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Showing posts with label washing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label washing. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

'Earth Repair' - 3 Years Later

2014
3 years 3 months after the emergency while living outside wrapped around the Indian plum I brought the 3 afternoon tea cloths inside. 
They were carefully washed, dried and ironed. I was hoping the laundering had stopped the decay processes.

There is much staining and decay and large holes had appeared.
How to preserve this cloth? The usual way to repair a cloth is to darn it but the whole cloth is in such a fragile state didn't think it would support darning. Another way to repair cloth is to add a patch. When I thought about it, adding patches is the way the soil is repaired each year. Leaves fall from plants and trees and cover the soil. Organic processes work on breaking down the leaves to return them to the soil.

I was thinking about this soil repair idea when while out on a walk I noticed the Tulip tree had a skirt of leaves reflecting the shape if its branches. It was using its leaves to replenish the soil it grows in.

I looked more closely at those fallen leaves and saw the majority had decayed in such a way that only the veins were left. They were leaf skeletons.

I collected them up and soaked them in water to remove the soil and pine needles.

I left them to dry.

They are quite lovely in their fragile state. I had this idea to repair the tea cloth with these fragile leaves. I hand stitched leaves directly onto the cloth over the holes. At the top of the cloth I stitched a row of eyelets, wove a jute string through them and inserted a stick I found near the Tulip Tree. 
The cloth hung on my design wall for the year, still too delicate to do anything with.

2015
When the Tulip tree was dropping its leaves again the next year made me look again at the still fragile afternoon tea cloth.
I wanted to add more leaves but I wanted to make the skeletons stronger while still appearing fragile. It was time to sample. I coated leaves with various mediums but they tended to fill the holes and look a bit shiny. I ironed on a fine fusible web. I liked the look.  

I added the bonded leaves but I couldn't iron them in place. I decided to machine sew them in place using the finest thread I had with the finest needle.  I liked what was happening and decided to add another layer of leaf skeletons next fall.

 
2016
I added another layer of bonded leaves using a combination of hand and machine stitching.
The cloth with its leaves was stronger looking but getting very dried out and brittle. I added a thin layer of liquid Min Wax. I thought this last effort had ruined the whole thing. It was shiny and stinky and ugly. I just left it hanging thinking I would throw it away when I got around to it.
But one day it caught my eye because it had taken on a transparent glow and the layers of leaves were more visible giving an interesting depth. And it wasn't stinky anymore. 
I was going to add yet another layer of leaves until it got accepted into the World of Threads Festival. Once our work is accepted we have to promise the work shipped will be exactly the same as the images we sent in with the application. 
I can add the next layer of leaves after it returns home.

PS This is what the Indian plum tree looks like fall 2016
Still alive...

...but the bark doesn't look very healthy where the deer ate it.

The fungus growth on the middle trunk indicates the tree is dying.
Maybe the deer knew the tree was old and on its way out.





Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Studio Footwear and Laundry Centre

I received lots of comments and questions about my choice of Studio Footwear, as seen in this previous blog post.To answer you all, here are the details.
Outside: (Left) Suede, Danish-style clog. Brand - 'Simple'. The best feature is when I step in soft soil the heel print says 'past' while the toe part has a forward pointing arrow and says 'future.'
Inside, winter: (Middle) Shearling sheepskin suede, backless moccasin. Brand - Nuknuuk.
Inside, summer: (Right) Thong/jandle/flip flop with moulded sole and cloth straps. Brand: 'Axign'. (Thank you sister for putting me onto these. And for letting me wear yours until you took me shopping to get my own pair.)
All are easy to slip on and off as I move in and out of the studio.
So there you have it.
Now to the Laundry Centre.

Regular laundering of cloth I will continue to do in the house.
Wash-out of dyed cloth I will do in the studio, beginning with the cold rinse in the big, deep tubs.

Since learning about Carol Soderlund's wash-out method, the next step will be to simmer the cloth in a stock pot filled from the instant boiling water tank.

Out of the cupboard under the tubs I will lift out the spin dryer...


... and set the outlet spout over the tub. I put the cloth in the top, plug it in and away it goes, spinning out all excess water into the tub.
It is one of those appliances with lots of names all over it - The Laundry Alternative Inc., Nina Soft, Mueller Electrodomesticos (the best name). They also make/sell? a small, bullet shaped manually operated washing machine - appliances for those who live in small spaces.

After the spin, I will steam-iron cellulose fibres dry, a technique known as polishing. Protein fibres such as silk and wool I will dry on a rack in the shade before lightly steaming them.
This is the studio laundry process. 
I didn't want 2 big machines when there is a set in the house. I didn't want to make the studio plumbing more complicated than a single tub area. And I didn't want to take up valuable studio space with machines at the expense of the horizontal work surfaces.
I'll keep you posted on how this laundry system works out.



Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Jane Dunnewold Workshop


I attended Jane Dunnewold's Dye workshop at the Pacific Northwest Art School in Coupeville. Jane took us through many different dyeing techniques. I picked up lots of valuable tips to fine tune my dyeing practice and I was able to correct the bad habits I had developed over the years.
The first exercise was to dye cloth to make a colour wheel. Jane talked about the importance of making a colour wheel that was our own personal 'colour constant' - a reference check for all colours produced. I use Joan Wolfram's 3-in-1 Color Tool but it is printed on paper. I have put on my 'To Do' list to make a cloth one.

We worked with thickened Procion MX dyes. Here are 2 different cloth samples batching. A lesson learned was: take to workshops my best fabrics for the exercises. I had taken several used 100% cotton bedsheets and got some disappointing results. I suspect one wasn't true to label and there was some polyester spun in with the cotton thread. It did not take the dye well. When the base cloth is inferior for the job it is very difficult to assess the results of the other dyeing variables.

Pots were set up outside for silk dyeing.

It was such a warm breezy day the conditions were most pleasant for working outside. I dyed all the silk I brought with me.

Shibori and random scrunch resist techniques with results that could be achieved within minutes.
Jane demonstrated many unique techniques she has developed over the years and left us lots of time to experiment with whatever we wanted. She created such an atmosphere that for me it was low stress and intensive at the same time. I felt tired at the end of each day and so keen and energised at the beginning of each day.
Jane is thinking of offering her 'Complex Cloth' course again, after a hiatus of several years. It was this course coupled with her book 'Complex Cloth', plus her own output that played a major role in a better understanding of surface design in the art world.
So keep your feelers out for 'Complex Cloth' and 'run-don't-walk' to sign up.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Projects' Progress

The Fairy Ring mushrooms, lichens and bark had been wrapped in a wool blanket for over month.
It was time to take the bundle down to the pond and unwrap it.

Looking good but rather smelly.
It needed a good wash.

Some interesting marks I could work with.

My Garden Tower after a week.
We will be eating the arugula and celery next week.

My garden partner planted his tower this week.
He opted to plant mostly seeds.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Auction House Treasures

I had a successful bid at Kilshaw's auction house this week.
In a cardboard box I had my eye on 4 textiles in particular - this NW Indian shisha embroidery.

It is not as fine as one I already have in my collection but it is in very good condition and I like that the pieces haven't been cut out for the garment yet.

The 2nd textile is this large linen pillow case. The linen is fine but still surprisingly heavy.
It doesn't look much at the present but once it is laundered and ironed it will look beautiful.

There is pulled thread work around the edge and in each corner with a satin stitch floral motif.
I'll show it again once it is laundered.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Handwashing Day


Hand washing some of my thrift store finds and successful bids at auction houses.
2 fine wool shawls, one with beautiful, woven, floral border



Wool blanket - well used but laundered carefully over its life time so no sign of fulling.



Piece of old silk velvet in blue and gold - a little fragile but washed up well.



A friend found this treasure for me at a garage sale - a heavily metal embroidered, Indian made evening purse.



It was rejuvenated after a light vacuum and spot clean.
It is now in my closet because I'm going to enjoy using if for awhile.
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Friday, March 18, 2011

Tree Cloths

Big day yesterday. 15 months ago i wrapped 4 trees in a length of unbleached calico and left them to experience a full cycle of seasons.
This is the Arbutus.

Douglas-fir

Here are the 2 cloths washed and ironed.
The Arbutus cloth on the left has much more staining but is rotten in more places than the Douglas-fir cloth on the right.

Arbutus cloth has circles of black staining in lines following the creases of the cloth.

Douglas-fir cloth is grey with all over staining and has green moss stains. The staining marks are more flowing.
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Sunday, March 7, 2010

Textiles in the Environment

Another of my projects where I am getting very little interaction is this one where I put a length of unbleached cotton in the pond.


It has submerged and moved around a bit, probably been moved by the Canada geese that have returned and use this spot to waddle in and out of the pond.

After a couple of months, the cloth has become brown and a little green but I am sure this isn't the staining I was hoping for and it will wash off when I throw it in the washing machine. In fact, I think the clear spring water is preserving the cloth.

The best part of this experiment has been the lovely photos of layers and reflections I have been able to capture at different times of the day and in different weather.
Once again, I will lift this cloth when I need it for the next 'brilliant' idea I think of.
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