I’ve been busy in the studio & teaching, so I’ve neglected posting. Here’s an image of my studio wall with recent developments.

The textile I used was dyed with Cochineal on the front side, and the backside was from the same lot of Cochineal but then overdyed with Iron.

To add more interest to the pattern, I used 3 thread colors. I counted my horizontal grid & divided into 3 sections, alternating colors in each section from white, to Indigo, & back to white. To complete the pattern, on the woven portion I used a variegated dyed blue thread with red accents.

Using a contrasting thread for the weave creates more depth, and since the weave is only done on the front side (unless you add it to the back as well), you have 2 patterns in one piece; Kurguri Sashi on the front and Yokogushi on the back.

Kurguri Sashi pattern is another Hitomezashi stitch. Kurguri means ‘go through/under’ and Sashi means stitch. This pattern combines the running stitch foundation we use in Yokogushi with a woven element.

Komezashi, meaning rice stitch, is a pattern that symbolizes a wish for a rich harvest and abundance. The name comes from the stitch’s appearance, which looks like the kanji character for rice. It is an additional step from the Jujuzashi stitch, adding diagonal lines to the pattern.

Jujuzashi means '10 cross stitch', as the crossing of the lines resembles the kanji character for 10. By sewing over the weft and warp of the fabric, the textile is strengthened and is a wonderful way to decoratively mend clothing. The pattern symbolizes prosperity as it is ever expanding.

🪡

Sleep paralysis is like the opposite of lucid dreaming.

Thanks to my husband for hearing my labored screams and fully waking me up

What he said: 💯 🎯

My phone number, my grandma’s office number, my aunt’s job number. But it took me about 10 years to finally memorize my husband’s number- and I only did it because it’s the supermarket account number🤣

A lovely afternoon at Watanabe’s Tokushima. I am grateful for their sharing of tradition & history of Aizome, their sukumo indigo farm and processing tour, & an immersive experience with new friends. I dyed a shibori piece I prepared & left with a stunning textile, joyful smile, & stained hands.

Many of my favorite poems were not originally written in English. Poetry crosses language barriers.

We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness.

#textileart #Indigo #shibori #naturaldyed #surfacedesign #artisantextiles #handmadefabric #handmadetextiles #slowcraft #fiberartist #sacramentoartists #sacramentomakers #norcalartists #bayareadesign

This beautiful Taka Ishii Shibori 04 pattern was learned with love from awonoyoh 💕 I decided to use a large piece of linen for this project, which was a fun and worthwhile challenge.

Day 5 of zenstitching
Sashiko Stitch Challenge #naturaldye #sashiko

Day 4 of zenstitching
Sashiko Stitch Challenge #naturaldye #sashiko

Day 3 of zenstitching
Sashiko Stitch Challenge #naturaldye #sashiko

Day 2 of zenstitching
Sashiko Stitch Challenge. Using a cotton piece I dyed with cochineal and then overdyed in ferrous. #naturaldye #sashiko

2 different ways of dyeing with fresh Indigo. A: blended Indigo with ice water & then strained. B: Indigo leaves (whole), salt, & minimal ice water. Massaged linen with mixtures for 10 minutes & then oxidized for 5. Method A gave a greenish tone, B gave a blueish tone #naturaldye #Indigo

Preparing linen strips for Indigo dyeing. This baby lock (permanently ‘borrowed’ from my husband 😅) has been one of the most helpful tools in my studio.

🙏 You can mix dye materials to get different colors. I love weld as a vibrant primary yellow and wanted to make an orange with it. I used madder & weld in equal ratios to achieve this color. I also have another piece with cochineal & weld- which gave me a little more of an earthy orange 🍊

Starting a new Bojagi piece. First squares are linen natural dyed with weld and madder #naturaldye

Learning a new #shibori technique 💙 Step 1: hand draw parallel lines every 1/2” on my 45” x 54” linen piece 🙃

Just keep stitching. Just keep stitching. #shibori 🐠

We’re not sure who needs to hear this, but ‘blueberry’ has two b’s.

Learning a new #Shibori technique 🪡

3 of 4 hand sewn double rolled edges completed on my cochineal Bojagi textile piece 💗 #bojagi #naturaldye #cochineal