Sunday, November 6, 2011

Extra Muse Sunday MORE CHANGE THAN STASIS


Extra Muse
Weary 'Ol Thing


Thanks To The Artists
for all that they share, and
the varied and beautiful ways they share it.
Especially Jude and Deanna, whose gifts of
time, advice, material and inspiration are bountiful, and to
Velma, Grace, Kaite, Karen,
Nancy , Nadia, Nandas, Judy, Jean,
and to Shibori girl for keeping silk alive,
and 'Discovery Cloth', and 'Softly Spun',
whose names I would love to know.
 
Thrift Shop Bargain
Raw Silk and Perfect for Some New Project
$5

THE ALTER CLOTH
I've been working with an idea
Ancestor Alter Cloth
This ribbon wrapped a gift of fabric from Deanna
I like this simplicity at the bottom 
Thoughts of me and my "Nana"
 Since Deanna Sent Fabric I've been
Going through my old paint box, and
Dyeing cloth for the past many, many weeks.
Here
Previously soaked in vinegar,
Oak leaves, simmering in a large pot.
One long, beautiful piece of white Habotai silk
After the first treatment.
 Tying knots differently for each of three soaks.
Some initial results once second soak dried.
Then a third soak.
I think I've got what I want of the Oak.
 The next step is copper imprints as soon as my pennies get that
lovely verdigris green (depending on the copper content-
some "made before 1982 are about 95% copper").
 They still need to be date sorted, rough sanded,
and soaked for a few days.
Then, I'm not quite sure where
or with what I will press them, but
the idea is to find a shape of something specific,
impress green areas in repetitive patterns,
perhaps also draw with dye on the light areas of the silk.
I have my thinking cap on.
 
I am amazed by the strength of this piece of silk,
given the rough treatment it has received at my hands,
the way it forgives, doesn't tear,
and holds it's own fiber integrity.
That we might all be so true to our natures as that!

Amaze
by Adelaide Crapsey
I know
Not these my hands
And yet I think there was
A woman like me once had hands
Like these.




8 comments:

deanna7trees said...

you're getting real creative with the dyeing. discovery cloth is Sandy and Softly Spun is Ingrid.

Discovery Cloth said...

Deanna, thank you. I must say all of you are so inspiring to me too! Thank you! Gorgeous results.
I am playing with rusty things now and LOVING the effects. Cant wait to see your pennies results. Sandy

Ms. said...

Hello dear ladies
Home from reading some poetry out loud, listening to others do theirs in a community I have been absent from for awhile, and a stop off at a local store for more organic red chard, now, a late supper and the search for sandpaper in a neglected closet can wait till tomorrow while I indulge in some steamed vegetables and a cheese melt along with a lovely dark Mystery of the political espionage kind on PBS. Nice to know Sandy, that you are Discovery cloth. Thanks again Deanna.

Nancy said...

Well, well, well Michelle - what a lovely post. I like seeing how the dying you've been working on is going and the placement of fabric as your process begins :)
The photo of you & your Nana is wonderful. An especially so nice to see your hands.
Thank you for the sweet mention and then move my name into the appreciation spot, as you all give so much to me too!

kaiteM said...

Be careful with sanding your pennies, you might find you have sanded the verdigris off, and you want it left on. I have found that if i just soak copper pipes, pennies etc outside in a tiny bit of water and air for a few days they will develop the right amount of oxidation on them to make them work their magic when wrapped tightly inside cloth and boiled up.
Enjoy the results, however they turn out and thanks for the mention.

Ms. said...

KAITE--Okay, will do, and that's a lot easier than what I had thought Deanna meant when she suggested sanding too. Of course, she and I didn't tackle the specifics, and I might have misunderstood. She's the one who told me about the copper content correlated to the dates. Now that I have all this help, I don't know what I ever did without it. What a swell community!

deanna7trees said...

well...kaite did say to sand the copper pipe. maybe it's different with the coins because it's not 100% copper. hope kaite will weigh in on this. some of my copper pennies have already started to turn green so i wouldn't sand those but am holding off on the others until we hear from kaite.

kaiteM said...

here i am again. sorry deanna, my advice to you was confusing i admit when compared here with old coins etc.

When i said to sand the copper pipes i meant the brand new ones, to lightly sand off any protective finish on them. i also sand the cut ends to make sure they don't scratch the fabric.

I've had good results lately with some old copper pipes which i found and they had been lying around in the weather for some time and have a good amount of tarnish on them due to oxidation and rain.

I have also used old pennies, but Aus ones of course, and just wrapped them up in the bundle and they gave lovely green circles.

Hope that clears the confusion, sorry.