fiber | Beth Emmott

This is the archive for the ‘fiber’ Category

Shibori

June 8th, 2015

Attended a very fun workshop on Shibori this weekend lead by Elizabeth (Beth) McTear of Honest Alchemy. It was held at Moore College of Art and Design during my yearly reunion—they always have something interesting that is new to me!

We could make two hand dyed scarves and these are mine. I’ve hand dyed wool fibers for hand spinning and the spun yarns but never silk fabric and never using Shibori, a technique where the area not intended to accept the dye is bound tightly before being placed in the dye pot. This is an ancient way of working which can result (via the hands and minds of very experienced artisans) in many sophisticated results. These are my first two goes… Not such experienced hands and mind but still I’m happy with the results and have a glimpse of where this might go…
Beth and a couple of assistants and lots of patience, herded about 18 of us ex-art students through a very exciting afternoon!

Thank You, Beth!

first attempts

Took these quickly, in my back yard when suddenly I heard a gentle noise, grabbed the scarves and ran inside as the heavens opened up and rained like crazy. Sun out now! Will take more later in a more controlled environment to use as a jumping off point for my design work. Soo… more to come!

Alpacas

July 28th, 2014

While we were in Vermont I saw an ad for a yarn shop that sold alpaca fiber and after a number of fresh starts I found my self at The Green Mountain Fibers and Yarn Shop in Rutland. They did indeed sell alpaca fibers but they were already processed into rovings and I wanted unprocessed fibers that I can mix with some white wool that I already have. I spin as a meditative thing, not to necessarily produce a result (although that’s a nice byproduct) but it’s a process I enjoy. They have some beautiful shades of grey and tan but as I will mix this with white I wanted dark brown. Long story short, the very helpful woman in the shop gave me the name of their supplier, saying she didn’t know if they sold unprocessed fiber or not.

This was Maple View Farm, about 20 min down the road. So, down the road we went. I expected a small operation with a few alpacas and some fiber being hand carded… No, this was a major, if small, fiber mill specializing in alpaca, llama and wool. Thirty or so alpacas and a full fledged shop with all the professional wool processing equipment one could wish for. They process not only their own fibers but are booked up with orders from others.

I was graciously sold about 6 oz. of unprocessed dark alpaca fiber, enough to keep me happy with the small amount I need for the winter. I know I could purchase fiber from alpaca farms in PA, but this will also be a reminder of my time in VT as I spin this snowy winter.

After purchasing the fibers I photographed some of these wonderful creatures.
Very curious—nosy—they seemed to enjoy being photographed.

They had just been shorn.

Baby Alpaca

The gals and babies were seeking shade under a shed roof.

The guys were out in the field making faces.

Like This!

Handsom guy!

Nosy gal.

My Grandfather’s Mother

July 16th, 2014

This is a rough sketch for a drawing of a Great Grandmother I never knew. My Grandfather’s Mother, Ellen Burton Shaw, lived in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and spun her own yarn – or so I was told. She had 10 children and at least 31 grandchildren. If she did spin her own yarn, I often wonder if she enjoyed it as I do or if it was just another chore? I only have one or two snapshots of her.

Ellen Burton Shaw with yarns

Textile Design-Trees

May 25th, 2014

I love the process of taking an image, developing it further and then turning into a repeat pattern. I want both the original design and the repeat pattern to each be complete in themselves but not necessarily have the same feelings.

“Original image for trees”

The original design is a combination of a photograph of trees along the road and hand drawn trees. It was worked into a repeat with strong geometrics.

“Trees design in repeat”

Spinning

September 16th, 2013

Was going through some old files this weekend and came across things from when I first started working with fibers. I had been given an old walking wheel that my grandfather said had been his mother’s in Nova Scotia, BUT. . . he always enjoyed a good tale and as the wheel had been made in NH by Azel Wilder, I have never been positive of it’s true provenance. Still, he had had it and I was excited to get it.

Great wheel by Azel Wilder from my Grandfather
Click Images for full view

Now I needed to learn to spin. My friend, Wallie, made sure of that. We lived in Philadelphia and she found a lecture in a library, “just over the bridge’, in NJ. Given by fiber artist, Pam Pawl, it was all about spinning and its cousin weaving. Out of that meeting, a group of us formed the South Jersey Guild of Spinners and Handweavers. I was the guild’s second president.

I got a drop spindle, hand cards and some wool and learned to spin. Next was sending to New Zealand for my Ashford Spinning Wheel kit which I sanded, finished and put together. We had meetings at members’ homes, held Sheep to Shawl festivals, weaving shows, and learned to dye our own fiber. I made wonderful friends and learned my way around South Jersey.

Along the way I acquired a 4 harness counter balance loom and began weaving. Later a small Harrisville loom and a large AVL loom joined my world. Samples of my weaving are on Flickr.

My first loom – had its limits but I loved it!

I’ve sold the AVL but still have the others. They are stored away but you never know. I still spin!

Newspaper clipping of a Spinning/Dying event we held. So much fun!

Loom has found a home

September 8th, 2013

About 2 years ago I posted a single post announcing an old PA Barn Loom I had (in need of much repair) which I would gladly give to anyone willing to come get it.

Yesterday the loom left on its way to Kentucky with weaver, Ann Fife, to be restored and end up in Granville, TN where it will be used in weaving demos. Ann owns Ann’s Old Mill Restaurant in Fountain Run, Kentucky. —Also, check her out on Facebook!
Power of the Internet—I would never have found such a good home for this loom with out it!