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February 2008current gallery |
February 2010 |
February 2009 |
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Jackie Erickson–Schweltzer Jackie is a long time knitting enthusiast who shares her love of knitting and experience through guild groups, classes, networking with other fibre artists and her knitting pattern company, Heart Strings Fiber Arts at www.heartstringsfiberarts.com. With a background in music and mathematics, she enjoys capturing the melody of colour and texture and harmonizing it with style and function. Jackie's career in computer systems analysis provided the analytical framework evident in her intricate, yet simple, designs now showcased in her roster of patterns. She used Treenway's 8/2 reeled silk yarn for HeartStrings knitting pattern #H28: Silk Smoke Ring. Jackie writes: Silk Smoke is a versatile accessory you can wear laid on your shoulders, as a dressy cowl neckline, or pulled over your head as a wimple. This smoke ring is knitted circularly to make a seamless tube. Although the lace pattern looks complicated, the spectacular results are accomplished with a stitch sequence that is repetitive and relatively easy. There are no special knitting techniques needed to make the fluted scallop edge – the shaping occurs naturally as a result of the bias structure of the lace pattern stitch. The inherent elasticity and drape of the semi–ribbed lace stitch pattern combined with luxurious silk makes this article a decorative yet functional addition to any outfit. Although smoke rings seem to be more traditionally made in subdued natural or grayed–down colors, I chose a fiery red, Treenway Silks #12, Pomegranate, for the published pattern model. After all, where there is smoke there is fire! Sized for small, medium and large. Planned finished measurements: circumference – 22.25, 24, 25,75; Length 17, 18 and 19. Allow 525, 600, 680 yards of lace or fingering weight yarn. See Jackie's website for more patterns and a listing of store locations and to order on–line. www.heartstringsfiberarts.com |
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Marjorie E. Holme Marjorie says, "This sampler was inspired by Needleweaving and Embroidery: Embellished Treasures by Effie Mitrofanis (Sterling) and by a Silk Snack I received with an order from Treenway Silks. I had the silk snack for quite some time and I had expected to use it in a crazy quilting project, but when I saw the designs in this book, I knew it would be perfect for the needleweaving sampler. I used every last inch of the threads in that snack in the sampler. I used both the ribbon and silk thread throughout, the silk is most visible in the pyramid needleweaving in the middle. I also used DMC linen thread, Needle Necessities overdyed cotton floss and DMC floss and perle cotton. I love anything to do with needlework and experimenting with new techniques and materials. I've always made things but my love of needlework really took off in the creative atmosphere of the 60s and early 70s and I haven't stopped since.
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Roxan Kinas Roxan lives in Barbados, yet she retains her American roots. A visit to Africa started Roxan on her creative journey. She tells us, The handmade paper there peaked my curiosity. My environment provides a rich source for making ones own pulps from banana plants, bagasse (sugar cane trash) and other local plants. While researching on the internet to find solutions to some of my pulp making problems, I came across 'silk paper'. I needed to learn more so read every website I could find and every book printed on the subject. I have always said I am not an artist, but, living in a third world country for many years makes one extremely creative and resourceful. I took up the challenge of silk fusion and started making bowls and vases, but soon turned my attention to mold work. Armed with numerous sea shells and starfish, I began the process of learning to 'sculpt' silk over an object to get the most detail from whatever I had blanketed with silk. Despite the huge learning curve and many difficulties, I eventually developed a process for producing shells, starfish and other sea life. I use primarily methylcellulose as the silk adhesive. It gives me control over the silk and allows me to manipulate it easily. Depending on the project, I may apply a layer of acrylic gloss or even spray starch to finish a piece. When I discovered silk oblongs or laps, I worked them to get a spider web or lace effect for shaping over bowls, vases or whatever other object I had around the house. My most painful lesson in working with silk fusion occurred when shaping laps/oblongs around my prized Steuben bowl. The piece was nearly dry when I noticed a small area that was not flush with the bowl. I shifted the bowl so I could address the spot and the bowl suddenly and quite violently leaped from my hands and threw itself down onto the concrete in an explosive crash. I found another Steuben bowl and I made another 'Study in Steuben' in my evolved style of working. All of this experimentation evolved into the votive shades, which I am now focusing on as a possible retail item. 
When I complained to one of my mentors that living in a vacuum (Barbados) made it very difficult to learn and grow, the friend replied I should stay in that vacuum because I had managed to go off in my own direction. Email Roxan at Roxan@caribnet.net |
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Diane Mercier Diane is a spinner and weaver who created a very fun project for herself which she calls Color Inspiration. She told us, "I live in the Trinity Alps in Northern California and am retired from California State Parks. A lifelong knitter, I have been spinning for twenty five years and weaving for about twelve years. My husband, Joe, and I share our little cabin in the woods with two dogs and the rest of our property with 16 free range chickens. Life is good and the days are too short...lustrous silks, beautiful colors and soft fibers call to me every day. Over the past year or so I have ordered quite a few silk fibers from you, primarily the Treetops solid colors. I handspun the fiber and wove fourteen scarves to reflect the colors in a watercolor by a local artist, Evelyn Mercer Ward. It began when I realized that her painting, which hangs in my work area, contained many of the colors and shades of the silk I was working with. I just kept finding more colors in her painting and ordering more silks from Treenway. The name of the painting is 'The Green Vase' and the last of the silk fiber I ordered was Blimey Limey, a colour that I hoped would match the vase in the painting. It did which pleased me, but I started working with trepidation because I thought I did not like the color. I loved working with it and was surprised by its beauty and complexity. It was a fun project. Evelyn accepted my gift to her of one of the scarves; she chose Indian Turquoise in the lower left hand corner." |
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Lorri Scott Lorri started her textile career in 1976 using a bicycle hoop as her "loom" for off loom woven pieces. She discovered dyeing after many years of weaving. Lorri says, "I loved being able to create interesting color patterns by painting yarns rather than exploring complex weave structures. Dye painting is closely related to watercolor and lends itself to surprises, which intrigues me more than exact color reps that are counted on. My technique for dyeing is called 'arashi shibori'. It is a Japanese process where the fabric is wrapped around a pole with string and 'scrunched' to create resist patterns then dye is applied. I use fiber reactive dyes as well as natural dyestuffs, creating colors for yarns to weave cloth and coordinating fabrics to make one–of–a–kind garments and accessories. I have expanded my repertoire to include dye painted and devore velvets, hand sewn 'wayward threads' scarves and stoles, dyed silk ribbons and felting techniques." Lorri's friend, Jennifer Whitmer, hand stitched these exquisite little flower pins using Lorri's ribbons and antique buttons. DJ Pettitt and Lorri taught at an art retreat in Kauai together in April 2007. The first day students dyed fabrics and ribbons with Lorri and then DJ led them to create a cloth book using the dyed pieces and incorporating paintings. DJ used fabrics and ribbons Lorri dyed to make this sample "Island Book". See Lorri Scott's web site: www.lasfibers.com See DJ Pettitt's web site: www.djpettitt.com 
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Susan Shaw Here is what Susan told us about herself and her art. "I love the challenge of learning new techniques and material for building my artistic skills. I was learning how to felt wool and looking for resources on the web when I came across Karen's instructions for silk fusion on the Treenway website. The shimmer of the silk roving and the incredible range and vibrancy of colors available caught my imagination. I immediately ordered a kit some roving and hankies to experiment and learn how to make this incredibly unique product. After lots of experimentation, I perfected the technique for making these bowls. They are sturdy enough to withstand washing, yet look fragile and ephemeral. The silk accepts color very well, which makes it possible to suggest images like frames of a fire, or the blue ice of a glacier. I am currently a hobby artist, but would like to explore the possibility of find a market for my work in the near future. I love to experiment with new mediums and learn new techniques. I enjoy working with fibres (silk and wool felting, and dyeing) as well as painting, photography and sculpture – a little bit of everything. I have a website where I share my current and finished projects: www.wolfwoods.com." 
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Sue Willingham We knew Sue's scarf was going to be in Handwoven magazine, so we patiently waited for it to be published so we could include her innovative piece in our gallery. I started weaving in 1997 after my daughter, Janet Dawson of Sydney, Nova Scotia, had learned to weave. She was so enthusiastic about it that I enrolled in a class and that was all it took! Now she weaves and teaches weaving on her island (Cape Breton Island, NS) and I weave and teach weaving on mine (Vashon Island, WA) and we share often over the phone, by email and very occasionally in person. This scarf was designed and woven as a gift for a former banking client who included me in a wonderful ten–day tour of Eastern China. I was watching for inspiration as we toured, and when I saw the model of the Grand MOMA complex in Beijing, I remembered that double–weave could be used to design 'windows.' By using two tones of gray, the lighter for the building and the darker for the windows, and adding bands of colour on two sides of the windows, the design of the scarf reflects the structure of the building. My China tour host calls it his 'architectural scarf.' The first scarf I wove was sett at 60 epi, with 30epi in each layer. When I wove the second scarf, I loosened the sett slightly to 56 epi (28 per layer) and found that the drape was nicer. The gray yarns are 30/2 spun silk that I found at Treenway. I had bought some silk floss in Suzhou, China, which I used for the yellow, red and orange accent colors; for the purple and green I used Treenway's 20/2 spun silk in 10 yard mini skeins which worked fine. I found that keeping the layers separate when I hemstitched the fringed ends was much neater looking than hemstitching the layers together. The complete instructions for this scarf are in the May/June 2007 issue of Handwoven magazine on pages 72-74. |