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  • Blog 2014-2021

Pretending to be calm

11/3/2020

 
Picture
And when pretending isn't enough--
Picture
Twenty Tiny House Series:Willow Wand #1; hand woven tapestry; willow wand warp; willow bark, hand spun paper, indigo, natural pigments 3" x 2.5"; frame: cardboard box, used coffee filters, flour paste
there is always tapestry.
Picture
Willow-wand warp anyone?
It's weirdly compelling
(doesn't even require a loom).
Picture
And though Rebecca doesn't cover
these materials in her wonderful new book
The Art of Tapestry Weaving,
(officially launching today!)
she does provide instruction
on all  of the techniques I used.
(well, not the clamp and scrap wood support part,
but maybe I"ll talk about that
​some other day on this blog).
Picture
Twenty Tiny House Series:Willow Wand #1 (detail); hand woven tapestry; willow wand warp; willow bark, hand spun paper, indigo, natural pigments 3" x 2.5"; frame: cardboard box, used coffee filters, flour paste
Today --
Picture
Magic Medium --formerly white, now pinky red thanks to cochineal and madder
well today--

​all I knew for sure--
Picture
Cochineal dyebath
is that
color is marvelous--
Picture
weld + indigo
​and nature is generous--
Picture
magic medium with madder and cochineal; somewhat slanted with cochineal
(​when we let her do
the things 
she does so well)--
Picture
and that however things unfold--
Pictureself portrait with laundry and suspenders

I'm grateful
that my pants 
won't
​fall down.
Picture
Backstrap Blankets; backstrap strips sewn together; hand spun wool; walnut; indigo;
Also,
​ perhaps even more important
than the coverage of my derriere--
Picture
I'm so glad
that as we move through this time

and into a future
in which simple tools
are essential--
Picture
and the boxes we need most
are not even close to square
(thank goodness)--
Picture
Twenty Tiny House Series: Willow Wand #1; hand woven tapestry; willow wand warp; willow bark, hand spun paper, indigo, natural pigments 3" x 2.5"; frame: cardboard box, used coffee filters, flour paste
that we go forward
​together. 
DeAnn Jochen
11/3/2020 12:58:41 pm

You are a true magician, Sarah. What a lovely way to work through what could be an extremely tense day. And yes, whatever comes, we are all in this together. Thank you for just being you.
Dee

Jodi
11/3/2020 01:01:32 pm

Fantastic.

Joanne Howard
11/3/2020 01:14:34 pm

Simply put, thank you for your post today. Calm is indeed hard to achieve today. Being outside with nature’s bounty (today being pine cones and needles), cleaning bird baths, and your wise words have gone a long way to focusing on the present, not what will be in the future.

Marie
11/3/2020 01:15:34 pm

I love this. And I just wrote it down on a card to put at my desk, because as I sit here in my coveralls, I too am grateful that however things unfold, at least my pants won't fall down. Thank you for the bright side...again! xo

Judi
11/3/2020 01:16:04 pm

Wonderful!

Alison Clark
11/3/2020 01:27:16 pm

I feel for you all. We watch from over the pond with bated breath. There is always nature there for us and ki at least knows what ki is doing. Thank you x

Masseyna olstynski
11/3/2020 01:29:29 pm

Hi Sarah, just love the out fit! The suspenders are a stunning addition. As well as nessary. Beautiful dye job awsome blankets! Make sure to get a flu shot and a pneumonia shot.. Ginger root tea stops nausea and vomiting.stay well and keep warm

Donna H
11/3/2020 01:29:49 pm

I so love your blog! But what was the flour paste for?

Sarah
11/3/2020 01:58:11 pm

Paper mache for the tapestry shadow box.
Super fun and gloppy.

Pru
11/3/2020 01:30:48 pm

Smooching you from afar. You are a source of light and goodness in these dark and alarming times!

Beth Hutmacher
11/3/2020 01:30:48 pm

I need this so very much today. Thank you.

Noël Nicholls
11/3/2020 01:40:23 pm

What a wise and glorious gem you are. Love your colour scheme in clothing, especially the green,wrinkled at the knees, tights!

Patti Kirch
11/3/2020 01:41:17 pm

Thank you SweetSarahSwett,
Love your paperweftwillowwarp tiny house and all of your stitched, knitted, dyed and woven reminders that we are thankful for our fiber friends with fabulous clotheslines😘🥰

Ama Bolton link
11/3/2020 02:07:32 pm

Utterly gorgeous, as ever! Thank you.

Barbara Carbajal
11/3/2020 02:29:46 pm

xoxoxo what a wonderful diversion from you. Clever, witty, calm you are all of this on this "tense" day. Thank God for you!

Jeanne Bates
11/3/2020 02:34:30 pm

I love how you take wee bits of nature and give us back beauty! The colors sing to my heart. (And my Covid test just came back negative!)

Mandy
11/3/2020 02:42:07 pm

And from far off Portugal I ll be thinking of you all. And yes we are all in this together. May it be the best outcome

Velma Bolyard
11/3/2020 03:00:45 pm

when i read 'super fun and gloppy' i thought, 'yep'. and when i saw the color switches i thought, 'yep'. it's when mastery, curiosity, and dedication intersect that art happens, even inside a paper mache structure.

Eileen Van Bronkhorst
11/3/2020 04:30:37 pm

Yes, calm. And the colors are so inspiring. Love the laundry drying in the sun and the sun on your face!! Calm!!

Annette jamieson
11/3/2020 06:02:23 pm

A sweet red and green pixie

L Collignon
11/3/2020 06:08:03 pm

So glad to see this in the inbox today! The perfect diversion, as i sip my hot toddy before dinner~ thank you, SarahSweet, and the colors are lovely!

Susan Schaefer
11/3/2020 07:17:04 pm

Beautiful colors. Appreciate you and the calm, centeredness (if that's a word) you give to us here

Josefin Waltin link
11/3/2020 10:38:10 pm

I just ended my morning meditation and your blog post was the perfect transition into the rest of the day. Thank you!

DawnMarie Anderson
11/4/2020 07:50:12 am

I woke up last night hoping I had this in my in-box, even before thinking about updates for the voter turn out. You inspire tranquility. Thanks!

Kate Jocelyn
11/4/2020 07:58:11 am

What a delightful post to read in midst of such a chaotic period of time! Thanks for being you and inspiring me every time I open your blog-- wish we were neighbors ;)

Terri Bryson
11/4/2020 08:58:17 am

Forward always! Wonderful blog! Art will continue. Thank you!

jude link
11/9/2020 05:52:58 am

enjoying your work and your words very much

Dilou91
11/10/2020 07:30:58 am

C'est beau et simple et tranquille en ces temps de troubles

Szilvia Balla
11/10/2020 08:43:06 am

Chère Sarah,

Est-ce que cela serait possible d'acheter un de vos bracelets qui me plaisent beaucoup ?
Si oui, comment ?

Je vous remercie beaucoup par avance !
Amicalement,
Szilvia (de Paris et de Budapest)

Sarah
11/11/2020 11:03:05 am

Merci, Szilvia, pour vos amiable (??) mots, mais j'ai peur de ne pas avoir de bracelets à vendre! Si je le fais, je vous le ferai sûrement savoir.

Szilvia Balla
11/14/2020 08:23:43 am

Grand merci Sarah !


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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