madame gets lazy

not quite, but sounds like a self indulgent title. after years of working on this scarf, and this is not a figure of speech, see this, this and this and this. the aizome layer has no post therefore it goes unaccounted for.

after all that time spent weaving, dyeing-note the spelling- stitching, dyeing and overdyeing it still needed punch, but madame wanted a shortcut. i had surely worked for one!

enters alum mordant painting and alginate painting resist.

then cochineal dye, almost a lake because the alum water practically evaporated. paint paint and cure. more tomorrow and we shall see if i can call this done or quits.

notice how come  september -october and i go non stop?  because it's not hot.

the red  idea comes from susan who inspired me to go this way.

neki desu
 

when inspiration comes

it better find me working. a ufo no more.
and while at it giving the finishing touches i remembered that i had some handmade paper from when i had my paper making crush, just slightly previous to the invention of the light bulb. they were made from beaten esparto grass hankies used  by plumbers in those days to block and repair pipes. 

esparto is a jack of all trades which is, among other uses,  used to make the soles of the fashionable espadrilles that before becoming fashionable were poor people's shoes.

i was very pleased with the papers i got especially being a dilettante as i was and kept them for a future use. having spent a lot of time lately in making utilitarian stuff the time was ripe for a flight of fancy.



fast forward to smart phone age .the papers already treated with paint, foiled with gold leaf that i had since the time telegraph was invented and already being stitched with black silk
thread.

in need of a background for cohesion or, to use the latest  artspeak buzzword,

 to aid in the narrative ಠ-ಠ .

white 30gr lutradur stained with paynes grey 

some red smudgings and twin needle tucks.

how's that for a narrative?

the finished piece. have you tried taking photos of gold? difficult seems an understatement.

details. i used a little of blandina's gifted threads. i thought about keeping them for  god knows what in the future, but i don't think i'm immortal. better give them use now than asking to be buried with them, don't you think?

chi trova un amico trova un tesoro  ;-)

neki desu

of low tech hacks

how to keep yarns from twisting with each other  when using the color changer:
take a foam tray, make holes with a tapestry needle, tape it to the table and put the yarns through.
thread the knitting machine.

remedial extra weight: bolts and wing nuts, twine length and a paper clip keep yarns on the needles preventing them to pop off. add as many as needed.
you're welcome.















neki desu