june TIF more thoughts

Altered materials are embedded with potential stories.
i spent my time off the loom this weekend doing some machine stitching on
Solvy.It's a funner as you dissolve the backing and the threads remain, curling in place. i'm building a small (emphasis on the small) stash for projects i want to tackle and it will also serve the purpose of this month's TIF
The next fun thing i discovered was that i can use some odd yarn remains from past projects as bobbin thread.These are hand dyed silk yarns and you can guess what a fine grist they are, like sewing thread! Therefore this stash creating project comes along with destashing too.

i finally located some poly felt. And it came with an anecdote. i asked the man at the store whether the felt was poly and if it would burn. Oh no madam!, our felt is 100%wool felt said he. Looking at the dubious shine in the felt i said - it's just too bad because i'm looking for felt that can burn. He looked at me with a very serious look and said -in that case this is your felt, madam.
Isn't this a case of Harry -put- on -the -green-light -the- man- wants- a -green- suit- or what?

neki desu

the best gift

Samples are the best gift for a weaver. Then comes yarns.
Samples concentrate so many stories in such a small physical space.

These tate-yoko kasuri samples were given to me by my weaving sensei.
Some of the motifs are weft or yoko kasuri while others are double or tate (warp) yoko kasuri.
The warp is black and woven in dark blue which gives it tonal depth and richness.

The fabric is cotton and woven for every day wear. i beleieve they were woven by sensei's father or a relative as she comes from a family of weavers from Hachioji , a town in the outskirts of Tokyo. It is a weaving town and one of the reasons to visit is this.


neki desu

tradition

A rice straw coat worn during the winter by farmers in the past. It was on display at a museum in Takayama.Sustainable economy, where resources were scarce, yet used to a maximum. Nothing was discarded.

neki desu