Screen printed cotton overdyed in the indigo vat
I didn't get too many stitches done today, so I thought I'd show how interesting this screen printed cotton looks close up. The print didn't take too well, and the dye is really splotchy and uneven as I didn't take time to scour the fabric before I dipped it in the indigo vat. I'm thinking about how I will stitch it. No idea at the minute.
Rust-dyed cotton stitched to a Japanese print
Progress is slow.
Screenprinted cotton overdyed with indigo and stitched in the boro manner
It's been slow progress lately. So many projects. I'm not getting to my stitching until late at night, and then I'm usually tired and lazy and not getting many stitches done. But it's been something every day for 51 days, so that's something.
Indigo dyed cottons patched in the boro style
I found a stash of Japanese prints I'd lost track of and found they work well. Once again I'm struck by the different cultural applications of indigo. So far on this piece I've got Japan, India, Africa and the Foothills of L.A.
Overdyed calico print, patched and quilted with handstitching
I've been gathering up prints that I'm not terribly fond of and giving them a quick dip in the indigo vat. I'm often pleasantly surprised at the outcome. This print had a yellow background. Yellow has never been a color that appeals to me. And green doesn't do much for me either. Apparently, Pantone doesn't agree with me, naming "Greenery" the color of the year for 2017.
Pantone color of 2017, "Greenery"
It's been a while since Pantone picked a color of the year I actually liked. Even they seemed to have trouble in 2016, they picked two. A little too much of the traditional baby nursery for me.
Pantone color of the year 2016, Rose Quartz and Serenity
2015 was a bit dull.
Pantone Color of the Year 2015, Marsala
Radiant Orchid, from 2014, made me think about little old ladies in the 60's.
Pantone Color of the Year 2014, Radiant Orchid
I think I'll just stick with the colors I come up with in the indigo vat.
Handstitched shibori dyed indigo linen with ikat woven cotton
The first month is complete! And so is the back of the jacket. Tomorrow I'll take a picture of the completed back and then get onto the front. I'm still holding to my general intention of getting it all pieced before I decide how to proceed with the decorative stitching, which is what will hold the whole thing together.
Shibori dyed cotton, overdyed indigo prints, ikat and woven stripes patched in the boro style
Today I tackled the oddity of the shoulder slant. I'm not really loving the angles, but I got over the hump and am heading towards the front. I expect once it's all stitched up it won't be so noticeably angular.
Block prints, woven stripes, overdyed cottons and vintage prints patched in the boro style
Today I did a bit of decorative stitching, mostly because it's so cold in my workspace that my hands hurt while I was laying up new patches. So after running warm water on my hands until they thawed out I climbed into bed and turned on "Versailles" and mindlessly stitched. A pretty great way to spend an afternoon. Anybody else watching it?
