Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Wow!  I just discovered that one of the scarves I wove for Randall Darwall is in the Smithsonian American Art museum.  It is not currently on display but it is there, Wow!

I met Randall at a convergence quite a few years ago.  I showed him my work and he asked me if I would be interested in weaving for him.  The way it worked was he dyed warps and then sent them out to various weavers we were free to create twill weave structures.  If I remember right the finished scarves were about 10" wide and 80" long including fringe.  I think the warp was long enough for ten scarves.

Here is a link
Smithsonian American Art Museum

Pam Arquette
My Etsy Shop

Costume for music video

Well if you celebrate and you are not ready for Christmas, it is about time to start panicking.  I still have 2 pairs of pj's to finish, eight sets of dish towels and dishcloths to finish, at least one more present to get, and grocery shopping to do.

My daughter has been working on a costume  for a music video called " I Wish to Know Your Dreams " for a butterfly sprite Written and Directed by Chris Ozminski. Filming starts this weekend! 

 

Jeannie and I are planning to have a Spring Fashion show. Can't wait to see what she comes up with for that. :-)

That's all for now folks, have a Great Christmas
Pam

Black Sheep Weavers Christmas Party

I know I am late again.  I picked Thursday because I thought that was the least likely day for the rest of my life to get in the way.  I guess that is not really true.  I would change the day but I  don't think that will help.

Yesterday, Thursday, I attended the BSW Christmas Party.  It was at Gisela's home and was well attended.  Lots of good food and excitement.  We had an ornament exchange.  I think it is the best way to handle a gift at parties.  The rules are, if you want to participate, bring a wrapped hand made ornament.  Then when it is your turn you pick a package and get an ornament.  The thing I like about it is if you don't want to there is no pressure.  If you do want to participate you get a unique new ornament that reminds you of the person who made/gave it.

This week I have been working on making PJs for the grand-kids for Christmas.  So, much still to do.

Pam

Self Portrait

We had a great Thanksgiving, lots of family and food.  During the next few days we put up the tree and spent time with the grand-kids.

Martina wanted to do a self-portrait, so I got out all may fabric paints and helped her figure out how to go about creating a portrait.  While Jeff is a great illustrator, in pencil and ink.  Martina and I are more skilled in fiber arts.  So, not feeling confident about drawing, we explored several ideas.  Finally settling on using a photograph.  Martina is a skill photographer.  So, she selected a photo, we ran it through Photoshop and changed it to black and white.  Then we taped the photo to my glass door and taped a piece of cotton over the photo.  Martina traced the photo on to the fabric and then used assorted paints, chalk, ink, etc. and created....

 I have also being doing the last things for the Black Sheep Weavers Guild Show.  Be sure to check it out.  There are a lot of  great artists participating, a great place to get a unique gift for Christmas or yourself.

Pam

   

Silk Scarves and Guild Show

Well here it is about 15 minutes to midnight on Friday.  So, I did not make my self-imposed deadline of posting on Thursday. this week I have been working on dying and painting silk scarves for my guild show on December 5 and 6 in Hartland for more information check out the, Black Sheep Web site.

Here are three of the scarves I was working on this week.

 I also threaded my loom it always feels so go to thread the loom.  My life can be so crazy and busy.  There are so many things that I have to deal with but have no control over.  That it feels good to have control over all those threads.  I can make them do my will.  It is comforting to have the steady rhythm of the shafts moving up and down and watching the pattern grow.  Hopefully I will find enough time to finish one or two before the sale.

The other thing I have been working no this week my daughter and I are trying to put together a Luncheon and Spring Fashion show.  We just signed a contract on an event hall in Howell.   Save the date for April 26 and join us for lots of fun the weekend before Mother's Day.

Have a Great Week
Pam

Busy Week

Finished reading Marion Powell's book, my initial excitement about shadow weave blocks quickly vanished when I realized what she called blocks also has incidentals.  However it is always good to have an extra tool in the tool box.  I can see where her method might work better in some instances and I think I might have a deeper understanding of Shadow Weave in general.

I finished the scarf I had on the loom, but still have to do the fringe.  I have been taking the loom apart to clean, oil and adjust.  I have also created a couple drafts, Shadow Weave of course. :-)    Hopefully by the time I sitting here next week I will have the loom threaded and started weaving.

I have also been  dying scarves and doing some knitting.  I went to the library and visited  the Pinckney Pearlers.  I think I will go back next week.  They seemed like a friendly group and I am trying to get some socks done for Christmas presents.  

I posted a few more items in my Etsy shop.  Etsy now has a sell in person app, I hope it works well not really sure, if it will.  I will be able to sell online on the road.  I just received the the device and it is like the square only exclusive to Etsy when someone purchases an item that is in my shop in person and I use the Etsy app the item in my online shop it is automatically removed from the shop or (amounts are adjusted if I have more than one) when I use the Etsy app to process their payment.  

Here is hoping that you have a happy and productive week ahead.

Pam

A little bit about Shadow Weave

When you have a pay check job, you have a schedule and everyone expects you to be working during those hours.  They don't ask for favors, and the phone doesn't ring constantly asking who you are going to vote for, or to buy something.  You just have a set amount of hours to work with out interruption.  Must be nice.  Well maybe not, but I do get frustrated trying to work.

This week I did get some dying done, but I did not get any pictures. My daughter got married, I did get pictures of that.  My grand-daughter  loved her costume makes everything worth while.

 
The  piece I have on the loom is almost done.  Mostly I have been trying to draft a shadow weave to put on the loom.  I have been reading Powell's 1000 Shadow weave patterns.  She designs shadow weave differently than Atwater.  Powell uses blocks.  Which might be easier than Van der Hoot's design two twills and combine to make a shadow weave draft.

For those who are not familiar  with Shadow weave, it is primarily a color and weave that creates the pattern.  The structure is close to a plain weave, except that it has a few, two and three thread floats. The pattern is created by alternating a dark thread with a light thread in both the warp and the weft.  You need at least four shafts to weave Shadow weave.

Powell's blocks for a four shaft loom are A-(1,2) B-(3,4) C-(2,1) and D-(4,3)  In her blocks, 1 & 3 are the primaries (Dark), and 2 & 4 and the Shadows (Light).

I did not finish my draft.  I am hoping that I do not have any interruptions tomorrow and can get some real work done.  I think I need a new keyboard.  This one is old and I am banging on the keys to get them to work and I have to keep going back to correct missing letters sometimes banging on the same key multiple times.  Any way I am tired and going to bed

Pam