carrying on
on the weekend I visited the Quilters’ Guild Christmas show and sale
it was very well attended
there was thousands of hours of work
the prices were sadly low
this small piece was everyone’s favorite
a rooster with attitude!
the bottom border is a feather pattern with chicken wire on the three sides
the background fabric hand dyed
(sorry, I’ve lost the slip of paper with names)
this piece with the grey and white background
featuring the arbutus, common it this area, was very effective
handspun, 2 ply tussah silk dyed with liquid sumi ink
diluted – 1 part ink to 5 parts water
left to soak approximately 1 hour
it shines like metal
the silk (top) and below shifu paper yarn
dyed in full strength ink
it has a strong but not unpleasant smell
there is still enough left in the dye pot
so I’m going to start stitching a small shibori piece
can’t wait to see how the yarns weave
now, in the middle of my mess, I need to prepare for my Studio Tour
Sat. and Sun. Nov. 14-15
keeping my fingers crossed that the weather is nice
www.onesmallstitch.Wordpress.com 
i love the set of grays-black, can’t wait to see it woven!
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Velma – think I’m totally addicted to sumi, have to find a place to buy by the litre
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Does the sumi ink make a permanent dye? (other inks sure seem to on clothes). The color is very nice.
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Kristin – sumi is very different than any ink we know, ink sticks are made from soot and different kinds of hide glue. Some liquid ink is made from the same materials but it can also be made with a carbon and acrylic mix . They will give different colours and I have no experience with how well they wear over time. Initially, once they are dry they appear to be permanent. Even Chinese or Japanese inks may vary.
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I sure hope your weather is nice for the tour–you deserve a break! I LOVE the color of the dark gray silk–so rich and kind of mysterious. And, yes, prices for quilted objects always seem low to me, too. I’m not sure if it’s a measure of what the market will bear or makers unveiling their work, or what. Good luck with the studio tour!
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Kerry – the ink makes the silk a little stiff but I think it will soften with weaving, I love the colour too. Weather is always iffy this time of year.
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