analog making in a modern world
Blue jeans with holes repaired with decorative embroidery Alrighty folks, buckle up and let's talk about the fashion industry and the environment, and my biggest gripe: synthetic fabrics! This is a quick overview of many topics with detailed posts on each to come. Rather than linking resources inline, which, let's face it, just means you… Continue reading A small rant about the woes of synthetic fibers & fast fashion, and why wool is magic
What luck to stumble upon this cluster of noble Gymnopilus ventricosus in the middle of May on a bright and sunny day! Spring this year (2020) consisted of several cycles of intense rain followed by intense heat uncharacteristic for the Bay Area. I had seen a few out-of-season fungal flushes earlier in April, including a… Continue reading Golden Gills
An abundant mushroom, the Western Jack O'Lantern (Omphalotus olivascens) and its cousins are often mistaken by amateur mycologists for the much more edible and desirable chanterelle. In addition to delivering a nasty stomach ache to the unwary, some report that Omphalotus harbors a delightful surprise ability to glow in the dark. Much like the trickster symbol… Continue reading Get an (Ompha)lotus that purple!
The natural world is abundant in color. It doesn't take long to discover that so many of the organisms we see every day can impart pigment across the whole spectrum. In fact, it may become challenging to go outside, just for the sheer distraction of fennel here, sourgrass there, oak galls left and right! Evernia prunastri… Continue reading Gathering Dyestuffs
Humans are exceptionally visual organisms. We are rare among mammals to have retinas more specialized for distinguishing color than for light and dark, and the limited band of the electromagnetic spectrum called visible light yields us an ability to discern our surroundings through color, texture, and shadow. Top: yarn dyed with avocado skins and pits.Bottom:… Continue reading The Science and Art of Natural Dyes
The heirloom blanket epitomizes so much of what endears me to the fiber arts. From Double Wedding Ring quilts to baby blankets to zigzag afghans, it seems we all have one of these bedding items that was gifted to us or passed down to us. Quilt, pieced, double wedding ring pattern. 1930s, North Carolina. Smithsonian… Continue reading The Blues Blanket
Most fungal dyes are relatively consistent in their results, but one genus' color is nothing short of elusive: Ramaria spp. Many characteristics of the coral mushrooms paint them as nature's tricksters: they are notoriously challenging to identify because they can shift color over the course of their maturation, and their manifold branching can leave more… Continue reading Colorful Coral Mushrooms
I am pleased to announce the release of a new pattern: the Square Dance Throw! Like a little-known poem "Square Dance" by L.G. Hertz that delightfully plays with the cadence of the caller and the steps of twirling couples, the lace lines of the Square Dance throw weave elegantly in and out of the corners… Continue reading Pattern Release: Square Dance Throw
I am pleased to announce the release of a new pattern: the One Art Socks! A simple top-down sock with a short leg and a heel flap construction, One Art is a beginner sock designed to let a gorgeous fingering weight yarn (or two) speak for itself. These socks were crafted for a dear friend… Continue reading Pattern Release: One Art Socks
It's one thing to see a surprising dye color emerge straight from its plant/fungal source such as the pink hiding inside avocados, but it's another entirely to observe a pale, barely-there color turn vivid with the addition of another solute. A little bit of chemistry and patience can take a small dye palette and expand… Continue reading A Chemistry Lesson
Oh, the delight I feel when I show off my avocado yarn! Peoples' eyes go wide with disbelief when they hear of the color's source. One of nature's little surprises, these green-brown drupes will render a range of colorfast pinks to fibers of all kinds. Avocados make an excellent beginner's natural dye. The material is… Continue reading Adventures in Avocado
A great introduction to natural dyeing, the Dyer's Polypore (Phaeolus schweinitzii) is a forgiving and plentiful dyestuff. A single specimen is usually more than enough to dye 200g of wool (not including multiple rounds of dye bath exhaustion), and the pigment sticks readily to wool fibers without a mordant. It is simple enough to identify, and… Continue reading Phabulous Phaeolus Fungi
Frolicking in Fiber 