TRYING TO COVER UP SOME STAINS

I thrifted this adorable child's top that had been stained in a few places.

So first I tried to Eco-dye it with leaves and flowers from garden.

It was a big fail.

Next I stitched a few Shibori designs into it that I had seen on Glennis Dolce's site,

and dipped into my indigo vat.

Better but still not perfect.

Not sure where I'll go next with this,

but I'm thinking to embroider around the designs to take one's eye off the stains.

Or just maybe put it aside for a couple of years.

I might be over it.

FALL IS FINALLY HERE IN THE SO.CAL.

In water starved California we finally got a wonderful downpour today,

all of 3 minutes.  

But we will take whatever we can get.

Everything got a good bath.

And the sky was amazing to look at as the sun went down from our hill.

Off to the right is Los Angeles in the distance.

The skyscrapers where just out of the viewfinder.

I was standing in line at the doctor's office and all the assistants, nurses and a few of the doctors 

ran to the main lobby to witness and enjoy.

It's just been so very long.

And the few parent s with small children got to show their kids what rain looks like.

It was the best!

This photo was sent to me by my neighbor who went on her sunset walk with her husband and pup.

I believe they both also had a whiskey in hand.  

LOL 

MORE SHIBORI SAMPLERS

    In the Tuesday Nite Fiber Arts class I've been teaching for about a year and a half now,

we tried out many samplers.

These are a few of mine I experimented with. 

A simple dandelion (note: I forgot to pull the string for the stem above),

thus the stem looks lighter in value then the leaves and flower after stitching was removed.

Also, 

that old thrifted sheeting must have had some oil spots that weren't removed in the cleaning.

I will probable stitch a few bugs over top them.

I believe I've mentioned several times that I love when things like that go wrong.

It forces me to think of more creative solutions.

In this next piece,

 I'm sorry I was too lazy to go back and rotate it to match the finish product below.

Here it is pulled tightly ready for the dip into the indigo bath.

And below after the stitches were removed.

Here is another that I didn't''t bother to rotate,

and it's pulled form below.

The result below.

For some reason I stopped taking photos at this point,

 but managed to get the end result which I really loved here.

It almost feels like a Native American Medicine Wheel.

I also want you to note that unlike the flag I posted the other day,

none of these pieces turned out as bright blue as the flag did.

That's because all of us were using the same vat with many experiments and it became a bit depleted.

So the blue is much more subdued in these samples.

The next time I use the indigo vat I will replenish it.

I was trying to remember the other day how long I've had this vat going

 so I actually went back and searched the blog.

I went back to June 30th, 2012 in a post titled "Shibori Workshop-Part I"

where Long Beach, Ca. artist Shibori Girl Glennis Dolce came to my home/studio

 to teach my students and I the art of Shibori and Indigo Dyeing.

Glennis is a wonderful teacher, 

a fountain of information, 

 and actually grew up in Japan speaking the language.

(I believe she was an army brat there)

Glennis is still teaching thru her website and also at the Japanese American Museum in Los Angeles.

She travels every year back to Japan,

usually leading a tour of Fiber Artists to shop and learn more.

If you ever get a chance I would at lest recommend a visit to her blog and shop.

(Address above)

 

A FEW E-MAILS LATER

A few of you e-mailed and asked for the directions to stitch the Shibori flag with. 

 I looked back thru my photos and found a picture of it.

To get two different value ranges on the front side of fabric,

I running stitched the star area on the front of piece,

 then I flipped piece over and stitched striped area from the back side.

And if you've never tried Shibori,

 you then pull as tightly as you can on each of the doubled threads and knot them along design edge.

It will look something like this below.

I then went into my indigo vat,

but you could go into any natural or commercial dye you have available.

I believe I dipped this at least 3 times into the indigo vat,

rinsed and ironed it,

 then ran it thru my washing machine with my darks and into the dryer.

Of course I used 100 % cotton from an old sheet (garage sale find).

The older sheets are easier to stitch thru.

And of course I wash them in my hottest water with a bit of bleach to get them sparkly clean first.

Don't want any cooties.

Ha ha

TO HONOR OUR FALLEN HEROS

A Shibori stitched flag dipped in my indigo vat.

 

LONG TIME NO SEE

Have I mentioned lately that I miss teaching?

That I miss my classroom, but especially that I miss the kids?

Well I still do.

Recently I sent a shout out and hugs to a former art student seen here,

Yusuf Karan,

through our Biology teacher (here) Aileen Perry.

I'm teaching the Fiber Arts to Aileen and sometimes her sister Suzanne every Tuesday nite

(been doing this for over a year now)

and it's really helped me transition into retirement.

She keeps me abreast of all the happenings at the school and updates on the students.

But back to Yusuf.

I taught him in the 7th and 8th grade (Art Wheel and Beginning 3-D Art),

and he left a lasting impression on me.

So much so that when Aileen told me she was working with him this year I exclaimed,

"OMG, I love Yusuf!"

Turns out she does too.

When she passed on my message to him this week,

 he told her he couldn't believe I remembered him. 

The kids are funny, 

they so don't get what a wonderful, lasting impression they leave on your heart.  

Even the talkative ones, right Yusuf!  

Ha ha

So Yusuf,

this post is for you!

I'm pretty sure you are starting your Junior year at Whitney

and I couldn't be prouder of you.

What I remember the most about you is your sweet, positive attitude

and your hard-working effort that you put into your art pieces.

And how you encouraged your classmates to do their best,

and freely gave them compliments when they did.

You encouraged and inspired,

can't wait to see where those characteristics will take you.  

Keep in touch young man!

Sending you a big virtual hug!

xoxoxo