Doni's Delis

ancora Porto, grazie

2012-01-25T17:32:00.000+01:00

more random pics of Porto - while I was there I didn't realize how much I liked it -

tiles of Porto

2012-01-23T17:49:00.002+01:00

if you live in Porto and the facade of your house is missing a tile or two you can go to this amazing place
called Banco de Materiais where they salvage tiles and other materials
from buildings that are to be demolished or modified.
It's a great place where you can get an idea of the various tile patterns
- I don't need to mention that fact that my favourite where the blue and white ones....

Joao Bruno

2012-01-12T11:42:00.002+01:00

we stayed in a lovely place in Evora
- where my attention was immediately captured by the headboard -
after a little enquiry I discovered that it was the work of Joao Bruno, a local yarn artist

see his blog here

greige

2012-01-11T12:24:00.000+01:00

tinto

2012-01-09T17:02:00.001+01:00

we're back from Portugal!
now the hard job begins of sorting all the pics...

Berardo collection
Ovelha Negra

Bom Ano!

2012-01-03T23:26:00.000+01:00

we're in Portugal celebrating the beginning of the new year!
happy 2012 to everyone!

felt decorations

2011-12-10T14:25:00.001+01:00

...continuing my tradition of felted Christmas ornaments
this year I thought it was a good idea to do some recycling:
I used some scraps of coloured woollen fabric (woven by me of course!) dyed with natural dyes,
which have lovely soft pastel colours - and natural.
I cut out some simple forms: stars, hearts, leaves and dots,
then put everything in a calico bag and off in the washing machine, together with a towel or two.
Et voilà!

teal

2011-12-05T19:59:00.001+01:00

is definitely one of my favourite colours
- fresh from the loom -

just an ordinary day

2011-11-29T17:56:00.001+01:00

making some order in the sideboard
and stitching the edges of some placemats
I think I already mentioned I usually help a 97 years old lady:
I prepare the warp and loom and she does the weaving - only plain weave.
So it's mainly scarves and placemats.

I wish I could get to her age and still weave, like she does.

of shadows and sun

2011-11-23T11:56:00.001+01:00

in the morning there are so many interesting patterns around the house...

/\

2011-11-16T17:37:00.001+01:00

- cashmere and metallic thread -
I thought tension would be a nightmare but it turned out all right

Isabel Berglund

you know what they say

2011-11-16T16:48:00.001+01:00

...that you have to be careful when you ask for something
because you might get it

well this is me - and the new/old lovely loom that I got from this lady
When I answered her advert I didn't really believe I would be the one who bought it.
(there's always someone faster than me, also on ebay)
But it happened!
It took a while to make space for it and get it going properly,
but now it's settled and weaving is really a pleasure.
thank you Jane!

done

2011-11-10T11:05:00.002+01:00

in the end we did go and see this exhibition,
sadly we were not allowed any photos inside the gallery
(apart from the first one, sneaked in a moment of distraction of the attendant)
actually seeing the "Homage to the Square" series in this huge emtpy space was incredible,
I wish I could have a room like that - just to be able to walk in every now and again and be inspired.

- I did not know that Josef Albers was a keen photographer - I love the washing lines! -

<>

2011-11-08T18:45:00.001+01:00

the Icelandic Love Corporation exhibition here
- the big disc is made of coloured tights! -

',',',',',',',','

2011-11-07T19:35:00.001+01:00

..it's still raining here...

looming

on different ground

2011-11-05T14:38:00.000+01:00

11

2011-11-02T11:03:00.001+01:00

Happy November to you!

ge

2011-10-27T19:39:00.000+02:00

Sometimes I forget how beautiful my town can be.
One hour strolling around the centre with the camera and I got my perspective back

_

2011-10-19T19:35:00.001+02:00

Laurie Herrick
...and some merino leftovers

today

2011-10-12T19:43:00.000+02:00

the first persimmon of the season! - Autumn is officially here -

J A

2011-10-10T19:09:00.000+02:00

an exhibition on Josef Albers opened last Saturday in Modena
- I've already got a reminder on my studio door, don't want to miss this one -

...and this is what I see from my window in this very moment!

start

2011-10-08T13:52:00.000+02:00

last night most of the art galleries in town were open until midnight
but instead of taking real photos I got stuck on silly details

piemonte

2011-10-03T11:29:00.000+02:00

going around small hidden villages in Piemonte

and incredible embroidery paintings by cayce zavaglia

shadow

2011-10-01T11:01:00.000+02:00

This September was the hottest in the last 150 years - I am so looking forward to some Autumn temperatures...welcome October!

.

2011-09-27T10:03:00.000+02:00

Husband got back from a working weekend in Rome with some lovely photos.

I wish I could have gone too - it's been a long time since I went to the Eternal City...

saturated

2011-09-21T17:22:00.000+02:00

I heard on the radio the other day that a recent research demonstrated

how man is not really capable of multitasking.

I am seriously beginning to think it's true. At least about me.

So, to cheer up a bit, I ordered a copy of this magazine - can't wait to read it!

oggi mi piace il rosa

2011-09-12T18:05:00.001+02:00

...I am still adjusting to the presence of my new loom - not ready yet!

I discovered some fantastic embroidery work on toile by Richard Saja

here at Historically Inaccurate

this one is definitely my favourite

sorella

2011-08-30T13:36:00.001+02:00

- an improptu photo shoot and laughs with my sis -

_____

2011-08-29T21:18:00.000+02:00

these last days of August are strange...I am waiting for something to arrive
and in the meantime I need to make space for it

Texprint

people

2011-08-26T12:59:00.000+02:00

at Hengistbury Head, Dorset

Ultental

2011-08-25T16:26:00.001+02:00

we're back home - and it's incredibly hot

so I take my time doing one thing at a time, like going through all the photos I took

this lovely little valley museum in South Tyrol

hands

2011-08-14T16:09:00.000+02:00

...is it still valid even if it's a day late, Meg?

(don't ask me why, but I was convinced it had to be on Sunday!)

I made

2011-08-07T17:23:00.000+02:00

a dress!

I wanted to use this piece of fabric I got some time ago - cotton and silk - for something nice,

but I didn't know what to make (and to be honest I was afraid I would make a mess

and end up throwing everything away...)

Until yesterday!

outtakes

2011-08-04T12:45:00.000+02:00

have you seen the weavings by John Brooks?

tomorrow there's the opening of Denim at MrKitly

2011-07-29T18:20:00.000+02:00

progress is sometimes imperceptible

then, all of a sudden, a pattern appears...

papelartefacto

I spent

2011-07-27T13:27:00.000+02:00

...a quiet morning taking the time to tie each knot for another warp

enjoyed some lovely weaving by Hermine Van Dijck on her blog

and travelled back in time when I re-discovered a song that I used to listen to 20 years ago - on YouTube.

magic of the internet!

D

2011-07-23T19:22:00.003+02:00

remember the warp in this post? Well, I finally completed it!

I just removed it from the loom, it's still a bit stiff - but I can almost see myself wearing a jacket next autumn...

need some shade

2011-07-14T12:46:00.001+02:00

it's been so hot in the last few days - nothing much accomplished I am afraid...moving has become difficult!

mitasu+

tessitura De Martini

2011-07-08T15:25:00.001+02:00

on the Jacquard loom there was a commission: fabric for curtains, in a castle
They weave traditional motifs as well as reproductions of historical fragments - like in this case
on this warp -100m - they tied 15,000 knots!
(I love the heddle eyes made of black ceramic)

eye candy for weavers

2011-07-07T19:55:00.003+02:00

Yesterday, a totally unexpected trip in the countryside ended in glory
with a visit to Tessitura De Martini where we were welcomed by the owner, Stefania, who showed us around.

Everywhere I looked there was something interesting to see - every bobbin, every discarded thread or piece of fabric, everything!
They were preparing the warp (43m) for a batch of orange cashmere scarves.

In one room they have a loom for the smaller production, while in the bigger one they have two Jacquard looms for silk damask.
But that's for the next post!

,,,

2011-07-05T11:25:00.003+02:00

these days are devoted to the completion of unfinished projects
- a warp that has been patiently waiting for me to approach it again - with a brand new weft.

arxe

il monte

2011-07-04T17:32:00.002+02:00

a quiet Sunday in this place
a little walk after lunch, in a place full of lemon, kiwi, olive and fig trees.
Oh, and beehives too. Makes me want to move there.

villa Rosa

2011-06-29T18:00:00.002+02:00

very near to villa Bordoni (the one in the previous post) is the Glass Museum of Altare,
housed in a beautiful Liberty building, villa Rosa.
What about this as a weavers' colony?

adventurous

2011-06-25T13:35:00.004+02:00

we normally don't do this things but we had already seen this house on a previous trip,
so this time we wanted to get closer to take some photos.
Then the main door was open, too inviting to say no, and we stepped in...

(some more photos here )

Dutch masters

2011-06-23T13:58:00.006+02:00

Yesterday I spent a few hours taking photos with a friend for a future project.
After the serious shooting we got carried away "a la Hendrik Kerstens" with the full set of towels and plastic bags...
The day ended with a well deserved pizza. Thank you Cristina!

finalmente friday

2011-06-17T18:42:00.001+02:00

wishing you a happy weekend!

Lou Leygnac

.... °°°°

2011-06-14T11:41:00.003+02:00

days have been dark, with heavy clouds drifting by...

in the meantime some painting has been done (just the first coat!) and some sampling too.

this is going to be a light curtain for a small window - but the sett is clearly too wide.
I was afraid that after washing it it would become too dense.
I re-sleyed the reed with a closer sett, another sample on its way!

I like this collection

#---

2011-06-09T11:52:00.006+02:00

while searching for a copper pot in the thrift shop I stumbled upon a small collection of carpet beaters.
I just couldn't leave them there!
(this must have something to do with a recent obession with all types of basket weaving)

we've got mail

2011-06-06T16:36:00.002+02:00

last week we ordered some books - they normally post them individually and they take a few days to arrive, usually one or two a day.

this time it was like Christmas - they all arrived together in a big sack!
the postman wasn't very happy, though...

today I like wooden textiles and paper weaves by Elisa Strozyk

.eucalyptus.

2011-06-01T11:09:00.004+02:00

I collected two types of fresh leaves from different trees, and some dried out leaves from the ground.
One batch of fresh leaves I left out to dry - will try those in the next days.
I followed the instructions on India's book:

I used a stainless steel pot - although it would be really interesting to use an iron or copper pot
(will have to scour some thrift shops for that)
and simmered the leaves for about 50'.
Once cool I strained the liquid and added a wet skein of merino-silk blend.
I heated it again for another 50' - making sure it didn't boil.
I left the skein in the liquid to cool down overnight and repeated the day after with another skein in the same dyebath.

In another stainless steel pot I did the same, but using the dried leaves collected from the ground.
The result is a warm light brown colour; the skein dyed with dried leaves has a slight green shade.
They smell beautifully!
While the leaves were simmering a sweet eucalyptus scent was wafting around the house.
Now I wish I had more to keep on experimenting...

grigliata

2011-05-29T17:29:00.002+02:00

on a previous trip last month I discovered that the west coast of Liguria - near the French border -
is dotted with eucalyptus trees. I was there yesterday and collected a bagful of leaves
for some experimenting with India Flint
(the leaves are now happily swimming in the pots!)

ending the day with a lovely dinner on the terrace was just perfect
(...and choripans!)

hi there!

2011-05-26T14:38:00.002+02:00

while in Milano I bought this huge risotto spoon (I just can't resist spoons)
that could double up as mirror!

Textile Nerd

this moon

2011-05-17T22:12:00.003+02:00

is too close.
Does it happen to you too? Last night I couldn't sleep - my mum said it was the moon.

explosions in the sky

Lanar

2011-05-16T17:06:00.006+02:00

This is a yarn shop in Milano where I did my shopping! - a huge white space filled with all sorts of yarns.
I really liked the wooden shelves and the paper bags. Very dangerous place indeed!

. . . milano . . .

2011-05-15T14:53:00.002+02:00

We spent a day in Milan with my sister and brother in law - you can never get tired of this city,
there's always something new to discover or places where you've never been before.

Or it's just nice to stroll around the centre and do some window shopping!
(I have to admit I did some real shopping too, but I'll show you where later on...)

monday!

2011-05-09T11:35:00.005+02:00

I just thought that these onions have beautiful colours!
- a happy beginning of the week to you all -

juliana santacruz herrera

Artefacts

2011-05-05T10:48:00.004+02:00

Some things just happen like this. My washing machine is quite a character, I have to say.

On the left: dyeing session in washing machine goes horribly wrong when net bag cointaining
skein to be dyed gets open during abovementioned session. Impossible to disentangle.

On the right (just to balance things out): fragment of handwoven hemp fabric from the 1920's

and Hiroko Takeda

.

2011-04-29T14:21:00.002+02:00

"The sixteen people around you in a rolling motor bus are in turn and at the same time one, ten, four, three; they are motionless and they change places; they come and go, bound into the street, are suddenly swallowed up by the sunshine, then come back and sit before you, like persistent symbols of universal vibration.

And sometimes we see a horse passing in the distance on the cheek of the person with whom we are talking on the street.
Our bodies penetrate the sofa upon which we sit, and the sofas penetrate our bodies.
The motor bus rushes into the houses which it passes, and the houses in turn throw themselves upon the motor bus and are blended with it."

(from the Technical Manifesto of Futurist Painting, 1910)

Lana

2011-04-27T19:28:00.002+02:00

Today we're back home...but yesterday we went to another lovely place - Lana
(which happens to be the Italian word for wool!)

a little walk

2011-04-26T11:07:00.004+02:00

We last went to Felixer Alm in December when it was full of snow - it's now early Spring here,
full of tiny little blooms, interesting flower sculptures left by unknown kids and observation towers.
...and of course we had our customary kaiserschmarrn - it's a tradition after the walk, together with a beer!

a happy Easter

2011-04-24T22:43:00.004+02:00

when pear trees are in bloom

^

2011-04-20T09:20:00.004+02:00

second one done!
it gives you a strange feeling
to be surrounded by all this yarn
and the potential it carries

looking forward to spending a few days on another planet

this photo and glacialice

surfaces

2011-04-13T19:34:00.003+02:00

I've been playing with some cotton slub yarn on the M's&O's threading,
while the lamp prototype is happily hanging above the table - it's testing time!
I intentionally left the rims unfinished - I sort of like the effect

this advert (the city by the sea is Genova!)
and the fantastic rope collection by Douglas Johnston

°°°°

2011-04-07T14:46:00.002+02:00

spring is officially here! 22°C and blue sky

today I like:
- what's in my waste bin
- the weaving of a beginner weaver experimenting with colour
- pink tulips

let there be light

2011-04-05T20:18:00.002+02:00

it's not finished yet but I can't stop looking at it...
I've been thinking about a new light for our dining table for a while now - then I suddenly decided to act.
(me and 2 and 1/2 rolls of gummed paper tape)

it turned out

2011-03-30T18:12:00.003+02:00

...a little bit bigger than expected - but it still needs a good fulling, so we're ok!

some are born to endless night

1.8 kg

2011-03-28T18:55:00.002+02:00

I am home with a naughty cold.
But I managed to finish the M's & O's.

this photo

one to go

2011-03-21T17:41:00.003+01:00

the first window of the wool shop is done, and I am quite happy with it.
It was the first time and I couldn't be particularly adventurous with it - just plain and simple display -
but I'll be able to experiment with the second once the new yarns arrive. Can't wait!

Japan

2011-03-17T18:02:00.001+01:00

thinking of you.

M's & O's

2011-03-16T11:04:00.003+01:00

I finally got round starting the throw for the sofa.
Very relaxed and easy weaving - using up some stash and having fun with M's & O's.
I was tempted to do a striped warp and use a single weft, but am doing the opposite:
plain warp and blue wefts.

- this post over at Miss Moss -

work in progress

2011-03-11T10:14:00.003+01:00

The ladies at my local wool shop needed a hand for the shop window.

I thought it was going to be an easy and quick job but - after I added new side panels,
base and a curtain to close the window display area - it's still waiting to be finished!

Art Propelled

8th march

2011-03-09T18:55:00.002+01:00

the warp is finally ready!
we went downstairs for a coffee and the waiter served us with two sprigs of mimosas!

what a lovely thing.
I definitely could do with receiving flowers from strangers every day.

Jim Denevan

March!

2011-03-02T11:15:00.002+01:00

days are getting longer...at last!
the last month literally slipped away through my fingers but it was full of interesting things:
a hen party, a new student beginning weaving, a great amount of reading
and some projects looming at the horizon...

can I also have this bag and this t-shirt please?

a promise of spring

2011-02-16T18:18:00.004+01:00

it's raining and raining and raining... days are so dark,
even if sometimes the sun shines far over the sea.
- but we have little promises growing, to keep us serene -

Precious Waste by Michelle Baggerman

sacchettini

2011-02-14T17:08:00.004+01:00

do you ever happen to have little scraps of handwoven fabric that are too small for anything,
but you just can't throw them away?
I used some tiny pieces and made some little bags - good for jewellery or little secrets!

this video

when I need to rest

2011-02-05T17:12:00.004+01:00

(at the Nordiska Museet in Stockholm)

- amazing weavings by Marianne Kemp -

""""

2011-01-28T16:12:00.002+01:00

studio randomness

and
here,
Mary Fedden

juxtapose.

2011-01-25T12:18:00.003+01:00

A collection of photos that are my current mood board
- for a throw that should go on the sofa.

I'd like one of these containers please, and one of these beautiful bowls too.

tactile

2011-01-13T14:13:00.000+01:00

After the exhibition in Ruthin I've been re-reading "On Weaving" by Anni Albers,
I particularly like this passage:

“All progress, so it seems, is coupled to regression elsewhere. We have advanced in general, for instance, in regard to verbal articulation – the reading and writing public of today is enormous. But we certainly have grown increasingly insensitive in our perception to touch, the tactile sense.

No wonder a faculty that is so largely unemployed in our daily plodding and bustling is degenerating. Our materials come to us already ground and chipped and crushed and powdered and mixed and sliced, so that only the finale in the long sequence of operations from matter to product is left to us: we merely toast the bread.

No need to get our hands into the dough. No need – alas, also little chance – to handle materials, to test their consistency, their density, their lightness, their smoothness. No need for us, either, to make our implements, to shape our pots or fashion our knives. […]

Modern industry saves us endless labour and drudgery; but, Janus-faced it also bars us from taking part in the forming of materials and leaves idle our sense of touch and with it the formative faculties that are stimulated by it.

We touch things to assure ourselves of reality. We touch the objects of our love. We touch the things we form. Our tactile experiences are elemental. If we reduce their range, as we do when we reduce the necessity to form things ourselves, we grow lopsided.”

- then, I watch this program (I am seriously addicted to the way he cooks, and the beautiful space where he does it) and hear Nigel Slater saying:

"making pastry by hand just gives me such pleasure...it's that whole tactile thing, the hands in soft flour...
when you think about food it's just an end product: you should have some pleasure while you're getting there..."

...it is true that messages arrive from all possible directions!

a boat

2011-01-11T17:04:00.003+01:00

I got this cute old shuttle as a very much appreciated Xmas gift from an old lady who still weaves at 96.
It's so short and chubby that I use it for holding my cards.

On Saturday we went to see this film. Fabulous.
I just loved it - and not only because Colin Firth is in it! -
if you're planning to go to the cinema, make sure you don't miss the set design,
especially Logue's studio.

Anni Albers

2011-01-07T17:41:00.005+01:00

...another country, another exhibition!

Despite the weather, we managed to get to Wales
to see the Anni Albers exhibition at the Ruthin Craft Centre.
We stayed in a lovely B&B, and spent the morning in the Craft Centre.
I was incredibly curious to see Anni Albers' work - that I have so often seen on the web! - for real.
This was definitely my favourite.

The other part of the exhibition was formed by works by Dörte Behn, Christopher Farr, Ptolemy Mann,
Fiona Mathison, Laura Thomas and Wallace Sewell.
The piece that intrigued me the most was "three x five" by Laura Thomas :
a wall hanging composed of strips woven triaxially,
with a colour combination that I didn't like at the beginning but then found very compelling,
both from a distance and close up.
Her great blog (with more photos!) here.

The Craft Centre is a beautiful space, and I had fun trying to read the incredible amount of consonants
in the Welsh captions!

the rest of the photos, here

Elda Cecchele

2011-01-02T20:23:00.003+01:00

I happened to read an advert about the exhibition of Elda Cecchele,
and as we were more or less near where it was held, we went to see it.

Elda Cecchele was a hand-weaver very active in the 1950's and 60's - unfortunately not very famous now - whose textiles were used by famous fashion designers of the time, like Salvatore Ferragamo.

I really liked the display: simple rectangular perspex covered boxes on tables,
with the occasional open box from which a garment would seem to float out.
The boxes contain both samples of her work and examples of the diverse materials she used.
She used fairly traditional weave structures but was very eclectic in the choice of materials:
leather strips, waxed cotton, raffia, tulle, metallic yarn, cellophane...

See all the photos here

Happy 2011!

2011-01-02T12:01:00.002+01:00

...best wishes to you all!

today yellow

2010-11-29T15:18:00.003+01:00

I made some spoon oil - following this excellent recipe here - I've been using it for a while now and it's really effective.
I started with spoons and bowls, then I went on with cutting boards, countertops and even on some very old chairs in need of some tlc.
The beeswax I got directly from the beekeeper, and it smells lovely.

only white

2010-11-28T19:07:00.002+01:00

...spending a long weekend away from home
breathing fresh air and listening to the snow falling.
my sis was in NY with her partner last week... and I got a lovely birthday gift!

black & white

2010-11-25T12:14:00.003+01:00

I am in the process or making some order among my weaving stuff.
- still have boxes of books and CDs in the corridor - waiting for the bookshelf to be assembled....
I was browsing through my samples - this was the Colour & Weave project
and I used the Cathedral in my town as inspiration.

I'd like one of these mirrors

from sunrise to sunset

2010-11-24T11:11:00.003+01:00

today I like

2010-11-19T11:58:00.002+01:00

this cup
this sculpture by Ignacio Canales Aracil
these photos

*

2010-11-16T17:35:00.001+01:00

Temperature is dropping - my mum got out a very special scarf I wove for her some time ago.
It's made with handspun vicuna, and it's even softer than cashmere.
The yarn is from Argentina - a lady here used to have a shop selling speciality yarns - and the colour is incredible!

The blue tapestry is a needlework piece from this lady.
She left some unfinished canvasses so I just filled in the empty squares and hung it.

Fiddleleaf fig

2010-11-15T16:32:00.002+01:00

Do you like big apartment plants? I do.
And since reading this post a while ago I decided I needed one too
(not that our home lacks in any kind of plants - thanks to the hubby!)
So I received one as a birthday gift! It's young but there's room for it to grow.

tomas saraceno

2010-11-04T15:09:00.003+01:00

This an exhibition that I could go and see every day.
I have a fascination for these forms and their black string. More photos here.

Nadia's

2010-10-23T16:20:00.003+02:00

Nadia's loom is now operational (we spent quite a few hours setting it up, with texsolv cords and full countermarch tie-up,
following Dot's precious advice).
Then, since I had my camera with me, I couldn't resist taking some pics around her house - I really like her style!

The throw was woven with wool leftovers, then assembled with old silk ties.

solar dyeing - results

2010-10-21T14:40:00.002+02:00

Here are my skeins after a little more than a month of sun (more or less!) in the jars.
Two developed mould - and a not so nice odour -
but after a wash and a rinse in lukewarm water with a bit of detergent the skeins were ok.
The colour is subtly variegated, I think it would be nice for a scarf.

Of course the cotton towel didn't pick up as much dye as the wool/silk blend. No mordant added.
This experiment was fun, and apart from my impatience (I checked the jars every other day...)
I want to try again with some other plant!

troppo tardi

2010-10-20T16:29:00.002+02:00

Yesterday I got a copy of this lovely book illustrated by Camilla Engman (they sell it here )

- and I love the colour palette -

all is blue

2010-10-07T16:54:00.002+02:00

I got some lovely indigo dyed wool from a fantastic place here in Genova.
I only got a skein for sampling, but already I can't take my eyes off it. It's clear that I need a LOT more.

I wove a piece of cotton fabric for a cushion.
I used some rainbow yarn for both warp and weft and a simple log cabin pattern.
I quite like the effect.

The amount of things to be done in this flat is still overwhelming but I calmed down a lot.
It's the effect of Autumn approaching...

2010-09-27T09:59:00.006+02:00

...but the best part was when we went to get some Castelmagno cheese straight from the dairy
- back home I prepared a risotto with it, following the recipe here, and it was delicious -

così bello - part 2

2010-09-23T18:12:00.003+02:00

così bello - part 1

2010-09-23T15:02:00.004+02:00

I live by the sea, but I have a constant craving for mountains.
We're so lucky the Alps extend south
- as if they wanted to dip their feet in the Mediterranean -
a couple of hours drive and you think you're on a different planet

We spent some lovely days in the province of Cuneo, high up towards the French border.

India

2010-09-10T17:55:00.000+02:00

I ordered a copy of Eco Colour by India Flint - and now I just want to try everything that's on it!
This book is so inspiring - and wonderful photos too
Some plants mentioned are not really so common here, so I wonder if it could be a good idea to go out to collect and experiment with Mediterranean plants.

For the time being I am having a go at solar dyeing.

I filled two jars, one with yarn and the other with an old damask teatowel.
I am using walnuts - the only thing I've got at the moment - and no mordant.
Will I be able to wait for at least a month? I'll post the results in due time!

September!

2010-09-03T12:12:00.003+02:00

A new month begins, and apparently it's going to be a very busy one....
- a lot of work to be done in this new abode of ours! -

the linen fabric samples are from St.Jude's - Doveflight and Bird Garden - cushions, anyone?