Erosion Bundle

Today we got over a foot of snow.  My work was closed so I took advantage of the extra time to make my erosion bundle. 

I rolled up cherries and iron in lace and an old yellow sheet. 

Bound it with strips of cloth.

Cooked it in my designated dye pot with some alum. 

Allowed to cool.  

Placed it 7 ft in the air at the top one of my metal sculpture.  There it will stay till I get impatient.

Friday Favorites

Have you noticed that you get to ride along with me in my journey to be a better artist?  I mean, the blogs I find the most interesting are those which lead me further along my current artistic path.  I hope  you  also find them of benefit.

Currently I am taking a drawing class.  Only have met twice due to holidays and snow days but I am diligently practicing in my sketchbook using pencil.  Here is a photo of homework for my class.

I  am planning projects translating my pencil on paper sketches to ink on fabric.  And what do I find?  A post by Terri Stegmiller on the attributes of the Pentel Gel Roller for Fabric.  I have a WIP baby quilt on which I want to use that pen!  The background is a cerulean blue shibori pole wrap.  I have silk screened fish on it and want the pen to give details to the fish.  Don't you think a little boy would love that?

Connie Rose has been reorganizing her quilts and has donated a few and reworked a few.  Since I love a couple of my quilts but feel that several are not quite done yet, I always pay attention to ways of reworking them to release the magic I feel is just below the surface.  I think Connie was very successful on her Discharge 2 rework.  Connie also mentions the book "The Painted Quilt" by Linda and Laura Kemshall.  I have that book and need to give it another look.  The technique that Connie wants to try is painting already quilted quilts.  My IT quilt that didn't get finished this month was going to use that technique.  When I finally finish it, I will report back.

Are you a follower of the Quilt Rat yet?   She gives a great tip on washing yardage and another on a solution to marking a quilt block.  I always love to visit her site just to see her marvelous doodles.  Such talent!  Anyway, I have a bolt of fabric waiting to be washed and then dyed for my Nancy Crow Workshop.  I am definitely giving the washing tip a try soon.

The Erosion Bundle Project is being hosted again this year by Kris Henderson.  I participated last year in putting a bundle out but never made anything from it.  I hung the material and it really didn't change much. This year I have several lovely pieces of metal including some old hinges I am going to add to the bundle and then I am going to lay the bundle on top of one of metal sculptures.  I bet I get some markings this year!  I'll show pictures when I get it bundled--maybe on Saturday.  Join the fun, if you want.  It is really interesting watching everyone's bundles.

Jane LaFazio had a wonderful day of monoprinting on a gelatin plate.  I tried that.  ONCE.  Not inspired.  But obviously there is wonderful art to create using the method.  Jane shows her results and they are worth a look.  Maybe I will try and talk my friends into playing with monoprinting one more time.  Beth? Rosalita?  KC?

I am not really into Block Lotto but I do have a ton of scraps I need to get rid of or use up.  The block for January would be a playful pattern to use some of those scraps.  Now I just need to have several more snow days when I get paid to stay home and quilt!

Quilter Beth needs your opinion on how to finish her project.  I am especially excited because she is considering using some pieces she has shiboried--the technique of the month for "And then we set it on FIRE".  You go girl!

LuAnn Kessi at May Your Bobbin Always be Full has posted a wonderful tutorial on how to cord bound edge your art quilts.  She has some other tutorials if you want to spend the time cruising her blog.  In this one,  she has a tutorial for the technique I used in this art quilt.

Have a wonderful week but before you sign off for the day, don't forget to complete your entry form to win a Janome and make a comment at Fibra Artysta to win a thermofax screen.

Erosion Bundle Unbound

One last view of my Erosion Bundle.  It was supposed to come down on April 15th but I took it down on May 1.  I figure it is okay since it was also late going up.  In another couple of weeks you won't be able to see my bottle fence either.

Here is a picture of the bundle still wrapped in the purple yarn.  Remember the fabric was green and after I bundled it, I poured some blue dye over it, and then hung it outside.

Here is the fabric all unbundled and laying on the ground.  Really it is no worse for the time spent outside.  No fading in the sun or damaged areas. But the dye and the bindings did leave a wonderful pattern.  I have ideas about what I can do with this.

Erosion Bundle--Day 26

Here is my erosion bundle on day 26.  We have had some really strong winds this winter and many of my bottle have gotten broken.  But why did it have to the blue bottle?  Anyway, it is close to the bundle so we'll see if it causes any damage to the bundle.

It is starting to get some interesting color to it though.

Day One of my Erosion Bundle

It is late but finally hung.  Here is my erosion bundle.  I am interested in how it will turn out.  It is about 2 yards of mystery green fabric wrapped around a PVC pipe and tied with yarn.  I then poured a soda ash solution on it and some blue dye.  It is hanging in my privacy fence scultpure.

Here are the questions:

1. How far did the soda ash solution soak into the fabric?
2. How far did the navy blue dye soak into it?
3. I didn't rinse out the extra dye before I hung it so the rain and snow will do that.  What will that look like?
4. Navy blue dye tends to fade in the sun.  What will that look like with this piece?
5. This is mystery fabric so, how will the dye work with the fabric is also a mystery, let alone how the fabric will respond to the elements.

I am excited by the prospects!

My erosion bundle

http:/erosionbundles.blogspot.com/

I have been putting together fabric, rusting things, and old lino prints for my erosion bundle and getting really excited about the idea of making something from the abused fabric.  THEN I get my first copy of Cloth Paper Scissors.  It has an article on wabi-sabi inspiration.  Here is a quote from the article: "Wabi-sabi refers to the qualities of imperfection, aging, cycles of nature, and cycles of life.  It values rust, patina, burnishing, tearing, staining, and decay."  Wooo Hooo!  Not only am I letting fabric rot outside for a few months and thereby adding rust, tearing, staining, and decay but I am creating using an Asian concept.  Cool, eh?

If you want to see what can be done with the wabi-sabi technique of erosion bundles,check out Spirit Cloth.