One day, way back in June, I spent the day in my studio, sewing new pillow covers for our sofa.
left: Katazone paste resist with indigo, created by a textile artist in Vermont. right: patchwork pillow made with my own homegrown indigo, dyed in my kitchen, shibori resist technique. center: dot pillow from IKEA.
large pillow, Ikat woven cotton. smaller pillow: raw silk
lumbar pillow: fabric from Skinny laMinx, printed in South Africa.
the back of the same pillow, sewn with the front placket of a worn out skirt.
Sometimes, my attention is caught by beautiful fabric. Sometimes I buy a bit, for “someday”. It’s so special that I tuck it away and avoid cutting into it. Well, friends, I’m realizing that “someday” is bumping up against the never ending force of time and I have decided that “now” is when to use these special bits.
The joy comes in pulling them out of the cupboard and remembering way back to when I purchased them. Each bit of fabric has a story. The IKAT I found on a trip to Northern California when Batman was attending a conference and we splurged on a companion ticket, leaving our four young kids in the care of my generous mother-in-law. I still remember the mustard fields, brilliant yellow blooms that carpeted the byways. The funky little fabric shop smelled of incense and had fabrics from around the world. Folkwear patterns sat atop the counter and I was energized by gorgeous sample dresses that helped me envision what was possible.
I found the Katazone fabric while wandering the back roads in Vermont, guided by an “Open Studios” map one Memorial Day weekend before we moved here. I had not yet begun my journey on natural dyeing, but I had caught the bug, and loved chatting with the artist. I cannot for the life of me remember her name, and I can’t seem to find her on the internet. Alas.
The Skinny laMinx fabric grabbed my attention while shopping at the now defunct Nido, which had been in an upstairs loft in Burlington. I still miss that beautifully curated shop, filled with fabric and yarns to make you drool. The simple graphic nature of this fabric makes me happy.
The raw silk was something I walked past several times while attending an annual quilt show in Katonah, NY. Not far from where we lived during out Connecticut days, the show was as well known for its vendors as it was for the stunning quilts that hung in the gymnasium. I finally decided that rather than regret that I had “resisted” buying the silk, I went back and bought a bit of it.
Certainly, these fabrics were splurges. Then they languished. But now, when I see them tossed on the couch these pillows make me smile. And I am so glad that these pillows and I sit squarely in the midst of “now”.
Here are a few shots of our early mornings on the hill. The sun actually comes up from the ridge across the road from us, in the east. As it comes up over the ridge, the light splatters itself across these hills to the west of us. This time of year, the sunrise plays with the growing colors of the foliage season and it becomes quite intoxicating.
And books! I promised you books!
Have you read The Dictionary of Lost Words? Oh, it is a gem. A sucker for historical fiction, I devoured it in just a few days.
And This Is How It Always Is was also a good read. There was a plot turn or two that seemed a tad contrived to me, but overall, this is really a wonderful, insightful book.
The Sweetness of Water, set in the time right after the American Civil War, inspired a lively discussion in my book club. I’m still letting bits of it percolate with me.
I borrowed The Natural Dyer via our library’s inter-library-loan program and it is a gem! I already own a few books about natural dyeing, but I love this one enough that I ordered my own copy from The Book Depository. Abigail’s aesthetic and process are very simple and inspirational…a lovely resource for beginners and seasoned dyers as well.
I was trying to find a local copy of Tracy Chevalier’s A Single Thread, to no avail, but I did find a used copy of her Remarkable Creatures at Bear Pond Books in Montpelier. (I love to shop there, the wooden floor boards squeak and their “staff picks” are very compelling.) I’m about halfway through and look forward to crawling into bed with it again tonight.
WHAT ARE YOU READING, dearest ones? Please drop a note in the comments below to share your ideas.
I’m so sad to see September come to a close. We had frost on the lawn here this morning when we woke up…But…OCTOBER STARTS TOMORROW! It’s my very favorite month of the year and I will be here at sew and sow life with pictures of Vermont aflame, in all her glory. You may find it hard to resist her call to center your spirit, and celebrate her magic. xo