I belong to an art group (Eye for Fiber: an art group) that meets once a month. This month we played with the technique of mono-printing. I was inspired to suggest it by a print that hangs on my wall.

This was done by my daughter when she was in the seventh grade (circa 1995 in Christiansburg, Virginia). I have always been so enamored of it I wanted to try it. Sometimes it takes me a while to get around to things… but if I really am interested, I get there eventually

She doesn’t remember the techniques they used clearly but enough to get us started. I played a bit.

And a bit more.

But one should never get cocky…

The technique was interesting but the colors, oy! For this one I put paint in plastic wrap and “smooshed” (technical word, that). I still think it has potential, I’ll just make sure I use better colors next time. I believe that mono-printing will never become my favorite paint technique (never say never!) but it is worth further exploration. Layering has a lot of promise and I need to experiment with the amount of paint I use, as well as it’s thickness. I have been using Setacolor straight from the jar so far. It may be better thinned a bit. I’m also being cautious of how much paint I use as I don’t want to make the fabric stiff as cardboard. Although for wall art, I’m not sure why I care. I still have to play with adding bits of stuff. Ashland’s print (top photo) has bits of lace, screen and pine needles, among other things in it. The textures are marvelous!

And elsewhere in the news - Country living has it’s drawbacks. Just about everything we do (including all our jobs) are an hour drive, think gas prices. Ouch! I’m told the Frost Date here is Memorial Day. I spent Memorial weekend getting my veggie and herb garden all planted and they looked so nice. We had a killing frost last night. Sigh. And my dream car, my wonderful VW Bug, has a black eye.

It was hit by a deer on a long dark country road on the way home from a movie. Notice I did not say the car hit the deer. Since it came from the side and slightly behind us, I think that qualifies as the deer hitting the car. My car has a serious black eye and the deer walked (limped?) away. I still feel bad about the poor thing but there is not much you can do when it completely disappears. Considering how many deer/car encounters there are here, I guess it was just a matter of time. At least it was minor and both parties seemed to have survived. At least the car occupants had no injures. Thank the Gods for small Blessings (yes, I read Terry Pratchett).

Deb H

I don’t have much to report on for last week’s artistic adventures. Our spring has been cool here but the warmer weather is surely just around the corner and since our “Frost Date” is (for the most part) Memorial Day, its time to get serious about the outdoor gardens. So I have spent most of my week prepping the vegetable and herb beds for my planned planting flurry this weekend.

Meanwhile, this round of sock classes (I’m teaching “Toe-Up, Two at a Time on One Needle Socks!” at Heritage Spinning and Weaving) is going pretty dang well. I’ve been very lucky with this last two classes as they have been “up to the challenge” and becoming sock knitting fiends. Here is my current class (from left to right); Linda, Carol, Suzanne, Diane, Pat, and Sue.

Don’t they just look like they are going to be producing mass quantities of hand knit socks in the very near future? BTW, Jane of my class that graduated in April has already brought in to show me her finished pair and they are beautiful, go Jane!

*

I received a wonderful surprise in today’s mail. I have an art quilt in a traveling exhibit; Michigan Quilt Artist Invitational 2008, The Art of Music. I got a post card advertising the current exhibit and my quilt was one of the two quilts gracing the front. This is my first time to make it in print so I had to share.

And the back.

For better pictures of the quilt I have in the exhibit, I blogged about it last December.

And last but not least, it’s not just for sewing anymore… I saw this little gadget in a posh kitchen catalog and thought how it would be great for chopping up all my fresh herbs.

Then I thought, “this reminds me of something I already have”. I rummaged my sewing table and sure enough, I have 3 of these things so one could be spared.

OK, so the larger size would work better. I also have to take it all the way apart to clean it each time but, it works incredibly well and best — it was already paid for ;o)

Deb H

Copyrights - a stickler of a subject at the best of times. The most misunderstood and abused set of laws we probably currently have in the US. Congress, in all it’s wisdom, seems to think the new “Orphan Works” being bandied about is a good idea.

Oy!

Wake up people. This is very, very, very bad. For more information and how to help to let Congress know that the American voters are smarter than that, please follow this link and be heard!

http://www.gloriahansen.com/weblog/?cat=2 Thank you Gloria for helping us stay current on this issue.

Dismounting soap box to thunderous applause by ARTISTS all over the world, whom this will effect.

Baby Steps… but still getting there. I have another wall finished in the “art supply” room. The chartreuse wall. A very bright spot of color, the rest will all be light aqua. I have a couple more boxes sorted… progress.

I finally got brave and after letting my last paint layer on the “Grapes” silks cure for a week +, then heat setting the crud out of them and letting them cure for another week - I washed them!

Success, much better color retention and much more the look I was going for. The resist is washed out too and worked very well.

Cloth 2 with it’s sharper look.

And the detail.

I’m quite pleased with them. Now to decide what is next. More paint? Some quilting or stitching? Hummm….

I’ve mentioned my knitting project - the “Mermaid” sweater. A kit and pattern by Hanne Falkenberg and how I swapped out her yarns for ones that are a bit softer. I finally have enough knit to show you all three colors. The rows are long as it is knit from side to side and the edge you are seeing is the I-cord front, left edge (gold) and the beginnings of the shawl collar (navy and purple). The yarn is Elsebeth Lavold’s Silky Wool and I’m very pleased so far. Granted, I still have a long way to go but it will be a joy!

And now I’m off to fix dinner; herb marinated game hen - with herbs from my indoor herb garden.

Planted 4 weeks ago today. Yes, this is such a cool toy I succumbed and got a 2nd one for salad greens, I planted it yesterday. Who needs the grocery store?

Deb H

Is that not just the most dramatic title ever? Yea, the playwright daughter is not the only drama queen in the household

I’m simply referring to the fact that as I empty stuff out of my art room to paint another wall, the studio and office have become so choked I cannot navigate in them. I’ve had to be diligent about a path to the computer! But, it has to get worse before it gets better, right? I have (in my defense) filled up two large garbage bags with old disks and paperwork that is about 15 years out of date and ideas and fiber articles that had me saying - out loud - “what was I thinking!?!” Some things are just not worth keeping, I keep telling myself that as I still have several more boxes to sort through. But progress is being made, if very slowly and the light of dawn will glow again. What is my point? An over abundance of clutter can stifle creativity. Trust me on this.

I just finished teaching a sock class (Toe-Up, Two at a Time on One Needle) and I always knit a pair of socks along with the class for demo purposes and to make myself feel less guilty about not making myself do the same homework I make my students do. Since I already have a pair of Cat Bordhi socks on the needle and have started my Hanne Falkenberg “Mermaid” sweater, I was not over-eager to start another pair so they are in super chunky yarn. But then I blew the whole “quick and dirty” thing by doing them in a lace pattern. A bit odd, but dear daughter loves them! I start another class next week, dear hubby will get some slippers too as I have a bit more of this unknown chunky yarn that was given to me. I think I’ll skip the lace on his.

As to my Mermaid Sweater, the color way I ordered was Apple Green and Turquoise. A lovely color combination and I adore it. I just don’t adore the yarn, sorry Hanne! It’s a bit scratchy and breaks too easily. I have replaced it with Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in navy, purple and bronze, I’m hoping it will look as good in real life as it does in my head. When I have it a bit further on, I’ll post a pix.

Since I can’t even get in my sewing studio, I have started to wind a warp with the merino I dyed in the Palindrome method.

It seems to be working and the color sections are (more or less) lining up. Cool!

And because this silly herb garden tickles me so much, here is a picture of my garden, three weeks after planting. And yes Mom, I harvested some last night as I grilled orange roughy with some fresh basil, chives and cilantro, among other things - very tasty!

Back to winding my warp.

Deb H