Anyone ?!
Yeah - nah, me neither !

I thought it would be fun to do a little abstract painting . . . well 3 actually - if you count the one I'm also painting over 
& it was fun
​for a little while
& then I lost interest

I ran out of enthusiasm for placing layer upon layer & kept wanting to break rule #1 which is that nothing is 'precious'. I kept liking what I had done so didn't want to cover it up which, therefore, makes it 'precious'.

I'm pretty sure rule #2 is when you lose 'direction' with your 'painting' it's ok just to put it aside til you decide whether or not it's finished
Hahahaha; I find that hilarious & also exactly what I've done with them.

Backstrap loom weaving WOW what an adventure !

I have a very clear vision for what I want to achieve with the loom so I got a terrible fright with my 1st foray into the technique, which was working up to be a beautiful dense strap & absolutely, totally almost the polar opposite of what I see in my head.

​A little further reading & being able to borrow a rigid heddle from Isla has been a godsend as it enabled me to warp up again & thankfully the fabric I'm making is more the style I'm after.

This month I really have been using what I have available to me (or can borrow) which is great as it means I have to be resourceful & think beyond the beautifully made tapestry bobbins that I don't have to the 2 small wooden sporks, from a long ago takeaway dinner, that I do have & they make the most wonderful little bobbins/shuttles.
However, not all sporks are made equal & one of my little companions is a bit rough on it's back surface which means it's a little catchy on the warp & this is not ideal. 
I need to see if perhaps I can sand it a little smoother. 

Originally I was using an old hunting ammo belt as my backstrap which was amazingly comfortable & worked fabulously but unfortunately the smell of the gun oil was overwhelming & it had go !
​I found an old denim tie & that is working well in the interim while I weave myself a new one. 

Hugh has been teasing me mercilessly about being a quilter which I actually don't mind at all.
​The techniques quilters use are absolutely fascinating to me & I've been very happily playing with needle appliqué techniques, sashiko & boro stitching, hand stitch quilting techniques & most recently QAYG (quilt as you go) which basically makes patchwork pieces.
I love them all.
Creation, reparation*, decoration, exploration, expression, connection . . . .
I say yes, yes, yes, to all of the above.

also collaboration . . . but more about that another time ;)

We are having a superb winter this year.
Sharp cold nights followed by gorgeous sunny days followed by sharp cold nights.
Perfect for preparing sites for planting, cleaning harakeke & getting plants ready to divide & replant.
​This also means it's perfect time for making muka.
Currently the studio is filled with the luscious smell of green & I'm happily spending my days listening to music & stripping beautiful soft long silky fibres from my favourite plant.

It's been a funny old month filled with creative explorations which in the first instance don't seem to have any connection at all.
I'm happy to follow these whims of mine as I absolutely trust my instincts & I know that it will weave together in time. 
 
talk again soon
​Sal x

Long summer days, warm ocean temperatures & beach retreats are a perfect end to my favourite season of the year.
Today as I'm writing this it is most decidedly autumn, it's grey, it's windy & it's raining on & off. 
Fortunately it's not cold.
Our days are shorter, now that daylight saving has ended.
It's a cyclical thing & let's face it, not unexpected.

March to April went like this:
Beach Retreat >> recovery at home >> 5 days filled with family >> recovery at home >> Holiday with family & friends in Australia >> recovery at home

woah ! that didn't leave much time for anything else really did it.

Nevertheless at the end of March I was able to attend a workshop which covered hand printing techniques you can do at home.
​I was going to write a post about it but actually can't be bothered ! Not because I didn't enjoy it nor that I didn't learn anything new, nor that it didn't spark a few ideas of things I want to try because it did do all of those things however I was kinda hoping it would draw a few things together & until that happens I have to let it simmer.

there was a time i studied organic chemistry - albeit only for 1 week
i have written another poem 
& i have completed a quilt 

it is likely there will be more poetry
there may be more quilts
& i doubt i will ever study organic chemistry again