wax, which leaves less wax residue behind, but the process is more time intensive and cumbersome, and I was crunched for time. I think when people see something like this, it is hard for them to appreciate just how many steps and how much time it takes to accomplish it.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJMDpyeWLTnU4kNLQDPn70Uf49B8pWBlhZZs5DlMiuQP3fDzmMjdMY5Hcgw5ozelRniQ49RJrTWN8EOMcasEiDsDznRUIvfhCK-NaGx-RcmfXIh0KC3ASBCTW2o0Ihh6gFYVDoiXMXGFQ/s1600/napkin-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 399px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJMDpyeWLTnU4kNLQDPn70Uf49B8pWBlhZZs5DlMiuQP3fDzmMjdMY5Hcgw5ozelRniQ49RJrTWN8EOMcasEiDsDznRUIvfhCK-NaGx-RcmfXIh0KC3ASBCTW2o0Ihh6gFYVDoiXMXGFQ/s400/napkin-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5679399491758042978" border="0" /></a>I also gyotaku-batiked a few handkerchiefs I had printed with a brook-trout. Once I finish the edges, I'll probably post one in <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/millstoneartworks">my Etsy shop</a> and have one for sale in <a href="http://emilegruppegallery.com/">the gallery</a>.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc7L0PIWB-FlrvedXul4aPzRtizON_BCASONcUzYPhPA4AdcZAVhdsDL0LcRMwicJXVODKzdtp_hW-tJj3-uRnYttnt4zu5e0Jvg4LsuivZv5207uJSFOKhR3P8l2BL_1DMm_VOgTdsE7Y/s1600/BrookTrout.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 388px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc7L0PIWB-FlrvedXul4aPzRtizON_BCASONcUzYPhPA4AdcZAVhdsDL0LcRMwicJXVODKzdtp_hW-tJj3-uRnYttnt4zu5e0Jvg4LsuivZv5207uJSFOKhR3P8l2BL_1DMm_VOgTdsE7Y/s400/BrookTrout.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5679399580388284690" border="0" /></a>Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-72400948760606296122011-09-02T20:19:00.016-04:002011-09-02T20:55:06.608-04:00Shibori!<span style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;" class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-aU7ebe7GY-KdOwr-YzGVnbMa0rhG2bUethWCR-FtHnOl2R7V8PG27nEsx0AYgGBoqZp3fxReU_kAuQjiokO19VIlvoTdvwNjkl34U13-iKC4B66CxH9M2x4VLf2JFeRuGu0w6Xl9Rez/s1600/curtain_dye_closeup.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-aU7ebe7GY-KdOwr-YzGVnbMa0rhG2bUethWCR-FtHnOl2R7V8PG27nEsx0AYgGBoqZp3fxReU_kAuQjiokO19VIlvoTdvwNjkl34U13-iKC4B66CxH9M2x4VLf2JFeRuGu0w6Xl9Rez/s400/curtain_dye_closeup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645966390820562658" border="0" /></a>
<br /><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:0 2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --</style></span><span style="font-size:100%;">Lately I’ve been experimenting with a new to me dyeing technique called Shibori.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It has Japanese origins, and in my mind I think of it as fancy tie-dyeing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There are many Shibori techniques involving folding, scrunching, pleating, and stitching of fabric, but I have primarily been experimenting with various stitch techniques.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Essentially, I hand stitch a pattern with needle and thread, then pull on the threads to scrunch it up tight before dyeing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After dyeing, the thread is removed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In the places where the fabric is scrunched tightly, the dye does not penetrate, thus creating a pattern.</span><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br />On a recent visit with my Aunt, she asked me how I got interested in Shibori, and I had to think about it a bit to remember where it first entered my brain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I think I was first introduced to the term from my mother’s childhood friend <a href="http://www.deborah-gregory.com/">Deborah Gregory</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She is an amazing and accomplished fiber artist living near Seattle, and had a show at <a href="http://emilegruppegallery.com/">my mother’s gallery</a> last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She mentioned Shibori to me, and it just sort of stuck in my brain for awhile, waiting to form into a project idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then one random day, I decided that I wanted to try combining Gyotaku fish printing with a dyeing technique that would be “less messy” than batik.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I love the effects created by batik, but I find the process of removing the wax long and intensive and somewhat imperfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I remembered the term Shibori but couldn’t remember exactly what it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After a Google search, I had some ideas and set about experimenting.</span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" class="Apple-style-span" > <style><!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:0 2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} -
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<br />For my first experiment, I tried some stitching techniques on some plain t-shirts. My sister-in-law Jenny was visiting, and happens to be an art teacher, so I thought she might be into doing some Shibori with me. We Shiboried (is this a word?) several shirts together. We used a dye that was supposed to be a color called “warm black” (a black with red undertones), but it actually came out a bluish purple (which I really like). I wondered how much of the chemistry of the water affected the color, as we were dyeing up at my family’s camp on Shadow Lake, and the well water is very sulfurous<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" class="Apple-style-span" >.
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<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> These are photos that Jenny took of some of the shirts we made. This one is my favorite - made by Jenny:</span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" class="Apple-style-span" >
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3zMyBX0elTl6F9EaBKvgLUzQtJrahd6qvOEil0AfcwTsmLzrGxLNgr6HV7hWeXcjsD_uIwIvUGPSzyVuvKaySzPn8g8y5bvszOd8NsrpLdsRyVv3IMekI_jTAXqEwPbBzYl4p7FpXwaj/s1600/jennyshibori1"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3zMyBX0elTl6F9EaBKvgLUzQtJrahd6qvOEil0AfcwTsmLzrGxLNgr6HV7hWeXcjsD_uIwIvUGPSzyVuvKaySzPn8g8y5bvszOd8NsrpLdsRyVv3IMekI_jTAXqEwPbBzYl4p7FpXwaj/s400/jennyshibori1" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645965771268221314" border="0" /></a>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQAiYs76iIVFWEaEFaAfXkOB7jXJ8EIFvBv53b5C4eJDCSIXO0K2r3aBXc3IUBXO5__mXERWYVM8SxGdMIGCWTRz_ZrFBmPsPyn9iMjiF9WSfT1e6FEOBehaZ-nRjGXjSF46ZNrbG3t0T/s1600/jennyshibori2"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQAiYs76iIVFWEaEFaAfXkOB7jXJ8EIFvBv53b5C4eJDCSIXO0K2r3aBXc3IUBXO5__mXERWYVM8SxGdMIGCWTRz_ZrFBmPsPyn9iMjiF9WSfT1e6FEOBehaZ-nRjGXjSF46ZNrbG3t0T/s400/jennyshibori2" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645965923211993634" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizgeh14GHZfQqKSCmZu-ijTZevhslShTCMmmE_TanzQsTeBS4xmYHcY0L3BFX1aNJ7got1F4Jrmkq8PCt6zWwCvsCV_TnMGHDZxSI17QyDjl1fKU94LnlYhNGxddYqqUb0zaIgF0-utV5/s1600/jennyshibori3"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizgeh14GHZfQqKSCmZu-ijTZevhslShTCMmmE_TanzQsTeBS4xmYHcY0L3BFX1aNJ7got1F4Jrmkq8PCt6zWwCvsCV_TnMGHDZxSI17QyDjl1fKU94LnlYhNGxddYqqUb0zaIgF0-utV5/s400/jennyshibori3" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645966074846530274" border="0" /></a>
<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> Beautiful Shadow Lake - a nice place to practice shibori:</span>
<br /><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMN7oVHOxYDLuWBHLBkPpt9rglL_ixNeag35lW2MULKFQy0ojMrdlqylUhLlE39iZQHYiltsn-3IUkOEY3RkODCHlW3YNRtReBBwOCbLTLYBtcj3CELPCHUapQLQg9gRyDRTiv6rr_bghy/s1600/shadowlake.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMN7oVHOxYDLuWBHLBkPpt9rglL_ixNeag35lW2MULKFQy0ojMrdlqylUhLlE39iZQHYiltsn-3IUkOEY3RkODCHlW3YNRtReBBwOCbLTLYBtcj3CELPCHUapQLQg9gRyDRTiv6rr_bghy/s400/shadowlake.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645970505741968370" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" class="Apple-style-span" >
<br />With a better understanding of how the stitches create a pattern, I was ready to undertake my next experiment of combining Shibori with Gyotaku. I started by fish printing on some shirts in black.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I then stitched and scrunched over the fish and a few other random places in-between.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My 6 year old, and very creative, nephew Asa, also stitched a shirt (all by himself, I might add).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We used a navy blue dye that came out less than navy and a brighter blue with a purple undertone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Again, we were up at camp, and I wonder if the chemistry of the water played a part in this or just our technique.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Regardless, I really liked the resulting color.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I think the gyotaku-shibori combo is pretty neat, but the fish are a little more subtle than I intended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I would like to experiment more with some stitching that would leave more white fabric behind the fish, making it stand out a little more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m hoping to have some of these available to sell at the Art and Artisans market later this fall and on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/millstoneartworks">my Etsy site</a>.
<br />
<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> My silly dyeing assistant, Asa:</span>
<br /><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIqexay_1DcdMJs658K9BImppWBolCEUs5V1-3IZ70B6eYpdsgTGiqwkBze0tkR-I4_RUR0Plf-3SD2_YUQTafCBVvLEhZM_SzSL_5gvli7xdxkk-xO1-zo8hJxDvXMYLOdviN5dTXFoh/s1600/asa_dyebucket.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIqexay_1DcdMJs658K9BImppWBolCEUs5V1-3IZ70B6eYpdsgTGiqwkBze0tkR-I4_RUR0Plf-3SD2_YUQTafCBVvLEhZM_SzSL_5gvli7xdxkk-xO1-zo8hJxDvXMYLOdviN5dTXFoh/s400/asa_dyebucket.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645967677179163394" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> Asa and his super cool creation:</span>
<br /><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" class="Apple-style-span" >
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYyTMPeyS4PcqCnC0hu3LAKIc_eyK3ELPDza5Yj-qAXesmO8ErnBHQwr6KFUYwV1NMT64wwerV0V7CPPOEvDJ9KJSYWmUYIJYLUu3XqXTpZOUvE6vtJnP0M5_EuTmij8p3VfWHnQ-_4dW/s1600/asa_shirt2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYyTMPeyS4PcqCnC0hu3LAKIc_eyK3ELPDza5Yj-qAXesmO8ErnBHQwr6KFUYwV1NMT64wwerV0V7CPPOEvDJ9KJSYWmUYIJYLUu3XqXTpZOUvE6vtJnP0M5_EuTmij8p3VfWHnQ-_4dW/s400/asa_shirt2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645967829391555858" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-N0ApEhlL2pCLDA4Zrb1tPZoVh4liqBUlPYmG_DnQUIcHCbxtBSoUAfQm_O-hFOmaiCEM5MTcDxpmFcR2yPgKkZ06rFdj6FxVbm29RiNJ5wK0_FcFoQ8pDNu4cXMqeMhDZApZ3FlYuryt/s1600/asa_shirt.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-N0ApEhlL2pCLDA4Zrb1tPZoVh4liqBUlPYmG_DnQUIcHCbxtBSoUAfQm_O-hFOmaiCEM5MTcDxpmFcR2yPgKkZ06rFdj6FxVbm29RiNJ5wK0_FcFoQ8pDNu4cXMqeMhDZApZ3FlYuryt/s400/asa_shirt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645967752655314610" border="0" /></a>
<br />Some interesting clouds overhead while we were dyeing (might need to blow that picture up a bit to see what I saw as interesting):<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttFEpArCUxm_LVFeFYCqzacEHBa6KZXGeB5vBMmhOu9LcJGynj-B8xs0i45614xKixN1L0XM-UnZezkKSWiV0dFff0P4vQQ6Z7e36NkRbo1HlYZwZ5CdItiloZ67VNu71Pznm_21lTMBk/s1600/clouds.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttFEpArCUxm_LVFeFYCqzacEHBa6KZXGeB5vBMmhOu9LcJGynj-B8xs0i45614xKixN1L0XM-UnZezkKSWiV0dFff0P4vQQ6Z7e36NkRbo1HlYZwZ5CdItiloZ67VNu71Pznm_21lTMBk/s400/clouds.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645968126283962194" border="0" /></a>
<br />Finished shirt -- a birthday present for my sister Jessica! Would like to figure out how to make those fish pop out more.
<br />Front:
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVvb-HGaLQ017DGGNeOdihx_d5B2LYggBMVMNFNId6KvPYF-ZEVEHrJAHIhi_5rL8RbiALjxC5kkFW6K3BplZNdQSTMzkbO2Al7kpAF1T7AzEbKcoqpd303t1J7nTlz0EoejQF2RH6-IAz/s1600/jeca_shirt_front.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 336px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVvb-HGaLQ017DGGNeOdihx_d5B2LYggBMVMNFNId6KvPYF-ZEVEHrJAHIhi_5rL8RbiALjxC5kkFW6K3BplZNdQSTMzkbO2Al7kpAF1T7AzEbKcoqpd303t1J7nTlz0EoejQF2RH6-IAz/s400/jeca_shirt_front.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645969473729267490" border="0" /></a>
<br />Back:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqiSlQSNyK4wYJReE_vgehN55sooy4G3g7y8CKBm0VWC9cCRMXWwAiHY8LhR-epaIhfsdW3WcKgfOAZ5ve3f60hRhitw83Ebcf9dHsiRjQ9BesLRDOn7zoLaeT3wL-OCSz04Su7vppDXro/s1600/jeca_shirt_back.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 348px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqiSlQSNyK4wYJReE_vgehN55sooy4G3g7y8CKBm0VWC9cCRMXWwAiHY8LhR-epaIhfsdW3WcKgfOAZ5ve3f60hRhitw83Ebcf9dHsiRjQ9BesLRDOn7zoLaeT3wL-OCSz04Su7vppDXro/s400/jeca_shirt_back.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645969362719535490" border="0" /></a>
<br />
<br />Some printed shirts ready for more shibori experimenting:
<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7aCp4t1wol-qoCNJjd-JSkNjQwtH5IzpafbyXYmYlbsD2lLfzZpkoVizsZ0EnwW6dQxVPedh-cmmMj0F_y1r682sTp4yfTGSB3lEmK9zDXyGFm1eTEtJqhkgFNP2iQdclhzZrjlKXaSmO/s1600/gyotaku_white_front.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7aCp4t1wol-qoCNJjd-JSkNjQwtH5IzpafbyXYmYlbsD2lLfzZpkoVizsZ0EnwW6dQxVPedh-cmmMj0F_y1r682sTp4yfTGSB3lEmK9zDXyGFm1eTEtJqhkgFNP2iQdclhzZrjlKXaSmO/s400/gyotaku_white_front.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647923613262686386" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6me-aPFc_2KzG-epcCutKBaI4UK3IoS6n6D4yBnTu3JHgyPCEwM-GfFi7cS6Q2QRN43lkZVy6V6BH5rjXlPSiYKsyyHBjnEA7CkTXqtuTU4ZovXCcPgjEpHfIVjtXyhkloAtN8Yr4lErb/s1600/gyotaku_white_back.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 317px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6me-aPFc_2KzG-epcCutKBaI4UK3IoS6n6D4yBnTu3JHgyPCEwM-GfFi7cS6Q2QRN43lkZVy6V6BH5rjXlPSiYKsyyHBjnEA7CkTXqtuTU4ZovXCcPgjEpHfIVjtXyhkloAtN8Yr4lErb/s400/gyotaku_white_back.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647923783566153618" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >
<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIti4uAtREn7Lv9V2Df5AHjtlrw91fy_wGfc3cphq3WNg_6zXqz8Wg5PSQfeTRKLTgzIxOl5-SONR-8kFKOQzEWdtwDm4ofYTbIphspMsxRa8ATNEotVcZ623-T0C5_Uh1Gbk4TEuhCK4/s1600/gyotaku_yellow.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIti4uAtREn7Lv9V2Df5AHjtlrw91fy_wGfc3cphq3WNg_6zXqz8Wg5PSQfeTRKLTgzIxOl5-SONR-8kFKOQzEWdtwDm4ofYTbIphspMsxRa8ATNEotVcZ623-T0C5_Uh1Gbk4TEuhCK4/s400/gyotaku_yellow.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645969261099372834" border="0" /></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIti4uAtREn7Lv9V2Df5AHjtlrw91fy_wGfc3cphq3WNg_6zXqz8Wg5PSQfeTRKLTgzIxOl5-SONR-8kFKOQzEWdtwDm4ofYTbIphspMsxRa8ATNEotVcZ623-T0C5_Uh1Gbk4TEuhCK4/s1600/gyotaku_yellow.jpg"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></a><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" class="Apple-style-span" >For another experiment, I tried just sketching a simple fish design on some old sheets that I was making into curtains for the room at work that I use to pump (a little privacy, please!). First I sketched out the design:
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NnkA3M1ZbTxkOkbrec8n5QW8cxXDIFT1_Jc8rgP-vKY6xVFqrEE7CPOdOs6YtEjRAUK-9pxJEJF7CsK0XIc0u0qiycwAoW1BHhYTyNChteHWtaeYSSMq8ViRHIcKDAnCnjrz8uno8kYV/s1600/curtains_sketch.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NnkA3M1ZbTxkOkbrec8n5QW8cxXDIFT1_Jc8rgP-vKY6xVFqrEE7CPOdOs6YtEjRAUK-9pxJEJF7CsK0XIc0u0qiycwAoW1BHhYTyNChteHWtaeYSSMq8ViRHIcKDAnCnjrz8uno8kYV/s400/curtains_sketch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645966856079605554" border="0" /></a>
<br />Close-up of a fish sketch:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSfMzyFWhJaXtc3K6D7Ca-AqWMaQXyNPKxmUxl5CZrsIGLMO7xmnh4cVry8VsZKJsPuKJx62WOLZIsT4ATUlWT5f_2VIfqjNGvxbdagW84n1w8ckfYBEgKN9hYq7YNuA-zzKD9GN4sK3OD/s1600/curtains_sketch_closeup.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSfMzyFWhJaXtc3K6D7Ca-AqWMaQXyNPKxmUxl5CZrsIGLMO7xmnh4cVry8VsZKJsPuKJx62WOLZIsT4ATUlWT5f_2VIfqjNGvxbdagW84n1w8ckfYBEgKN9hYq7YNuA-zzKD9GN4sK3OD/s400/curtains_sketch_closeup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645966778723108338" border="0" /></a>
<br />Then I stitched along the outline:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinO62mq9w4Kulfcl6eu8NalO9ISo56-iruO8rDNcKGpKaeIGOh78dPlSd3SiE7dw4_h-T6yy3bf2NWd4V5dXO2uPlq_7715q-CBudU5uwTGk5gNzLaHFBDH8xaBVQL-ZLNtP8Ds4SesBAN/s1600/curtains_stitch.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinO62mq9w4Kulfcl6eu8NalO9ISo56-iruO8rDNcKGpKaeIGOh78dPlSd3SiE7dw4_h-T6yy3bf2NWd4V5dXO2uPlq_7715q-CBudU5uwTGk5gNzLaHFBDH8xaBVQL-ZLNtP8Ds4SesBAN/s400/curtains_stitch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645966934914459026" border="0" /></a>
<br />Pulled the strings tight and tied them off:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqIWv_PBKOL-gsk_DT6UjHV1LS4vDw3rnbGL7LVsufUP0iqdzZHsfo0BcfBPGKtzBXkeWHcjGrHao-Ywha5CaLgmk-rbiU1Am3kk3_LGrWLuP_dTj7KyHpbSyAF_3FmWg6njM7HMOCEqJ/s1600/curtains_scrunch.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqIWv_PBKOL-gsk_DT6UjHV1LS4vDw3rnbGL7LVsufUP0iqdzZHsfo0BcfBPGKtzBXkeWHcjGrHao-Ywha5CaLgmk-rbiU1Am3kk3_LGrWLuP_dTj7KyHpbSyAF_3FmWg6njM7HMOCEqJ/s400/curtains_scrunch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645966692132810546" border="0" /></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqIWv_PBKOL-gsk_DT6UjHV1LS4vDw3rnbGL7LVsufUP0iqdzZHsfo0BcfBPGKtzBXkeWHcjGrHao-Ywha5CaLgmk-rbiU1Am3kk3_LGrWLuP_dTj7KyHpbSyAF_3FmWg6njM7HMOCEqJ/s1600/curtains_scrunch.jpg"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></a><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" class="Apple-style-span" >Died the whole thing blue -- and this is what I got. Kind of neat!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0f-kVxrhZxA-XG_w4o-xnwZLebfeXiDPVOTLbxW520avhRTzDctb6IwCAWoZhj6nx_eZERlEPkyF6bf_26YG400NLxmhHe-4kykM7duRJUv0C-MubGIO85hDYDSD8M4Sfm8MYEaFEYj0/s1600/curtain_dye_closeup2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 303px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0f-kVxrhZxA-XG_w4o-xnwZLebfeXiDPVOTLbxW520avhRTzDctb6IwCAWoZhj6nx_eZERlEPkyF6bf_26YG400NLxmhHe-4kykM7duRJUv0C-MubGIO85hDYDSD8M4Sfm8MYEaFEYj0/s400/curtain_dye_closeup2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645966477316388338" border="0" /></a>
<br />An installed curtain:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Qk_apzI5Gp0gUreHF0r1b84Ho0oNQyGnR6l7w1nWcTNvrhyphenhyphenD12ubhPhOnUpIO1_FlFQuck7pPQ76L0kA7w91O3cM9VrIsNL1pgFv2kkTk6rWpdXgIDsLt5VTRl2mfjR8vWoEK9ckk7P8/s1600/curtain_installed.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 345px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Qk_apzI5Gp0gUreHF0r1b84Ho0oNQyGnR6l7w1nWcTNvrhyphenhyphenD12ubhPhOnUpIO1_FlFQuck7pPQ76L0kA7w91O3cM9VrIsNL1pgFv2kkTk6rWpdXgIDsLt5VTRl2mfjR8vWoEK9ckk7P8/s400/curtain_installed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645967042678463810" border="0" /></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Qk_apzI5Gp0gUreHF0r1b84Ho0oNQyGnR6l7w1nWcTNvrhyphenhyphenD12ubhPhOnUpIO1_FlFQuck7pPQ76L0kA7w91O3cM9VrIsNL1pgFv2kkTk6rWpdXgIDsLt5VTRl2mfjR8vWoEK9ckk7P8/s1600/curtain_installed.jpg"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></a><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" class="Apple-style-span" >I also shiboried a few hand-me down onesies that were in good shape, but a little on the grungy side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I think it would be neat to combine shibori with gyotaku and indigo dyeing – a sort of Japanese fiber art trifecta!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There’s something about the Japanese aesthetic that has always appealed to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I really enjoy the simple elegance and neatness of the style – maybe it’s a sort of mental harbor compared to the rest of the craziness in my life!
<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66xM-XE-gJcE_143H__6d22JmgOm9RIGG4GOW1kO9kuD6MN5coa-9_4ZXhWFy179UcjVDyoMT4DrNxt8nDezmYe8z7SWaPL9iiPykvKsMM1MTkoJb37aPi8-BKmF5-IeHEV407eKWhGfy/s1600/henry_onesie_back.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66xM-XE-gJcE_143H__6d22JmgOm9RIGG4GOW1kO9kuD6MN5coa-9_4ZXhWFy179UcjVDyoMT4DrNxt8nDezmYe8z7SWaPL9iiPykvKsMM1MTkoJb37aPi8-BKmF5-IeHEV407eKWhGfy/s400/henry_onesie_back.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647924172734588082" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTS6IX5gX_AJuEbVPYU7oPrJER2US2nqMIEJVnGIDFwnFb8L0TyeKiFAVLDXor3bSQblmIkyc9MgUvt8rTZbf5ycYXDaNpqyZGLAN85u7el_ZeWEumgx_0P-0FJ9LKAkni-UmBUL3H3yW4/s1600/henry_onesie_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTS6IX5gX_AJuEbVPYU7oPrJER2US2nqMIEJVnGIDFwnFb8L0TyeKiFAVLDXor3bSQblmIkyc9MgUvt8rTZbf5ycYXDaNpqyZGLAN85u7el_ZeWEumgx_0P-0FJ9LKAkni-UmBUL3H3yW4/s400/henry_onesie_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647924473218475522" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhsJvv5Tbm9wWgSnb_JnnZRc6gfCV9r1Lvgc6KZfBXj6NdIGRJvE2O9bmrbk79tB1nyCwlGmnRYWPnUlc5670UkUsAuo5LTlqXutGznuXc1dYPNU7i2zpIJtKRXmxO7iFLAdF9rG3NDuO/s1600/onesie4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 284px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhsJvv5Tbm9wWgSnb_JnnZRc6gfCV9r1Lvgc6KZfBXj6NdIGRJvE2O9bmrbk79tB1nyCwlGmnRYWPnUlc5670UkUsAuo5LTlqXutGznuXc1dYPNU7i2zpIJtKRXmxO7iFLAdF9rG3NDuO/s400/onesie4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645970432493005858" border="0" /></a><style><!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:0 2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style>
<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> My adorable shibori model:</span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" class="Apple-style-span" >
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQy9pf5pddaEaxjnc6Cz1FhKMFTZ_cjYEBlbtJDLyXkbnzWHnboMb70B5UVAOql70yp6biq60xmIrpFHORm0ZRkWPxX54zuQ9kFAveVkV6KU0pxomTMn0-eBdHJ1JXXKdrF9JUjiasCBU/s1600/henry_onesie_3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQy9pf5pddaEaxjnc6Cz1FhKMFTZ_cjYEBlbtJDLyXkbnzWHnboMb70B5UVAOql70yp6biq60xmIrpFHORm0ZRkWPxX54zuQ9kFAveVkV6KU0pxomTMn0-eBdHJ1JXXKdrF9JUjiasCBU/s400/henry_onesie_3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645970202848247202" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgny5xd4w0dT6UP_IHwhVc2Z91mliAj4GXMGSO5J_C2hwhD6s-og46LaYZSRRDiT_iF9l8QJw0BprYsnziOEqPSMONcbn6fL9g66xSH1I9XEi7qv4T_pbOzX2te1RKoaYxbs50LUd-TiJ4N/s1600/henry_closeup2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgny5xd4w0dT6UP_IHwhVc2Z91mliAj4GXMGSO5J_C2hwhD6s-og46LaYZSRRDiT_iF9l8QJw0BprYsnziOEqPSMONcbn6fL9g66xSH1I9XEi7qv4T_pbOzX2te1RKoaYxbs50LUd-TiJ4N/s400/henry_closeup2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645969964160992018" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuwCse8x6WZ_YzrYfiIjI9u1oZ6FKpm8E9B_zmotrgChRjkAqvxN9uYQGd_Zg4cmvyXyHHY0v-Xrl76dPqA4sXG_jnDCsM-YpX7tTEgWMtdbcxQt7KKUSf6c6ZLJFomFErPE7mPU7Rx1t/s1600/henry_closeup.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuwCse8x6WZ_YzrYfiIjI9u1oZ6FKpm8E9B_zmotrgChRjkAqvxN9uYQGd_Zg4cmvyXyHHY0v-Xrl76dPqA4sXG_jnDCsM-YpX7tTEgWMtdbcxQt7KKUSf6c6ZLJFomFErPE7mPU7Rx1t/s400/henry_closeup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645969886211140530" border="0" /></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuwCse8x6WZ_YzrYfiIjI9u1oZ6FKpm8E9B_zmotrgChRjkAqvxN9uYQGd_Zg4cmvyXyHHY0v-Xrl76dPqA4sXG_jnDCsM-YpX7tTEgWMtdbcxQt7KKUSf6c6ZLJFomFErPE7mPU7Rx1t/s1600/henry_closeup.jpg"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></a><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" class="Apple-style-span" >
<br /><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:0 2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --></style></span><span style="font-size:100%;">I’ve often found that when I get interested in something, there’s a sort of positive feedback loop that leads me further and further into it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The more I am interested in shibori, the more I seem to bump into it in other places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I recently visited the Rae Harrell Art Gallery in Hinesburg, VT to see a fiber art show called <a href="http://sdavermont.blogspot.com/2011/08/artists-walk-through-event-at-no.html">"No Boundaries in Fiber"</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There are many fascinating pieces on display there and it’s worth a visit if you live in the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One of the artists, on display is <a href="http://www.karenhendersonfiber.com/">Karen Henderson</a> – a weaver/dyer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had randomly come across her website a year or so ago and was amazed at her work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When I saw it in the gallery, I immediately recognized it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Really wonderful and subtle landscape-like patterns and earth tone hues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She gave a short talk about her art and the pieces on display, and turns out one of the techniques she used in one of the pieces was shibori!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Although instead of hand stitching – she had used her sewing machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Now, that gave me some ideas…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I happened to be wearing one of the shibori shirts that Jenny and I had made together, and Karen came up to me later and said “nice shibori!”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Later, my mother-in-law sent me a book on shibori.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Shibori, shibori, shibori.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I like to interpret these types of synergistic events as a sign that I’m on a good creative path.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > </span>
<br /></div>Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-85069504873577516582011-08-17T20:01:00.020-04:002011-08-17T22:17:04.041-04:00Ecological Footprint of a Sweater<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3RwU29F2lUbfXk-32st7KDJynT6nJrvlU69SDFsfUQKwuKy4O7RIM-bYeA2x3uI_fw7t7IGcheCXZMaAyg1nCjBLpXOvwYDK11RNSM5wfwqPbhECgTfrTHdHG0-llp4eu0cjma6d6HG-V/s1600/onthebobbin.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3RwU29F2lUbfXk-32st7KDJynT6nJrvlU69SDFsfUQKwuKy4O7RIM-bYeA2x3uI_fw7t7IGcheCXZMaAyg1nCjBLpXOvwYDK11RNSM5wfwqPbhECgTfrTHdHG0-llp4eu0cjma6d6HG-V/s400/onthebobbin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641983755050860066" border="0" /></a>
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<br />I thought this story was pretty neat - it's about a woman who pledged to only wear handmade clothes derived from materials from within 150 miles of her home in California - her "fibershed":
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<br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/grow-your-own-clothes-the-fibershed-project/?ref=fp_blog_image">http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/grow-your-own-clothes-the-fibershed-project/?ref=fp_blog_image</a>
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<br />Your clothes can say a lot about who you are and what you value. I wonder what we would all look like if we all hand made our clothes? I have to admit, I did wonder if she even made her own underwear and bras...
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<br />Part of what I love about working with wool from my sister's farm is that I can start with a sustainable raw material that an animal has assimilated from the grass growing under my feet, the water that falls and flows through my watershed, and the same air I am breathing -- and end up with a beautiful and functional creation. I think the idea of dressing yourself with materials local to your home builds on the local foods movement, and helps raise awareness about how every choice we make in our lives has a consequence for the planet - a choice as simple as what clothes to put on in the morning.
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<br />Here are a few examples of some garments I have made from raw wool. This is a vest I knit from a Tunis fleece given to me by my friends Ben and Grace at <a href="http://www.tamaracktunis.com/">Tamarack Tunis</a> in Corinth, VT. I started with a raw fleece straight off the sheep. I skirted the fleece to remove undesirable parts, hand washed it in batches using a canning pot, dyed it two shades of blue/green, hand combed it (with combs hand crafted in Bradford, VT, no less), spun it into a tweed yarn, then knit it into a vest. I wore it a few times, but it never fit quite right -- a bit too short. So, I threw it in the washing machine and felted it (technically, I fulled it). Now it is a toddler size and someday my little Henry will wear it (assuming it's the right temperature when he's the right size to fit into it). Here is the vest prior to felting:
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjiKEl6be5oI4P8d9tWQyJRGpI4qJmoXdGhLhLc2oba4Bu4DeRGI3oBbG0IbJxXhZBbC4UWyamE2sufEOKag3CO1GfUndT7rXsp31KgAD5kTrIgg-8mlrhyphenhyphenFBRAt8cTGqv-qSF0c_je1J/s1600/tunis_vest.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjiKEl6be5oI4P8d9tWQyJRGpI4qJmoXdGhLhLc2oba4Bu4DeRGI3oBbG0IbJxXhZBbC4UWyamE2sufEOKag3CO1GfUndT7rXsp31KgAD5kTrIgg-8mlrhyphenhyphenFBRAt8cTGqv-qSF0c_je1J/s400/tunis_vest.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641983962811585378" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRnOpkpw2BzaEC1FSY-4dhqCEru3SGd19d9FKRfJAFq-t7Rw-ejlezOY0j5FKWq68DJSIYiS-7F035P-bHeUG7So2Dy4WwCc89RGS_IvsXIjwO4QtNRjCHnXBI5lgh5fZ26U07oY-8NMb/s1600/tunis_tweed-Yarn2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRnOpkpw2BzaEC1FSY-4dhqCEru3SGd19d9FKRfJAFq-t7Rw-ejlezOY0j5FKWq68DJSIYiS-7F035P-bHeUG7So2Dy4WwCc89RGS_IvsXIjwO4QtNRjCHnXBI5lgh5fZ26U07oY-8NMb/s400/tunis_tweed-Yarn2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641984220943120898" border="0" /></a>
<br />This is a hat I knit from yarn I spun -- also from fleeces given to me by Ben and Grace. You can't see it in the photo, but the inner brim of the hat has a band of alpaca knit into it for softness against the forehead. The alpaca came from the Miller's Safe Haven Alpaca Farm, just a mile from my home. I donated this hat to a silent auction to raise money for our local community center. My neighbor <a href="http://dianneshullenberger.com/">Dianne</a>, who is an extremely talented fiber artist, was the highest bidder.
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYvUwnaEou0laULh_YnJwLkePuRfLRCKJ5cIppTEPbcVPPQPfgJSmAlu8D3HSr9XWfahbpkYZkBPHJIKYu5fc4mRZrhwuT5PjbFvHItWrWBWVlwkXfZyUfECYEm-EeNSz5NWBcWuQdGFF/s1600/blockhat.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYvUwnaEou0laULh_YnJwLkePuRfLRCKJ5cIppTEPbcVPPQPfgJSmAlu8D3HSr9XWfahbpkYZkBPHJIKYu5fc4mRZrhwuT5PjbFvHItWrWBWVlwkXfZyUfECYEm-EeNSz5NWBcWuQdGFF/s400/blockhat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641984440003413698" border="0" /></a>
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<br />This vest - well, this vest was a lot of work. I got the border leicester fleece from a "free" ad in the local newspaper. It was a variegated fleece with grays and browns, some of which I dyed a purpley blue. After hand combing the fiber to prepare it into rolags for spinning, I spun a tweed yarn - one strand blue fiber and one strand natural color. I then knit a humongous vest and then felted it down to about 1/4 of the size in the washing machine. The tweed yarn made a cool mottled effect when felted, and I liked how the natural grays and browns come through a bit. I saved the outer stitches by knitting on a band of acrylic yarn (that won't felt), and after felting, picked the stitches back up and knit a border (the border yarn is commercial bought - not local, but hand spun and dyed by women in Peru, I believe). After that, I needle felted a maple tree on the back. Phew - what a process! I sewed a zipper into it so it could be worn jacket-like. It's one of the warmest pieces of clothing I own.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdC2ekQeqjsvbCkt1vCSYX524jOAin657UvGdk6193fsnottPUS-Gu6KAfGszneBfl7mtm5QSIE6sdEWSmbZttgcfFxBtU3Fi81PbLKIsV_40idk46Hg5ObARdYGHccoyzsqmQk81IMMw/s1600/treevest_back.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdC2ekQeqjsvbCkt1vCSYX524jOAin657UvGdk6193fsnottPUS-Gu6KAfGszneBfl7mtm5QSIE6sdEWSmbZttgcfFxBtU3Fi81PbLKIsV_40idk46Hg5ObARdYGHccoyzsqmQk81IMMw/s400/treevest_back.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641985160391590322" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0K5Vhq-s5lXbT196k_aScIwRaVPR73gu9Mr7VYoBnPeqpXc-M0cbeIVvlsyPzy6u4F5MWqIXKA341-3xDgOSWhITHoKDKcjdBMl3AeEujHSK5nK4KNYlv5NS72AuIp_9Y_DEbmKOZop6C/s1600/treevest_front.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0K5Vhq-s5lXbT196k_aScIwRaVPR73gu9Mr7VYoBnPeqpXc-M0cbeIVvlsyPzy6u4F5MWqIXKA341-3xDgOSWhITHoKDKcjdBMl3AeEujHSK5nK4KNYlv5NS72AuIp_9Y_DEbmKOZop6C/s400/treevest_front.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641985036427082434" border="0" /></a>
<br />Like most good things in life, it's not just the final outcome, but the process that is important. Patience and hard work has its own rewards.
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<br />Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-18531082180890515832011-04-26T18:08:00.015-04:002011-04-26T19:44:36.724-04:00Gyotaku with Horseshoe Crabs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNpKbV5JGNH-G4xdEBOk2JfJcEHFsjqzspaS1yGumPVDHFYxZMJissiLDwW2jBNTXhVh2R9qCGcVtKgQ994YKcxs6vLIKS_wVo0_HkC2WKayKrvRp0M6mxkZE7OKCDNy9hiJBDdpEfZig1/s1600/hsc_zoom.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNpKbV5JGNH-G4xdEBOk2JfJcEHFsjqzspaS1yGumPVDHFYxZMJissiLDwW2jBNTXhVh2R9qCGcVtKgQ994YKcxs6vLIKS_wVo0_HkC2WKayKrvRp0M6mxkZE7OKCDNy9hiJBDdpEfZig1/s400/hsc_zoom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600024372575142290" border="0" /></a>Our latest development with fish printing is substituting a horseshoe crab for the fish! The aquarium where Brian works has a saltwater touch tank that represents the Champlain Sea (way back when Lake Champlain was connected to the Atlantic due to glaciers). It has sea stars, sponges, and horseshoe crabs. When a horseshoe crab went belly up, he brought it home to print. And what do you know, it actually came out pretty neat.<br /><br />Crab painted and ready to print:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyOQ-1BgUA0nNsY7E43M1km3Nqjcb-G9W3kuGqfSb4RRGNyec7GhcdLaTXiBRuEaAXe0zoT694xfYDJY_Ju7vZtu5aO19W4IdHSGQ9qvg_DK6PWLYd6En3gwHm0kLrbKnFGN_Squa7gkdI/s1600/hsc_painted.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyOQ-1BgUA0nNsY7E43M1km3Nqjcb-G9W3kuGqfSb4RRGNyec7GhcdLaTXiBRuEaAXe0zoT694xfYDJY_Ju7vZtu5aO19W4IdHSGQ9qvg_DK6PWLYd6En3gwHm0kLrbKnFGN_Squa7gkdI/s400/hsc_painted.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600024509483774962" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGRTzQuV3SCkTTbxTM20ewFEMCNMQRkFMQOoD2b8uWmme60yQ1bxVA2flJfW0NxDzEOA-eMmX94bsxwOQA_E10fIwvcPDbQRNWrGTL-DdbNSFUqXCwXIszFAeCpGKgQ53_i_zS-tHUPZy/s1600/hsc_paint_texture.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGRTzQuV3SCkTTbxTM20ewFEMCNMQRkFMQOoD2b8uWmme60yQ1bxVA2flJfW0NxDzEOA-eMmX94bsxwOQA_E10fIwvcPDbQRNWrGTL-DdbNSFUqXCwXIszFAeCpGKgQ53_i_zS-tHUPZy/s400/hsc_paint_texture.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600024683234574498" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJ9V9XwdH-VFRccYgVuk7CJmJe3tgbcDE_W7V5vFSzRnQ97vyHm7TbxzxmQAIMJ9bvX8gRQARcmbwkrczXi_WmAHxx4FC0K6mORFPzkWQlSTdOpWolURpKUTa506Ky0RgIR-NQM5hnfK7/s1600/hsc_printed.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJ9V9XwdH-VFRccYgVuk7CJmJe3tgbcDE_W7V5vFSzRnQ97vyHm7TbxzxmQAIMJ9bvX8gRQARcmbwkrczXi_WmAHxx4FC0K6mORFPzkWQlSTdOpWolURpKUTa506Ky0RgIR-NQM5hnfK7/s400/hsc_printed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600024810016685522" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbl2TuJwXSKWTQpBOgdADPzZ8Cbt9YsnK15Ulpbm0qiisJ1l22-RF6lyPrdqHXXzr2375Jmcs_XfqryZ6ak2JHgEfVD9ePYaP0JKflie-CnmeNyTS3GB86dYLJs1OAzgqiI23DaNX59AP/s1600/hsc_printed2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbl2TuJwXSKWTQpBOgdADPzZ8Cbt9YsnK15Ulpbm0qiisJ1l22-RF6lyPrdqHXXzr2375Jmcs_XfqryZ6ak2JHgEfVD9ePYaP0JKflie-CnmeNyTS3GB86dYLJs1OAzgqiI23DaNX59AP/s400/hsc_printed2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600024952315784802" border="0" /></a><br /><br />He printed the top of the crab on the front of some t-shirts, and the bottom of the crab on the backs. You can find some examples for sale on our <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/millstoneartworks">Etsy site</a> or at the <a href="http://emilegruppegallery.com/">Emile A. Gruppe Gallery</a> in Jericho, Vermont!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1GTaT0-A_2qj__Qmh8fY_gTHdHoNjDo5_2JITn9gqNuD9RwpOYkZo4Im7t-5cfxvdHhnOG1_TbQVYgLFLoyk0ljlQ-0SZo-VOZRKZaBpjiENG6g58hFvd9ro2ArH6kOQz8iLnPDDrSPv/s1600/hsc_t_front_zoom.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 162px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1GTaT0-A_2qj__Qmh8fY_gTHdHoNjDo5_2JITn9gqNuD9RwpOYkZo4Im7t-5cfxvdHhnOG1_TbQVYgLFLoyk0ljlQ-0SZo-VOZRKZaBpjiENG6g58hFvd9ro2ArH6kOQz8iLnPDDrSPv/s200/hsc_t_front_zoom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600039838707731890" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8u48aKMUTMefOXh8qh4f4ejIY_a0w4RtKdagHZmQv3uK3ue7jv54SHRw94iZqjq1b1QQ2yDFpifgD3iKoRATrNoYj1ZZrZW4g_rzmRpnYwGbNRg-MbSpW50qE1I9qtE8bWqebdrws1xCz/s1600/hsc_t_front.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 166px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8u48aKMUTMefOXh8qh4f4ejIY_a0w4RtKdagHZmQv3uK3ue7jv54SHRw94iZqjq1b1QQ2yDFpifgD3iKoRATrNoYj1ZZrZW4g_rzmRpnYwGbNRg-MbSpW50qE1I9qtE8bWqebdrws1xCz/s200/hsc_t_front.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600039685495398050" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rPcl-CujPM9UixXIMxs3FExZAXPV3cw2T-AnGRjX1h5uR4AxutwSNqzBiCatZi5LKNV6KBi-qeapiGPYZkILCypy_XTThord2NniRuXsQ_HxtBBF1wtbcp4SQyL9dzX2mh8gz53FmJIQ/s1600/hsc_t_back.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 158px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rPcl-CujPM9UixXIMxs3FExZAXPV3cw2T-AnGRjX1h5uR4AxutwSNqzBiCatZi5LKNV6KBi-qeapiGPYZkILCypy_XTThord2NniRuXsQ_HxtBBF1wtbcp4SQyL9dzX2mh8gz53FmJIQ/s200/hsc_t_back.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600039954811352946" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKpJ4ljIMwCTC5RDbAmZCcMOQaGQuZQaSnRZpaozVLECuz8wl4JqezDRbWbzceYSLsRganZ5HWx2OCCpJc4RymTepTAr9EXPdR_eDmYa6LoB4zEP8izq_PzvtK8SCpzE3rMn8LybvawRI/s1600/hsc_t_back_zoom.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 175px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKpJ4ljIMwCTC5RDbAmZCcMOQaGQuZQaSnRZpaozVLECuz8wl4JqezDRbWbzceYSLsRganZ5HWx2OCCpJc4RymTepTAr9EXPdR_eDmYa6LoB4zEP8izq_PzvtK8SCpzE3rMn8LybvawRI/s200/hsc_t_back_zoom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600040155964585666" border="0" /></a>Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-42437109746819634102011-03-02T12:13:00.007-05:002011-03-02T12:27:55.492-05:00Our Latest Masterpiece<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1WZL_cDOV_MJg7VzoJ2hkfCu-dcmz9Vr2y9-Ub0YKhkZaS86YOko8Y74p6CdLyAWkS2cQVAamTvhOxYQqdJMwJ7AJfwrBGR6z4_Cy7yULsqlYFYDVAwfyFLMrepXAslvNAV1mfhuXInrU/s1600/DSCF3883.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1WZL_cDOV_MJg7VzoJ2hkfCu-dcmz9Vr2y9-Ub0YKhkZaS86YOko8Y74p6CdLyAWkS2cQVAamTvhOxYQqdJMwJ7AJfwrBGR6z4_Cy7yULsqlYFYDVAwfyFLMrepXAslvNAV1mfhuXInrU/s400/DSCF3883.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579534041296348194" border="0" /></a>Been quite a while since I posted to this blog, but my excuse is that over the past several months I've been working on one of my finest creative collaborations yet. And finally he arrived in our world a little over two weeks ago. Say hello to Henry!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbH7LDmcpYdI2_S1J5fF9oLlu9zOKnJRZhoUEpupWYsnJCkvkqwRX9wYM8aShjLWtRzgOwskcMnw6kcB-XQaSH2_PylE5u176MatKU-tqy6GGHLo1bOvcA1n_7s6oF3S4x9d31ko0FYE5/s1600/DSCF3853.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbH7LDmcpYdI2_S1J5fF9oLlu9zOKnJRZhoUEpupWYsnJCkvkqwRX9wYM8aShjLWtRzgOwskcMnw6kcB-XQaSH2_PylE5u176MatKU-tqy6GGHLo1bOvcA1n_7s6oF3S4x9d31ko0FYE5/s400/DSCF3853.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579533123604172338" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkStTbSXu4dXc0AjYJjF9UO7HagtqOfv8r9w6jNs6DGU_ePj3BiXeuaeDuodnLgoyhVGDDxHJQg9goTGanP_cLxlV7tZwXaMTRTvfyjXnhFdgFUI7_Yq2VzvUGurGjD71o38sGaGMP7eC/s1600/DSCF3887.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkStTbSXu4dXc0AjYJjF9UO7HagtqOfv8r9w6jNs6DGU_ePj3BiXeuaeDuodnLgoyhVGDDxHJQg9goTGanP_cLxlV7tZwXaMTRTvfyjXnhFdgFUI7_Yq2VzvUGurGjD71o38sGaGMP7eC/s400/DSCF3887.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579534637731076530" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_uoiPefEori9WifO-aQZYKSKN529NRzeGdHed0jM-5_d-Bd7bRha9CM0CAGFP-jCUNOAw-Apaly3WEN3tm15HXzM1sR3e2xk0fWcc_WvvqNV-CQZRobmBg1bY1G4nWUJOr19dNJjoxsZ/s1600/DSCF3879.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_uoiPefEori9WifO-aQZYKSKN529NRzeGdHed0jM-5_d-Bd7bRha9CM0CAGFP-jCUNOAw-Apaly3WEN3tm15HXzM1sR3e2xk0fWcc_WvvqNV-CQZRobmBg1bY1G4nWUJOr19dNJjoxsZ/s400/DSCF3879.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579533691792155362" border="0" /></a>Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-16833851195245581802010-08-29T11:24:00.021-04:002010-08-29T12:11:33.313-04:00Felt Footstool -- Finally Complete!!<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0xcmYiY5nI2uCMBjX9X5XqeAAtIYgvUZSu2C-4YXZO9yW83sgTktjmxdBFn5neFSXUhxvXAP8F0S_BXqgujr4zdYSSj3f6HwmHgg4h8QZgv50clUXBoYbrd0ev8i7iT9WFe9te0cqZXg/s1600/squarebrownstool.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7WwvT4JGcpT0sMSH9Sm7Rm12XjB_leHnwAOiSBnCTvlupmZgFzDztO6UFr0jCB3s_RB8rWYEJt8du4N61aB7U_ylhs0LmchIGDJA5VyZfVevE1bBhXydhkt4BORHFQddtEDZTfT593Cc/s1600/completedstool.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7WwvT4JGcpT0sMSH9Sm7Rm12XjB_leHnwAOiSBnCTvlupmZgFzDztO6UFr0jCB3s_RB8rWYEJt8du4N61aB7U_ylhs0LmchIGDJA5VyZfVevE1bBhXydhkt4BORHFQddtEDZTfT593Cc/s400/completedstool.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510854033691845922" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2BLxij7aoGpLc7pHrw18cJTqyy3ymuC_6sNnwjoS9sTpZfIHR44phtf3b5oUmMXHnVL90x4hR97TsMKfIkBjtpd00dDfT-KgTEL6XsbwyJtueyyHRodOcj6ANFt8H4Hb-zWNbxTeVVEs/s1600/roundwhiteball.jpg"></a><div>A while back, my friend Ben showed me some giant felt rocks that he saw on the internet. Immediately, I said to myself, "I want to make something enormous out of felt". And finally, I have. Back in February, I started needle felting a ball -- just sort of casually while watching the Winter Olympics. A few months later, it had become a rather large ball. That little nob sticking out of the ball in the picture below is the handle of my 10 needle felting tool -- very handy when felting something this large.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2BLxij7aoGpLc7pHrw18cJTqyy3ymuC_6sNnwjoS9sTpZfIHR44phtf3b5oUmMXHnVL90x4hR97TsMKfIkBjtpd00dDfT-KgTEL6XsbwyJtueyyHRodOcj6ANFt8H4Hb-zWNbxTeVVEs/s1600/roundwhiteball.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2BLxij7aoGpLc7pHrw18cJTqyy3ymuC_6sNnwjoS9sTpZfIHR44phtf3b5oUmMXHnVL90x4hR97TsMKfIkBjtpd00dDfT-KgTEL6XsbwyJtueyyHRodOcj6ANFt8H4Hb-zWNbxTeVVEs/s400/roundwhiteball.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510853265812257634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div>My intent from the beginning was to create a footstool out of solid felt. After getting the ball to the rough size that I wanted, I started to shape it into a cube. At this point, I had run out of undyed raw fiber, so I switched to some brown that I had around:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0xcmYiY5nI2uCMBjX9X5XqeAAtIYgvUZSu2C-4YXZO9yW83sgTktjmxdBFn5neFSXUhxvXAP8F0S_BXqgujr4zdYSSj3f6HwmHgg4h8QZgv50clUXBoYbrd0ev8i7iT9WFe9te0cqZXg/s400/squarebrownstool.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510855172954927074" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 370px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Next, I carded some various blues together that I had hand dyed, and started covering the surface. I wanted a mottled, watery effect:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7b8miqb6GIdbD0uKy8au51fqZeVZBeQ-c6sMb9JHdMZ_QL2NT9PWANfxBowSLxzRWW050f_T-M1diNIbEX4OcJtQXQDWkimLTqyK63eaFp2RpAs-PXN8ooeQ2YSP5jvjTcK8lhikFaSVX/s400/bluesquare-process2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510857384392617010" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 394px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Next, I needed to decide what sort of surface decoration I wanted to do. I was pretty set on an aquatic theme, and started out with some wavy green lines based on a sketch I had made previously:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSVne_593VuPAF5MFABrh5biTBMzFMYfW-T2_YAfdNjNslQBUt5sbsrH5e8S9cUfOuTtyMLHnkdQJR4jjSkFNemIXAiMd5sxjGNoDftN-16Njc74F-eFakhNFIZYoaYR7Y1jkapQi_xDZ/s400/flow.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510856164995854530" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 387px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXus18Fhww12uDxm50P-zgHgvH9v7Ac_EzTgFdzzyPNQZNdGlYaeunyasBU6YxSt2T7h2X-3YNbQkFXxgi4eMzj6dzyMUnVh058Xpvy1LlzTwqJgADQncBp0z_yN1Zqty_IIMV8VRcZbA/s400/bluesquare-process.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510856443814769650" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 392px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">The little pink thing sticking out of the stool is a finer needle felting tool that I like to use for detail work. Needle felting is a very slow process -- you literally interlock the scales on the fiber together by pushing a small barbed needle into the fiber. The more times you insert the needle, the firmer the felt becomes. In the photo above, you can see where I have been felting in the center of the stool, but the fiber is still puffy towards the outside where I haven't worked as much.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">I really liked the green wavy lines by themselves, but decided to add some fish for more visual interest. At first I wanted to choose a "real fish" - that is, mimic the body shape and color pattern of an actual fish, preferably one native to Vermont. But I really wanted the fish to be bright and simple, so against my scientific judgement, opted for minnow shaped orange and yellow fish. I didn't want the stool to have only one correct orientation, as I imagined in practical use the stool might get tumbled around the living room floor, so opted to lay out the fish in circular patterns around two of the corners of the stool. This way, in any given orientation, some fish are right side up and some fish are upside down.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4W4gARZO7xB0WlOUSHm4adKNlM701d8qvZF7Flumz-e5PW9QV2aFvamUXhWMpaoTILrvcFVljRORAeG0PYJLyJdlUwJi0Z5IjbsZaAGNXkZmQTL-skFEjQKoIQTKQnTKZthyphenhyphenin_QAHo_/s400/completedstool4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510859574432996482" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUF-1-BpFXsF9OZDVg_p6oceUKun2ASjcHlPLuljmM6P23l6vd1pec7Faq41Yb9d0GKkRvH7xlHEErYtfMWCjwoSFmBLHIq_d4L7fR4kvHgYGq5LjbVH2f5gAUA2Qv2u-Ve3gsYzpbZ8RA/s400/completedstool2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510859108772626802" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span><div>Some more close-ups of detail:</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0eV5eUkOKUF2rWmnFcpjWrC1DhUsWcKdwn5p1Nj-yc_DqbZoBieSpE407gJd-JgLNb4OzN0FSxMyN3mMqrX3vNHrskLGi0t393Wg6WSriSguRcr3aHN_WSRVXl2Z5algBs7uISW561z_/s400/completedstool3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510860044813980482" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0YpfX5J0Ah8_BgFrcxO_HWYBM1h56Ep2qmFRA6rcoPjWOH3684mRg8CShAsECZH2OChuIsfGXyzbpRyWFK1WqgorLqDlxmPqhotB5QuUlYjD-1KhpjKKwvLPL-F-7gp3wQDJLJiWeCUBW/s400/completedstoolcloseup.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510860483943861762" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3J8WJS1vyUjGvP3juPVlvPwNUDntmI1gUscI7gJ02OwHWT0DAg6emioH3Dbx-c-wdi8S7D0VhidN6i6QyDy3l8rimsr2PCLZvFWQPqxkArduMYhvDWkaaKcmvsEqJJzUxNH6Gn_UA7OVd/s400/completedstoolcloseup2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510860698133875410" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Here's a shot with Willie in the background for size reference (keep in mind Willie is large 80+ lb dog). The total weight of the stool is 11.5 pounds of solid felt. This is more than 2 sheeps worth of fiber!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3IFIugWjJ_To7Kln0cWVG7s7M0nhvld325KxQD_oWSdm0RVZJuER1SkxyrJ12PdgX2Pu4-dSPmkg9eMIax6Avp6SXVxv1CECiNQUATXEE33RnL9CstKvdex8jdGWtYsUcxgWUkv4LM6X/s400/willieandstool.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510861445281565058" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 274px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Couldn't resist including some shots of the Calendula growing in my veggie garden -- just begging to be photographed in the morning sun and dew. These may become muses for a future fiber project.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1yjdDYmjZx4paoN84xuufEq8cMBKnMdKJH766aVYKzw2Pm7UdSnFCytUHEtzbaniCy1L2i2mc9Nn7ZitKpHLKeN-ZnGfkUN5NAIUl_glz-jt8YuV9aRmLYI3XvWnZk5hvVEgWbI4uXjb/s400/calendula1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510862109456201874" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittFRUI4Zmr6VpBw2kzGC76RUQxjgvwiXzvBk9Fx1eyNjhDRelEvKc49mta_nYOEWmuUiKS_Xyi4VyGdfewnk9UjBzH1rILamYoFUszcTsMqK8x_6F32bPK_DbPZF1g8XsHQ9ApLnffNu3/s400/calendula2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510862291459600018" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 351px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div>Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865501895978758785.post-5475119340778135302010-07-17T10:41:00.004-04:002010-07-17T10:52:54.245-04:00Felt Fish<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CGugB2crN54p8COteXfSqIMVmPZiMZ0sqosWwZdejdCjUKZwytSmCg8CKWip-zJuOtCVWXdHC3qp63htZvkeXlik6gpbzUoloWe9KV-F2bdfco2KnyRK2GJ6f5O315uCksNHQ8yeZ7jq/s1600/felt_fish.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 373px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494885635551718978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CGugB2crN54p8COteXfSqIMVmPZiMZ0sqosWwZdejdCjUKZwytSmCg8CKWip-zJuOtCVWXdHC3qp63htZvkeXlik6gpbzUoloWe9KV-F2bdfco2KnyRK2GJ6f5O315uCksNHQ8yeZ7jq/s400/felt_fish.JPG" /></a> It's been so hot lately, I haven't been working with wool much. But here's a little felt pin cushion I made the other day. I'm selling these at the <a href="http://emilegruppegallery.com/home.html">Emile Gruppe Gallery</a>, as well as the <a href="http://www.local-farmers-markets.com/market/4665/jericho-mills/riverside-farmers-market">Jericho Farmers Market </a>(at Mills Riverside Park from 3-6:30 pm every Thursday this summer). Stop by our booth and say hi to Brian! I've almost fisnished a solid felt foot stool with similar color pallete and fish theme as this pin cushion - over 10 pounds of solid felt! Hope to have some pictures posted of that soon.<br /><div></div>Millstone Artworkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13570946655628501407noreply@blogger.com0