Tool Making

Day One we got our work space set up and got our bundled fabrics into the dye early on so we could get down to tool making for surface design over the remainder of the week.

My work surface is the black felt with orange duct tape in the lower left, with my bundles of silk, cotton and linen lined up along the edge of the table.  The fabric has been manipulated by scrunching in an old nylon stocking, pleating, folding, and binding with rubber bands.

First we dyed the cloth in pure primary colors, including a warm and a cool each of red, yellow and blue.

The cloth batched in plastic bags.  For the first time in my art life, I am attempting to keep good records of what I am doing to each of my samples.  See, I even numbered my bag.

While the fabric was batching we cut rubber stamps...

...and made stencils with interfacing and nylon mesh.  These we hung outside to dry.

Rinse out was challenging with no washing machine, but WORTH IT!  Here is my first day's array, washed out, ironed and ready to over-dye:

We had more BIG time fun today but the moon is riding high and telling me it is time to rest for now.  

Art Quilt Tahoe - Arrival Day

The setting is far more beautiful than I imagined...

 

 ...on the shore of Lake Tahoe...

...which is a mighty big piece of water.

Very fresh and piney air...

  ...with sometimes the smell of wood smoke.

 Lots of boulders and rock formations...

...with ice forming on the puddles.

Frozen flowers...

...and leaves...

 ...still decked out...

...in autumn splendor.

The sound of waves from the white-capped water breaking on the rocks...

 ...and the scolding of a blue jay as the chill wind blew a flurry of snow flakes.

Today my surface design class with the incomparable Jane Dunnewold began - of which I will write more about tomorrow.  For now, good night!