a special quilt

Prior to the natural dye workshop I was teaching last fall, I made this sample quilt to illustrate the beautiful range of colors that can be achieved by using natural dyes from plants growing in our region. The quilt ended up in the blog post about the event, where one of my readers spotted it.

I was honored and thrilled to received her request to make this quilt into a wall hanging for her home. Her initial inquiry has now led to a budding friendship, and a project that is taking on a life of its own. The stitching (done with silk/cotton thread and a wool yarn) makes each square come to life, and unifies the piece in ways I could not imagine. It will take a few more weeks to complete and I know I will miss it when it is done. But this is a special quilt going to a special place, and the privilege of working on it makes my heart sing.

icy conditions

Everything was coated in ice this morning. This is the first winter weather we have had this season – up until now it has been unusually mild. The garden seems to glimmer under the ice layer, everything looks cuddled and safe, but also fragile and exposed at the same time. During my wanderings I discovered all these oak leaves on the ground, much darker in color than the others. They look oxidized, almost blue. Immediately I start thinking about the dye pot - what color will they give in that condition? I have so much on my plate. Can I fit in a play date with the cauldron?

reuse and reclaim

My studio, my house, and my life is overtaken by fabric. Fabric yardage, fabric remnants, fabric scraps. Vintage fabrics, mod fabrics, silly fabrics. Fabrics collected and acquired over decades, lovingly washed, folded, and stored in piles. Fabrics left over from numerous projects and experiments.

Despite a promise to not announce any resolutions for this new year, I hereby declare 2012 the year of no new fabric purchases. Not only will I try not to buy more fabrics, I am also determined to use more of all the wonderful goodies I have on hand.

The last few days I have spent making pillows from fabrics originating from modern fabrics, a wonderful Charlotte, NC, based company that specializes in reselling remnants from furniture corporations and other industries. I am also creating small zip purses, using vintage linen and cotton prints. This new line of work will have its own place in my etsy store, some of the pieces are already listed, more will be added in upcoming weeks.

No promises can be made without caveat. I am running short on silk and wool for eco dyeing. And there may be a need to reorder my house linen fabric for new production work. But other than that I should be all set!

adrienne antonson

Images courtesy of Adrienne Antonson. All rights reserved.

Adrienne Antonson work exemplifies meticulous attention to detail and beauty. Her sculptural replicas of insects and everyday objects are life like and ethereal. All of them are made out of human hair and other non-traditional fibers. Adrienne attributes her choice of material to "its immediacy, its beauty and flaws" ... and beacuse "it never fails to attract and repulse almost simultaneously". Adrienne also creates a clothing line, state, that is comprised of repurposed fabrics and garments, lovingly transformed into wearable pieces of art. I love the exquisite craftsmanship that infuses all of Adrienne's work as well as her resourceful and respectful choice of materials. She is a young artist based in Asheville, North Carolina, and you can find more information about her work on her website and blog. She also has an etsy store where she sells adorable felted headwear among other things.

Images courtesy of Adrienne Antonson. All rights reserved.

 This profile of Adrienne is the first in this year's series artistic delights, which focuses on artists that delight and inspire me on my own artistic journey.