The Journey Begins---

Where is the line between excitement and hysteria (grin)?

Grace is happily packed and ready to go.


Onward into the future....

The trip was somewhat of a blur, and in the next post I will be of my initial visit to the Garden. I didn't take a single picture during the drive over (must have been because I didn't get more than 3 hours sleep) However, if anyone really wants to see some road shots, I will fish some out from previous drives to Montana. I promise to post pictures of Arlee, the Jocko Valley, Flathead Lake, and the Mission Mountains as my Montana saga progresses.

Weaving in the Garden--- Final Preparations

I wound the Dalai Lama warp all the way back on the warp beam. I wrapped a nice towel around it all and secured the lease sticks in place. I have never done this before. It should work though.

Awaiting the arrival of the chariot.
Grace and Gary have changed places. While I am weaving the Dalai Lama on Grace in Montana, Breanne will be weaving her horoscope on Gary---her first weaving. I left her Peggy Osterkamp's new book, so she should be just fine.

Weaving in the Garden--- More Preparations

I really am leaving early tomorrow morning (grin).

The silk is wound into balls.


The 5 yard lengths (360 of them) are all counted out.


Here is the first view of the Dalai Lama's horoscope.


The threads are put in order.


And now you have a better look at what the weaving will be like.
Since I will not be able to transport the loom assembled and threaded, stay tuned for the packing. I love taking pictures of packing.

Weaving in the Garden---Preparations

For several days now I have fallen well below the learning curve as make the switch over to a laptop. However, Irene over at the Cotton Clouds Blog is going to beat the band. Take a look. It is fabulous!

It is now just about 36 hours until leave for Montana with so many chapters of the tale to tell.

So let me bring you somewhat up to date.

To create such a special weaving in a special place at a special time, I decided to use natural dyed silk. Of course Cheryl Kolander of Aurora Silk came to mind. In case you are not familiar with Cheryl, here she is:

Cheryl Kolander, who has created these colours, is the senior natural dyer in the world today. For 42 years she has practiced and perfected her art. A meditator since the age of 8, she has actively prayed and worked for peace all her life. She practices Thibetan Vajra Yoga in the Shakya tradition.

Cheryl lives at her Urban Peace Silk Farm in Portland, Oregon. She has written and published many books, including “A Silkworker's Notebook”, currently in its third edition; “Brilliant Colours with Natural Dyes”; “Dancing Darvisha”, pictures of Uzbekistan and inspired poems; “Lem'me Help” , a novel; “Working Words”, poetry of activism; and is currently working on “Stones that Talk”, Buddahs' Wisdom from the caves at Ellora, India.

Cheryl has raised four children and modestly supports herself and many others thru her small business “Aurora Silk”, a source for quality textile art materials, information and education, about natural textiles, natural dyes and especially Peace silk. (www.aurorasilk.com). As “Mama D.O.C.” (=”Mother, Doctor of Caring”) she does non-profit, natural health work in her community and around the world, with small, independent projects in the Dominican Republic, India and Uzbekistan. Cheryl has donated the dyework and the dyes for these colours: “Every action, every word, every thought creates its vibration, that flows out, continuously.”

Dyes used:

1 – Buddah's Yellow and 2 – Aurora Gold

Fusticwood from Cheryl's Dominican Republic Logwood Project – Eco harvest and Way Beyond Fair Trade.

3 – Ruddy Orange

Madder root from village plots in Turkey, part of a multi-national effort to restore the art of Natural dyed Turkish carpets. Organically raised, village produced.

4 – Scarlet, and 5 – Crimson, and 6 – Plum violet

Cochineal, the rare natural dye that comes from a domesticated insect. Raised in high mountain valleys of Peru and Chile, these sedentary scales live on prickly pear cactus, and are harvested at the end of their life cycle. Organically raised, women's farm co-op produced.

7- Purple

Logwood from Cheryl's Dominican Republic Logwood Project – Eco harvest and
Way Beyond Fair Trade.

8 – Dark Blue

Indigo, naturally fermented by Cheryl to make a permanent dye. This Indigo is raised by women farmers in El Salvador, and processed in vats built during Spanish colonial times. Organically raised, village produced.

9- Light Blue

Indigo, naturally fermented by Cheryl to make a permanent dye. This Indigo is from the oldest continuously producing Indigo farm in India. Organically raised, traditional farm produced.

10 – Blue Green, 11- Emerald Green 12- Spring Green

Indigo blue base, with varying amounts of Fusticwood yellow to make green.

Variegated colours: Indigo, Fusticwood, Cochineal

Colours are permanently fixed according to ancient techniques, using food grade alum and the nutritional supplemental minerals tin and iron. All these colours are good for the health of the wearer: physically, emotionally and mentally. All these colours benefit the planet and all its people: ecologically, economically and socially.

All Cheryl's dyework is a spiritual practice. These colours were begun on the Spring Equinox 2010 and completed for the Summer Solstice.

Cheryl will be lecturing at the silk painters international conference in Santa Fe .

What is there to say after that--except get started winding skeins into balls!

Rumors of the Big Weave

As I mentioned, this a test for the Dalai Lama weaving. I want to see how natural dyed silk combines with recycled cashmere.
When I test (sample), I always make a scarf.

Although this picture is dark, I thought is was adorable.

And, of course, the most exciting moment of weaving! I don't always have someone there to take a picture of this moment, but perhaps I should.....


Now to finish it off and launder to see just how it feels.
AND then to begin getting ready to head over to Montana in just a few short days.

Today I got a laptop! Tomorrow my personal assistant Breanne (sometimes model, video maker, artist and Renaissance Woman) will transfer data from this computer to the laptop. Let's hope for a smooth transition.

Almost Ikat Weaving Tutorial with Bonnie Tarses

Here is my first tutorial effort produced. directed, and edited by my friend and a woman of many talents, Breanne Boland. It was lots of fun for both of us.

Giving and Receivingand Planning and Sampling

Before I begin, please check out the Color Horoscope Weaving Booth by Cotton Clouds at Convergence.

Again I was talking with Roberta about my trials in finding a new apartment, and she said "Why don't you move back to Montana?" I COULDN'T DO THAT! I replied emphatically. But I decided to pretend for just one day that I was, indeed, moving back to Missoula, Montana (where I lived for 12 years and moved away from 30 years ago). As soon as I opened to the possibility, it was as if I had fallen in love (you know that feeling). Ten pounds (of the 20 I gained in the past 2 years) fell away as if by magic. I am filled with energy and excitement. I didn't share this sooner because I was remaining open to the possibility that some wonderful living situation in Seattle would appear (didn't happen).

So I have been sorting, tossing, selling and (the most exciting) gifting my possessions in preparation for a new chapter in my life. My last day in this apartment will be August 31. I will be heading over to Montana to Weave at the beginning of August, but will return mid-August to pack in earnest. I will be offering gifts to everyone (especially my blog readers) then.

Meanwhile finishing up----The Memory Mitzvah is complete and ready to go to the framer.


I realized I still have one more weaving to do before I leave. (well, I really have more than one, but this one is going on Grace). Cheryl Kolander of Aurora Silk is natural dyeing silk for the Dalai Lama weaving. I have not tried to combine my recycled cashmere with silk. I have been using the cashmere with bamboo which has a lot more tooth. Earlier experiments combining wool and silk has not been particularly satisfying to me.

While waiting for the silk to arrive (and pawing through my old yarn stash), I found some yarn that Cheryl had dyed for me back in the 80's. Although the yarn size is different from the yarn I will be using, I thought this would make a good sample.


This yarn is totally yummy. I used to weave Color Horoscope Weavings with it when back when. I no longer have the whole spectrum, but there is certainly enough. Of course there is always this fun part---winding balls.


And the next fun part, winding warp. (I will tell you about this warp in a later post)


And the final fun part of dressing the loom.


Grace is excited to be working again---as am I.

I received a comment from Lindsey asking if I will be selling instructions for the Dalai Lama's horoscope. I had not thought of it, but now that I have, I believe that I will make the draft available on my blog (once I figure out how to do that) . Thanks for the idea, Lindsey!