Happy New Year

Happy new year!

This is detail from an embroidered mandarin square, 15-16th century, China,

taken from a very old Unicef greeting card that I have found in my collection.

Slow

One of the pre-conference talks was on the Slow Fiber studio, by Yoshiko Wada, and this was on the road when I came out of that talk.
Slow does not just mean slow in time, but a considered and 'thoughtful approach to the making of things'.
Some of the examples she gave were:
Jurgen Lehl and Babaghuri, Sou Sou, Issey Miyake, and Christina Kim, etc.
I am going to be 'slow' this year, not only with making but with other aspects of life. I have not quite figured out how to verbalise this but I think I know what to do...........
For me, the time between the 1st January new year and Chinese new year is often a time for reflection. It feels like time in suspension. It is new and old year co-existing. It gives me more time to catch up, more time to get my thoughts together about the year ahead.........
Happy new year to you!

8ISS: Yoshiko Jinzenji

I thoroughly enjoyed my first time at this event. The program was full of variety: contemporary, tradition, technology, processes, sustainability, and so much more. It was inspiring, intense and exhausting - both physically and mentally. I wanted to attend ALL the talks and demonstrations, but that was not possible.
Needless to say there will be a slow drip feed of information as I process things in my brain and gradually sort out my photos and papers.......
One of the speakers was Yoshiko Jinzenji.
I am not a quilter but had fallen in love with her book published by Interweave.

I did not know much of her other work outside of this book. When she gave her talk, I thought that there was a sense of deja vu and quickly realised who she was. What a revelation! As I had also bought some fabric designed by her just before I left for Hong Kong. (from Patchwork on Central Park, her designs do not show up in the online store but is available in store) 

One of her pieces at the exhibition was shibori dyed with bamboo! It gave this very subtle white on white pattern.

Who knows, quilting may be soon be on my list of things to do........

Invisible

This is the last of the warp has been on the loom since 31 Dec 2010. 
It is a scarf length based on the samples that I have dyed. 

There is still about half a meter of warp left and will weave them up as test pieces for different dyes.

It is strange to be weaving white on white and I won't really know the final outcome until the piece has been dyed, and untied to reveal the patterning. It is a bit like writing with invisible ink....

PS These images are taken with small file sizes directly from my camera, I have not figured out how to reduce file size on iphoto yet.....so apologies if they are crappy.

Wishing.....

.......you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,

and may all your dreams come true!

Hong Kong_8th International Shibori Symposium

I am so lucky to be able to attend this event in Hong Kong. Some pre-conference talks and exhibitions have already started.

In the last couple of weeks, Edith Cheung from Cloth Haven gave a talk on the use of wool in Traditional clothing, and Yoshiko Wada gave one on 'Slow Fibres'.

Below are some of the images from the exhibition: 

Animal Fibres: Art Informs Shibori. 

All the images are taken by me and if you use any text or images, please link back to here. Thank you.

Amanda Ross: Rise Up (Handwoven, Hand-dyed, Felted Shibori)

Hiroshi Murase: The Large Surcle Shibori (Yataramiura Shibori, Somewake Boushi shibori, Fulling)

Charlotte Buch: Untitled 1 (Feltmaking)

Jeung-Hwa Park: Panel 2 (Machine Knit, Tie, Felt, dye)

Jeung-Hwa Park: Panel 1 (Machine Knit, Tie, Felt, Dye)

Mie Iwatsubo: the Wave (Knitting, Shibori Stitching, Felting)

As above

Tomoko Iwaizumi: Fire of Passion (Felting, Shibori)

Jorie Johnson: Zebra Crossings (Hand feltmaking, Itajime clamp resist acid-dyed, Japanese lacquer application)

Sarah Martin: Mound #1 (Felting, Tegumo Shibori, Dyeing, Discharge)

As above

Takumi Ushio: Shelter (Felt)

This is only a small selection of work on show and all of them are breath-takingly beautiful. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I do!

Knitting like a maniac

I got into a panic about Christmas presents and the thought of fighting with the crowd and spend my money on something worthwhile was wrecking my brain. Then I saw Neki's post on 'lovely things'.

I got into this tunnel vision state, attacked my stash and (machine) knitted like a maniac. I managed to use all stash yarns for the following handmade items so I feel very virtuous indeed.

Knit Felt shawl: Avril Silk stainless and Colourmart cashmere

Kusha Kusha scarf: Avril Silk stainless and Colourmart cashmere

Scarf with random colour blocks and eyelet details: Colourmart cashmere

Scarf with eyelet details: DEA yarns cashmere

Not quite circular shawl with eyelet details: DEA yarns cashmere

All in all, I am very happy with the results and I hope that the recipients will be too. Fortunately, I don't think that they read my blog so it will stay a surprise!