Spirit Cloth

Vibration

(((o)))

Often defined as a rapid back and forth motion...

 

Here used as a symbol of a very special kind of just going which involves  rocking. Which I think reflects the emotional state of seeking balance. And that might alter the atmosphere of place through a sort of resulting energy and also be communicated, even if just sensed by others. Who might sympathize. And find it useful.

In sympathy with the wavy weave in the green cloth, I've made a few stitches to bring that out to be noticed and also to form a pattern that vibrates beyond the figure. I drew that vibration in white pencil first. Not too much, just the sense of it. The sense of what I was sensing. Encouraging story from the cloth itself. Using that energy.

And I've added fringe. A symbol of continuing, here like roots, continuing to grow then. Not so invisibly.  Since magic to me is the nature of appearing and disappearing, I like thinking about the magic of growth and how roots are so often hidden. But not here.

I am sharing what I am just thinking. So many times, in my experiences with others, that is hidden away. Or replaced with a practiced performance. Over time I realize that has been entertaining, but not that useful. I hope I live long enough to know what I mean by that.

The moon is discharged on an old Ikat. Ikat is made by resist dyeing the threads before weaving. Which I would like to try soon. (probably if you use the search thingie in the sidebar, type in ikat, you will find some old posts about ikat) I always liked Ikat because of how it seems to vibrate.

Humidity Break

Just Hanging.

Made a video early this morning. It crashed. Poof.

A close up of the ikat piece. For Gazing. Not moving will be the best idea for the next few days.

 

Adding big weave to the equation

I have found new space.  In between.

On the right, the Magic Cloth still in progress.  On the left, big kilim form Turkey.  In the middle a space to imagine  some new journey.   Because in this coming year, the year after I became old,   while traveling here and there, I will be cloth whispering, inspired by weave.   Weaving .   Across moons and mind and anything else that crosses my path.  Redefining cloth as I  know it. 

There will be a shop update, if I can manage it, at the end of November.  It's  going to be Very cold  soon and I will be spending a lot of time in this chair.

Which is clothed in a nice old ikat from Indonesia and an old wool weaving from days gone by.  I was thinking sewing chairs might get cold too. We will stay warm together.

 

Appearing....................................or................................Disappearing

 

This piece contains the ghost of a basket. And a moon.  At least that was my goal.  Its creation, a little equinox ceremony.

I plan to do a bit more stitching on it.  But not much. 

In a way it is the culmination of a lot of things,  but then, again,  it is also the birth of many others.

under glass

good morning.

i don't really enjoy things when they cannot be touched. but i have been thinking about light and dark lately. the patterns that occur through observation, reflections. shadow, exposure. layers of light and dark.

so i have been putting things under glass. and taking pictures.  looking.  creating realtime double exposure. playing with that idea. without acting.

and then, finally finding the time to try using that to express moments of reflection. on cloth.  creating resist to mimic that effect.  for some new sort of drama or natural order to composition.  cold walnut soak over cotton/ silk ikat (soy milk mordant) using soy wax as resist. dyed twice. the second time with only part the cloth submerged to create a shadow line. prepared a week ago, dyed when folks were sleeping. 

i will need a nap today.

maybe at mom's.

back down to earth

for years i have been throwing things over the arms of this worn and cat damaged chair but the stuffing is starting to fall out.  i have a lot of heavier weight cloth that i hardly ever use for my work.  i have decided that i will mend the chair, sewing scrap cloth right to it.  so far a piece of ikat and a scrap of mud cloth covers the top of one arm...  i think i will just wrap the piping with thread... this chair will be so cool. maybe better than new.  and i will significantly reduce the pile of fabric that has been sitting here unused.  that is cool too.

floating boundaries

i am just going to let one thing float into another for a couple of weeks, continue my investigation

into soft edges.
and color.

floating together

floating apart

i think floating is about space.

or the sense of it.

i watched the sunlight float slowly across a very small cloth this morning.

and it gave me the sense that it was a lot bigger.

eyes of march day 6

today the eye has popped out of the cloth. an old eye. ikat has a quality i compare to eyes. the way it appears suddenly like the opening of an eye. and disappears as if it was never there. and then you see it again over there. it is designed like a series of moments. seemingly random, but there is a rhythm to it if you have a large enough piece. today i renamed it eye-kat.

i have some things to do. so i will be in and out of here.

was cloth

a few details on saturday

...it was a very quiet sunrise. i think the birds have slept in. i know i would if i were one.

...i am finishing up a couple of old trees. the base is a nice cotton silk ikat fragment with the fringe intact for the bottom of the piece. it was chosen because of the oldness of the technique.  the piece now measures 22" and i think it is long enough.  i experimented with the foundation block idea by combining ragged edge applique and that stitched patchwork idea. i like how they look combined. old fabrics and a new idea. patchwork redefined once again.

...two stars were added to line up with the shibori moon. i enjoy when things align. but you probably know that.

...and let me just say how much i am enjoying quilting the moon patch. the indigo thread works wonderfully as always. but now i am noticing the amazing dimension this shibori technique has. i left the moon itself unstitched... to make it pop up a bit.  the linen add such history to the indigo dyeing, even though this moon is a contemporary piece, it seems, yes it seems it is a million years old.  i hate to pressure poor glennis and i know these take time to dye,  but i hope she has more in her shop real soon. 

i have removed the link to the magic slide show on flickr.  i have replaced this documentary with a video series, which will resume shortly.  i need to redesign this page a bit  before i add a video link to make the series easier to follow. thanks again to everyone for the encouragement. 

it stopped snowing.

(posts related to two old trees in case you are new here. 1, 2, 3.)