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  • Blog 2014-2021

indigo and paper

10/30/2018

 
Picture
Used coffee filters -- indigo, plain, black walnut
There are just so many things to try.
Picture
-print making paper cut into a continuous strip
but not yet spun
- sheets of variable annuity semi-annual report
-an iris leaf 
- the silk long underwear shirt
that I wore every day on my backpack trip
and fell apart when i got home
-wool fleece. 
Picture
It is, of course,
generally recommended
that the careful dyer
adjust the ph of an indigo bath
for each of these fibers
(or at least each type)
individually,
but this time
I decided not to worry about it.
Picture
Corn Husks: black walnut; indigo; indigo + cochineal
And as far as I can tell,
it all worked fine.

Well, the Iris leaf was not interested in indigo,
but that may have been a function of
-an exterior water-repellant coating,
-the molecular structure of the actual cells
-that leaf I chose
preferred to remain
its own natural color
thank you very much
-something else entirely.

Of course it could have been
my laziness about the relative alkalinity of the bath

and experiments may ensue on that score.
Or not.
Most  likely I'll let the Iris be Iris
and dye corn husks if I need colored leaves,
since the latter seem thrilled by the world of color.
That one tiny strip of purple in the photo above
survived --even thrived--
in the post-indigo alum and cochineal baths
into which it fell
(or deliberately snuck on the coattails of the wool).
Picture
This paper loved the indigo.
(Rives lightweight white from my basement
that I've been using to make my comic diaries).
Picture
The variable annuity yarn 
did fine, but only with with VERY short indigo dips.
The coffee filters were  happy as clams.
​
I spun both on the Charkha as shown above.
Picture
Each kind of paper has its own personality --
and as a newbie at this business of making Kami-ito
I'm in a constant state of beginner mind,
which means I keep teetering on the edge
of pushing things too far 
(fingers covered with damp shreds of dissolving paper)
or not far enough
​ (pirns wound with great wads of unweavable twine).
Picture
But as I wait for Hiroko Karuno's book to arrive:
Kigami and Kami-ito: Japanese Handmade Paper and Paper Thread
(it is being reprinted),
experimentation is my friend--
the ensuing messes and variations,
a good part of the joy.
Picture
Staples Receipt (found on the sidewalk); Indigo dyed Quarterly Report (found in my recycling bin); used coffee filter (fished from the kitchen compost and washed).
There are, indeed, any number of experiments 
happening in my studio just now.
Picture
Sometimes I'm  working with wool
(with which I have a fair bit of experience)--
adjusting variables  and designing a yarn
that will take months of spindle twirling--
before,
in a year or so,
it starts to become the thing I imagine,
which may require techniques
​ about which I know only a little.
Picture
The creamy kami-ito on the pirn fifth from the right (the biggest one), was spun by Velma Bolyard (see resources below), and you can see how even and fine and lovely it is. MUCH to learn.
sometimes 
I'm working with materials
with which I have virtually no experience,
adjusting variables and designing yarns,
that I'm going to try out
today
using techniques
​I know very well.
Picture
Material experiments: Four Selvedge Tapestry; Paper Yarn; Linen Warp; Pipe Loom
Such a funny, magical old life. 
Picture
Resources:
Velma Bolyard (paper maker, spinner,  book and fiber artist) Her work and devotion to using local materials is utterly inspiring
Velma's Blog (most recent post talks about her milkweed harvest)

Aimee Lee (artist, papermaker, writer, and the leading hanji researcher and practitioner in North America) . Hanji is Korean hand made paper, and the things Aimee does with it are mind-blowing.  The dresses! The Knitted books!  The Ducks!
Aimee's Books  (as you can imagine I am in love with the milkweed paper making zine)!


And as I said above, I'm waiting for Kagami and Kami-ito  by Hiroko Karuno

Some day I'll get  A Song of Praise for Shifu by Susan J. Byrd

And of course, 
to learn Four Selvedge Tapestry Warping 
(the technique I'm using for all my experiments
and praise in the quiet of my studio every day),
Click HERE!


Bonnie Klatt
10/30/2018 02:20:50 pm

This is fascinating and filled with wonder, Sarah! Those coffe filters in the first photo are to dye for (pun intended). I’m SO glad you and Velma have connected. I met and knew her back in the 90’s when I lived up her way. Yes, she is amazing 😉.

Jillayne link
10/31/2018 06:17:14 pm

Another amazing post... I so love what you do with your twining and spinning - inspirational beyond measure.
I've had a go at working with the day lilies and have come up with something I'd like to share with you but can't find your email. I've been using glycerin as a way of preserving the leaves that, after some experimentation, has been giving me good results...

Sarah
11/1/2018 02:58:40 pm

Oh goody! Can’t wait to hear what you tried.
My email is: mildredestelle@gmail.com

Renee/Acornmama
11/4/2018 06:49:10 pm

I sometimes forget to come see the actual blog post after the Instagram post. I remembered this time and am truly floored by your patience. I spin so impatiently I am fascinated by you spinning something that you know won't be finished for at least another year. Wow. I do love watching your process.

Sarah
11/6/2018 10:40:36 am

Hey Renee -- thanks for coming to look. The patience thing is so interesting, isn't it? It occurs to me that long projects require a certain amount of getting in shape -- starting small and gradually increasing the length of time things take -- kind of like a muscle.
When I got my first fleece ever, I was SO resentful of having to wash it and wait for it to dry that I got my hand cards all gunked up with lanolin, dirt and VM (it was a really awful free fleece, but heaven to me), which then took ages to get rid of...
Thanks for the reminder that 35 years later, I (sometimes), can take the long view.
THen again -- today's blog post is kinda speedy because i couldn't' wait to start the project.

Deborah Pawle
11/7/2018 01:48:12 am

Hi Sarah, I hadn't come across a Charkha before not being a spinning fan but I am also no trying out plant spinning mainly from day lily leaves. At the moment I am just hand twisting a bit time consuming, please could you let me know which Charkha you use, thanks.
Debbie

Deborah Pawle
11/7/2018 01:49:31 am

Oh dear forgot to say I just love what you are doing and the amazing colours you are achieving. Debbie


Comments are closed.
    Picture

    ​Sarah C Swett 
    tells stories
    with
    ​ and about

     hand spun yarn. 


    Picture
    Click for info on
    my four selvedge
    warping class
    with
    ​ Rebecca Mezoff  
    fringeless


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