I am having issues with the internet again so I cannot upload video today. I am not going to dwell on it really.
On the heels of yesterday then...pinned to Sanity. A Wom(b)man's Cloth.
Womb Woman's Apron. I added the red fringe (continuing) and some old garden ties (holding) from my old garden back there, I think to stake the sunflowers before a big storm. I was going to weave some ties but this seemed an act of kindness to some old cloth. It can rest here for now. It has inspired new direction for a robe called Wind.
What if a field of stitch will ground this thing?
Whispering, the Man had a sleepless night and is finally resting, hope you can hear me. Too cold for the porch this morning.
It's late April in the Valley. Has it only been a few months here?
Looking out the front window, after cutting the bushes down, which were blocking the view.
We began a first cut, working a section at a time, to keep the ticks at bay. I think we need to get a small tractor or sit on type thing if we can find a used one. To mulch and cut because the small mower we have takes a lot of energy. Then, probably , for the first time, considering hiring a few local guys to do some clean up, because they probably need the work. If we can.
That's the well cap sticking up. The water is iffy here. We have a UV filter.
Surprised to be able to post this morning. Just here, marveling.
Stitched some dart like distortions into this one with coffee. Just to note that such things as discussed yesterday might simply be intentional distortions on any cloth surface, not just a solution to needed flatness. Here, like wrinkles in time. Love how darts are like discontinuous seams. Hold that thought. This is destined to become larger.
Or here, for texture.
If I am trying to say how it happens, where new form comes from, then I need to be truthful. About my focus being something quite formless. Fluid. Not some strict confinement. Can you Imagine strips of wrinkles, applied to a surface. I did.
Then I imagined a colorless robe. A thin veil of imperfection. To shelter in.
Today's note to self...posting here, for now, well, it's ridiculous. But I know it's possible. Moments here, moments there, OK, it's a patchwork. Little bits at a time. Duh jude, figure out a way to hold it together. That's what you do. So less often, posts being built over a series of days. Content, in smaller pieces perhaps. In perspective, appropriate.
The thing I like about cloth is that it seems kind.
You can make friends with it, it will cooperate if you give it's nature some consideration. Like working with anything,(anyone), it is basically an exercise in problem solving (not always JUST going), based on what you have to work with. I often say ingenuity springs from a relationship based on patience and flexibility. Love, I guess. Yes, I just love cloth.
Cloth is like clay. I will be like Clay.
I had been slowly adding strips of that patchwork curtain to the front of the robe. I added one of the other pieced strips as well. but I moved the strip slightly, off it's original course, because cloth lets you do that...to fit the one side of the neckline. I like the gentle curve of the seams. How it flows. Seems to adapt to the situation. Seems to soften. Like gentle wind.
I have been posting content from an old class, just wanting to finish up the basic approach to robe making as it applies to a large cloth base you might choose to work on. I will get through the basics of that soon and with May, move on to other forms of large cloth. But know that all these techniques might be applied to a quilt type project as well. My goal is never actually to lead you through something step by step but to inspire you to find your own comfort with problem solving. Offering my perspective.
As I look back, at any point, I might have taken another direction. Watching all of you doing your own thing reminds me how that might happen.
I did not plan to focus on the Robe thing in such detail here in "Large Cloth".
But how it goes is simply how it is. And I let you lead me my friends. Lead me and accompany me at the same time.
You might recognize this robe "Without End" from one of the videos I published from the Contemporary Boro class in the last few days. It's the one made from grandma's linen curtain. With the binding made from scraps of my son's baby quilt. It was patched and dyed and mended and worn. My first attempt at ROBE. Dates back to 1975 or so. And then the cloth began to weaken. To honor it I undid the seams and attached it to a foundation cloth for support. To take the strain of tension away. It is now a wall cloth. And I renamed it Temple. It is not a religious statement. It is symbolic of a dwelling place for an aging deep seated feeling of honor. I have only begun to put this together, it has been hanging on walls for a while and needs more stitch.
I put this here today simply to emphasize how one thing might become another. And still be useful. It could have become a blanket. Maybe it is now an art cloth. One I wanted to create , wanted it to make an impact. Maybe just a Ceremony. Because I needed it as a reminder of how I feel about cloth. In a new way it is still a robe. It wraps me in peace. And tells, to me, my own story.
How strange,it has grown larger now, Larger than Life.
2012, wow, I wonder if I would actually remember how it happened with out this record of days? I find this blogging such a great tool, well, digital recording, and sharing, in general, helps me learn from experience. Because I do not prepare ahead of time, the truth of how things happen is more present. Real. And what can be more powerful than truth. Marketing has a different kind of power which scares me really. The power over others. Instead of... well, getting off subject here.
This is my audio from 2012. And me in an old sheet. Silly me, not knowing what I am doing. Trusting in something.
I always say this...this isn't brain surgery or anything. If you cut something away and don't like it, you can always put it back. We are design mending here. Right? The sewing on a simple rectangle based garment, well it's simple seams, change can be easy. Even the add and take away. Sometimes even in the middle of the making, things might be deconstructed and reconstructed. And worn at any stage. Get to know it.
At this point I decided to call this Wind. It was even making it's own wind when I moved.
Next is cut and maybe shape, then some basic stitch to create the base garment, then look again.
It's just great if you can get someone to take pictures of you in it. Even a video of you moving in it. Great fun. And you can learn by looking. If you are posting pics anywhere other than Instagram (use #ragmates 2020) let me (us) know in the comments. It would be great to see ourselves draped in cloth! If need be, you can send me a photo, I can post some pics here or there if you are not shy. (If you are subscribed by email, there is a link to #ragmates2020 in the top menu bar of the actual blog, you do not have to be an Instagram member to view)
After cutting/sewing and deciding on a shape that suits and feels ok, well then you might think about the front/ neck edging and another layer or layers.
As you can see, I did go with the simple curved cut to make the sleeves. It didn't make too much difference but it bunches differently under the arm and softens the overall shape. I often sew totally by hand, but because of my aching thumb way back then, I used the machine for the long side seams. I don't have a sewing machine anymore. Long sticks are a great way to hang these garments when you are designing, so you can see the whole surface. I remember that the next day after this pic was taken, I went to take care of mom for a few days. Those were tough days, like these. I miss her when I remember this class. A big cloth can hold days.
And it feels funny to see the old house again. My studio.
Next, I will review how I attached a second layer to give this substance.
And there was a bit of Robe Storming last night...
Note to self: I'm amazed I still sound pretty much the same after all these years. Still the same person but so much not as well.
The Wind robe. Also from the Contemporary Boro class. Started out as Summer Breeze. This one made using the bird robe as a guide. I have it hanging on the porch today. It's freezing again. Snow expected!
I made the photo into a kind of sketch using an photo editing app. I've been doing that lately. Because I am looking back and the look of it makes it seem more like a fairytale or something. My Story.
It started like this...using an old sheet.
And I was saying something like this:
So I am beginning a new garment from scratch. Since I have made a few before, I can simple use those as patterns, and actually jumping off points, Experience always provides you a new place to start. And then to mend from, since you might remember the story of the projects that went before. what you liked, what you dreamed of changing. What you needed then, what you need now.
I would like to revisit this lesson in detail. Put the old audios (needing some reformatting) here and focus a bit more on the process that followed. I have more to say now that time has passed. (it feels so good to bring all of this "HOME") In this instance the fabric base becomes invisible, and mostly acts as a foundation to patch and stitch on. Which means you can use cloth you don't like much to start. Then cover it with tiny bits of something else. I will continue with this tomorrow.
Maybe we can just consider for a while before deciding on a method.
This one is light, meant to be more of a whisper. To be worn in summer. But I also use it as an under layer. Under the bird robe in winter.
There is a category for A robe called Wind. I started it when Mom fell ill.
Note to those subscribed by email. If you would like to interact and see the comments of others, click the title of the post to come to the blog. When you respond to the email, you will be in touch with only me. That is fine too. Just to know.
So here I am. Here we are. The thing is, this time around, I do not actually know who you are, do I? I can guess but can only know part of the story... who are my travelling companions? There are some old friends who I know are here, some older friends who I know lurk in the background, some new folks who have kindly donated so I assume they are following but I think there might be quite a few here that will remain nameless and invisible. I understand invisible. I am, in real life, shy and introverted for the most part. Unless I drink too much. Oh ha! (the big laugh for today).
This picture below is an old photo. December 2006. Shortly after I began this blog.
I altered it a bit, removing the background, perhaps just to change the context or simply to extract what was important to me. How did I do that? I used my phone actually, which has a pen, and allows me to erase on a photo, which is actually just drawing with white. Just saying that in case you wondered.
And then another, below, from I think, 2011.
I think during the Magic Diaries. That class was about big cloth. And some of you, I know, were there.
So I guess this is my beginning. Thinking about larger cloth. Big Cloth as just bigger cloth, and as a bigger picture. Nothing much is going to happen quickly here. Today I am reflecting on big cloth and it's relationship to holding, being held and gift giving which seems to be a way to transfer the sense of those things.
So yes, tomorrow I will do some big cloth storming. Thought catching. Once you begin dreaming, asking yourself questions, one thing leads to another.
I made the text a bit larger at the request of a few folks.
Feel Free is down for a few days as I make a few changes, then links to part 1 and 2 will be here in the side bar.
I may post more than once a day or I may not post every day. As it happens is what it is.
Some asked how to donate, the link is here on the blog, you don't see that in the email post.
I have created a HUNKER DOWN category to group these posts and will list them in order on another page once I get started. Blogs as you know, run backwards, it's nice to have an ordered list.
Forgive my typos, I am terrible at proofreading.
I am happy to begin.
OH! it's important to note that if you subscribe to the email notification for posts, you must confirm your subscription. You should receive the confirmation email and you must complete the process or you will not receive my posts. I notice often that folks subscribe and forget to verify, and therefore are not subscribed. So check your email.
as I glanced from the window off the Bigger Bedroom.
The view from outside the porch. Suddenly I thought I knew how it felt, more clearly, the confinement. But then, it was more clearly how it might just seem from outside. He is safe. Healthy. Reconsidering boundaries. Loved. And more loving. From inside you would never know.
Pinned to the center of the Endless Wishing cloth (a larger cloth) today. The March stray. Alone but not. Sheltered from the storm. Again.
Thought caught: A large cloth might be a shelter to smaller cloth. And a way to put things in perspective.
So, my final decision is to host Part 3 of Patchwork in Perspective, large cloth, here on this blog, Open, with the option to donate if you are so inclined, or if you are able. Some media content will be hosted on WordPress/ Feel Free pages but the gateway will be here. Ok then, that's that. When? That's next. Maybe better sooner than later. Maybe start real slow...let me check on batteries for my audio recorder and make sure my video skills are still there. Or whatever, let's make do. The last hurrah!
No agenda, just going, grateful for the company.
I will update my Feel Free Newsletter soon.
The Gallery/Shop?, nah for now, too much about just me.
Off to finish my taxes. Tomorrow will hopefully be another day.
Still unrolling, the big ones are draped on furniture,spread on the floor or just being the blankets they are. I cannot help but rock inward when I touch the Big Cloth. I curl up. Yesterday I considered a wordless workshop. Today I am laughing. At Yesterday. Because I have the power to do that. It keeps me healthy, perspective. I am grateful for the remedy.
The trees here are weavers...that stirs something in me.
And the rocks are like icebergs, I wonder how deep they go.
Since we came here, Soul-O is an indoor cat. He is so much more engaged. He often jumps up where I have just been working.
Keeping it warm until I return with a new cup of tea. He needs more attention. Maybe he likes absorbing the warmth of my touch that lingers on the cloth. Attention is a kind of warmth, maybe that's what the need is based on.
A little circle work this morning. Stuff to say, but not ready.
Just The Basket Keeper. And how the basket seems deep as a well.
