12/12/12

Good morning Sunshine

Just a couple of days ago we had beautiful snow coating trees and the clothesline.

Something new, experimenting with stiffer handwoven wools, not finished, more experimenting 

and playing around with this design.

Local Color

A ruched vest featuring a profusion of texture!  Find it here.

Handwoven in Tencel and wool, a design original from Riverweave Studio.

 Shop Local and support the local economy but, if you can't find what you want locally, 

buy U.S. made which you can find in abundance on etsy.

Happy Holidays!

cruising the alleys on the north side...

you can find most interesting sites. 

The River Mississippi

Just outside Lacrosse, Wisconsin, the Mississippi River Flyway is getting crowded.  Migrating swans, pelicans, ducks and more water foul than I can name make their way south stopping to rest and feed in the Mississippi backwaters.  The numbers and the sounds the birds make as they congregate are impressive to see and hear.  Remember the flying monkeys in the Wizard of Oz? - that's what it sort of reminds me of.  This mighty river is looking good, had to capture it in pictures and share it.

Pretty in Pink

My new loom - it's all set up and working

    

Just finished vest jackets (above) with loom-designed fabric,  clothes with soul.

Soul, an essence of life.  It happens to something when it is made with hands that weave, sew, turn a potters wheel, mosaic, paint, the list could go on.  Much thought goes into the process of hand-done - textures, colors, the fit and how it will look.  Each piece unique.  Sometimes you might want to put on something with a little soul.  Wear it and part of the maker is in it.  

These vest / jackets are woven with linen, silk and wool.  The bit of pink one is made with a beautiful yarn bought in a local yarn shop, hand spun and dyed.  A friend ordered a vest, she wanted some pink, silver and black in the mix.  That yarn was just waiting for me that day. A mohair/wool combination with a mix of pink, white and a silvery blue spun into a most divine yarn.   I had enough to make two, she has one and this one is in my etsy shop.   The black and white has hand-spun in it as well, along with a taupe, black mohair mix.  In finishing the fabric is washed and the wool is felted.  

Designed, handwoven and sewn in my workshop. 

Pretty in Black and White too!

  

This Brilliant Autumn

 From the valleys and the hillsides of the driftless region - some photos of the autumn color.  It's getting colder, the leaves are falling, there's still some color but not the vividness of last few weeks.  What a beautiful fall we had.  Even the cats and dogs liked it - I think...the dogs are sort of smiling, the cats though --- well, you know cats.

Next post will be weaving related - the old, new loom is set up and working.

  

Out of the Closet

My studio has been in the closet for the past some weeks.  I sold my big Glimakra when husband and
I decided we wanted our bedroom in the room that the studio occupied.   Measuring the other rooms in the house I found that my large loom was not going to fit anywhere else in the whole house .. well,
it might have fit in the living room.  So, I decided to sell my beloved loom.  I sold it within two hours of putting it out to our fiber group - yay!  I began to look for a new loom, I wanted what I'd had, only smaller.  Thinking that it would take a while and that I would likely have to pay some shipping charges I was pleased when I found just what I was looking for in Madison.

Here it is - my new (to me)  47"/ 120 cm Standard Glimakra.  I'm in process of putting it all together.   Lucky for me, it came with instructions and color coded texsolv cords.  It's beautiful.  My new texsolv heddles arrived today, those dangling cords will soon be attached to working harnesses, lams and treadles.  I'll be weaving soon - can't wait!

Summer in the City

                        Minneapolis

studio work

summer topper
 handwoven linen and fine pearl cotton

 scarf and cowl
handwoven silk and tencel

Random

Mosiacs 

That's a bowling ball covered in pretty glass made by my sister.

We swapped for a weaving.

She collects bowling balls.  Remind me to take a photo of all the colorful ones in her yard.

The table top mosaic was made by me.  A friend gave me this table, she knew it was destined for this!

Just have to point out that the brownish colored shards are actually mirror shards looking at the ceiling.

Discovery

Use the tools you have - that's a spade shovel shoved (carefully) under the plywood.

Old linoleum under boring, white vinyl.  How could we not uncover it.

We harvested a half a medium size bucket of nails pounded into quarter inch plywood under the vinyl. Didn't know what shape this linoleum would be in but we knew there was something good there after seeing it in the closet/pantry off the hallway.

Contemporary / Handwoven / Made to Wear

I've been weaving fabric to make vests, waist-coats, jackets, vest-toppers, what to call these?  I keep finding new words that apply, haven't decided which word is the best.  This garment is designed, woven, sewn and finished (washed) by me.

When a daughter is at home I ask her to model.  She is usually a good sport, humoring me, reminding me she is not a model -- but,  you know, they are in their 20's and from my point of view perfect for the job.   I always like the result.  However they will look good on you even if you are not in your 20's.  Look for them on my etsy site.

All are woven in combinations of linen, wool, silk and Tencel

Woodland Mossery

This has been an unusual March, daffodils are about to burst into bloom.

I find more artistry on the rocks and fallen trees in the woods though.

Not to take away anything from the blooming daffodils, there's just something about the subtle, quiet life that is always going on in hidden places. 

The Stuff and the Stuff-ees

THE  STUFF

off the loom

cut down for easier stuffing

When you are a weaver you end up with lots of what is called 'thrums'.  My pile of thrums grows with every weaving project.  I have found a new way to use up my thrums.

Meet the STUFF-EES

My pile is shrinking

I love fashioning and sewing up the Stuffs.  You can see these creations at the Guild in Minneapolis, MN.

I love the little animals, still weaving is my first love and here is my latest piece.

I call it Red Zen, Reppweave woven with pearl cottons, 16/2 cottons, linen and native prairie grasses.