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Archive for the ‘shibori’ Category

Do or Dye

Monday, April 5th, 2010

Well, I did both. I presided over a marathon and extremely productive guild board meeting. This afternoon, I did a base dyeing on 4 scarves with watered down Colorhue dyes. Tonight, I added the shibori effects. This one was folded and dipped in black.

This one was folded and dipped in black, but I obviously was not as precise with my folding!!

The other two were pole wrapped and squirted with dye. Click on the photo and you can see the detail a bit better.

I had an epiphany this afternoon while watching the Dr. Oz show. It was about the DNA diet.

A now famous study conducted at Stanford University looked at the long-term effects of weight loss using a few different diets assigned at random. Results showed that some participants lost weight on one type of diet, such as low-fat, while others did not. The study then tested participants’ DNA for 3 specific gene variations and found that those using the best diet for their DNA lost as much as 2 ½ times more weight than those not using their best DNA diet.

Dr. Oz explained the 3 different diets and the profiles that fit with each. I now know why I could not lose weight on Weight Watchers. I fit the profile for a low carb diet. The only other times in  my life when I have lost weight and kept it off were low carb diets. I am going to give the low carb diet a try. It means weaning myself off the grains that I love so much. I can only have them in moderate amounts. I think I can do this. But, first, I have to finish me See’s Candy Divinity Fudge Egg. I am having a slice a day. One more to go.

Winter Night

Monday, March 1st, 2010

The Twelve X Twelve theme selected by Francoise was Blue/White and a Bit of Black. I just had to dip into my indigo scraps and do up one of my indigo moon landscapes. I used lots of scraps which I fused together with raw and frayed edges showing. Here are some detail shots.

I used a piece of silk with shadowy indigo coloration for the snow. I cut strips of silk indigo shibori for the shadows of the fence posts.

This piece looked very different at one point. I had quilted it and thought it was done. It wasn’t.

This photo was taken before I screwed up the fence with some terrible quilting. It was an ok piece before then, but after the quilting it was a dog. I went at it with sharp implements and pulled off the fence.

I then added the printed indigo fabrics which were given to me by Kristin and made the fence look more like a fence. I couldn’t remove the shadows so I ended up making a wonky split rail fence that works much better.

If you haven’t done so yet, go over to Twelve X Twelve to see the other great pieces.

Fussing and Fusing

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

I finished putting all the pieces on the design wall today. I kept standing back and checking  how my eyes moved around the piece and then I would rearrange or change a fabric. I love the colors in this. It makes me happy to work on this during this dreary month of February.

I took a photo and changed it to gray scale to check the values. Looks pretty good.

So, I carefully pulled it off the design wall and placed it on my ironing table and started fusing it. I dropped  my Panasonic iron  too many times and it has died. So, I was only able to tack the pieces with my sealing iron.

Tomorrow, I am heading down to Trinity early in the morning for a nuno felting class. So more fusing will have to wait until tomorrow afternoon.

I am feeling much better today. I had trouble getting out of bed, but I got dressed in leaving the house clothes instead of my sweats. I was talking to my wise daughter on the phone about how punky I was feeling. She reminded me that every one in Portland feels that way in February!! So I got out early and did food shopping for the rest of the week. I took a walk with Scooter and Mr C. And, then, I enjoyed a great afternoon in the studio.

Still Going In Shibori Circles

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

I have made some progress on this piece. I also made a mess in my studio, auditioning my hand-dyed fabrics for the background. Everything is pinned on the design wall so it is still very much a work in progress. I think it will be a fun piece and the quilting should go very quickly on this as I will do simple lines.

I spent a lot of time today moping around, not feeling very good. I am dealing with the clogged sinuses and vertigo. I also think I am having some problems related to a change in my thyroid medication. I have taken dessicated natural thyroid for years and the lab that made it can no longer get the stuff and has changed the formula. It is a big deal for those of us who found relief from the natural type. I can barely get out of bed in the morning and I am freezing cold all the time even with layers of clothes. I took a nice long walk with Scooter in the sun today, which made me feel better.

While moping, I got a quite a bit of hand stitching done on the silk circles. I am really loving that piece.

I bought some black fabric at Walmart (ugh) the other day. It discharged with chlorine to this very lovely color. I have to try it with thiox, now.

A Pause to Recoup

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

Yesterday, I awoke feeling rather crappy. I felt I was coming down with a bad cold so I took it very easy and drank tea and zinc lozenges. I awoke this morning with a bit of a sore throat, but as the day progressed, I felt better. I even did a short walk with Mr C and Scooter before the weather turned really awful.

Tonight, I was able to tack the pieces to the batting so that I could get it up on the design wall for a good critique. I can see areas that I need to reorganize or change, but overall, it is looking pretty good. I am so glad I did this smaller piece first because I have learned a lot about how to manage the layout.

I was not happy with the shibori that I had used. It was organza and was not fusing well. So, tonight, I used my color hue dyes and whipped up a few more pieces.

These are all small pieces of habotai silk.I love the last piece – whee!! I’m thinking I might add a few more shibori pieces.

I had a lot of clerical/computer work to do again today. I got all of my images for the book burned to a cd and sent off to Lark. I also had a big SDA job to do. I have been gathering images of my vintage Japanese fabric quilts to send to Judy Mathieson who is doing a talk about the use of Japanese fabrics in quilts. I have done quite a few.

STASH is tomorrow at Terry’s house. I am looking forward to some girl talk.