Richer from the collective experience

This batch of cloth work, an eclectic mix of naturally dyed pretties,

was produced in one afternoon by six pairs of hands

and 

it just makes my heart sing.

With kind permission from the Lopez dyers,

I'm showing their work today.  Oddly enough, seeing it assembled like this

- one big joyous riot of color & bold experimentation -

well, it kinda makes me feel a bit emotional.

This is history.  Our history.

And what began as a shibori stitching group now has evolved into

a group of rather passionate natural dyers

[still some shibori, mind you, but no longer the main focus].

In two+ short years there has been some mighty fine dye mileage,

if I do say so.

From metals to mordants,

 from indigo

to   in-the-pot-too-long ...

the dye waters have been tested, cursed and blessed.

But mostly    blessed.

These are from last summer, late July,

and India was coming soon to teach 'Wayfarer's Windfall Cloth.'

It was to be our last dye session before the workshop.

Two pots were set on the boil;  a 3rd pot, an afterthought with peach leaves, was added later

 and for a real treat,

an indigo  vat   pail  was also on hand.

Here was the blog post I wrote about the day, caught red handed .

 These photos are what they made ...

... a group favorite from the day ... beautiful greens from the peach leaves.

This to me is the very best of what comes from working [playing !] in a group

of like-minded friends,

where each person

brings their own creative desires and wishes to the day,

yet throws them into the big collective idea pot

so that everyone

grows richer from the combined ingredients.

:::

... for photo buffs:  all pix shot with Hipstamatic app on iPhone

Loftus lens + Ina's 1969 film