BOTANICAL WEAVING

Way back in the 50's and 60's, weaving with weeds and sticks was very popular. Of course, I had to give it a try. Below is the weed weaving I created in 1961 while I was a student at Rhode Island School of Design. I had someone help construct a real frame loom, and then I used phragmites (those fluffy top reeds that grow in profusion on the East Coast) . I gave this piece to my mother, who kept in hanging in her apartment. Imagine my amazement when I discovered how wonderful the hanging looked 52 years later.

The hanging looks good hanging either horizontal or vertical and the dimensions are 25"x 48"



 I thought I would create some small botanical weavings for the holidays---using dried grasses and flowers mostly from The Garden of One Thousand Buddhas. I am using jute for my  6" wide warp  with dried lavender, lily pods, willow, and I'm not sure what other things are called.

          I just love all the subtle color changes. It is refreshing after all the color I usually work with.
                               
                                        

 Below is catmint and mullen combined with willow and ornamental grasses.
 

These little beauties are so much and easy to make that they make good projects to teach beginners as well as making charming gifts. The assortment below can be seen (and purchased) at Meadowsweet Herbs in Missoula, Montana

The other interesting aspect of Botanical Weaving is that gardeners can supply their own material from their gardens as a way to remember some of their special plants. Some plants can be woven in bloom and then dried in the weaving. (so you watch the weaving change over time). Those brown balls are the seed heads of bee-balm, one of my favorites. And there is no rule that says you can't combine a little leftover ikat yarn in the weft.

SILK BROOCHES

 From my large stash of ikat dyed silk yarn (some dating back to the early 80's when I first started making the brooches), I meticulously wrap and wrap and wrap. It takes me approximately 20 minutes to wrap each individual unit.  I use archival black core matte board and have my framer cut the board into an assortment of small shapes.

 
Once the wrapping is complete, I assemble the piece by gluing to a matte board backing and attaching a pin back.

 I can't tell you how much pleasure I get from creating these miniature works of art. The fact that I continue to produce a limited number of extremely labor-intense pieces (at an affordable price), speaks of a labor of love.

CRAFTY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN

START FROM WHERE YOU ARE!
Although many things have happened since my last post, in Blogland one can only move forward--especially with the holidays fast approaching. This is just one of several gifty ideas I will be presently in the next several days.

My friend, John, calls these "smalls". I call them "thrumballs", (thrums are the yarns left at the end of a weaving). When I was weaving with chenille, I had LOTS of thrums. When I was watching a lot of TV, I used to tie my thrums together and reuse the yarn. 

 

The sparkly stuff in just a little bling. These ornaments are fabulous anywhere. Don't they look divine on my collection of mullen.

So for the first time in several years I am participating in a holiday sale---one of six All-Star Artists appearing for the first time at the fabulous China Woods (one day only!) December 7, from 11-5 (click on link for location)

Like snowflakes, each one is unique and make the perfect gift! And there are 108 ornaments to choose from Why 108, you ask (or maybe you didn't ask, but here it is anyway).

PRICELESS PICS OF WEAVING PEACE AT THE GARDEN OF ONE THOUSAND BUDDHAS

Although the 9th annual Peace Festival at the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas happened over a month ago, I JUST got these pictures from my wonderful photographer/artist friend Marti DeAlva!



Imagine my honor and surprise when Namchak Khenpo stopped by my booth to give weaving a try.

"It's really pretty easy " I said.

Khenpo laughs, "Easy!"

 A priceless moment!

MORE PICTURES FROM 53 YEARS AND COUNTING

I never get tired of looking at this wall hanging with reeds and shells, date 1968.

Above and below are walls of work. You'll just have to ask questions if you want to know what you are looking at.  I am still in recovery mode. Tomorrow is back to work.

A GRAND OPENING

I don't have time to write anything, and I didn't have time to take pictures of the show. Well, that's not quite true. I took a few less than adequate images, so I will head over this week and take some acceptable pictures to show you. The Downtown Dance Collective in Missoula is a great place to display one's work. I just love the old brick walls although not all of the walls are brick. More later, she promised.

ON TO THE NEXT THING

108 LAVENDER PILLOWS for the PEACE FESTIVAL

 Begin with LOVE.....

If you want to see all the steps, go here.

I am really too tired to be doing this, but I just had to share.

 

I wish I could say that each of the 108 is different, but alas there are some duplicates. 

 

All ready to go. There are still many little details to wrap up before Saturday, and I hope I don't forget my camera. 

PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY

Several years ago I created 90 lavender pillows for the Seattle Weavers Guild Sale. It was so much fun that I decided to do it again! Plus, I now had lavender from The Garden of One Thousand Buddhas. Plus, there is a Peace Festival coming up, and I am bringing my Saori loom to have Peace Weaving happening during the Festival. I haven't been able to find a link to the current poster, but here is a link to former festivals.

If you happen to be around Western Montana on September 7th, be sure to attend this event which promises to be the biggest and best festival in the 9 years it has been presented. 

 Here is the first batch (25) all stuffed and ready to hand stitch closed. This first batch uses the cloth woven in 2010 by Sharmila in India (of the Dalai Lama's horoscope weaving). The next batch will use Peace Weaving cloth.

And here are the pillows posing in my home with Gary in the background.

More to follow!

I HAVEN'T BEEN WOOL GATHERING

Who could imagine a better way to spend some time, harvesting lavender at the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas.  

 I can almost smell the lavender--

Well actually I CAN smell the lavender. There are giant bowls of it around the house

The next step is drying, then cleaning and the final step---lavender sashets!

Hello From Gary

 Hey, remember me? This is Gary, the 48" 8 harness Cherry Wood Fireside Loom, weaving to you in a charming retro-style.

 

Weaving with natural plant matter weft with a jute warp was popular back in the mid 20th century. Bonnie wove countless weed hangings back then.

 When she lived in Montana in the 70's, she was captivated by the unusual and varied dried wild flowers.

 A friend offered her a bunch a willow, and another friend gave me the short stalks of a lavender harvest.

The very first weed weaving she created in 1961 is hanging in her mom's condo, and believe it or not, it still looks as fresh and new as the day she wove it.

Stay tuned for pictures from the weed achieves.

April's Musings

 Where do I want to take Weaving Spirit?
Where does weaving spirit want to take me?

It would seem that I have stopped doing any interesting work, teaching, or service---but I am actually doing lots of all of it---so much so that blogging has become a chore---something that I never thought would happen. 

For the foreseeable future, I will be posting once a month---just to see how this works.  

Woven Words Virtual Quilt Block--Generosity
Most of my work this year has been service related with my donating time, weaving lessons and woven pieces. I wondered what it would be like to spend a year living as if I did not have to depend on my weaving income. Weaving for the sake of weaving---to make the world better. Weaving as prayer---weaving as an offering.


Here is something out of the archives---woven in the early 90's. I recently had students ask me questions about weaving horoscope weaving in something other than plain weave. Here is my best example---twill.

Have Loom Will Travel

I can't believe a whole month has flown by, but now that I am firmly in my 7th decade---time move much more quickly. I am thinking of new directions and themes (still in the thinking stage), but I intend to continue posting on a monthly basis---like a newsletter.

The Saori Loom continues to be a source of joy, not just to me but to the many people I entice to sit down and give it a try. I continue to discover new venues to bring the loom and will have to make (or have made) a travel case for it.

My new home (well not so new now) is shaping up to be a place where I will be able to teach small classes and offer "residential weaving retreats" in the near future.

At last I am getting closer to realizing a computerized winding draft for Color Horoscope Weaving.

Weaving continues to be the center of my life and a source of healing and beauty. May the desire to share this with everyone never diminish.

WEAVING PEACE AT JEANETTE RANKEN PEACE CENTER