Saturday, April 28, 2012

April Showers bring May Infinity Scarves!


I am thrilled to share a new line of pidge pidge summer scarves! I've been designing these scarves for a little over 4 months now- sourcing extra cozy fabric, weaving mini swatches and doing a lot of seam ripping. My favorite part of the woven cuffs- I've finally found a use for the ends of warps (the vertical ends of a scarf that is threaded through the loom for weaving) that have been accumulating and usually go wasted. Every cuff is a little different- wide and skinny stripes, unusual color combos.


Check out this gorgeous tapestry I snatched up at a neighborhood garage sale this morning for 50 cents! I did a double take when I saw it was not $50- and incorporated all of the colors I've been inspired by for this new collection. Even the back of the weaving is skillfully crafted. 
It's already hanging on our living room wall :)


This bright fuchsia fabric is 100% organic cotton jersey. So lightweight and soft on the neck!


This tapestry will surely provide inspiration for more woven scarves..


The other little treasure I discovered on accident this week was this exquisitely woven robin's nest behind the bush in the front yard. Once I found the egg, I ducked out from behind the holly, afraid I would scare away the mother. Google came to the rescue as I learned robins lay one egg a day, in the afternoon (after catching the morning worms) for 4 consecutive days. She doesn't begin to incubate them until she has a full clutch so that they all develop at the same time. I felt better knowing she hadn't abandoned this little guy.


Perhaps I should change the name of this scarf to be robin's egg blue!


In the middle of writing this post, I decided to sneak out and see if mama robin had done any more laying. I didn't get too close, I promise. And miss robin was out catching lunch so I could use the zoom on our camera to investigate. Robins rarely lay more than 4 eggs, so I will peek from a distance for the next few weeks.






Saturday, April 14, 2012

Rachel!


I recently attended the online etsy symposium - an all day series of workshops dedicated to creating a successful and rewarding etsy shop. I followed along diligently, taking notes in a thick workbook they offered. I've come out of the experience with a big kick in the pants of motivation. I've gotten so many ideas to improve pidge pidge, I'm forcing myself to work on a little chunk at a time. 

You may have noticed a new logo at the top of this here blog and facebook. That was step one. Steps two through one hundred include new listing descriptions, a new product line (prototype in the works!), connecting more with my shoppers and creating my personal story.

Here's draft one!

I was afraid if I'd majored in fibers in college, I'd never get a job. On pick-your-major night in college, I attended all the popular career friendly art presentations (read: graphic design). then I poked my head in the fibers room instantly digging the program. After much deliberation, I settled on illustration - bending the assignments to my preferred medium and embroidered and appliqued everything. I took all the fibers electives I could sign up for and spent the summer after graduation in the studio, weaving for hours every day.  I thank my weaving teacher and mentor (yay Anne Clark!) for giving me the freedom to explore my craft and go wild with color!

It took 5 years of less than ideal jobs to get that final push. After quitting the last of the less than idea jobs, I went to Chicago with my awesome friend, Rachel, to help her sell her wares at the September Renegade fair (check out Red Prairie Press!). I came back with loads of inspiration and Rachel held my hand as I created this etsy shop. She continues to give me a big kick in the pants of motivation whenever I need it.

I'm mostly talking about myself so that I can also bring up Rachel.
And say happy big ole birthday, friend! 
Check out her stylish and super cozy new 100% handmade skirts and feel free to get two- one for me and one for you.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Round things

 It is incredibly easy to for me to ponder 30 photos of every loaf of no-knead bread I make. This was a double recipe- I was listening to Terry Gross interview Matthew Weiner (Mad Men) and tripled the yeast by accident.

While I waited for the dough to rise (18-24hrs), I finished this year long project- a wool rug braided from scraps of family vintage scraps of wool (thanks Paisley and Billy!) Perhaps the most comfortable rug ever. Wish it was triple the size..



Here's the completed loaf. While baking, I made a double batch of kale salad and experimented with the new mandoline I found at the Goodwill for four dollars. Can't wait to make beet chips and julienned potatoes and and and..