A Body of Work

What is a body of work?

A collection that has a beginning and an end.  You never really know it is beginning when it is beginning  You only know by looking back and saying, "Ah yes, this is when this body of work began."  And you never know it has ended until it ends.  You only know by looking back and saying, "Ah, yes, that collection ended."  The important thing is that you collect it as a body of work. Define it.  Date it.  I am approaching an ending.  It began in late October when my formulas changed to tones and shades.  This shibori dyed, copper vest of alpaca, merino and silk was hand felted on the FeltLOOM.   Thank you +lanette@feltloom.com  My current body of work will probably end after the Kentucky Craft Market on Mar 2-3 and I begin to ponder colors and designs for summer and the next Lexington Fashion Collaborative Future of Fashion event.  It's always a pleasure working with +Soreyda Benedit Begley and +Sarah Estes to produce this event.

Charmeuse and Velvet

Caftan and Coat

More experiments.  Will I ever get there?  The pole wrapped shibori dyed charmeuse in shades of purple and yellow (which became green when I added the black) started out as a 60" square which I then cut on the bias to create this caftan.  I read somewhere that working on the bias is like working with live fabric.  No kidding.  Every time I moved it the shape changed.  The velvet coat was made from three yards of shibori dyed yardage dyed in shades of yellow (which became copper, rust and olive when I added black.)  I love color theory!  The experiment here was whether or not to dye one long piece or three smaller pieces precut to fit the back and sides.  Just like writing.   Constant rewrites says mentor +Connie May Fowler  Can't wait for the Kentucky Craft Market, Mar 2-3 in Lexington at the Convention Center.

Organic Shibori Yardage

3 yards, 36" Shibori dyed, Organic silk fromThai Silk Magic

Pieces Painting

Can a painting be layers of fabric, painted, beaded, felted and dyed, hanging in pieces?

Building a fiber art business, or any business is always a challenge.  I got to express some of my own thoughts in a FeltLOOM interview. 

This morning I learned from Seth Godin that it's important to remember that our failures are not something to flee from but experiences that tell us we are alive.

Power of Rotation

Power of Rotation

What you can do with a painting 

that you can't do with a wearable 

is rotate it if it's not working.  

What you can do with a wearable 

that you can't do with a painting 

is turn it inside out and wear it.

 What I'm doing with my paintings is rotating techniques.

After shibori dyeing pole wrapped felted alpaca and merino onto silk with the FeltLOOM

I'm taking remnants to another level by responding to the shibori line with metalic acrylic.

From +Danielle Wittler I'm learning the power of Irregular Design.

Today I turn my felted fabric inside out to make a vest with the silk side showing. 

 

Leftovers

What to do with the shibori dyed merino, alpaca and silk  felted leftovers after you've made a 

garment and you have all those beautiful remnants?   

I have begun experimenting.  I felt some on rug backings and embellish with beads and paints.  I make individual scarves out of some.  After hanging several strips on a hanger I'm intrigued with making a mobile after being inspired by my friend, Kathleen Obrien.

Irregular Design Completed

 At first I wasn't sure that I like the fact that the two front sides were not similar.  Now I like the contrast.  With the focus on color, this one has more green than I anticipated.  Thus leading me to using all yellow with purple and a dash of black next time for more copper, rust and olive.  I love color theory!  And I love irregular designs that become dramatic.

Irregular Design

A Work in Progress

Sleeves are next

What I love about Irregular Design

it's focus on the the process 

and color

A sign of the times

Never let lack of material or money stand in the way of your making art

perfection lives in timing,

the drizzle of dye

the choice of palette. 

And collaboration

+Danielle Wittler 

 

Nothing like silk blowing in the wind 

blending with leafless trees and evergreens.  

Found in a mixture of 

yellow, purple and a dash of black

Lightweight Shibori Alpaca Coat

 

 I shibori dyed two pieces of 44" x 8o" alpaca and merino felted onto silk gauze using the FeltLOOM
There was lots of white, more than I anticipated.  I presoaked the fabric,  before pole wrapping  then I used one cup each of turquoise, green and blue vinyl sulphon dye mixed according to the instructions at Dharma Trading . 

As usual, I like the finished piece better than I anticpated.  Hence, again, I remember, it's the colors I choose and the technique that are important.  Then I surrender and take what I get. 

 
In the beginning I didn't want to use my sewing machine but it is so much a part of my past that I wanted to start using it again. The secret for me is to simplify. I decided that I don't have to follow all the rules/instructions! I can improvise and let the fabric guide me. Love the pockets this time! Thank you +Arturo Alonzo Sandoval for being such a great Mentor!

Another Challenge Presents Itself

Another Challenge Presents Itself

Both of these pieces started out by felting .25 alpaca/merino onto 44" silk gauze

After dyeing, steaming and rinsing, the one on the left was put in the washer on the drain spin only cycle. It is now 30" wide and

fulled

much  more tightly. The one on the left was line dried and is 37" wide and more soft. Hmmmm. I was going to make a coat so I guess I will re-wet the one on the right and drain spin it so they are both the same. The question is will the tighter fulling wear better?

A  Challenge Presents Itself

I shibori dyed two pieces of 44" x 8o" alpaca and merino felted onto silk gauze using the FeltLOOM
There is lots of white, more than I anticipated.  The color is darker on the part of the fabric that was on the outside.   I presoaked the fabric, then used one cup each of turquoise, green and blue vinyl sulphon dye mixed according to the instructions at Dharma Trading .  As more layers are created from pole wrapping there is less penetration.  There are so many factors that determine penetration.  How long did I wait after presoaking?  Should I have used more dye?  Shall proceed and make the coat I had planned?

I shall, putting thought into design before cutting out the front, back and sleeves.

Purple Alpaca Coat

Using the FeltLOOM I felted two bats of .25 Alpaca/merino blend onto 44" by 80" silk gauze.

 So that I would have enough for a coat I made two pieces of fabric.

The fabric was pole wrapped on two 4" pvc pipes, tied with string and scrunched.

Then I soaked it in a solution of equal parts of white vinegar and water and a tad of synthrapol

Not wanting my purple to be too bright, I added 1-3T of black to each cup of dye.

Using a total of three cups of dye on each pole I drizzled it onto the fabric, reading the flow of dye like a kayaker reads the river to determine how much dye to use.

I was able to cut the a sleeve and a front or back out of each piece.

A lining could be used.  However, wanting the coat to "move" 

and to be as lightweight as possible, I chose not to.

All the edges are finished except the bottom.  This means that it hangs a little more straight.  If
I hemmed the bottom there would be more of a ripple which could also be nice.  By not hemming the bottom it means that later it can be cut to the perfect length for whoever wears it.

I'm looking forward to working with +Margie Shay 

to develop her palette of colors!

 

Save the Date:  March 2-3, 2013

I'm only doing one show a year and this is it!!!

Can't wait!

And looking forward to more collaborations with my daughter

+Danielle Wittler 

No matter how hard I try, the colors around me always seep into my work.  Now that it's winter I'm adding more black to my formula to get a deeper color.  Next I want to explore adding lots of black to yellow and see if I can get "deep chartreuse."

Art for the Wall
Tahoe Blue nuno felted merino on silk with Beads.
First I made a jacket.  I felted the remnants onto a wool rug backing.
The added beads following the shibori lines.
The colors are the same colors of blue we saw when we visited my son who lives near Lake Tahoe.

Hemp Roll Collar Duster

Hemp roll collar duster, size medium.  I cut the fabric in two pieces and shibori dyed them separately, pole wrapper, pre soaked in a soda ash solution.  I used yel orange with black which created the greenish hue.  I used to try and get all the white out.  Now I surrender and let it become part of the texture and design.

Hand felted using the FeltLOOM
Alpaca, merino and silk gauze
Shibori dyed, pole wrapped
How to shibori dye
For a primitive effect, the bottom edges are unfinished

Raw Silk Duster with Crepe Scarf

What I learned with this duster is the difference when I presoaked the raw silk in a solution of vinegar and water.  I rope wrapped each piece which was precut for the finished design. The patterns are more fluid and pale.  There is move diversity of colors.  At first I wasn't pleased, however, the more I have viewed and pondered the finish duster, I like it.  The crepe scarf uses the same colors of red, orange and yellow which have been shaded with black.  It was not presoaked, therefore the colors are deeper.  This is one of the looks I plan on featuring in the next Lexington Fashion Collaborative Future of Fashion 4 on June 22 

www.lavernez.com

Layer your busy life and gather your memories and tools to make art now!

Learn how to create the formulas for the colors that surround you and create a legacy

 

Live the life of an artist by responding instead of reacting!

Create wearable or displayable art

using alpaca, wool, and exotic silk.

Experience the new

UK Fiber Program FeltLOOM,

and the shibori technique for dyeing silk or wool.

 

 Workshop

 Sunday

^{July 8 and July 15}

9 am to 1 pm

 $90 plus supplies

 

Extra time on the FeltLOOM now availble for FAI and UK students.

$45/hour by appointment only

 

Follow color theory and everything you do will be beautiful.

Trust me.  It works.  Even mistakes will be beautiful. 

If I don't like it, I know that someone else will like it!