Folk Fibers Blog / inspiration
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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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Growing a Business
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I've been working through business exercises and in the midst of my 5 year plan I felt inspired to compile a list of example businesses that I relate to and feel inspired by. Thought this maybe helpful to share with you. Alabama Chainin: Natalie Chainin has created a signature style using a reverse applique technique and everything is made by hand in the USA. From embroidery to seam, the garments are completely hand-sewn by artisans working in their own homes and business using a modern cottage industry method of manufacturing. A company and community. Swans Island Blankets: Weaving and natural dyeing is a labor...
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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 - Wild Mushrooms
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This was my first experience obtaining color from mushrooms. I have a growing interest in mushroom hunting, so it was only a matter of time the lore of natural color would guide me to collecting them for dyes. This past August I stumbled upon a perfect wet wooded breeding ground for a variety of wild mushrooms. I used rubber gloves to carefully harvest all the mushrooms found on the waterfront of my parents lake house near the Virginia/North Carolina border. Warning, some mushrooms are extremely poisonous, and even after dye and washing, the fabric can still hold dangerous properties that could irritate skin. Stay safe...
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Our Hand Quilting Community
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Meet the Folk Fibers hand quilting community! From the left: Monica, Juliet, myself, and Mercedes March of this year I reached a point in my studio work that I needed assistance with the hand quilting process of my quilt making. A step that I was not ready to take years ago when I first had the idea to start a quilting business. This year was different, I was now ready. I started by simply placing an add on Craigslist, seeking the help I needed. It began through a process of emails and then meeting individually at a coffee house. Since...
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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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Making a Country Living
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Yesterday, all day, was spent on a photo shoot, here at my house/studio, for Country Living Magazine! As I smiled for the camera I had a small sense of what I would be smiling about in months to come when my spread debuted early next year. But really I don't know what will come of all this exposure?! I'm more than honred to have had this opportunity, and feel grateful for all the friends and family that have helped me get to where I'm at. I've been involved with quite a few photo shoots in the past but Country Living was a...
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Natural Dyes - Yellow Onion Skins
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Yellow onion skins create a golden range of earthy colors. With a concentrated dye bath and enough time for the fibers to soak, the colors achieved are a combination of red and yellow, usually resting in the middle as an orange. The results radiate warmth and happiness, combining the physical energy and stimulation of red with the cheerfulness of yellow. Protein fibers such as wool and silk, dye deep to medium shades of ochre, creating pigments in the cadmium-orange families. Referencing sienna, burnt orange, pumpkins, terra cotta, and rust. Cellulose fibers such as cotton, hemp, and bamboo dye a range of dark orange to a lighter orange peel, having deep notes of golden-yellow or...
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Natural Dyes - Red Onion Skins
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Red onion skins create a earthy range of colors. Protein fibers such as wool and silk, dye a pale to medium nutmeg brown, with a mix of rosewood, russet and rosy browns. Cellulose fibers such as cotton, hemp, and bamboo dye a range of seashell pinks, with a mix of champagne, pale, and silver pink. Natural dye colors are living colors, they are alive with the life that made them. The dry outer skins of onions can be used for coloring natural textile materials and easter eggs. Red onion skins create a different range of colors than yellow onions skins, so it's important to keep...
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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...