Turned Weft Ikat Meets The Towels Project Meets WeaveZine

I've been going crazy waiting for WeaveZine to launch, and today is the day!! Since my Turned Weft Ikat article in WeaveZine contained the very same information I taught last month on Whidbey Island, I had to keep 2 secrets (from my students at the workshop and from my blog readers)

I can't believe that anyone who reads this blog doesn't know about Syne Mitchell and WeaveCast, but in case you don't---now there is a wonderful new (one and only) online weaving magazine as wonderful as the one and only weaving podcast. I believe Syne is the J.K. Rowling of Weaving! (Cheers and Applause!)

THE TOWEL PROJECT--
To weave 3 cotton ikat towels.
One towel the student keeps
One towel the student gives to me
One towel will be sold at the Guild Sale and the proceeds to endow the Whidbey Weavers Guild Grant Fund
I POSE WITH STUDENTS WITH IKAT WRAPPED SKEINS OF YARN

One of the problems I face when traveling to teach a workshop is I go home and never know if the students ever finish their projects, what challenges they faced in the process, or how the weaving came out. I decided to create a workshop that had a built in critique and that I would return at a later date to see all the finished pieces.

FIVE DYE POTS IN ACTION

I will return to Whidbey Island in March to cheer everybody on and to collect everybody's class notes. (which they will have copied for me) . I will compile the notes and make a copy of them for the Whidbey Weavers Guild library. AND to celebrate my birthday!

I accidentally erased a picture here. (students posing with their ikat dyed skeins) I'll put it in a post tomorrow as I haven't figured out how to insert an image at this point.


STUDENT WINDS WARP


DESIGNING IN THE RATTLE (or is it raddle)

Since most of the students warp from front to back, I arranged for a loom so I could demonstrate how I warp from back to front and how easy it is to manipulate the ikat design at this stage.

INSPIRED BY BONNIE

Welcome to the new feature, INSPIRED BY BONNIE: If you have taken a workshop from me, heard a lecture by me, read an article by me, or purchased one of my kits, here is an opportunity to show and tell. AND win fabulous prizes too! People who submit their show and tell will be entered into a drawing to receive my new kit "A Gamp For All Seasons" (a personal horoscope translated into winding draft that weaves up into myriad bands of woven color).

Here is the first!


I heard about you on the Weave Cast Podcast. I subsequently looked up your article in Handwoven and was fascinated by the idea of weaving someones horoscope. Your instructions were quite straightforward. It was more difficult to decide on the yarns. I had never used Bamboo but it turned out super. The colors are vibrant and bamboo has a wonderful feel to it. It was a good choice. One of the design features I like best is the multiplication of threads for the planets. This not only acts as an accent but adds a texture aspect to the garment.
I made it for my sister, Amy Lear, and it suits her perfectly. She was thrilled to receive it. I am looking forward to making another one.

thank you
Perry Drevo
Lewes, De

Here is the second!

My husband Rich and I heard Bonnie's "horoscope warp" interview with Syne Mitchell on WeaveCast, and were quite intrigued. Without me knowing, he got my birth information from my birth certificate and a conversation with my Mom, contacted Bonnie, and arranged to have my horoscope warp in time for a surprise Christmas gift. Ohio winters are very gray, and I was delighted to see all the wonderful colors in my own personal warp - colors I would never have thought to combine in one piece. The warp Bonnie sent was Bambu 7; I added a 10/2 cotton border on each side so I could have a wrap-around shawl. I wove the shawl with an 8/2 Tencel weft in plain weave, as Bonnie suggested, and plied the fringe. It was my first experience with Bambu yarn - yummy, especially after I washed and hard pressed the fabric.

The "blanket bandits" are Wolfie and Squirt. They are always willing to tolerate a little interruption to their nap time if they get loveys and treats.

Thanks, Bonnie.

Peggy Bowman
Beavercreek, Ohio

Ultimate Birthday Card and/or Virtual Quilt

Every year I attempt to think up something new and different to do on my birthday (which is coming up soon) It is the only day of the year that is a complete sentence and a military command. If you guess, I will send you an ultimate birthday card.
Two years ago, I invited a couple dozen folks to come and make collages. Each person made two 4" x 5" collages--the first depicted their birthday wish for me and the second, their greatest strength. The picture above shows all the collages.


I made color copies of the collages and cut their wishes into warp and their greatest strength became the weft. I wove strength into wishes and arranged the woven blocks into a 20"x 24" virtual quilt which I framed and hung in the entryway to my apartment. Not all, but many of the wishes have come true.

I am waiting for inspiration to strike for this birthday. I will let you know.

Oh yes, I still weave although it has been a while since I have let you into the studio. I seem to be called to the task of cleaning, preparing for a new year---the year of the Rat.

The Gift of a Little Bag

I just cut and pasted the following directly from the "Small Steps" website. Although these are not my words, I feel moved to include them in my blog. A new friend, Sharmila, told about this amazing project, and now I am telling you....

Think about it..

Do you want to make a difference, but do not know how? Do you think that only big steps and big actions can only make a difference?

Think again!

Everyone around us can talk about problems. How many of us can think of solutions? Out of the ones who can talk about solutions, how many of us are ready to take a step forward and execute those solutions?

If you believe that environment needs solutions, and you are ready to join us in this move to clean the environment around us, read on.

Join us in taking simple solutions, join us doing those little things that make a difference...join us in taking ...Small Steps!

So what is the problem?

Every day millions of plastic bags are disposed and destroyed, polluting our environment. Be it for shopping, for carrying our belongings or simply for getting items from the nearby store - we have seemed to live with plastic bags, and cannot do without it. Is there a way out of this mess? Can we do something about it or we keep destroying the environment around us?

A simple solution

Carry a shopping bag always with you...
We have designed a compact little bag for you!

What can a little bag do?

• Every single bag can effectively prevent dumping of 200 throw-away plastic bags.
• Every single bag can provide a meaningful job to women who are empowering themselves.
• Every single bag can educate a whole family about environmental issues.

10 million handmade bags!

• We are making 10 million bags
• Yes, by hand!
• Creating 1000 jobs for 1000 people for 1000 days.

It is not only about making a better world,
It is also about changing ourselves,
Learning new values,
Taking responsibility,
Loving our mother earth.

Go to: www.smallsteps.in
"And get one of these great little bags. Get a dozen. I just love mine! The only thing better than having a little bag is giving a little bag to someone else. It is a perfect gift."
The words in quotes above ARE mine, and I really mean it. Bonnie

First Sign of Spring

In my urban patio setting here in Northwestern USA, it is not too early to find the volunteer hearty Wood Hyacinth getting a jump on the season. Apparently squirrels do not care for their taste as they devoured all of my crocus.

Here are some other volunteers, those big aromatic purpley blue hyacinths. They are not as far along as the wild variety. (also squirrel proof)

Happy Ground Hog Day!
(February 2nd)

Celebrated by the Druids as the festival of the lactating sheep. Herd animals have either given birth to the first offspring of the year or their wombs are swollen and the milk of life is flowing into their teats and udders. It is the time of Blessing of the seeds and consecration of agricultural tools. It marks the center point of the dark half of the year. It is the festival of the Maiden, for from this day to March 21st, it is her season to prepare for growth and renewal. Brighid's snake emerges from the womb of the Earth Mother to test the weather, (the origin of Ground Hog Day), and in many places the first Crocus flowers began to spring forth from the frozen earth.

According to lore, if the groundhog emerges from his burrow on February 2 and sees his shadow, he will be frightened back into his hole, presaging another six weeks of winter. A cloudy day -- and no shadow -- means winter will end early.

The results so far:

Shubnedacadie Sam (Nova Scotia): Spring

Punxsutawney Phil (Pennsylvania): Winter

Wiarton Willie (Ontario): Spring

General Beauregard Lee (Georgia): Spring

Balzac Billy (Alberta): Spring

Buckeye Chuck (Ohio): Spring

Staten Island Chuck (New York state): Spring

Malverne Mel (New York state): Spring

Woody Woodchuck (Michigan): Spring

Ms. G. (Massachusetts): Winter

It was cloudy here when I went out to take the pictures on my patio. I did not see my shadow. I vote for Spring!

Who Wove This?

An important aspect of my textile design education at RISD (which I am only now starting to appreciate) is the weaving had to have a purpose beyond being fun & satisfying. Before the industrial revolution, Handweaving was vital to civilization. Weavers & dyers were revered for their mastery. Now people are more likely to say “Do folks still do that?”

I know I come back to this question time and again. At RISD, we wove to design for the textile industry---not as an end in itself, wove to develop a design sense as a means to earn a living as a part of the huge textile industry. Now fabric production is removed from our sight and pretty much invisible and mysterious to the average person—like milk coming from cartons.

I’ll never forget the day back in the mid 60’s when my cousin Judy came by while I was weaving. She looked at the weaving, looked up at me, then back to the weaving and back at me—and in an incredulous voice, stammered, “This is…CLOTH!” I don’t think she ever realized until that very moment how cloth was created. And I don’t think she was unusual in this.

Even though I strayed from the beaten path---away from New York and industry---to become a studio weaver, my training at RISD haunted me for years. The weaving had to stand for something—had to mean something---exist beyond the finished product---had to support me---bring me fame and fortune (and I don’t know where this came from)---had to be useful, to boot. This is a mighty tall order for a scarf.

Over the years, I have come to realize weaving also has the power to heal a broken spirit and a broken heart. And in healing my spirit, I know the power of weaving to heal-- on many levels.

What you get out of weaving equals what you put into it.
So---What thoughts are you weaving into your cloth?
Do you weave with intention?
Why is it some days nothing seems to go right?
And other days it’s like someone else’s hands are throwing the shuttle.
When you cut a weaving off the loom, do you sometimes look at your weaving in amazement and think, “Who wove this?”

A Day Made---Before I Even Get Dressed

I am pleased as punch to receive this award from Laritza at YorkSett Arts & Crafts! Now I pass it on to ten bloggers who bring me happiness and inspiration.

BUT if you are a hyper busy individual and this award feels like an annoying chain letter, I promise happiness will not be snatched away if you tuck away your award and do nothing more than take a look at my blog and the others who are on the list.

The easiest thing would be to send the award to the very same blogs I sent the "nice award" to some months back because they do make my day. In attempting to expand my circle, know that every blog I subscribe to brings me ever increasing happiness and inspiration. I don't have time right now to give a detailed review of the selected blogs, but I know you will find a little spark in each one . In no particular order, check out the following:

1. Virginia A. Spiegel
2. Textillian
3. NZ flax weaving
4. Pleasant and Delightful
5. Karma-Free Cooking
6. Talking About Weaving
7. Leigh's Fiber Journal
8. Rosemary-go-Round
9. Fiberewetopia
10. Unravelling

Thank you all for making my day!