Wind, Thread, Weave, Cut, Sew

At the gallery where I have been a member of since it's founding days we have decided that everyone needs to explain their work process.  And whatever else might lead you to do the work you do but especially how you do it. Customers want to know and it really is good for the artist to sit down and think about the process that precedes a finished piece.  I'm thinking...

In the meantime, work has been happening in the studio.  All roads lead to the Driftless Art Festival this weekend in Soldiers Grove, WI.  How many years have I done this fair?  That will take more thinking but I look forward to it, it's always fun to have people in your little tent shop, to have them take time to look, feel, and maybe even try on.

Here's a look at what will be at what's been going on in the studio with the art fair in mind.

A warp that almost covers the back beam.

I was thinking marigolds as this jacket was woven.

Just off the loom, before the washing and before the cutting.

One of the finished jackets from that long weave on the floor above.

Two more finished from different warps, wound, threaded, cut and sewn.  All Good!

Checker-ed

I'm loving checks these days.  Checks plain and with borders of different colors.  Weave a fabric of checks and then turn to the sewing machine for shape-shifting and a flat piece of woven fabric becomes 3-dimensional.  This post is a gallery of work that has been on my loom over some of the last few months.

The particular vest has a name - Charlie.   A friend picked up a 'Charlie Harper' print at a rummage sale.  So lucky!  .... as I wove this fabric that picture was in my mind.  

'Klein' blue and olive tones.

Woven in linen, silk and Tencel. 

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Kid Art at the Pumphouse in LaCrosse, WI  from all the kids who have art in school.  There are hundreds of these little canvases hanging in the galleries at the Pumphouse.  The body of work is called the Compassion Project.  Some are obvious, some you wish you could know what the kid was thinking.

So much inspiration in one place.

Impossible to put them all here - would if I could because all of them are the best.

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!

  

New work

New work from my studio.  Little jackets or vests made from linen, silk, wool. 

Very busy lately getting ready for a holiday show in St. Paul, MN and Sno-Crush at 

Avalanche  Looms in Avalanche, WI