FINALLY GOT STARTED

off-white cashmere baby blanket

This past year and a half I signed up for 3 of India Flint's online workshops.

The first was Bagstories which I showcased here several months ago,

and now I'm finally getting started slow stitching on the 3rd one called A Clearing in the Woods.

 Today I'm basting all these piece down.

If you are wondering about class No. 2,

I'm stuck on it right now and can't seem to move forward.

But I will cuz it's nagging at me. 

It was so much fun setting up to get started.

India had us cut 29 circles in wool, linen and silk

then fill each one with anything that might have pigment in it:

leaves, twigs, fruits, veges, rusty objects etc.

We bundled each one with embroidery string that would also take the dyes.

I posted the beginnings of the Preliminary Circles here

And here are the glorious threads from the bundles along with some India sent to us

on the far left.

Remarkable right?

And here is a delicious close-up of my favorites of the 29.

If you are wondering why the number 29?

After bundling we preserved these sweet little bundles in glass jars for a couple of months.

When February came we got to open one bundle a day 

for a special treat to look forward to.

So much fun with such wondrous results.

If you've never taken a class with India,

I highly recommend it.

NO. 3

This is my 3rd online class with India Flint this past year and a half.

India is one of the most fascinating people I've ever meet.

I took my first class with her several years ago up in Santa Barbara,

and have been a huge fan ever since.

She is an Australian artist, an eco-dyer, scientist, poet, fashion designer,

speaker of many languages, 

writer of numerous books now,

maker of music, animal lover and cook extraordinaire,

plus just so much more, as well as a very wise woman!

I've finished online class No.1 which you saw and I posted about 2 weeks ago,

Bagstories,

the embroidered bag,

and am in the middle of No.2 (turning a man's shirt into an amazing dyed and embellished apron),

and then am just starting No.3 here.

It's called A Clearing in the Woods or Putting up Preserves.

It's about slow dyeing, a canning process.

And oh what fun I'm having!

Here is all the windfall I've collected recently to work with.

The silk and woolen fabric circles I've cut for my little 29 bundles

(I may have cut a few extras),

one to be opened up each day in February as a gift to self.

The lengths of silk and cotton threads to bundle with

 and then to embroider with later in the class.

The misc. metals to be used in the bundles.

All salvaged.

The bundles.

Don't count them,

 I know there aren't 29.

I'm really bad with numbers

Ha!

And now the extra windfall to use for the dyes.

Woo Hoo, stay turned for periodic updates