Monday, May 14, 2012

Progress

I have been working on a series of four fabrics--all meant to be worn--that will co-ordinate with each other.  The first one had loop mohair squares arranged in a half-drop pattern on a plain weave ground.  The next two are woven and finished so that they look like this:
The cloth on the left, a skirt fabric, is woven of 2/20 worsted using a 5 shaft satin.  I wish you could touch it because it is smooth, soft with a very nice hand.  The fabric on the left, intended for a vest or a jacket, is woven of 2/8 worsted.  It's also very soft to the touch.

The fourth fabric of the series, intended for use as a blouse or similar garment is woven of 10/2 cotton with an accent yarn, a blend of cotton,  rayon, linen and hemp.  You will notice that part of it is checked and part is striped.  I had in mind that perhaps the yoke of the blouse could be checked with the remainder striped.  Now that is something you could never buy off the rack!

In between weaving I have been working outside, preparing my vegetable garden (tomatoes--four varieties--swiss chard, pattypan squash and straight yellow squash) and mowing the lawn.  Last summer and fall I couldn't work much in the garden because of the now-replaced knee so I am having to catch up with work not done then.  Little by little...

There was a spot of color in my quiet existence last Saturday.  I went to a ball.  I had entered pieces in the Springville Art Museum's annual Spring Salon and won a merit award.  Now a merit award is pretty modest as awards go but when you consider that a woven piece was up against all kinds of paintings, sculpture and some photos, it isn't bad.  The Art Ball is a formal affair--not my natural habitat:  I am wearing shorts, tee shirt and sandals as I write!--but I have one dress that qualifies so I suited up and went.

It's an interesting life!