TWO SMALL TEXTILE MIXED-MEDIA ABSTRACTS, TAPESTRY WEAVING BOOK

"Center Lines"  9 X 13, Lori LaBerge  2014

Work was completed on "Center Lines".  The idea behind this piece was the no passing and passing when safe lines on roadways.  A turquoise blue was used for a solid line and painted washers for a broken line.  This will be part of a six piece grouping of 9 X 13 works. The grays against the orange/yellow mix are a great color combination.  The darker grays make the orange/yellow really pop.

Here you can see the ragged look of the upholstery against the smoothness of the metal pieces.  There is rough, smooth, hard and soft combined.  It is nice to combine various textures, but there is a need to not overdo it.

The above sketch was developed from overpasses on the roadway.  The original plan was to place three washers on the top horizontal section.  I usually place a check mark by the side of drawings in my sketchbook that I would like to use to develop a piece.

"Overpass"  9 x 13, Lori LaBerge  2014

The final work deviated from the sketch as the three washers planned for the upper section made the piece look top heavy and drew the eye away from the brown curves.  I opted for gray lines, the same as the gray at the bottom of the work, through the blue and attached a large washer at the intersection of the curves.  The bottom medium gray and three lighter grays were used.  In keeping with the textured look of the group this piece will go with, upholstery fabric was used in both of the brown sections.

I received a book I had ordered on tapestry weaving this week.  "Tapestry Weaving: Design and Technique is by Joanne Soroka.  I have glanced through the book and have just started reading it.  So far, the instructions seem to be fairly clear.  There are techniques shown for creating various shapes and textures along with design ideas. The photos are beautiful with a section on contemporary tapestry weavers.  There is also information on suppliers and organizations at the end of the book.  I am hoping to take some time this winter to have an at home mini-workshop for myself and experiment with weaving on a small tapestry loom.

It is always good to have something to look forward to.  Plan ahead for your own mini-workshop on a fiber technique you would like to learn and have a great day.

BACK FROM SCOTLAND, STIRLING CASTLE

I would like to thank Kami for taking over the blog while my husband and I were in Scotland.  I loved the color from Southern California and have chosen a logo for the website update I am working on.

Myself inside Stirling Castle, note the short door height on left and thick wall where the window is.

There was so much to see.  Scotland is truly a beautiful country.  We had a chance to take in both the cites and the countryside.  Our first stop was at Stirling Castle where Mary Queen of Scots was crowned at a little less than one year of age.  Later her son would be baptized there and placed in the royal nursery.

"The Hunt of the Unicorn" at Stirling Castle.

Stirling was a must-see on my list not just because of its history but as weavers are currently working on creating copies of the Unicorn Tapestries there.  Researchers found an inventory list from 1539 that mentioned two copies of Unicorn Tapestries. This information led to the project of recreating them as the originals are in the Cloisters Museum in New York.

"The Start of the Hunt"

The work on the tapestries is a collaboration between West Dean College and Historic Scotland.  It takes a labor-intensive two to four years to complete each tapestry with three weavers working at a time.  When we arrived they were working on the next to last work.  The series is to be completed in 2013.  Unfortunately, no photos were allowed in the weaving room.  Below are more textile photos from our tour of Stirling.

"The Unicorn in Captivity"

"The Unicorn is Killed and Brought to the Castle"

The Queen's (Mary of Guise) bedroom was surrounded by elaborate fabrics of silk and brocaded gold.

The Queen's bedroom.  Persian carpet covering table and royal arms on cloth of estate above table.

Close-up of velvet, silk and fringe on canopy above bed.

Close-up of curtain bottom in castle.  Beautiful combination of color, pattern and texture.

Display of clothing of the period.  This was in the children's education area which had a closet of clothing styles of the period for children to play dress-up with.

There were cloth and dye rooms where children ( I played too!) could hit buttons to find where certain fabrics and dyes of the period came from.

I hope you enjoyed this textile tour through Stirling Castle.  Keep an eye out for all the fabrics that surround your world and have a great day!