Revisiting Craft in America

While I've been working on gaining proficiency in peyote stitch and constructing my quilt top I have been watching the episodes of Craft in America online at the PBS Video site:  http://video.pbs.org/program/craft-in-america/ .

There are nine full-length episodes at the website link above that have appeared on PBS and that can be watched over and over; this page http://www.craftinamerica.org/tvseries/story_436.php?  offers links to details of each episode with even more information about each artist's work. For instance, in the Threads episode Therese Agnew describes the process of making a quilt entirely of designer labels from clothing; the "Education" link leads to a photograph of the piece, Portrait of a Textile Worker (2005) http://www.craftinamerica.org/education/story_2209.php .

Not only are these nine episodes of interviews with fine craftsmen educational but they are inspirational.  I find myself working more carefully on my current projects and grabbing my sketchbook more frequently to make notes about future projects.

Craft in America is documented on video and in a companion book; both resources are available directly from PBS:  http://www.shoppbs.org/family/index.jsp?categoryId=3854896&sr=1&origkw=craft%20in%20america or, of course, at other online video and book sources.

Whether you want company in your studio while you work or want to take a break from working and want to enjoy other craftsmen's work, I highly recommend that you take a look at Craft in America.

Making a Quilt

The quilt on my bed is 20 years old and has been in constant use since it was made. The fabrics are faded slightly, but mainly I'm tired of it and ready for fresh colors and patterns.

I've been an admirer of Denyse Schmidt quilts and fabrics  http://dsquilts.com/  for years, and found a complete set of her Flea Market Fancy fat quarters  http://dsquilts.com/fabric_and_patterns.asp?PageID=79 at Beth Louche's StashModernFabric on Etsy  http://www.etsy.com/shop/StashModernFabric . I'm alternating squares of Schmidt's fabric with some PFD Kona Cotton that I bought for dyeing a couple of years ago.

The layout is made with one inch squares of 19 of the prints on white cotton and I like it so much I may stitch the squares to the background and quilt it as a wall piece.

I was inspired to use contemporary prints and a very simple block design by following Rita Hodge on her Australian website, Red Pepper Quilts http://www.redpepperquilts.com/ . I love the clean, fresh fabrics that she uses with unexpected bindings. I also want to complete this bed covering as quickly as I can and get on to other projects.

I have cut all of the squares and triangles and I'm working for several hours a day piecing them, by machine, of course. I've located my sewing table halfway between the little tv and my computer so that I catch all the episodes of Downton Abbey and Bones or play Craft in America episodes on the PBS website.

Jean Campbell At Arrowmont in 2013

I collected seed beads and books on beading for years and never completed a project. Sure, I would handle the bead containers and rearrange them, sorting by size or by color. Finally after maybe 15 years, I sold all of them and concentrated on other media, selling my chainmaille jewelry at small shows. This year I started adding beads to chainmaille and found myself purchasing beads once more. Then my hands started hurting from using pliers constantly and I looked to beads as a change of muscle movements.

Jean Campbell's books on beaded beads have always been my favorite books on the subject and they were the first ones I picked up to make a real attempt at learning to make jewelry from beads. Only a week after I received these two books in the mail Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts posted its 2013 course catalog on its website:  http://www.arrowmont.org/ and I found that of all people, Jean Campbell will be teaching a course there in July. The title of the one-week course is Geometric Beadwork, and peyote stitch will be used to create the geometric shapes. I registered for the class before the end of 2012, assuring myself of Arrowmont's early registration discount. I'll admit to saving money whenever I can, but I'll spend all of the money I saved on the class purchasing beads at the school's supply store.

You can find a course description and brief bio of Jean Campbell here:  http://www.arrowmont.org/images/arrowmont/pdfs/arrowmont-2013workshops.pdf . Click on the link and scroll down to page 24 of the PDF catalog.

If you register for any one-week course, two-week course or weekend course at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, before February 8, 2013, you will receive a 10% discount on the price of your class. The geometric beading class price is $495, so the discount means a savings of $49.50. That's a lot of beads! Just make sure that you register by 5:00 PM on Thursday, February 7 and join me in Jean's class!

My loom and all accessories have been sold.

They are going to a great home where the weaver is already designing ecclesiastical garments. 

Loom and Accessories for Sale

My Gallinger four harness cherry counterbalanced loom has a 42-inch weaving width, a sectional beam with 2-inch sections and a friction brake that allows minute adjustments in winding the warp forward.  The warp beam folds forward when the loom is not in use to decrease the size of the footprint and I unbolt the breast beam to make it easy and comfortable to thread from back to front. The treadle action is very light and makes it pleasant to weave for long periods of time.

Four wide treadles in a direct tie-up save loom-dressing time and make treadling comfortable.

A matching cherry bench has two open boxes for shuttles and other tools.  The seat is hinged over a third box for even more storage.  There are more than 1008 flat aluminum heddles that allow a full-width warp of 24 ends per inch.

Two 42" reeds are supplied;  the 12-dent reed is made of carbon steel and although it is grubby-looking, it has never marked my white cotton warps.  The second reed is a 10-dent stainless steel reed that has been used once.

The warping spool rack holds 60 4.25" spools and folds flat for storage.

The loom, bench, over 1,000 heddles, two reeds, threading hooks, the spool rack, shuttles, tension box and swift (that is everything shown except the sleying hook) are priced at $775.00, and may be picked up in Sandersville, Georgia, or may be delivered in Georgia for a moderate extra charge.

The LeClerc tension box has been used twice.  $70.00 plus postage

Two new ski shuttles and three boat shuttles in excellent condition.  $20.00 each plus postage.

Light-handled LeClerc threading hook:  $5.00 plus postage
Please note: the harness stabilizer and dark-handled hook will be included with the loom and bench.

The swift is vintage but has barely been used;  the circumference is 85 inches. The cat is not included in this offering, although there are days when I think about  shipping her to a distant city. The swift is $40.00 plus postage.

I take PayPal (both cash and credit cards) as well as money orders from the post office and cash.  For more information please email me at slkunze@gmail.com.

Weaving Software for Sale

This software has been sold.

For sale:  my license for PixeLoom Software for editing drafts, planning projects and virtual sampling by Kitchen Table Software.   It runs on Microsoft’s Windows® platform from 98 to most recently, Windows 7 and has been my right hand for designing and drawing down patterns.  For years I used graph paper for my drafts and drawdowns and I promise you that PixeLoom is both more fun and less work.  I have permission from Sue Fairchild to transfer the license to a new owner;  she will make that person eligible for upgrades and support.  The sale of this license is contingent on my giving Sue the new owner’s name and address.  My price is $53.00 for the CD, which includes first class postage and delivery confirmation;  fifty dollars of that amount will be donated to Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, TN, my favorite place to learn about fine craft.

This software has been sold.

Also for sale:  my digital copy of Mary Meigs Atwater Recipe Book:  Patterns for Handweavers – CD edited by Judie Eatough and copyright Mary Meigs Atwater Weavers Guild - $12.00 includes first class mail.  Ten dollars will be donated to the MMA Weavers Guild.  This is a digital copy of Atwater’s Recipe Book with PDFs of each page, 399 wif files of the drafts and scans of 60 fabric samples.  If you are a fan of overshot, crackle and other traditional fabric constructions, this book is a treasure.

I take PayPal cash and PayPal credit cards and I ship no later than the business day following the day of payment.  Please contact me directly at slkunze@gmail.com.  Thank you!  Susan Kunze

For Sale: Masters of Polymer Clay

Masters of Polymer Clay:  Major Works by Leading Artists

Major Editor:  Ray Hemachandra

Curated by Rachel Carren

 Excellent photographs of the work of 40 artists;  330 pages

$14.00 includes media mail postage in the US

For more information or to purchase this book, please email me at slkunze@gmail.com.  I take PayPal cash and PayPal credit cards.