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When in doubt: Make Stuff. Stay Home. Draw.
Dress Locally. Hand Wash.
Learn to Darn.
Sarah C. Swett


Picture
Fiber: wool (cormo), drum carded and attenuated, Spindle: metal/bamboo, 17 grams, Bhutan


The perfect yarn
 is a column of air surrounded 
by fiber.




The
 best ideas 
show up 
 when I'm doing 
something 
else.
Picture
Embroidery; wool and silk on linen © Sarah C. Swett
PictureThe Last Few Pages; hand woven tapestry; wool warp and weft; natural dye; 20" x 24" ©Sarah C. Swett



The ideal project
takes over my life
and requires
a season or two
to complete.

Picture
Rough Copy #2: The Sketchbook; hand woven tapestry, wool, natural dye, 70" x 36" ©Sarah C. Swett

Or a year.



Or Three.

Picture
Manuscript Revised (detail), pen and ink on paper ©Sarah C. Swett

PictureNeedlepoint; Egg Tempera on panel; 20" x 24" ©Sarah C. Swett




It demands time
but not money.

PictureIndigo Bath (detail); hand woven tapestry, wool, natural dye, 48" x 24" ©Sarah C. Swett







Or new clothes.

PictureNicole's Vest; embroidery; wool, linen, walnut dye; 5" x 5" ©Sarah C. Swett





Sometimes it is new clothes.

PictureUnfinished Sweater; knitting; wool (cormo) ©Sarah C. Swett





The thing worth pursuing
is not a thing at all,

PictureThe Hut on the Rock; hand woven tapestry; wool; natural dye; 40" x 48" photo: Mark LaMoreaux; ©Sarah C. Swett





but life made manifest

PictureHand Dyed Fabric: hemp, linen, cotton; indigo, weld, cochineal, walnut, madder, alum mordant ©Sarah C. Swett





in color

PictureScarf (detail); knitting; wool; ©Sarah C. Swett




texture

PictureMap: Palouse by the Sea; pen and ink on paper; 18" x 24" ©Sarah C. Swett





image.

PictureDiana's Fire; hand woven tapestry; wool; natural dye; 9" x 9" ©Sarah C. Swett






It is a moment
captured in cloth,

Picture
The Letter, page 3; embroidery; wool, silk, linen; 5" x 6" ©Sarah C. Swett


an unfolding story
Picture
The Letter, page 5; embroidery; wool, silk, linen; 5" x 6" ©Sarah C. Swett
Picture
The Letter, page 6; embroidery; wool, silk, linen; 5" x 6" ©Sarah C. Swett
PictureSuffolk X fleece, freshly washed, ready to card




a pile of possibility

PictureWalnut Hills; hand woven tapestry; wool; walnut; 3" x 3" ©Sarah C. Swett




a tiny miracle.



This work infiltrates my dreams
PictureSTRIPES Page 3 (detail); needlepoint comics; wool, cotton, natural dyes; 12" x 36" (detail); ©Sarah C. Swett





PictureMiss Havisham's Cook (detail); hand woven tapestry; wool, natural dye; 36" x 48" ©Sarah C. Swett






It builds my biceps.

PictureManuscript Revised (detail), pen and ink on paper ©Sarah C. Swett




It thrills me to the bone.

PictureTravel Angst; embroidery; wool on linen; 4" x 4" ©Sarah C. Swett





It drives me to tears.

PictureSTRIPES Page 1 (detail); needlepoint comics; wool, cotton, natural dyes; ©Sarah C. Swett





When I was seven
I turned scraps of yarn
into a magic carpet.

PictureWeaving Yarn; digital comic on photo ©Sarah C. Swett





I'm still at it.



Thanks for reading all the way to the bottom!
 mildredestelle at gmail dot com. 
Tapestry Archive
Curated to show mostly the 'good' stuff --
​or at least that which has been fancily photographed


Click here for a list of events, past and future (which I've probably forgotten to update)
things to make:
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whatever it is you cannot 

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