Looong Weekend!!

We'll just ignore the fact that it's the weekend that marks the end of summer. I'm hoping we have a nice, long autumn, to make up for the nonexistent spring. Like a month of weather in the 80's. Perfect.

I was going to get a lot done today artwise, but it's 4:30 and it ain't happening. So I'm resigned to getting the laundry done, kitchen cleaned, and maybe a few other housekeeping chores. I did some running around today, and did score some more goodies for batik--



An iron for dischage with thiox or discharge paste, and two more circle tools. That big pillar the iron is sitting on? That, my friends, is an end from a roll of plain newsprint. I scored FIVE of those for $5!! So I'm hoping to try my hand at fabric steaming this weekend!

And, best of all--



Rayna's book arrived this week!! I have been devouring it, it is a treasure trove of information and inspiration. I did manage to get two pieces waxed this morning, and having her book helped. I think I have an idea of how hot the wax needs to be for the best results, and I'm slowly getting better with the tjanting. i have my print paste made up, ready to go tomorrow morning. Here's one of the pieces I have waxed and ready to dye--



I also got some canvas at Joann's to make a press board or a print board, haven't decided yet.

Oh, yeah- the shoulder is much better. I had a bursitis attack, which the orthopedist said can happen out of the blue. Hopefully the week of Motrin 800's he prescribed will take care of the problem, because the next step is cortisone shots in the shoulder. Rather not, thanks, unless I absolutely have to.

I'll post more after I actually have so fiber related pics to post!

Feeling Better

I never would have believed it Wednesday, but the shoulder is doing much better. I was actually able to go to work on Thursday, although I had it in a sling for a lot of the day. But I can move it most directions without pain, and can now get through a day with only a couple of painkillers, instead of every three hours. We'll see what the orthopedist says tomorrow morning.

I now have some more equipment for batik and other fabric surface design. I ran into DI yesterday, and found this skillet/fondue setup, that actually has a thermostat. And look at the cool design on that potato masher! I've already moved my wax into the new pot.



I have been wanting to find a way to steam fabric, either to set dyes or to discharge with thiox. I tried discharge paste once with a steam iron, and could not stand the stench. And, I swear it ruined my iron. Then one day I remembered a campstove setup and turkey fryer we bought a few years ago, and used exactly once. I asked DJ to dig it out of storage- it is perfect!! I have a huge pot, with a strainer I can turn upsidedown to set the fabric on. It can use the propane tank with our grill, and will set nicely on the patio in back where I can comfortably keep an eye on it. I am ecstatic!!



I have another picture I want to try with batik, and I am thinking through my color sequencing. I'll be waxing it after work this week, as long as the shoulder continues to improve.

Pain, pain, pain

I do not know what I did- but my right shoulder and upper arm got injured somehow, and I can barely use it. I'm living on pain pills, haven't been to work since Monday. Any sewing related activities- forget it, in caps. Even the thought of bearing down on a rotary cutter sends me off with howls of pain.

I can't sleep in our bed- I have to sleep on my back (which I hate), then my arm hangs down and hurts. All night. Last night I slept in DJ's chaise, with my arm propped, and did much better. So I will be there again tonight.

I went to a chiropractor Monday and today, and he's done some physical therapy. But today I darned near fainted when he was done, so I now have an appointment with an orthopedist on Monday. Here's hoping I survive until then.

I will never take my right arm for granted again. Showering, getting dressed, all those very necessary activities we do every day take me twice as long (if I can do them, some I can't).

The chiropractor keeps asking me what I was doing, probably trying to jog my memory. No auto accident, no fall or trip, absolutely nothing like that. The only thing I can think of is stirring a pair of Shannon's pants in a 5 gallon bucket dyebath, overdyeing them after she got pink bleach spots on them. If I hurt it then, I sure didn't feel it at the time.

So I guess I will be spending my time until Monday on the chaise, with books and TV, and my big ice bag handy. Whatever it takes t get my right arm back.

Lessons Learned about Batik

I finished dyepainting the background of the tulip batik, and washed it out last night. I LOVE being able to wash out the wax the same time I am washing out my dyes! So here's the final result, washed, dried, and ironed--



Mmmm- I like all the colors, with the exception of the orange. I know my color mixing with dyes, but I will need to do a better job of thinking through my color sequencing next time. I really wanted a rosier, pinkier background, not the stark orange.

I looked carefully at the white lines, wanting to see if my waxing needs work or if the soy is just different than traditional batik wax. I could tell that my lines had tiny breaks, enough to cause the issue with escaping green dye that is so obvious. So I will work on my technique with the tjantings. I also remember that I may not have had the wax as hot as I did the other times I waxed, so that may make a difference with the tjantings too. And, I will wax both side of the piece if I want to make sure I contain the dye. It sure seemed to work with the last waxing I did, since the red dye stayed where I wanted it to.

Can you tell from this that dye painting is not my favorite way to apply the stuff? Smooth transitions are hard to do, and I just don't get the color coverage I want. Since I don't have a setup conducive to painting large pieces, I'm less inclined to improve my results with practice. Printing fabric to cut and use with other fabric, this is much less of an issue. And I suspect I will want to do more of that, not wholecloth pieces.

My frame setup is another challenge to resolve. I don't like using a box if I have to move the piece to wax the entire piece. The wooden frame I made did work, but it was a little too small for the tulip piece. And pounding my tacks into the wood was not fun or easy. Also, I managed to dye the thing with several colors from this piece- now I'll be worried about backstaining on the next piece if I tack the fabric directly into the wood.

I have another image I think I will enlarge and try- a big sunflower, from the same book. Maybe a size just smaller than my frame. And I think I will go for a much deeper color background.

I also got my rust dye piece washed, dried, and ironed. This is one process I don't think is for those with control issues. If you think dye is hard to control, it's nothing compared to rusting. I wanted the image on the garden ornament to show clearly- I got part, not the whole thing. So next time, I think I'll do a wrap with wire around a pole. Something where I'm not trying for a specific image!!



This morning, I cleaned up the studio while Bentlee worked on a couple of postcards to give her mom and dad. We've found that my Featherweight is perfect for her, and I can set it up on a lower section of the table my Bernina is in. She stitched, then added some details with stamps and fabric paint.



After the edges were done, we added the final touches with hot fix crystals. According to Bentlee, every postcard needs so glitz!

Tonight, we're off to the county fair; tomorrow, a Bees' game in Salt Lake.

Batik and Rust

I added the last color to the tulip batik this morning, and now it is batching away. Definitely a learning experience, not a masterpiece. I've got it upsidedown so the red will bleed towards the top.



In between a couple of hours of work, and some cleaning / laundry, I decided I wanted to try some rust dyeing. I found a small piece of overdye I did some time ago- a pale turquoise-y with subtle rust accents. I figured more rust would work just fine. I wanted to use a garden ornament Shannon bought DJ last year- something that was designed to rust! Then I added some rusty odd and ends I found in the garage. Apparently rust doesn't take long here. I soaked the fabric in vinegar, and have had to wet it twice to keep it damp- that just in the space of an hour or so.



I have lots more small pieces of this sequenced overdye, this may lead to something bigger.

This weekend it is the county fair, and Bentlee will be spending the weekend with us. So it will be a busy one.

Midweek---

Don't have any fiber pictures to post,although I have continued to work on the soy wax batiked tulips. I've waxed all the flower parts, front AND back. Now I can mess with the background, and hopefully not have any more escaping dye. We'll see.

I did want to share photos of something I ran across last week while traveling up Provo Canyon to Heber. We've had some wildfires uncomfortably close to home- smokey skies, and the smell of fire on some days. One of them was above Bridal Veil Falls in the canyon. I could see the smoke as I headed up, and the burned trees on the mountainside.

Further up, the canyon narrows considerably. The road runs next to the river, and the mountain shoots steeply up on the other side of the river. I'd noticed an odd looking helicopter as I was driving. The further I went, the lower it seemed to be going, until I watched it drop down in front of me.

Some little voice told me to grab my camera when I left the house that morning, and I was glad I had. I watched while the pilot hovered over the river, dropping his suction hose into the river- I guess to fill a water tank?



I watched for several minutes, then got another shot of him heading back to the fire with a full tank. I could feel the water spray kicked up by the rotors. Maybe six or eight cars stopped to watch the sight, and the skill of the pilot, hovering over the river with a steep mountainside so close.



The fires are out, we are left with the blackened mountainsides. But I'm grateful for the dedication of people like this pilot who help keep the fires from going completely out of control.

Soy Wax Batik

I got my tjantings from Dharma, so I hunted through my copyright-free books and came up with a design to do. I can tell my garage-sale overhead projector will get plenty of use, it made enlarging the design a simple task.

Friday afternoon I waxed it. I got the skillet hotter this time, to see if having the soy wax hotter would make it behave more like the traditional wax I used at Anne's workshop. It didn't, it still has wax on top- but it went through, I could tell by looking and feeling the underside.

After brushing on soda ash solution, I dyed the almost the whole piece yellow. I want the tulips purple, so can't have yellow as an undercolor- but the rest of the piece, I can.



I batched it awhile, then did the stem, leaves, and flowers- so blue on the first two, grape on the flowers. A bit of yellow bled into the flowers, but I'm ok with that- it will help shade the flowers.



Today I hope to wax part of the leaves, so I can add a darker blue to shade the leaves some. Then I'll wax all the flowers, and blend in some red to the background.

I've had some bleeding in my lines- when I waxed, I used a box that was smaller than my piece. So I had to finish the job by moving it, and bending the already waxed portion over the box. I wonder if that didn't contribute to the incomplete lines.

I went into this with the attitude it is a process piece, one to help me learn how the wax behaves- so if it is not a masterpiece, that is just fine. But doing a wholecloth piece is very different and more painstaking than doing abstract cloth that will be cut up and used in a larger piece. I like doing that, and think I would approach it in the future by doing several at once, with colors that blended- in other words, think of the whole, finished piece, and not just the cloth I am working on. You have lots of time to think through that issue while waxing, it is not a quick process!

I also got brushes, but haven't had much luck with them. I hope I can figure that out before I'm ready to wax the background, that would take forever with a tjanting!

WAQ-y Friday

Friday my small art group met down in my neck of the woods. I did a brief demo of how I'm constructing my own stretcher frames, then we went to the Springville Art Museum quilt show, an annual event sponsored by the Utah Valley Quilt Guild.

Utah is known for its conservative politics, and Utah county, where I live, is one of the most conservative urban areas in the state. That also applies to quilts; when we moved here, I didn't even bother to check out the guilds, I knew I wouldn't fit. And that conservatism is reflected in this show. The vast majority are traditional; some very well executed, some not so. There were three Dear Jane quilts exhibited, all of them included nine patch blocks made with inch squares. That's one inch BEFORE piecing! I got a headache just thinking about it.

Photography was allowed, but there were very few that moved me to want to take a picture. One of our members had, Jalaine, two pieces exhibited, and they definitely stood out. I love the colors in this one, makes me think of Cinco de Mayo.



The second has neat contrast between sparkle and subdued. I thought the red backdrop set it off well.



Of all the traditional ones, this is the only one that appealed to me. I like the shape and the colors.



My friend Sandra Starley from Moab has two small pieces; you can see them here.

This quilt of aspens was interesting, and probably the least traditional one to get a ribbon.



Hands down, the most magnificent quilt there was this one of a moth. The detail was astounding, her use of fabric and stitching to create the wing patterns was amazing.




Seeing the show provoked a lot of discussion over lunch on quilt shows versus art shows, and how we can best get our work out there. Don't think we came to any consensus, which probably about describes the lack of consensus in the fiber art world!

Mystery of the Pink Cat

I had a phone call from my daughter while I was at work yesterday, half-hysterically asking me if I'd seen our cat Annabelle. I hadn't, at which point she told me Annabelle was pink!

I just had to start laughing, obviously Anna wasn't in any danger of dying or anything from being pink. So when I got home, I got to see just what our pink Annabelle looked like.



She is definitely pink. Both Shannon and DJ wondered if she had gotten into my dyes- no chance, folks, they are in jars that are securely covered. Shannon thought she smelled sweet, like Kool Aid- also interesting, since we don't have that in the house. Anna likes to go outside and lay on our redwood chip mulch, would that turn her pink?

So, the mystery remains. Any ideas out there what would turn a cat pink?

Not much by way of fiber content

this weekend. Friday I was in Salt Lake most of the day, yesterday I managed to finish a blouse before taking my Bernina to the repair shop. It's sewing fine, but refuses to turn off with the dial- so I want it looked at now, before something else goes wrong. Still have the Juki if I have the energy to sew this week after work.

I'm only six weeks behind, but I actually got started on Marly's birthday present today. I'm using my Caran d'Ache crayons, like I did on the first two pieces I made her. This one will be slightly different, I'm also including some Neocolor I in the piece- the crayons that are water resistant. We'll see if I get the effect I'm hoping for. Maybe I'll have pictures after I go at it with the water.

I did get out with my camera Saturday. With all the talk of alternative energy sources on the political front, and T. Boone Pickens' plan that is heavy on wind power, we have been intently watching a wind farm close to our home be built and become operational.

We live at the mouth of a long canyon that is known for its wind, so it was a logical place to locate a wind farm. The units are huge- I can see them easily ten miles away. I find watching them mesmerizing.




Eight of the nine windmills were turning when I took the picture. I can't tell you how happy it makes me to know that my local electric company is generating at least a portion of its power from a source that is local, renewable, and non-polluting. Wonder how those windmills would look as a thermofax?

More Dye Results

I ironed the last piece from my dyefest yesterday, and cut my little squares for my dye book from the sateen. I knew I got good results with the overdyes, but it wasn't until I had my squares all arranged on the paper that I could clearly see how nicely the colors blend into each other. I love these, they are so springy and happy!



The dye painted piece is ok- I'm thinking I may try some other surface design techniques on it, maybe some screenprinting. I do like the way the colors wicked into each other, without making mud.





The sashes turned out ok- the colors not as dulled as I'd originally thought. We'll see if they match anything in my wardrobe.



Karoda asked why I used the skillet like a double boiler,rather than just putting the wax in it. I wanted to make sure I could prevent it from getting too hot, and the thermostat on that skillet was primitive to say the least. No numbers, nothing in the directions to clue me in as to how hot it can get- so I figured I would play it safe with the can. I will need to get a bigger metal bowl or something, since some of the utensils I wanted to try stamping with didn't fit in the can. And, having the can makes it easy to store the wax when I'm done.

Well, off to church- then maybe I'll get some sewing done on a blouse I cut out yesterday.

Dyeing Day

With the hot weather we've been having, I'd have kicked myself if I didn't get any dyeing done. And, my soy wax arrived from Peak Candle Supply. I may not have my Dharma order with my tjantings and brushes, but I wasn't about to let that stop me!

First, Shannon and I went to DI to see if I could score a double boiler or electric skillet, and some interesting kitchen utensils that could be used to stamp with wax. No luck with the double boiler or skillet, and the pickings were pretty slim in the utensil department. I did find a few to try, and also a shorter pitcher and a beaker to add to my dye supplies. Then we went to Big Lots, where I did find a 'personal electric skillet,' cheap. Why anyone would need a tiny, individual electric skillet is beyond me, but it works for the wax.

So, here's what I ended up with:



I dumped in a bunch of the soy wax flakes to melt while I made up some dye concentrates. I pulled out some silk scarves I got a couple of years ago, and also decided to do another sequenced overdyes in sateen- this one, yellow to blue.

Once the sateen was batching on our south-facing driveway, I went to work with the wax. I had to play with the thermostat quite a bit, and also figured out that the water had to be about boiling to get the wax hot enough. First I did a silk scarf, using a round mixer we found. Then I appropriated a cookie cutter from our kitchen, and tried it on a rayon sash from Dharma. Aren't I lovely in my dyeing attire?



I was kind of freaking inside while I was waxing. The soy wax looks different from the parafin/sticky wax I used at Ann's workshop after it cools on the fabric. I've got no directions, just a few things I've learned off the Complex Cloth and Quiltart lists. While I was working away, music going from the iPod, I decided that sometimes my impatience gets the better of me, and I jump in without really knowing what I'm doing. I wasn't trying for any masterpieces today, I just wanted to see if the process would work! More stuff for the crap quota!!

I dye painted this on a piece of sateen, just playing.



And here's the silk scarf I did with the wax, after I've applied the dye. Yeah, I slopped some raspberry where I didn't intend to.



I usually let my hand dyes batch twenty four hours, but I was too impatient today. I washed out the sateen sequenced overdyes first, and was very happy with the results. Love those greens, and nice patterning!



Then the four silk scarves and the rayon sashes.



The one on the left was waxed, the one on the right was just bound with rubber bands. The color on the waxed one is kind of blah, but my wax worked!

The scarves--



The dark green one was done with vinegar, and 'steamed' in my studio microwave I got a while ago. It sure is nice not having to run upstairs to warm up salt solutions!

But I was especially happy with how the waxed scarf came out-- love it!



So now I can be patient, until my tjantings arrive and I can lay my hand on a copy of Rayna's book locally. I have also taken over the turkey deep fryer that has been used once in seven years- it's now a fabric steamer! What do I have to discharge??

Almost Done!!!

I took the day off work to give myself a five-day weekend, with the holiday tomorrow. I made it into the studio early in the morning (my best time), and by early evening I had the quilting done and the binding sewed on my journal quilt. The only thing I have left to do is sewing on the beads, which will be the finishing touch. And I can't show you a picture- arrgh!!

I've learned some things with this piece, and even had some serendipity at the end that enhanced it even more. Definitely not planned, but it added to the effect I was trying for. I may make a couple more on this theme, Shannon has already requested one with some minor changes.

I ordered my supplies for batiking this morning- tjantings, brushes, and a couple colors of dye that I've been wanting from Dharma. I was going to order the hard pillar soy wax that Rayna Gillman recommended from Pro-Chem- but I about died when the cost of shipping two pounds from Massachusetts was more than double the cost of the wax itself. So I googled soy wax, and found a candle supply company in Denver that also had the pillar soy wax. Not only were my shipping charges considerably less, but the price of the wax was better too- I got ten pounds for $13!! Compare that to Pro-Chem, who wanted $8 for two pounds. So I will be on pins and needles waiting for it all to arrive so I can experiment and play some more.

I took my camera with me when Sadie and I walked tonight. I never know what I will find on the river trail. Tonight we found thistles, tons of them. We may not be able to grow a lot of things in the desert, but we grow great big thistles. On one part of the trail, they were on both sides of the walk, and taller than me.



We saw them at every stage- early flowers,



wide open, (sorry it's a little fuzzy)



exploded, having sent lot of seeds out to make more thistles,



and finally, totally dry. I really like the look of these- and apologize again for the fuzziness.



We also saw lots of the summer snow- cotton from the cottonwood trees.



The wild sunflowers are just starting to appear.



I've had a fondness for flowering weeds ever since I used them as a theme for my 2006 journal quilts, my best (I think). Now I'm wondering if I can use these images in a batik--

Sadie is now thoroughly pooped, I'm tired. But a good day nonetheless!

The Wild Life. . .

It was hot and humid (for Utah, anyway), but we had a great time at Patti's. And lots of new critters to get acquainted with! Ben came to Patti's directly from doing an education show with some of his birds, so he had some we'd never met.

Shannon and I fell in love with Takal and Savannah, a macaw and a cockatoo. They both loved attention, and say some words in addition to the loud SQAUK that parrots are known for. He is very interested in that shiny silver necklace Shannon has on-



Both birds had spectacular coloring. Takal is in-your-face bright, with several shades of blue and turquoise, bright golden yellow, and some green. Savannah is a much more subdued creamy peach, with some yellow on her tail feathers.



Ben and Savannah have a little show they do, and they entertained us later in the evening. Savannah has a crest, which you can see in the next photo. She gets to talking, and her head bobbing up and down, and we were all on the ground laughing.



We helped Patti feed some of the birds. She had just gotten a baby Swenson hawk- you can see he still has downy feathers on his head. Bentlee helped feed him some meat- he was hungry!



There were also two birds I asked to be able to photograph up close. This harrier (hawk, I think) fascinated me the first time I saw him. He has a hawk body, but a small owl's head- his eyes are on the front, not the sides. The blue band is a splint for his broken tail feathers.



The other is the raven, aptly named DB Cooper because he is an escape artist. He also talks, but not when people are around. He has picked up some interesting phrases from Patti's teenage sons- "I didn't do it", for example. He loves water, and we got the hose in his cage to cool him off.



Patti is starting to take bears as part of her wildlife rehabbing. You don't get close to them, but I managed this shot of him through the fencing.



I spent some time with Takal on my leg, having an interesting conversation. I tried to get some photos of him up close, and he was fascinated with my camera. I got a lovely blurry shot of him going after my lens with his beak wide open! This is the best shot, you can see his wonderful coloring.



Lastly, Shannon got out the young (descented) skunk that Patti now has on an education permit. He is just so cute!



Good food, good friends, what better way to spend a hot summer evening!

Crunch Time . . .

I have been working on a piece- my journal quilt piece, which I can't show pictures of. The background is assembled, mostly what I have left to do is the quilting. While I do understand the rationale behind the 'no pictures' rule, it is hard to not show the progress!

We are off to our wildlife rehabber friend Patti's home tonight, for a barbeque. Last I heard, she had a young bear- if he's still there, hopefully I can get pictures. And it's also the annual Llama Fest at the Hari Krishna temple, so I'm sure we'll hit that before we head for Patti's!!

Next week is a holiday weekend for Utah- the 24th is Pioneer Day, and I'm taking the 23rd off work too to make it a 5 day weekend. I'm starting the quilting this morning, but my goal is to have it completely done, bound, photographed, and the entry submitted by July 28. The deadline is August, I'm hoping to not be dealing with it the night of the 31st!!

Hope your weekend is fun, I'm off to the studio--