It’s been a great start to fall with 2 textile classes already under our fingers! From nettle cordage making to indigo dying.
This Saturday we have an amazing artist and teacher, Patti King, sharing her unique and vast fabric collection, as she teaches us the old Korean technique called Bojagi – Korean patchwork.
It’s a calm, meditative class with Patti sharing her philosophy of women’s role in fiber, time involved, value of the work, and honoring the materials and time that went to produce it. We’ll be sitting outside under the shade of the catalpa tree with masks on for everyones safety as we sit and stitch and talk. A break will be had for lunch and homemade pie!
To register for Bojagi Class just click on the blue link.
The first weekend in September Kaili Plummer-Slate demonstated how to remove the pith from the nettle stem at the Nettle Cordage class. She had inspiring books on nettle practices as well as paper making from many various plants – so many options in the natural world to work with right ourside our door.
A small sample of nettle cordage with just one section of nettle fiber being used. I’m facinated by all the things that can be made with local plants from burdock to iris, crocosmia, cedar, nettle and many, many more. A woman from England on Instagram called @foragedfibres ( Suzie Grieve ) is a great source to follow for the cordage and baskets she makes.
Many thanks go out to Elin Noble, who taught the Indigo Gathering workshop last Saturday. Elin also had able help from her husband Lasse, as well as Patti King, our teacher for the upcoming Bojagi class. The diversity of patterns and designs spoke volumes to Elin’s experience as both a teacher and textile artist. All the students were first time dyers and were amazed and delighted at the results. The biggest feedback was they wanted a 2 day class for more dying after they saw their results.
Hopefully that can happen next summer. Elin enjoyed the ourdoor space and ability to have everyone spread out for the many steps involved. I’m already daydreaming about my future projects.
At our Summer Arts and Crafts Market I got a few orders for dresses and tunics from various people. My instagram posts of my sewing and paper art are listed as @maemaesew.
I recently completed making two tunics for Langley resident and garden designer, Dominic Emerson.
When I took the first tunic over for a fitting I was delighted to get to see her tidy, colorful and well put together garden. So I asked if I could include her and the garden in the next newsletter.
Here’s a window into some beauty right in Langley!
Dominic Emerson, in a Maemae linen tunic with selvage details, in front of some stunning grey leaved rhododendrons and other lovely textures.
The layers of color and texture are so perfect! From the large Lobelia tupa, right next to the walkway, with it’s curving growth, back to the varigated comphrey, rhododendrons and multicolored hydrangea, this grouping is packed tight with variety and color.
For those familiar with Langley you will recognize this as the house with the old red phone booth that used to actually function for calls rather than tender plants!
I have to say these layers really make me happy so yet another view of their beauty!
For a more calming mixture the variegated Azara microphylla hugs an inside corner of the house with leucothoe and pieris as understory.
A close up of the evergreen Lobelia tupa, a hummingbird magnet from central Chile.
Now really, how can we just grow native plants when we can attact so many birds with other ones?!
Our native Oregon grape is a great example – blooming in spring the hummers love it. IF we add Mahonia from China as well, which bloom in the winter ( Mahonia Arthur Menzies, Charity, Winter Sun ) then the overwintering Anna’s hummingbirds get to have the nectar and we enjoy blooms often drapped in snow – a delightful sight.
Speaking of birds the dear nettle and basket teacher Kaili reminded me I’d not posted anything recently with birds so here are a couple great nests that were found this summer.
My ornothologist brother, Sievert Rohwer, found this Willow Flycatcher nest high in a bracken fern as he was working in his reforested area. You can see that one element of the nest are grey horsetails from the previous year.
I was helping Brita with a big wedding in August and collected some long branches of ocean spray from the driveway. I did not notice there was an old nest of a Warbling Vireo ( ID thanks to brother Sievert ) in the branches – fortunately the birds had fledged by that time. I’m always so excited to find bird nests. They are truely our first basketweavers.
I’m planning on more classes this fall before hosting the Winter Holiday Open House ( a winter version of the Arts & Crafts market. )
Dates to be determined but a pie making class and a paper craft are in the works as well as a floral class and wreath making and perhaps others.
Stay tuned to newsletters and drewslist for more information.
Stay safe, get your booster shot when they are available and your vaccines if not.
We require folks to be vaccinated and masks worn for all our events.
Happy Fall,
Mary Fisher
Cultus Bay Gardens
Whidbey Island WA