the importance of peace and quiet

Spent the weekend with friends at their house in the country. Simply amazing what the sounds of silence can do.Yesterday i was all over as my mental energy levels were super high.

This weaving progressed into completion and i'm actually quite pleased the way it came out.It's a tad busy, but abstract busy if that makes sense.This series are being a very enjoyable weave.
And on top of this the dyeing is going well too.Even if it's too hot outside.And it's just July.

neki desu


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what i do for fun

Aizome is work, this is fun!

neki desu
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the appeasement of the ai gods

Thanks to all my friend who did the ritual appeasement dances.It worked! The stirring stick,looks much better than the dyed goods, but that always happens, should see the madder bags!
Think that the problem was incorrect dyestuff to water ratio. i added some more fermented ai balls,and look what i got after 2 dips. albeit slowly,

the color's building up.

Still cannot send the 7th cavalry regiment home, but this looks a lot better.i also started another fermentation precess to have 2 vats going, like the pros :) Famous last words!
Some things i've learned in the process:
one needs to observe the Mr closely as it will tell you about its needs

• ph and temperature control are not enough, there are more factors involved
• water ratio is important
• it's better to add water every day than all at once
• the bran for aiding the fermentation has to be cooked
• all those stories i've heard about the vat being alive are true!
• at least in a fermentation vat , because it is alive, it readjusts itself to optimal ph conditions
• it's also true that Mr vat needs to rest

i could not refrain and the photo above is my tribute to all those dancers out there.
Thank you, thank you!! :)

neki desu


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we interrupt the saga

to bring you THE OTHER
top shelf book, with a lot of reminiscences behind.

This was bought in Osaka at the Ethnology Museum in Senri Park. It was a crazy day trip arriving from Sado-ga-shima just to see a shibori exhibit. And it was sheer luck because when i got to Shibori Kaikan in Arimatsu 3/4 ths of their permanent collection was on loan to the Ethnology museum in Osaka!!!

As ever when the Japanese see a foreigner that enjoys and understands things Japanese they go out of their way. As i was browsing at the museum's bookstore THE OTHER BOOK (all my readers know by now that THE BOOK is The Woven Pixel) caught my eye.
A pricey affair indeed, but what's love got to do with it? :)

The lady attendant struck a conversation and after a while the regimental chotto mate kudasai
(please wait a moment) made it's appearance. She left to make a phone call and when she came back she told me she could arrange a meeting for the next day with the author of the book.
And i could not stay overnight in Osaka!!! Next day my weaving sensei was opening an exhibit and i had and also wanted to be there in Hachioji. i don't remember very well, but i think i cried.

From that day on i'm partial to this book.It's in Japanese, but the photos are self explanatory.It's a two volume beauty, one is a how to and the other is photos of most of the collection of the Arimatsu Museum.
And it's even more special now that i can read and understand tiny bits of it.

You really never know when you will be blessed with joy.

neki desu


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who is that guy Murphy?

The one that invented the law? That wonky faint blue with bronze edges was all i got. And all washed out into a yellowy water. Never mind the deposit on the clamps, it's from last year.i'm at loss because the PH is ok and so is the temperature. i'm using a fermentation lye-slaked lime vat and it looked like a goer.
So ya'll bright and diligent minds i need help!!

neki desu


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panting and fainting

A photo that merits the whole space and very little blah blah blah.This was yesterday. Today there's very little flower, perhaps there was a temperature drop last night.PH will be adjusted and dyeing try outs tomorrow.

万歳 ばんざい!!!!

neki desu


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a little diversion

Been so obsessed with the vat that i needed some r&r. Calendar Girls may may recognize if they look closely, very closely indeed, this month's picture as the source of inspiration. The movement is a bit rough, but quoting Cindy Lauper, girls just wannna have fuun, they just wanna.

neki desu

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patience rewarded

Cold dyed madder after a week +/-. Note the ball park time frame :)
The skein on the left is scoured tram silk and the one on the right an interesting silk from China . Following the logic of Ana Lisa Hedstrom this skein wasn't scoured and dyed to see what happened.The color took up differently, but i can't come to conclusions because there are too many variables. One thing is almost sure dye take up is more affected by spinning oils than by sericin. And as ever, the color on the sachets holding the dyestuff was far more gorgeous and they were old pantyhose! How's that for synthetic fibers!

neki desu


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the way things are going

This is the second piece in this series. i brocaded very fine purple silk in places which is contrary to the canon.i wanted the ground and brocaded yarn showing together and i know the weaving taliban will come after me :) but i am pleased with the result albeit a mistake in the middle. Mistake i said? NAH! that's a design element. Some more elements will be added off the loom.
i 'm interested here in the resulting background/ foreground dialog.

The other day The Misuss asked how many pieces minimum would constitute a series. My series are not too big 10 maxing out at 15. But in order to get those numbers i work many more so that i can have a choice. For example the first 2 that i wove in this series don't cut it and they will become sample fodder. Usually the work goes from a peak of enthusiasm and slowly dwindles down to either exhaustion of the theme or boredom, which is unequivocally a symptom of the previous. Time to call it quits.

Aizome day17

Look at that film!! for the first time i feel i'm getting somewhere. If you look closer at the second photo you'll see some blue specks floating which is not very good, but the ph is good.

i'm so grateful to flickr as i can see the process developing. It's a lot about observing and measuring. Everything. i suspect the reason i'm not getting more of a film or flower is due to temperature. Have to get a thermometer!

neki desu


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this baby needs to get framed

It looks like summer has a special effect on textile people and everyone rushes to finish UFOS.
My work over the weekend included finishing this one.I was experimenting with pigments here, the fluo pink background is pigment with Golden GAC900.The hand of the fabric was not considerably altered, but here that's not a concern.
i used matte Pebeo for some dots and iridescent for the gold and top layer getting carried away with the stamping. The strips were then machine stitched together and the patch was heavily embellished using a variety of stitches,threads and beads. Fine and dandy up to here, but it needs a frame. Not sure whether to go baroque and make an intricate one or use a subtle ribbon as a finish. Ideas anyone?

Aizome day16

Ph was adjusted and the vat is doing well now.This morning stir found it with a slight iridescent film,the proverbial film at last. Color is beginning to change still green but slightly shifting to yellow. Holding my breath .

neki desu


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wish you were here: a lovely excess

So that you could experience that lovely stench with me. The addition of cooked bran worked and how! There's a lovely froth on the surface of the vat . And i 'll spare you the details of the stench which has already gone from smell to stench :)


But that means it's working although the ph. has to be corrected.
Have a lovely weekend! :)




neki desu


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here,there and everywhere

This is the akanezome pot which is being cold dyed slowly. Very slowly indeed, but it's working.The idea comes from Leena's wonderful blog .She wrote very detailed instructions for cold dyeing madder here.There is also lots of information about plant dyeing and growing in her blog.

Moving on to weaving.

An artsy photo that will make the photo taliban's teeth screech.

and a married to the literal one :)

The motif was stamped on the warp and the figuring weft was brocaded on areas of the motifs. Will be further embellished. Rethreading over the weekend, but still lampas.

Aizome day13

Day 12 found the vat with nothing happening. Added more cooked bran to see if the fermentation would kick off. It did because this morning it had already developed a smell. Had to adjust the ph as it read between 7 and 8.Color changed to green with some blue specks, don't know whether this is good or bad. Wise people out there advice please!
Went back to the Japanese recipe and it advises to stir , rather whip to create a froth.Contrary to other recipes this one seems to need oxygen to aid the fermentation.

This weekend is going to be a busy one because the Japanese final is looming .
On the hell on wheels department, the flat on the third floor is being renovated and hopefully there will be no banging on the walls. Peace and quiet at last!!!!

neki desu


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Weavolution

So we can move on from the Tony-Maria syndrome. WOOOOO!!!!!
Weavolution


neki desu


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how it all began

Strata nº1. The central image is a photo of Bryce canyon manipulated beyond recognition :) and transfered on pelmet vilene which was then further manipulated. i saw it as too literal so the transfer idea was abandoned. However it acted as the springboard for the rest of the series.

Nº 2 is somewhat less literal and the concept behind had already started to gel. Layers recording time.
Curious here. Do you work in series? Or do you make individual pieces?

AIZOME Day 10

Starting to worry, there's no change in the vat, no bubbles indicating fermentation,no bronzy film and no change for the worse in smell. On the other hand madder dyeing is coming along well. Hope these do not turn into famous last words.

neki desu


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あかね or how to learn the basic words

Every summer when i start the natural dyes session i can't help but smiling. As the days progress the smile turns into laughter recalling episodes of Dr.Slump one of the cutest, most hilarious anime ever.
Why so? because among others of the Kimidori family whose names are all of the traditional Japanese dyes or colors. How did i learn the word akane? Akane Kimidori of course! Indeed a most efficient tool for learning languages.Then after that it was a matter of putting 2 and2 together and practicing :)

The scarf here is a simple silk crepe weave piece dyed with akane茜(madder) that i found some days ago in the bottomless drawer- remember ?
The kanji for madder is beautiful, too bad i didn't get it on my kanji test yesterday. Test which by the way was borderline bummer. But i'm digressing .

This year's akanezome is turning well. i'm doing it Japanese style dyeing,drying and resting for a day then dipping again.Strange how as you get older you become more patient. It's all about time, slow dyeing.

AIZOME Day6

The color is somehwat bronzy green with some yellow overtones. Apparently this kind of color is "listed" in books. The ph is ok. and it is starting to get smelly. i'm not doing the wave yet.

neki desu

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the zeitgeist

It seems that nowadays everywhere i look i find ai, natural dyes and animation.
There's something else that makes this video special.
The morning i went to Fushimi Inari as i was crossing the torii passage i could hear a sutra being chanted : the sutra, the early morning light filtering through the red gates , the silence broken by the monotone repetition, it all created a very special mood which i can still recall 13 years afterwards. This is the sutra.

Ai vat Day 4

Added cooked wheat bran with the morning stirring.No significant change from yesterday.

neki desu


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an ufo and day 3

This is about 2 years old.Was doing the big sleep until i found it again.Think it's done, but might add some stitching to the shibori bit.
Finishing ufos is ideal when you're waiting for your vat to develop.

Day 3 photos

Getting the disgusting putrid pea soup color and smell too :) Ph test going places.

neki desu


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