Folk Fibers Blog / America
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Station to Station
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It's crazy to think making quilts would be my ticket to a train tour. Back in September I was invited to travel with the Makers yurt, a Levi's artistic contribution to Station to Station, Doug Aitken's latest art project. The Levi's Makers was curated by Jay Carroll and became a collective of artisan's from across the country who sell their handmade goods at speciality Levi's stores. We were on-the-road for a month, the train started in New York with stops in Pittsburgh, Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Kansas City, Santa Fe, Winslow, Barstow, and Los Angeles, and came to a stop in Oakland on September...
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Open House: 17th St ATX
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(psst.. I'm hosting another Open House BBQ on May 19th. I'd love to have you over.) My bedroom suddenly turned into a dream after installing shaker pegs, draping a quilt or two, and hanging a fresh garland of bay laurel over the bed. I had fun displaying my work around the house and sharing an intimate evening in the company of bright spirits who came to support Folk Fibers. It was a great experience display the quilts and pillows, allowing people the chance to have a hands-on experience. I made new friends, some living here in Austin, some all-the-way from Oxford, Mississippi here for QuiltCon....
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Natural Dyes - Osage Orange
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Osage Orange is one of my favorite dye sources for creating a range of golden yellows, metallic and russet golds, as well as soft mossy greens. I usually steer clear of using mordants in my dye process with the exception of yellows. Above all I prefer the soft earthy color results of mordant-free dye baths. In this post I demonstrate how using mordants can be used as a color changer, brighting or darkening protein or cellulose fibers, creating beautiful shifts in color. I find this exciting when working with natural dyes to create my patchwork quilts! Natural fibers dyed with Osage Orange heartwood no mordant--pure and earthy Natural fibers dyed...
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Natural Dyes - Harvesting Osage Orange
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Ah at last, my eyes gaze at the source, as my fingers wipe away the fresh yellow-orange sawdust I feel connected, truly connected to the source of the golden color hidden in the heartwood of the Osage Orange tree. The bois d'arc tree, commonly called Osage Orange is a small deciduous tree. Even though it's name implies, It is not related to the Orange tree, it's an American relative to the Mulberry Tree. Osage Orange occurred historically in the Red River drainage of Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas and in the Blackland Prairies, Post Oak Savannas, and Chisos Mountains of Texas. It has been widely naturalized in the United States and Ontario. Historically the wood was being used for war clubs and bow-making by Native Americans. It's popular because...
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Quilts for Terrain
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Maura with Quilts, photo by Wynn Myers A batch of 5 quilts created exclusively for Terrain. I drew inspiration from colors found in the natural world, made only with insects, minerals, and plants. The naturally dyed fabrics were patch worked with vintage scraps and unbleached cotton. The results of these efforts are heirloom-quality pieces, each one unique, timeless, and beautiful. All of the textile colors are found in nature and work beautifully together. Inspired by traditional pioneer quilt blocks that evolved durring the mid-1800's when pioneers began migrating to the west coast. The pioneers endured hardships of hostile terrain. Women provided the strength and reason to endure. Their determination to meet...
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The Double Wedding Ring Quilt
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Meg + Johnny met while working at a preschool in Philadelphia, fell in love, and got married! It's only appropriate then that their backyard wedding was the most kid friendly wedding I have ever been to, ever. It was an extravagant feast of homemade food (mostly the brides loving labor) and fellowship among friends and family alike. Their ceremony was Quaker style, meaning without a lot of fanfare. Often referred to as the silent ceremony, Quaker weddings differ from the traditional ceremony in four significant ways: there is no officiant; no giving away of the bride; a wedding certificate is signed; and there is a long period...
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signature quilts
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Today I am hand embroidering a quilt to commemorate a special someones wedding day! I pulled out these embroidered vintage quilt blocks for inspiration. I love the subtle imperfections and the speckled stains acquired from age. I also love the individual differences in script and stitches, and the old fashion names. I found these blocks in an antique store many years back. A quilt that has names embroidered on it usually is called a "signature quilt". This style quilt was common around the late 19th century. This type of quilt was a way in which people and organizations raised money for a cause. People paid for the privilege...
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Song of a People
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Christina, Juliet, Me, Ruby Ku, Melba, Chiane, and Ryan took the photo! Today a group of friends helped me tame my over grown indigo garden. It felt great to have the helping hands but it felt even better to be comfortable asking for the help I needed. It was a step in the direction I'm headed with Folk Fibers. I have been moved by the interest and request to teach and share the craft of gardening, natural dyes and quilt making. This positive energy is playing a part in my development and vision for the future, and I strive to offer more workshops and...
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cherished dreams of glory
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This month allowed for a break in the work schedule, so we headed north for a while to witness a wedding and bask in the bounties of our relationships with friends and family alike. Brooklyn, Maine, then Brooklyn again, then off to North Carolina, and returning back to Austin. This trip brought a renewal in energy for me to continue creating and making my little business grow grow grow. The time away was exactly what I needed, and it was exactly what we needed. I live for the days dedicated to celebrating and expressing my gratitudes for life, but the more...
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Quality Time
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I have to share with you a wonderful secret spot east of Austin, the lower Colorado River. I adore it. I want to go again and again. The Colorado is a long, wide, slow-moving river with plenty of scenery to capture your eye. This past Saturday Chap and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary with a lovely canoe ride. We woke up with the sun, grabbed some tacos, and got on the river by 8. We had it all to ourselves for hours. It was quiet and cool in the morning. The sounds of birds and aquatic life filled the air, it almost felt wrong...