kanoko shibori -untie magic

If you've had thoughts of how horrid it would be to untie all those small tied dots the promised tutorial is here. The system works like a charm.

• hold the fabric with both hands
• put your index finger under a tied bundle give it an upward push
• tug the fabric with both hands and the tie will pop undone. Voila!
• move to the next tie keeping hold of the fabric and repeat the operation
  

It really pays off to do the tying with a continuous thread.
BTW the fabric was dyed with my one and only successful indigo vat.
It isn't dark dark blue, but it's a pretty good blue. Getting there!


neki desu

feeling better -thank you

It's frightening. i miss just one Japanese class and i'm absolutely lost,i have to study triple hard to catch up.

In catching up mode i also wanted to get on with this work that was languishing around. It is part of the More Pictures of the Floating World series in where i'm trying to synthesize all those techniques new and old that were floating around in my studio. Plus my new found love for sequins and beads.
Not to mention using a new to me material such as polyester organza and testing its endurance. It will be submitted to abuse later on this week, as i have yet to catch up with a lot of loose ends.
The title is a cross reference to many things, the book by Katzuo Ishiguro An Artist of the Floating World, Ukiyo-e, and by transference my love for things Japanese..

i like what happens with the hand stitching showing through the fabric and adding visual interest,a curator might say. i much prefer the self coined term of restrained neglect.
Still pondering whether i should clip back the two dangling red threads or leave them as they are.

neki desu

twisted satin stitch- TAST 42

Tast 42. This was a deceivingly easy stitch. At first it was more complicated than what it seemed and i wasn't getting it right. Then all of a sudden it all made sense and i started having fun with it. i like the texture it creates and think it would work well for filling large areas. Where satin stitch sags this one soars! :)
It also looks good used for couching ribbons and you can create pretty cool checkerboards.
Check out Elisabeth's variations for a real joy ride.

i used DMC # 10 perle cotton and spun silk and had to use cotton thread for the seed beads and added some sequins too. This could be a border by itself.
Also changed foundation fabric from linen to Aida. i don't know whether it's Aida in general or this particular one but it's not very firm and gets distorted by tension. i'll have to get used to it.

neki desu