Tuesday 23 February 2010

Color overload

It's finally raining a little more, although it's normally dry at this time of the year. I think our Summer was pushed forward. Well, I'd like to imagine that, and that it is going to rain more now. The plants are very happy about this. We don't water the garden, and it is really amzing how anything survives, but it does! Yesterday afternoon, Nilo and I just made it home from school before the downpour. D'you know, I cycled 8km yesterday! Which is why, today, I am firmly rooted to my cushy office chair and Rey is doing the school runs ;}





















I want to say thank you to all of you who left a comment on yesterday's post, and for the observations and support that everyone is willing to give to my ideas. You are a wonderful bunch of ladies, and bless you all! This is a very positive example of [the] net working! :)

I've decided that I'm going to leave for San Jose at the weekend to see if I can get an appointment with my GP early next week. But when I return, I'm going to start putting out pheelers to see who would like to join a sewing circle... or maybe it will be a sewing square? Who knows! Oh yes, and thanks also to those who suggested a potential wheat intolerance might be the root of my current problems. Yes, I'd thought of that too. Last year I did start a celiac diet, but I wasn't strict enough, or at it for long enough to be able to tell. I'm definately going to bring it up with my Doctor (again!) though. It would be wonderful if the problem turned out to be that straight forward! Ojala! (pronounced OH-HALA - that's like saying, "I wish!", or, "With any luck!")

Well, I'm here this morning with a bit of a dillema on my hands... I have total color overload! Can't make up my mind what to work on today. Or brights???... or pales???... WAHhhhh!

Yesterday, I started playing with a couple of the scraps that Sandra of Inanna Shamaya swapped with me recently. And while I'm here, you have to see how nicely this is coming along! Go Sandra! Anyway, I've been using an acid green and turquoise piece (Sandra, do you know how this effect was achieved, looks like some kind of wax resist, and/or acid bath? It's an amazing cloth!) combined with sky blues, on a grass green flax linen.




















That's one wild cloth! Makes me want to go back and re-study the color theories of Johannes Itten.




















I like the way the scrunch or tie-dyed blue piece lifts those dots right off of the cloth!




















The blue scraps are already kanthared down. I'm just looking at these very bright and contrasting DCM silk threads and wondering where to go next???

I have to tell you about what I've discovered whilst playing with this. When you kantha stitch over a light blue, scrunch or tie-dyed cloth, like the one I'm using here, it makes it look just like a a fair weather cloudy sky, (this is not the best image, I know). Anyway, I thought you might be interested to know that. Could be useful?

















A Summer sky?

Another part of my dillema is this pretty grouping of pink and ecru threads here on my desk, together with some very cool brown paper packaging, that was wrapped around a couple of new coffee cups that Rey bought home yesterday.
















Strawberries and Cream?... Which reminds me, tonight, we have students staying, and I'm going to make fresh strawberry ice cream... Mmmmm!... my mother's recipe... which is a family secret. Ha! :P




















I also spotted this on my desk this morning (I've been re-stashing my fabric stashes!) A couple of pieces of shot silk dupoi (the bigger scrap as was, the smaller scrap as was after the original was solar-dyed by me using red cabbage) placed on a bamboo fiber(!) indigo cloth. Very nice! It gives me another idea... Oh dea[r]... Too many idea[r]s ;)

My problem is this... I LOVE color! I just get so much pleasure out of playing with color, and not necessarily making it into any thing!

Here's a classic example. As I was telling Karen at Threadstory, who posted this recently, I am the proud owner of 100+ shades of Unison chalk pastels, donated to me 9 years ago by Unison themselves, and which are now very crumbly indeed, but still as loved as from the very first day! Admittedly, I haven'y used them recently. They have been stored in my drawer. As much as drawing with them, I always loved looking at them, re-arranging them in their boxes, according to different schemes. I'm definately crazy! *:)















Unison. The cream cheese of chalk pastels!















I ma about to re-house these pastels, because the packaging, that was once soft and spongy, is now brittle and crusty and it disintergrates at the touch. I need a printers styled drawer with many little compartments. I might even have one made, because these pastels are worth a fortune!!! A veritable color treasure trove!

And I'm looking forward to receiving my purple scrap swap package from Kaye at Stitching Life who has been doing a far bit of fieldwork recently. Very nice!!!

Finally, let's celebrate with Sandi at Puddle Duck Farm as she'll be getting extra studio time. YEAH!!!! And with Jude at Spirit Cloth for going live yesterday. Can nothing stop this woman? ;}

Recently added: For those of you in the Brisbane area of Aussie, you have an invitation.

9 comments:

Eva said...

Hope you find what's causing your health problem soon. I'm a coeliac and gluten-free for 6 years - it's not too bad.

Yay for all that colour! I especially like the little bright pieces lying on the indigo.

Anonymous said...

Hey, thanks for the mention! No need to swap though - think of it as a partial start-up gift for your new start :-) Let me know when the package arrives. That blue/green cloth is magnificent. Hope you feel better soon.

Sandra said...

Thank you for mentioning my blog and the link to it, I feel really honoured.
I don't know how the dot fabric was made, I bought it from a very kind lady at the market in Rotterdam, she sells all kinds of lovely fabrics. Yes, it's fascinating fabric, it seems to move. I'm so curious about what you are going to make with it, looks really promising.
I got happy seeing al the colours in your post.
I hope you'll find out what's your health problem, soon. Take care!

XXX

jude said...

may be a few shots of tequila. that'll slow me down a bit.

Unknown said...

Just look at all the wonders you have!!!Love those brights. turquoise and acid green. Wow. Busy you!! And hopefully your health worries will find a solution. And THank you for the blog mention too!!

Red (aka Puddleduck!) said...

Hi Catherine! Great colours - I love when they sing off each other like that! Your chocolate and cream leaves piece is just divine; it looks so detailed and delicate! Love watching your process and progress.
What a great idea your sewing square is. A great way to empower the women and build a foundation and not just give charity; although your time and effort is giving also. Can you send me your address so I can send a little bundle? (I'll include some of those mushroom pinks you liked from yesterdays dye session!)Good luck with it all.. I know you will enjoy it! Sandi

Red (aka Puddleduck!) said...

Ooooh, forgot to say; I have pastel envy! I have a small set of Unisons and some individuals in amongst my others... You are so right... buttery, cream cheese.... Heavenly to use!

...and no, I don't think you're at all crazy playing with the colours (from a girl who hangs her wardrobe in colour 'order' and who's partial excuse for a messy studio is that you never know what might zing and sing off each other... a bit of serendipity 'the factuality of making happy and unexpected discoveries by accident'

Jacky said...

Loving all of the colour and your groupings all look wonderful. That acid green/turqoise piece ...love it!
Looks like it has been a very busy week for you textile wise.
Good luck with your dr. appointment next week and look forward to seeing what you find on your travels.

Jacky xox

Deb G said...

Oh yes color! Love the combos you are working with...

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