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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