Dyeing to play...

Lately, I've been blown away by the photos from the "space porn" web site that some friends have been sharing on Facebook.The colors and shapes are all so gorgeous! So...i picked up some Rit liquid dye ( please, no groans. It's just so accessable!), and started dribbling and painting on linen. Once it was done and set, I dipped the piece into some black bean dye, and Voila!  I had space pictures! Now I'm just playing with stitches and colored floss, but I think I like it! Sure would make a cool bag, don'tcha think?

                                                    

"Night Birds"

It's funny how the seasons affect design, reflect mood. It's obvious the angel came from Christmas, missing my family, and then the special gift of my brother's presence. The bag I made just before that looks very wintry, ethereal, too, and started in a similar manner. I cut a circle from some dyed linen, planning to do some spiral stitching ... and then I saw it ... the face...the man the moon... So of course it was night....

                         

      

When I worked the branches, for some reason they needed birds, perched there, waiting... for what?

Ah, yes ... the rest of their flock! Swirling through the night. There wasn't enough room on the piece of feed sack I was using, so that part became the pocket, attached to the linen night sky. 

Freedom... to just create...

I really am overwhelmed at the feedback I received on my angel piece. I garner such joy in creating. I am always at my most peaceful when working on any kind of fiber art, whether it be embroidery, quilting, knitting, sewing , dyeing, spinning...pretty much anything. I am blessed to have wonderful friends who encourage and compliment my work. Slowly, though, I'm coming to the realization that I usually feel that a piece needs to be made "useful". Perhaps it's because I learned most of these crafts at my mother's and grandmother's knees, and THEIR main purpose was to make something useful. It's only lately that I'm able to recognize a piece as "art" and to give myself permission to display it as such. I know, the sampler reproductions I made for years were framed, but they had to be, to look realistic. This is different. This is ALLOWING myself to RECOGNIZE my work as art. Yes, real ART!  From someone who has always told herself she has no real artistic talent (i.e. can't draw worth a damn). Probably sounds silly, and I know I'm going 'round in circles here, but fiber ART doesn't have to be useful. Imagine!!

    And, now...just for giggles...a "useful" work for a wonderful friend and neighbor. I made a few last year, which was when he requested one. He had to wait a year for it, but finally...he has his f---ing deer (he prefers "moose") hat...

Finished!

I think...at least with the embroidery. Now, what to do with it? A bag? Part of a quilt? Frame it? I'll have to let it rest for a while. This whole piece has come from "somewhere else". I imagine it will let me know what it wants to be...  I do wish my iphone took better pictures...

Memories....

The other day, I decided to move my stitching "nest" to my living room, a cozy place that I rarely enjoy since our family room addition. I brought my iPad in with me, and tuned into the Folk/Rock station on Pandora. I realized after just a few minutes of stitching on my "angel" piece that a certain sense of peace and calm had come over me. Then I realized that the Pandora station was playing all the songs of my youth, putting me back in a place where I was a free-spirited "hippie" chick, and bringing back my brother's voice as I remembered the many times we had harmonized to the Dead, Cat Stevens, Jim Croce, and oh so many others. Although he's been on the other side for many years, I knew he was in that room with me, urging me on with my art, as he always did, and showing me that although the body ages, the youth and freedom of the soul remains. My essence is the same as it was wayyyyy back then. Such a precious gift my brother gave me that day. I'm beginning to see just how much magic was in that angel that "just appeared"...

Sometimes angels just appear....

As some of you know, I've been experimenting with eco-dyeing and printing. I went a little crazy over the summer, collecting leaves from the trees in the backyard (apple, pear, cherry, etc.) and dyeing bits of fabric. I put most of the fabric aside until I could decide what to do with it.

Well, the other night I pulled a piece out, and while ironing it, discovered that one of the patterns from the dyeing looked like an angel. Hmmmm.... 

It's not my usual style, but I just couldn't help myself. She demanded an appearance!