Purple

Purple -- I was over it after years of wearing it and surrounding myself with it. I was bored with purple. I recently told a friend that the years I wore purple were my passive days - Passive Purple! Now, I know purple isn't passive. It's deep, vibrant, rich and wonderful. But in those days when I preferred purple, I was a passive person. Guess what, I am no longer that person and I know wearing purple will not make me passive! So I got brave and bought a purple shirt and then a purple dress. I'm finding I really like purple again.

As I was working on my next garment this week – a purple vest – I noticed that my little work corner was surrounded with purple. In the background is a triptych wall piece that’s almost finished from a photograph I took of a allium I had in my backyard when we lived in Denver. I’ve printed it on silk fabric and it’s mounted on purple linen and black silk. I’m having lots of fun experimenting with this medium and once again, surrounding myself with purple.

Change Is Good, Right?

Frances and Yvonne have come and gone. After making handbags from my scraps for my Christmas openhouse, Yvonne decided to start her own business making handbags. She moved into Timeless Treasures on old Route 66 to be more visible to the tourists in town. I wish her well.

Jan is set up in the back room with her slab roller. She moved her design area for her fused glass into the front room where she can also enjoy the music while she works. She comes in two to three days a week.

Several weeks ago my beautiful glass shelves which displayed my yarn, fell off the wall. What a huge mess! It's an old building and in spite of Carl's effort to install them properly, the wall was just too old to hold the weight. The only damage was a few broken pieces on my warping mill. I've replaced them and cleaned up the mess. Now I will have to be happy with light-weight wire closet shelves. It's not as neat. The ends of the yarn fall through the openings. But it's a studio, right? It's not meant to look neat all the time! I'm just happy to have my yarn up on the wall where I can see it and be inspired by the colors. As I weave, I usually am planning my next project.

Catching up after a long absence . . .

After the holidays Carl and I traveled to Borrego Springs, California, to reunite with my singing buddies, Billie and Willy. What a wonderful time we had singing together.


I made a couple of new friend - incredible women. They fell in love with my scrappy serape coat. It looked great on both of them. I haven't introduced this one to the stores yet as I have been testing it. After their reactions, it's definitely on my list of things to make before fall.

From Ribbon to Chenille

I've decided to discontinue my "Simply Ribbon" designs. The ribbon yarns have become quite pricey and most people are "over" the novelty yarns. I really loved the challenge of weaving with something knitters were using and the garments were fun to wear. But the phase has passed and it's time to move on. I will still do special orders until my stock yarns are gone. After that, for an additional charge, I will still take custom orders.

Rayon chenille is a fabric that is timeless and much more practical. So I'm switching back to mostly chenille. I want to do some experimenting with bamboo yarns and maybe I'll even offer something in corn and milk by next fall. But for now, I'm enjoying playing with new color blends and designs and dyeing techniques with my trusty chenille.

This new design I've decided to call a Shoulder Shrug. It can be worn three ways - with the long edge to the side - point in front as a poncho look or draped in front as a cowl neck scarf/neck warmer. It can be ordered with or without fringe.

I've had lots of fun designing these new scrappy jackets and you'll certainly see more of this type of garment in the near future.

New Pictures of My Studio

Since I hadn't posted photos since I first moved in, I decided it's time to give a peek inside my busy working weaving studio.

And here's my yarn stash -- or some of it. Most of the greens are on the counter behind me as I'm designing my next project.

This is my sewing and design space. Behind this space through the window is my office and a work station for my woven photographs plus the fused glass work space with tables and glass kiln.

And another scrappy cropped jacket.

Back in My Studio with New Ideas

Since moving to Tucumcari, I've somehow managed to be gone at least one week every month. Even though these trips were mostly unplanned, I really do love to travel. My little secret - I'm a gypsy at heart. But even more important is the fact that I always return refreshed and ready to get back to my looms with great new ideas. Right now I have more ideas than I have time to pursue.

This week I returned from my family reunion in Alabama. While there I enjoyed the green grass, big trees and humidity but I was more than ready to return to the beauty of the big open skies and the west.

My latest projects have included shibori dyeing on chenille and designing new garments. I'm still working on the name for this one from my newest line called Scrappies. I will probably call it an Asymetric Cropped Jacket. I'll also offer it in a longer style as well. The fabric on this one was dyed using the fold and clamp technique called Itajime. I want to work more in this technique in future projects.

Jan has become my idea person. So thanks to Jan for this next great accessory item. Still unsure of its name but for now I'm calling it a capelet. The fabric on this one was loom controlled shibori. I got more dye on the bound fabric than planned but I really do like the results. This can be worn with the seam to the

side or to the front for more of a poncho look.

This scarf on the right was created using loom controlled shibori with the dyes painted on weftwise. Again, I intended to use less dye but I was pleased with the final results. I think more than anything else, I love the dance between the plan and the final result. It's that surprise element, that newness as each piece is born and it's the rush I get that keeps me dancing.

Too Busy To Blog!

My studio has been buzzing with activity and I've totally forgotten to update my blog. So sorry to anyone who may have been paying attention. I currently have three looms with projects progressing. New color combinations continue to excite me so things change often.

Jan Honeycutt is now my assistant/partner. I've been out of town at least one week each month and she's been there to keep the studio open. Carl, my husband, has moved his glass kiln and supplies into my office and has been teaching Jan to fuse glass. She will be making my glass buttons as well as other pieces of her own design. Jan has also moved her slab cutter into the back room where she will be creating her own pottery pieces. Unfortunately, learning to weave didn't work out for her due to her recent shoulder surgery.

Francis Lucero has joined the fun and become my weaving apprentice. She's learning quickly by weaving scarves on my small Harrisville loom. Her scarves will soon appear in Art Space under her own label, Handwovens by Francis.

I recently visited my friend Irene at Cotton Clouds in Safford, Arizona. I returned with the newest organic yarns made of corn and milk, of all things! Who would have ever dreamt it? In honor of my farming backgound I plan to weave something with these real soon.