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Kekki Seams

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In preparation for a forthcoming Mesh Collective exhibition at Patriothall Gallery in Stockbridge, from 22nd April - 6th May 2015, I am working on my part of a collaborative work entitled 'Earthworks'. Mesh is a diverse group of artists residing all over Scotland. Earthworks is our first collaborative work. In 2015, International Year of Soil, each of us will produce a hanging textile work using our local earth and soil  and things that grow in it or are found in it to mark or dye the fabric, My piece relates to the East Lothian coastline. I have been having fun stitching kekki seams in the long dark winter evenings. Being triple stitched, Kekki seams add form and structure to a textile work. I found detailed instructions on how to do them from the wonderful Korean textile artist Chunghie Lee in this publication: Bojagi and Beyond In the past stitching gave Korean women a creative outlet which gave their lives meaning and joy. Bojagis would be stitched in an almost tranc...
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dye pots for earthworks pojagi

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eucalyptus leaves, seed heads from East Lothian coastal path, scrap metal, cochineal dye bath residue on silk organza eucalyptus leaves, crushed cochineal, seed heads from East Lothian coastal path, scrap metal, on silk noile eucalyptus leaves, crushed cochineal, copper nail on silk noile in madder dye bath residue eucalyptus leaves, scrap metal on silk noile eucalyptus leaves, scrap metal on silk organza bonus - variegated dyed natural yarns for weaving All dye pots bottled for one month using India Flint's 'Stuff, Steep and Store' method
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Earthworks

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Much of the dyeing sampling that I have been doing over the past few months has been in preparation for ' Earthworks ', a collaborative work of the Mesh Collective, which we are showing at Patriothall Gallery in Edinburgh in April 2015. Following the Fertile Ground Conference Geological walk at Whitesands in Dunbar I am very inspired by some rock formations I photographed there. I am going to try to capture some of these hues, textures and patterns in my Pojagi piece for this exhibition.
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eco bundle results

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I finally got around to opening my eco bundle jars that were wrapped on 16th September. The most colourful results were with the natural yarns I had added. These variegated odds and ends will be great for my next weaving project. From left to right these were dyed with cochineal, eucalyptus, lichen and madder. The protein based materials certainly came out best, and although I am loathe to use silk for ethical reasons, it does take on the colours better than cotton. For this batch, I used eucalyptus leaves with scrap metal on silk noile. This is cotton voile with eucalyptus leaves and scrap metal. Disappointing result for the cochineal on cotton voile. It definitely fared better on the natural wool yarns. I have had better results on cotton when leaving it in the dye bath for only a day or two. After two months the colour has got lost here.
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What a Find!

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John found this shovel on the beach and knew I would want it for something! It has inspired me to make a giant size 'Lilith Baby'. I wrapped the shovel in organic voile plain with cochineal, other beach small metal finds, bone and lobster creel netting. I then soaked it in a mordant of tumble drier water and echinichea and raspberry tea in the wheelbarrow. Will leave it for a few days and then reveal the result. I also discovered this rather beautiful stream on our local beach that is stained by naturally occurring iron deposits in the bedrock according to our local countryside rangers. I have buried a couple of Lilith's babies in the burn for a few days to see what results that may yield.
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The time has come...

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... to open Lilith's jar. A bit of a messy process it was. I unwrapped 6 'babies', rinsed them and hung them out to dry in the solstice sunshine. Some of the marks are quite interesting close up. I am planning to make a cloth book with these pieces. I kept 5 wrapped for later. I rinsed them and left them to dry.  They changed quite dramatically after 24 hours I quite like them as objects, but would also like to unwrap them to see what marks they have produced!
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Lilith's Babies

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So Lilith's babies have turned jet black inside their 'incubation cell.' Not surprising given Lilith's long association the darker side of life. The birthing process is planned for the Summer Solstice.
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