weaving and mending

I once saw some weaving on forked twigs
(sorry I don't remember her name,
otherwise I should tell you)
In the garden I used to be on the look-out
for some good twigs to give it a try.
I finally did !
(I think the twig was a bit of my rambler rose
that tends to grow so vigorously
that I have to cut it down real hard
or otherwise the Malus will collapse under the weight !)

(I only have pictures of the finished piece :
after an update my phone refuses to speak with the pc
to upload the pictures I took from the start)

Front and "back" side

It was really fun !
For the warp I used cotton
and for the weave wool (sock yarn leftovers)
The weaving is about 9 cm.

*

My mending basket is still really full
though I did already some overdue work.

So today I was darning more socks !
Hmmm, I didn't find the right colour . . .
but because the holes are always at the bottom
I don't really mind.

Done !
and the crystal ball (really handy inside while working)

tells me I will enjoy these socks for some time !

GIVEAWAY and two left . . .

Pffffffft

Yes, this happens every year :
as soon as day 31 of "Pinktober" is gone
I go out like a candle
or like a soufflé right out of the oven into the cold.
As much as I LOVE my self-imposed work
the energy really lasts only so many days.
But don't worry, I will get back on my feet !
Two more commissions nearly there
and most of my packages sent off.
(though I hate the fact that customs asks nearly impossible things
when sending to the US)

My grand total isn't known yet
so that has to wait another while
BUT
my GIVEAWAY
is finished !

fiberrainbow
15  years

Woven blue fabric strips
(thanks Jude Hill)
with fifteen felt circles on it
stitched, just for the fun of it !

Please let me know
if you like to participate in the raffle
down here in the comments
(or somewhere else)

*

And there is still one of my Textile Jewels not sold
be in time to catch it !!!

day  12

SOLD  !

day  24

Please be aware that I truly don't know if I can fulfill
my Pinktober Challenge next year :

my hands are getting worse and I might not be able to
carry on making 31 Jewels then
. . . . . . . 
we will see

a rose is a rose is a rose

This STITCH CLUB week went by

working on a piece for the workshop of 

Sue Stone

The strip-weaving was well known to me

because that was in one of Jude Hill's classes

and gladly I used that more then once

so no problems there.

You could definitely say that Sue

is a portrait specialist,

so on her strip-woven piece she made a portrait.

I thought about that

collected coloured strips 

(which are there in abundance)

.....

but didn't come up with a good idea

WHO

I would want for a portrait

(or too many idea's perhaps)

So I collected a second bit of (different) coloured fabrics

and wove my background.

The idea of the rose was of course there before I chose the pinks,

the rose itself I sketched from a rose on the "web"

Thin paper to stitch through

and three dark enough pearl cottons

that would stand out against the sweet pinks.

Those cottons, thát was one of my mistakes :

my hand (arthritis) ached soon

because of the three layers of my weave !

Here everything looked still all right

(removing the tissue paper gave me the déja vu

of a shredded paper hanky from the washing machine !!!) 

 And I thought the result was a disaster :

the rose simply disappeared !

(I posted it in the group anyway,

if only to show that most of the time you have to try

many times before something good emerges !)

I left it alone for a day or so

and thought about unpicking, stitch or even paint ...

Then

 back to the stitching

(with stranded cotton floss !!!)

and the rose came back to me !

comfort

In these strange times

stitching has been slow

(or in fact nearly non-existing)

But last Monday

I finally got hold of someone dear I had almost lost sight of

and her situation urged me to stitch a piece for her.

Consolation,

and lots of happy memories

of a long friendship.

Today I was able to bring her the finished piece.

tears and laughter

(through the window)

Two sides : the dotted fabric 2 cm bigger

so it is a binding for the other side

textile biennial Rijswijk 2017

Just in time

(because the exhibition is only till next Sunday)

we, Man, daughter and me,

went to Rijswijk today.

(just click on the video to get an impression of it all ...

or go there next week ! )

I knew this fifth textile biennial was a great show,

but we just didn't find the opportunity ...

until today !

24 international fibre artists are showing their work.

In an exhibition like this there are always a few

you don't quite like,

but there were some amazing art works !!!

"Dementia darning"  by Jenni Dutton

(for us the most impressive set of works)

Susanna Bauer

Jon Eric Riis

(tapestry and beads)

Kate Just

Ji Seon Yoon

Alice Kettle 

Murat Yildiz

Maryam Ashkanian

June Lee

Sophia Narrett

Agnès Sébyleau

Tamar Manon

Janaina Mello Landini

It was a true joy !

tending to solstice

Although it's still a few days

Summer Solstice

isn't very far away.

I thought that was as good a reason as any other

to start another little stitched piece.

What better way to start than 

a bit of weaving.

Yes, I admit that Jude still has this influence on me ...

(and I think I'll never lose that :

don't want to either  ;-) !)

Then came , as always,

the invisible basting to the backing

And "here comes the sun"

Lots more to be done

;-)