Studio Jottings

What's New on the Loom?

2012-02-07T11:52:00.001-05:00

I'm back to weaving again after spending January doing inventory, gathering info for taxes, and filing Sales and Use Taxes in several states where I do shows. While this is necessary for the business side of what I do, it is not the most creative time for me! It feels good to sit down at the loom and weave. It almost doesn't matter what it is I'm weaving. I just have to get into that rhythm of throwing the shuttle back and forth across the warp.

So what am I weaving to get back into the groove? I had a few chenille scarf warps in my basket that didn't get woven last year so they are my first task. It's familiar and a good way to ease back into producing new work. This task of weaving what is left behind helps me to clear my studio of projects and move ahead to designing new work.

So here's the process so far:

After putting the warp on the back beam, it gets threaded through the heddles. This is one place where the pattern is determined by the threading sequence.

The next step is to bring all the threads through the reed which will keep them in sequence and the correct spacing.

After this the warp gets tied onto the front apron bar and a heading is woven in. This step helps to even out the spacing of the yarn. It can be any material. I use toilet paper which is easy to rip out when the piece is taken off the loom.

Ready to Go

This is a new color way for me. While using compliments (opposite colors on the color wheel - blues, purples, orange in this case) can be a challenge to find a weft that blends well and is pleasing, I welcome it. When it works, the piece usually pops! It is never dull! So my task at this point in the process is to weave a sampler of colors for possible wefts.

Completed Sampler

So I have at least 8 possible choices represented here. I added a textured yarn called "Wool Pom Pom" from HABU yarns in NYC for interest to see how this might work. I like the effect it makes.
Here are close up pictures of the sampler. I have my favorites. What ones do you like?

Amethyst and Navy

Navy with Pom Pom and Blue Purple

Eggplant and Dark Teal

Dark Teal with Pom Pom and Hunter Green

I think I have made my choices for the six scarves I will weave from this warp but would love to hear what you think. Comments are always welcome.

Comments are welcomed

2012-01-10T11:18:00.000-05:00

I wanted to let everyone know that I do welcome comments on this blog. I love to hear your views and ideas in response to what I post. I also welcome dialogues between you and others that post here. As a note, I have changed my comment settings so that if you comment on a post that is older than 7 days it will be e-mailed to me for moderating. This is so that I can respond to your post. When posts are older than 7 days I often do not know that a comment has been posted. Moderating keeps me up to date. So if you don't see your posted comment right away, trust that I do and it will be posted in a day or two.

Hope everyone is having a good beginning to the New Year. I am doing my usual year end filings, record keeping, and inventory along with deciding about what shows to participate in during 2012. Have any recommendations? Where would you like to see my work in 2012?

The Dog On the Loom Part 2

2011-12-24T23:25:00.000-05:00

A few months ago I wrote about "the dog on the loom", http://studiojottings.blogspot.com/search?q=The+dog+on+the+loom, and explained what that meant. I was weaving a liturgical stole for my husband for the 40th year celebration of his ordination. Well the day came and went and the stole was not completed. The celebration was in May and since we were entering the common time in the liturgical calendar he was not going to need the white stole until later in the year. Much later in the year - Christmas Eve! Guess what! He needed it for tonight! I am happy to say that the "dog on the loom" became the beautiful white and gold stole that my husband wore tonight. It was transformed - like magic (with a lot of patience and help from me)! Kinda like the transformation that happens on Christmas Eve. To put it simply, a baby comes into the world in a lowly state and transforms it. What a mystifiying and magical night! May the world and all who live in it be transformed once again. O Holy Night!

Handwoven Stole - Christmas Eve

New Scarves

2011-11-18T17:08:00.001-05:00

I just finished four new scarves. They are in the Collapse Weave technique. I wrote about this in previous posts. Check out http://studiojottings.blogspot.com/2009/07/collapse-weave.html & http://studiojottings.blogspot.com/2009/08/this-and-that_10.html to get more information on how these scarves are made. I love making these scarves! Better yet I love how they feel after they are finished. The weaving on these scarves is very labor intensive! It is slow and exact in order to have the technique work effectively but the results are wonderful. The time it takes to weave them is worth it. The wool/silk yarn that I use is beautiful and soft and I love working with it. It is like butter to the fingers! At shows I always get the comment that wool makes people itch. Some wools many times do because of the processing the yarn has gone through at the mill. Unless you are allergic to Lanolin, the itching is most likely due to the shortness of the wool fiber in lower grade wools or the chemical processing that the yarn has been exposed to. That is not the case with the wool/silk yarn I use and believe me I would know as the yarn is always going through my hands and fingers through out the whole process. I never itch once! And I love to scrunch up the scarves and feel them in my hands.

In making any handwoven item, the yarn must be measured before going onto the loom. This process is called warping. While warping it is important to make a cross in the yarns so the sequence for threading is there and the yarn does not tangle. When all the yarn is measured it is removed by putting it into a chain. When in the chain form it can be stored safely without tangling until ready to be put on the loom.

Here are a few pictures:

Warping Mill measures the warp

Warp Cross

Warp Chain

After weaving the scarves look like this. They have a stretchy quality to them due to the technique I use and the over spun wool crepe yarn which is the second yarn used in these scarves.

Four Scarves

Close up of four scarves

During December you can purchase one of my Collapse Weave scarves at Guilford Art Center in Guilford, CT, http://www.guilfordartcenter.org/, Some Things Looming in Reading, PA, http://www.somethingslooming.com/, or my studio in Plymouth, MA.

Designing a Shrug

2011-11-06T15:15:00.000-05:00

I'm getting ready for a show in Reading, PA at a gallery called Some Things Looming. I am a follower of their Face Book page and receive their e-mail newsletters. I recently visited STL and was impressed with what this mother and daughter team have put together. They are devoted to Fiber Arts and that in itself is rare. There are very few places that have devoted their space entirely to Fiber Art. Some Things Looming's mission is to work with fiber artists, exhibit their work, and bring Fiber Art to the forefront with the public by education through classes and exhibits. I use to work for a gallery in West Chester, PA called Woven Fiber Art House. Woven had the same mission but sadly had to close. I am so happy to see STL pick up the mantle. For this reason I am happy to be a part of the Handmade Holidays 2 show which opens Dec. 3 and runs through Dec 24. You can go to www.somethingslooming.com to get more information about the show and what's happening at STL.

This show has inspired me to work on a new shrug. My shrugs are all one of a kind. They are made from extra fabric I've woven and various embellishments from my "stash of stuff ". My stash is BIG so there is plenty from which to choose!

After careful consideration and playing around with the various choices I have, here is a picture of the elements that I gathered for use in this new shrug. It consists of my handwoven fabric, some hand dyed samples from a workshop I took on "Art Cloth" with Jane Dunnewold, hand dyed yarn, some polymer beads that a friend made and gave me, and some glass beads.

So the first step was to make bias trim from the hand dyed silk pieces which were only about 8" x 10" big. From this 2" wide strips were cut and sewn together to form bias binding.

These bias strips became the binding on the neck edge and the trim on the sleeves, the beads were hand sewn on and the shrug was ready to be worn.

Front view

Back view

So I have a chance to send 12 pieces to this show. Should this be one of them?

Detail

What other pieces of my work do you think I should send? I welcome comments.

I'll be posting pictures on Face Book of possibilities. You can go to my fan page without having an account on Face Book. Just follow the link on the right hand side of my blog. If you have a FB account, don't forget to "Like" my page and then let me know what I should send to Some things Looming for the show.

Pricing work

2011-10-10T17:45:00.000-04:00

It's always a challenge to price handmade work. Number one it takes far longer to produce than commercially made goods and number 2 it takes an appreciative and educated audience to understand the value of the work. Many artists tend to devalue their work by pricing it low just to make a sale. I have friends who do this. What they do not understand is it devalues not only their work but also the work of all artists. A buying public gets confused and then perceives the value of handmade work as something less than it should be.

I recently came across a blog which talks about this. It encourages artists to price their work by honoring not just the material costs but also the labor and value of making the work. I whole heartily agree. I know many artists who don't charge for their time. What business person would not get paid for their time? Just because we are artists and that has romantic implications, doesn't mean that we should not get paid a decent wage for what we do. I share this now for those of you who read this blog and sell your work. I also share it for those of you who buy handmade work and wonder how work is priced.

http://www.freshlypickedblog.com/2011/04/why-you-should-raise-your-prices.html

Craft Show Artists are "Jacks of All Trades"!

2011-10-06T12:18:00.000-04:00

So what's it like to be a craft show artist? You travel to many places. You meet interesting people. You have friends in many cities. You see artist friends and are inspired by them. Days of preparation lead up to exhibiting your work to hopefully an appreciative audience who will fall in love with your work, purchase, and enjoy it everyday. Halt!!! That's the romantic side!

The unromantic side is you are exhausted from staying up late and working hard to have enough choices for customers. Your body aches from packing up the car and then unpacking the car at the show (not to mention that this happens on the other end when you go home). You have to set up your tent and display pieces. You have to get up early to be at the show to finish displaying your work. As inventory changes your booth display changes. It is always a challenge to create an effective and interesting display which will draw the customer into your booth. If you not a morning person as I am not, you have the added challenge of trying to wake your brain up to complete all these early morning tasks. And if I don't have my high test tea, I am in trouble!

So this past weekend when I set up my tent at the Wheaton Arts Show, I was able to set up the day before. This is always a blessing. My friend, Bette, was there to help me. Everything was going along fine until I went to look for the bottom leg extensions for the poles to my tent. They were no where to be found! "He who shall remain nameless" forgot to put them in the car. "Uh Oh" was my thought (actually that was the mild version!). I am in trouble. My tent will only go up less than 6 feet high without the extensions and this is not an item that the local Home Depot carries. While we started setting up the tent, I began to think. What might be a tempoary substitute that would raise the legs of the tent? BINGO - bed risers! Would they be high enough, sturdy enough to work? So off we went to Bed, Bath, & Beyond to look for bed risers. Thank goodness they had them in stock! So for a $15 fix, I bought them and crossed my fingers that this was going to work. It did! WooHoo! My creative leg extensions were the talk of the craft people around me. I was amazed how well it worked and much to my surprise it didn't look bad!

Here are a few pictures:

Not bad, Huh? I may just always keep these in the car just in case......................................

New Fall Scarves

2011-09-24T10:17:00.001-04:00

Four 14 yard warps for 24 chenille scarves

I've finally been able to get back to the loom to do some weaving. Before my mother died I had made four rayon chenille warps for 6 scarves each totalling 24 scarves. They have been sitting in a basket ready to be woven and I was finally able to do the the first warp this week. Here are the results -------

Weaving scarf #1

6 finished rayon chenille scarves

Next warp to go on loom - six more scarves!

New warp being put on the back beam

Weaving Silence

2011-09-18T16:25:00.000-04:00

To my faithful blog followers I apologize for being silent for so long. It's been a rough summer except for a brief time away to Sweden and Scotland. You see my mom had a heart attack in May and never really recovered from that experience. She died on August 23, the day of the earthquake on the East Coast and then her memorial service had to be delayed because of Huricane Irene. Family and friends attended the memorial service on September 1 and then family traveled out to Indianapolis on September 13 to entomb her next to my father. My summer consisted of traveling back and forth to NJ where she lived to visit her and to oversee the care she was receiving. Since she needed additional care, I also had to move her in and out of apartments in the care facility which had been her home for the last 3 1/2 years.

I am trying to get back to business as usual but some days are good and some days are bad. I haven't been able to write on the blog but hope that in the next few weeks it will get easier to talk about my work and what I am doing. Please dear blogger stay connected. I will be back.

For those of you who looked for me at the Mad River Valley Show, I am sorry if you were disappointed to discover that I was not there but I had to cancel at the last minute. If you had a specific item you wanted to purchase from me, please let me know. I can always send you pictures and send you the item you would like.

Meanwhile I am trying very hard to get ready for my show at Wheaton Arts, October 1 & 2 in Millville, NJ. I'm sure it will be a difficult drive back to NJ as I always visited my mom when I did this show. I will be with friends and that will be comforting.

You can always get in touch with me by writing a comment on this blog or visiting my website, http://www.judyconnorjones.com/ and sending me an email. I am also on Facebook. The link to my FB page is on the right side of this blog.

Thanks for being a loyal follower.

"The Dog On The Loom"

2011-08-19T21:16:00.001-04:00

Sampler for Liturgical Stole

Those of you who are weavers who read this blog, probably know what "the dog on the loom" means. For those of you who aren't weavers, it doesn't mean that cute little pooch who sits beside you waiting to be petted has jumped on the loom! What it does mean is a warp (which is the group of yarn threads which make the lengthwise of the woven fabric) is "mis-behaving"! And not only mis-behaving but giving you so much trouble that you are ready to rip it off the loom, say a few expletives and throw it away! Now what could cause such a temper tantrum? Well ------ when threads stick together in the shed (opening when weaving) making it difficult to weave without skipping over threads or when threads keep breaking while you are weaving. It could be that the tension is all wrong and can't be easily fixed. In any event the warp gives you lots of problems and it takes you alot longer to weave the piece and your patience wears thin.

Recently I had a "dog on the loom". I started a project in May. It was to be a stole for my husband who was celebrating the 40th anniversary of his ordination. The first problem I had was running out of the gold yarn that I was using. It was an older yarn that I had pulled off of my shelf and I thought I had enough to do the job. So when I ran out and I knew I could not get any more of this yarn, I had to go back to the drawing board and be creative. This should have been my first clue that this was not going to go well. But being the "let's make lemonade out of lemons" type I perused my shelves for an answer. I found another yarn on my shelf which after a little redesigning of my original plan worked fine. I actually liked that yarn better. So part of the gold threads were made up of the old thread which was a white cotton thread with gold wrapped around it and the new gold thread which was all gold.

Gold threads going onto the beam

Close up Gold threads going onto the beam. White threads are already beamed.

Two beams are wound with yarn

OK, I thought I was good to go until after my first 12 inches when the gold on the gold/white thread broke! One repair didn't bother me but when it kept happening over and over again, I was annoyed and frustrated. Why were they breaking? This didn't happen when I did the sampler. Was the yarn too old and the rubbing against the reed was causing it to break? Again, this didn't happen in the sampler. So what was going on?

After this happened several more times, I realized that one big reason it was happening was I had forgotten to add one piece of equipment to my loom that I needed while using the second beam. I had put the gold yarn on a second beam because I knew the tensioning of it would be different than the white tencel. What I forgot to do was add the second back beam so the two yarns would be separated as they traveled from the back of the loom to the front. This caused alot of friction on the gold threads causing them to POP! Hence "the dog on the loom"!

Second back beam

Well, I was unable to finish the stole for the anniversary, we went away to Florida for 2 weeks, and then life invaded my weaving time, we went on vacation for 3 weeks, and life again invaded my weaving time until finally a few days ago I was able to finish weaving the stole and take "the dog of the loom"! A few Hallelujahs were said along with some dancing and the warp was off!

Now I just have to finish repairing all those broken threads (ugh) and sew the stole in time for my husband to wear it the next time the liturgical color of white is worn which I think is Christmas. Can I get it done? I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!

T-pins hold the broken threads

Close up of broken threads ready to be repaired

Wish me luck! When it's finished I'll post a picture. Stay turned.

Doors and Weaving!

2011-07-28T18:06:00.001-04:00

While traveling through Sweden, I was struck by the designs on doors! As a weaver I am always looking for weaving designs and color sequences in architectural structures and in nature. I can't help it! My eyes and brain are always seeing things from that prospective. I was not disappointed in Sweden. The doors were amazing and much to a weaver's delight could be translated into weaving patterns. Just take a look..................(if you are a weaver, what weaving patterns do you see?)

Door at

Sätergläntan craft school

Door at Jons Anders Garden (a hotel)

Can you see the twill diamond and point twill diamond pattern?

Door in

Orebrö Castle

Door in

Orebrö Castle

What about here? Might these be broken twill patterns?

Door at

Orebrö Castle

OK, here's a tough one. Could this be networked draft or an overshot pattern? Any ideas how this could be translated?

Door at

Wadköping, Orebrö

Barn Door, Orebrö

Some more variations on the diamond pattern.

As you can see, these doors are not just functional. There is a beauty about them. I was totally fascinated.

I'd love to hear what you think. If you weave, what weaving patterns do you see? If you are not a weaver, how do you see these patterns translated in the environment around you?

This blog welcomes discussion so share your thoughts and ideas. Let's see what we can come up with and design together.

Artistic Inspiration

2011-07-16T05:00:00.001-04:00

I have been traveling throughout Sweden and Denmark and will be on the road to Scotland tomorrow. This will be a short post but wanted to say that my mind is filled with inspiration and so many impressions. Due to limited internet access I have not been able to upload pictures. When I get back I will share some of those pictures with you. We have seen many wonderful things including great artwork. We have visited many wonderful places including Skagen, Denmark where the famous Skagan artists painted on the beach. We walked that beach and I can see why they loved painting there. The light is fabulous. We visited my favorite Swedish artist's, Carl Larson, home. Who knew his wife Karin was also a wonderful painter, fiber artist, and furniture designer! Her fiber art was way before her time - very contemporary in design - and is throughout their home. So my journey will continue. There is much more to see!

Sweden on the 4th of July

2011-07-05T16:39:00.001-04:00

I had the experience of being out of the country on the 4th of July. It's a strange experience to be away on a special national holiday. The funny thing was we did celebrate in a very special way. We have friends who live in Sweden and they have been our hosts while here. Our families have stayed connected through the years. We have visited with each other (they have come to the US more times than we have gone to Sweden). We have met their friends and learned about each other's lives. So on the 4th of July we had a picnic! One of Ingemar and Kristina's friends is a transplanted American who is married to a Swede. We went to their house and had a little touch of America in Sweden! We had grilled hamburgers, chips, and strawberries along with some wonderful elderberry juice that they made from the flowers on the elderberry tree in their yard (that's the Swedish touch). We played Bocci (not quite an American game) and had a great time. What a special time to remember.

One of the highlights for me was seeing our Swedish friend's loom and her weaving. Elisabeth has a large (maybe 60") countremarche loom and she was weaving a beautiful blanket of yarn's she had hand dyed with natural dyes. It's interesting to me that weaver's share a common language and it doesn't take long to begin to talk pattern design, thread counts, and yarn diameters. (The world is not so big!) A weaver's signature is always there in the weaving hand of each person and is what makes each weaver's work special. It's so much fun to see another weaver's work and learn about their process.

So I share here some pictures from my wonderful 4th of July. Hoping that you can share special holidays in new and interesting ways.

Elisabeth's Loom

Close up of Elisabeth's blanket

International Friends Celebrating

A Weaver's Picnic

2011-06-15T20:31:00.001-04:00

Diligently weaving paper hearts at the CCW picnic!

So what do weaver's do on a picnic? Enjoy delicious food, show and pass around our latest creations, and talk warp and weft! Today was my weaving guild's annual picnic. It's the last meeting until September when our new year of programing begins. We met in one of our members home and sat on her lovely deck in her back yard. it was a beautiful day and believe me, here in New England it couldn't have been more welcome!

It's always fun at this picnic to connect and see what wonderful creations people have made or are working on. We do a show and tell and pass the items around for all to see. It's fun to hear about others plans for the summer, and it is wonderful to share good food. Did you know that weaver's are generally good cooks also?

Today, our host had a fun little project for us to do - weave a paper heart! Now this might look like it would be an elementary process for a group of weaver's but it was interesting to see how challenged some of us were over a simple project. We laughed, we joked, we felt silly, but all did complete their woven hearts. The hearts made a lovely little basket to put candy or "what nots" in. So we all took home a picnic favor, joyful hearts, and warm memories of another year of weaving camaraderie.

I look forward to this group. I am always inspired by the sharing that goes on. I'll look forward to seeing everyone again in September. I'm sure there will many summer projects to see when we start again in the fall and I can't wait to see what other's have done.

What groups do you participate in that give meaning or inspiration to your work or living? I encourage you to write about them in the comment section and share how important they are in your life. Take a few moments to be grateful for their influence on you. Better yet let them know how important they are to you.

I know if I couldn't go to the Cranberry Country Weavers' meetings anymore, I would feel like something very important in my life was missing. Besides they understand my language!!!!!

Visit http://www.cranberrycountryweavers.com/#anchor_10551 for more information and pictures about this group.

Siesta Key and Rest for the Weary!

2011-06-02T17:50:00.001-04:00

Sunset on Siesta Key

I just got back from vacation on Siesta Key, Florida. What a beautiful spot. The beach named Crescent Beach is pure white due to the fact that it is made from tiny particles of Quartz. For some reason the Gulf currents dump this type of sand on this beach. You can go to the end of the island and the beach is made from shells not Quartz. When you step your foot on the beach it is cool because quartz does not retain heat (little scientific fact!). After having spent summers on New Jersey beaches and running through the hot sand, I am always surprised when I step foot on this beach. My brain is prepared for HOT, HOT, HOT (this is Florida were the sun shines strong, right!) but that doesn't happen. My brain says this doesn't make sense.

Vacation didn't make sense this year as 2 days after I got there, I had to leave to visit my mom in the hospital in NJ. She suffered a heart attack and in dealing with Doctors and hospitals over the phone I realized that she needed someone to speak for her and connect the dots. Her primary care doctor was on vacation and no one knew that she saw a cardiologist on a regular basis (who was on staff at the hospital but the other team started treating her). They did not know her history. Why that information was not transferred to the hospital from the home where she lives, I do not know. Since I am the only child, my job was to connect the dots for everyone and get her cardiologist on the case. Everyone needs an advocate or someone to connect the dots when you become critically ill. I discovered that health care is a vast wilderness. Not much information is passed from agency to agency. I was able to help staff and doctors understand more about who she was and her on-going medical problems. What do people who do not have family do to navigate this wilderness and get the appropriate care?

Mom At Christmas 2010

My mom is now in rehab and hopefully getting stronger so she can go back to her apartment. I headed back to Florida and spent the next week resting around the pool and reading escape books! Family is in Florida, so I felt well taken care of. My husband and I walked the beach and enjoyed the beautiful weather. Being there is so different from our New England environment. The surrounding colors of water, sky, sand, and vegetation are so different, it is refreshing. The sunsets are gorgeous! I am always inspired by the colors I experience while there. The pace of life is different. My time there was cut short but the time there, even though short, was exactly what I needed.

I will head back to NJ on Sunday for a few days to visit my mom and see how she is doing in rehab. Decisions may need to be made for her long term care but I have all those wonderful warm colors from Siesta Key to keep me going. I just need to pull up those pictures in my mind and relax!

Habitat for Humanity Auction Update

2011-05-04T10:38:00.001-04:00

Friday night the Habitat for Humanity "Salvage Art" auction was held in the Plymouth Center for the Arts. Many artists participated in the challenge to take something from the Re-Store and make it into a work of art. I have to say that the artist's came through on the challenge. Some pieces were more creative than others but on the whole the center was filled with wonderful art. Habitat for Humanity is a great organization. It is a global organization and it provides affordable housing for families who are in need. Families do not just receive homes gratis. There is an application process and review that occurs. They must be able to pay back an interest free loan and they must put at least 250 hours of "sweat equity" into the building of the home. Habitat states it as "providing a hand up rather than a hand out". Two of the families were at the auction and it was heart warming to hear their appreciation for this gift. If you want to know more about Habitat for Humanity go to http://www.habitat.org/.

I was lucky enough to be chosen as one of the featured artists for this event. The article was published online by The Patriot Ledger, a Boston newspaper. Here is the link, http://bit.ly/maT7et I thought it was very well written and thank Teresa Dollfuss for writing such a great article. As a side note, I discovered that her mother has family who live in Lewistown. PA where I spent my teen years. It's a lovely small town in the mountains of central PA. (Actually it seemed like a small town when I lived there but I think it might be bigger population wise than Plymouth where I live now.) It's rare to find someone who actually knows Lewistown let alone has relatives there and lived, herself, in a nearby town. We discovered that we frequented the same pizza parlor, the best in town! Small world for sure!

So here are the photos of the finished pieces that Mike Ritter of Ritterbin photography took. (See post of http://studiojottings.blogspot.com/2011/04/photo-shoot-of-habitat-pieces.html to read about the photo shoot) He took some great shots. Thanks, Mike.

Front view "Warm HeARTs Make a Home"
by Judy Connor Jones

Back view "Warm HeARTs Make a Home"
by Judy Connor Jones

"The Cottage"
by Judy Connor Jones

"Beach House"
by Judy Connor Jones

Detail of "Beach House"

Once again I want to thank all the people who donated aprons for this project. You made this a very special project. I received a few stories related to the aprons. One woman wrote: "As long as I can remember my mother always wore some kind of an apron while doing her cleaning and cooking. In case company comes, just take off the apron, you always look clean and proper, she used to say". Another friend wrote," My mom spent a lot of time in the kitchen - she loved to cook. She always wore an apron over her 'house dress'. She spent alot of time planning and preparing our evening meals. She passed away 2 months before her 90th birthday" and "I know she would have been happy with your project. She was a woman of great faith and the thought that something of hers would be used for the less fortunate would be something she would totally agree with. She was always generous whenever there was a need".

The "Warm HeARTs Make a Home" piece is still available. It did not sell at the auction. Unfortunately there were more art pieces at the event then art collectors or philanthropists. The piece is valued at $1400. I don't know what Habitat is planning on doing with this piece. If you are interested in this piece and making a donation to Habitat, you can contact the local Plymouth chapter at info@hfhplymouth.org or call 508-866-4188.

All work is copyrighted by Judy Connor Jones, http://www.judyconnorjones.com/
All Photography is copyrighted by Mike Ritter, http://www.ritterbin.com/

The Old Tavern, Grafton, VT

2011-04-26T20:20:00.004-04:00

My husband and I took an after Easter break and returned to one of our favorite places, The Old Tavern in Grafton, VT. Through the years this has been our welcome respite place to return to and now that we live in Plymouth it is only 3 -4 hours away. We can go more often! On our way there we love to take the back roads of New England and see what we can discover in the small towns. If it looks interesting we stop and explore! We learn the history of the area but more than anything we enjoy the beautiful countryside. This time we stopped in Jaffrey, New Hampshire and had lunch in a cute little cafe right on the main street across from the green. The hospitality was great and the homemade white and sweet potato fench fries were to die for! Jaffrey's claim to fame is that Ralph Waldo Emerson use to come here as one of the summer residents. Mt Monadnock is nearby and he wrote the poem "Monadnoc" after climbing it. Nothing else in particular about the town except that it is one of those beautiful little New England towns that we fantasize about living there.

Then we moved on and stopped in Keene, NH. This is a larger thriving town with many shops along it's main street. My husband knows the owner of Monadnock Imaging so we stopped to see if he was there and while there I had some expert advice on getting some prints made of the photos I had done of the Habitat pieces. Jeff's friend was not there but we had fantastic service and the images came out great. I had personal service concerning sizing that would work with the "aspect ratio". (Only a photographer or one expert in this knows what that means) I was glad I had help to know that one of the images needed to be 4 x 8, not 5 x 7. I wouldn't have know that and would have been unhappy with the results if I had ordered the wrong size which would have cause cropping of the image. If you are looking for a good photo developing site, check them out at http://www.monadnockimaging.com/. They are in my favorites now!

So after a cup of tea in the local cafe, we continued on to Grafton. The last time we were in Grafton, it snowed and upon leaving we hit a white out and ended up in a snow bank! This was in January. No serious damage was done but we were even more thankful when we realized that the alternative was to end up in the river on the other side of the road. Entering Grafton we saw the spot where it all happened and were once again thankful that it was the snow bank where we landed!

Grafton in January

This time instead of snow (although there still were a few piles laying on the ground), the daffodils were in bloom. Although the weather was rainy and damp, it still was great to spend some time there again and to see the new life emerge after a long and snowy winter. Oh yeah, we couldn't leave without stocking up on our favorite cheese from Grafton Village Cheese Company (they make a 4 year aged cheddar that tastes like butter and lactose intolerant people can eat). We also had to visit one of the local farms to get our favorite maple syrup, Plummer's Maple Syrup.

A sign of spring at The Old Tavern!

Phelps Barn at The Old Tavern

So here's to signs of all things new and the hope they bring!

An Easter Art Journey

2011-04-23T23:02:00.000-04:00

I wanted to share once again the post I wrote last Easter. It was based on an Easter Art Installation at First Baptist Church in Plymouth. It's about journeys. I share it again with hopes that your life journey will be fulfilling and blessed.
http://studiojottings.blogspot.com/2010/04/alleluia.html

Return to Triangular Shawls

2011-04-22T16:13:00.000-04:00

I've returned to making one of a kind triangular shawls. I actually stopped working on this one midway so I could work on the Habitat pieces. In this shawl I combined 4 yarns and used them as one. This is what I am known for in my work - the use of many colors to form one. It pushes the limit of this loom since it is made for a single use yarn. I am not one to let color be stagnant. The color must move across the cloth. This provides depth and keeps the cloth from looking flat. I am so happy with the way this piece turned out. I think it is the best so far. What do you think? Not only did I combine several colors, I also used yarns with a lot of texture. There is a very slubby variegated rayon yarn, a smooth rayon and silk yarn, a smooth rayon ribbon, and a small nubby rayon yarn. They all combine to make an interesting warp and weft of colors and textures. I also used an open weave novelty yarn with a lovely sheen to it as an accent yarn.

Working with 4 yarns at once is a bit of a challenge but that is what this process has been all about, challenging not only myself but the equipment I use. It seems like I am into challenges these days. That is what the Habitat project was also about.

So here's the latest addition to my triangular shawl inventory. Let me know what you think. This blog encourages discussion, thoughts, and ideas.

On the loom in process

Close up on the loom

Finished Shawl - "Spring Garden"

I think I will give these shawls a rest for a while. I have other ideas I want to work on and I am anxious to get back to weaving on my floor looms. I miss the rhythm of weaving on a floor loom. Stay tuned to see what I do next.

Photo Shoot of Habitat Pieces

2011-04-13T10:37:00.001-04:00

Had a great day Monday going to a photo shoot. I was having the all the pieces of the Habitat Work photographed. I wanted to have professional photography of the work so that I can use them for publicity purposes along with good documentation of what I did. The weather was beautiful! One of the nicest days we have had for a looooooooooong time.

Photo shoots are interesting. They take the coming together of several factors. The photographer has prep work to do in setting up his studio for the type of work he is going to shoot. He must think about, to name a few, where the items will be placed or hung, what type of background will they need, what lighting needs to be set up, and of course all the paper work concerning agreements, fees, and licensing.

On the artist's side, all pieces must be ready for the camera.  I always take along things like an iron to get rid of creases that may have happened during transit, pins or clips in case things need to be fastened or hidden, and a lint remover to get rid of all those unwanted white specks that always show up in the camera lens!

Communication between the photographer and artist is critical. How are these photos going to be used?  Are they for printed material, publicity, craft show jurying, or just personal use? Do you want full shots, close-ups, or both?  If a model to used there are a whole other set of considerations. I talked briefly about this in an earlier post http://studiojottings.blogspot.com/2010/04/photo-shoot.html. All these factors make a difference in how the pieces will be shot.

I can't emphasis communication with the photographer enough! If communication between you and the photographer is not a two way street you may be disappointed in your results.  Take the time even in the middle of the shoot to make sure the photos are what you want. Work with the photographer's limitations but also make sure that you are getting the shots you need.

OK, the fun part is watching how this all takes place. It is a dance between photographer, work being photographed, model if present, and you. Have fun at it!

I took a few pictures of the photo shoot at Ritterbin Photography in Boston. Mike Ritter is the photographer.

If you are looking for a photographer, I highly recommend Mike. Check out his website at http://www.ritterbin.com/. I always enjoy working with Mike. He brings a lot of his creativity to the table. Thanks Mike. I'm looking forward to getting the CD of the photo shoot.

Habitat for Humanity: Warm HeARTS Project

2011-04-08T11:20:00.002-04:00

I've finished all 5 grids in this project! Last night I added the hanging tabs which are made out of apron ties and I covered the backs of the pieces with black felt. On the felt I sewed apron pockets and wrote the title of each piece on apron ties. The final pieces will be presented with a copper tube and porcelain knobs for hanging and attaching to the wall.

I am so excited about completing this challenge. It took me out of my comfort zone but also gave me a chance to explore the artistic side of me and to play. Will it be something I'll do again? The challenge, yes. the actual gird weaving project, maybe. As I was doing it my mind began to think of possibilities. I have extra apron strips left sooooooooooooooo-------------why not use them!

Lets explore possibilities. I thought it might be fun to braid the strips into Mandalas and pass them on just for fun. Free art for anyone who will except it! (Check out Jane Dunnewold's blog post http://existentialneighborhood.blogspot.com/2011/04/guerilla-acts-of-making.html ) Mandalas are sacred circles. They provide a centering along the journey. And who doesn't need some centering these days!

Would love to hear your ideas on Salvage Art or how I might use the apron strips I have left. What do you think I should do?

While you are thinking and coming up with ideas, here are a few pictures of the process of weaving the grids and the pieces.

Weaving Beach House

Close up of weaving

Third piece of "Warm HeARTS Make a Home"

Felt backing for one of the grids in "Warm HeARTs Make a Home"

Attaching the felt backing with title and apron pocket

After using clothes pins to hold the glued felt down, I remembered that I had these clips that quilter's use to hold the fabric in place when sewing on bindings. They worked great and didn't leave an impression on the felt.

Beach House

The Cottage

I'm hoping to have the finished pieces photographed by my photographer friend, Mike Ritter of Ritterbin Photography, http://www.ritterbin.com/. I'll post final pictures after I receive them.

You can see the pieces in person at the Habitat for Humanity "Salvage Art" Auction on April 29, 2011 at the Plymouth Center for the Arts in Plymouth, MA. Go to http://www.hfhplymouth.org/ for tickets and more information.

Hope to see you at the auction!

"Celebration of Fibers' Awards

2011-04-01T11:22:00.003-04:00

A few days ago I posted about putting 2 pieces in the Philadelphia Guild of Handweavers' Annual Exhibit. Well I am happy to say that both of my pieces won awards! My black triangular shawl, "Raspberry Seduction" (I just love that name!) won the Kathryn Wellman Memorial Award for imaginative weaving incorporating design, color, and texture. I am so thrilled to have won this award. Kathryn Wellman was one of the founders of the Philadelphia Guild of Handweavers which was started in 1952. I have a connection to Kathryn Wellman. When I bought my first floor loom I purchased it used from a woman who worked with Kathryn Wellman. That was how I first came to know who she was. She was a physical therapist who was noted for using weaving in her therapies. I think she must have been a very creative woman to, in the 50's and 60's, be noted in her field for these weaving therapies. I am thrilled to receive the award with that spirit and to have my work considered a part of that imaginative genre.

The other award was given to my warp painted, hand dyed, loop scarf titled "Sunset". It is the PGHW Award for Hand-Dyeing for the best use of hand-dyed fiber, dyed by the artist. Here again I am honored to be listed with those who have received this award before me. Many of them have been my teachers.

The judges for the exhibit were Deborah Warner, Professor and Chair of the Textile Department at Moore College of Art in Phildelphia, PA, (see video at http://www.moore.edu/about_moore/mission_history/oral_histories/deborah_warner ) and Ed Bing Lee, an artist who works in the fiber technique of knotting (see video at http://www.edbinglee.com/ ). I have admired Ed's work for a very long time.

You can find more information about the creation of these pieces at earlier posts, http://studiojottings.blogspot.com/2011/02/weavette-loom.html and http://studiojottings.blogspot.com/2010/06/weaving-process.html .

Habitat for Humanity Project: Grid #2

2011-03-31T11:29:00.003-04:00

The second grid is completed and I am working on the third grid. Hopefully it will be done by the end of the day. I will then begin to connect the 3 grids together with apron ties. These 3 grids will hang as one piece.

My Mom who we visited in New Jersey a few days ago, liked what I am doing and was telling everyone at the home where she lives. You gotta love moms!!!!!!! I always know my work will be appreciated whether it is good or not! She's a great moral booster.

Habitat Project: First Grid Woven

2011-03-24T18:42:00.002-04:00

I completed the first grid which is actually the hardest one to do. For those of you who are weavers reading this, at one point I had 7 wefts moving along at once! Can you figure out where that happened? Try to keep track of that when the fabric does not lay flat and cannot be beaten down into place because the grid warps are so far apart. As I was talking to a friend of mine today, she suggested using clothes pins to hold the weft in place. Great idea! Why didn't I think of that! Thanks to Bette I am using that technique on the second grid. It does help. Here are pictures of the first completed grid and the next one I am weaving.

What do you think? Can you recognize any of the aprons? Add a comment and become a follower of this blog and/or share it on Facebook or Twitter.

Weaving "Warm HeARTs, Warm Homes"

2011-03-22T21:40:00.003-04:00

I've started weaving on the grids. I am weaving by using tapestry technique in rag rug stlye. Here are a few tools I used that have helped me:

Rag Rug Cutter for cutting strips of fabric

Rotary Cutter for cutting strips of fabric

I used both of these tools. The rag rug cutter worked better for the longer length of fabric. The rotary cutter was a little faster to use but harder to use on the longer lengths.

I taped the fabric colors on the cartoon as a weaving guide

Beginning to weave following the cartoon guide

Day one weaving progress

Let me know what you think. Share a comment or two with me about this project and keep following to see the finished piece.

Habitat for Humanity "Warm HeARTS, Warm Homes" Project

2011-03-20T15:03:00.001-04:00

It's crunch time!!! The Habitat project deadline is creeping up quickly! Last week I finished painting the grids black and made 3 cartoons for the weaving. Yesterday I spent the day deconstructing the last aprons and organizing them in color piles. Today I will choose the colors I will use and begin cutting the apron fabrics into strips. Hopefully I will begin the weaving process tomorrow. Here are some pictures of the process so far and a few more apron pictures.

Painting the Grids

Cartoons

Organizing Colors

More aprons:

Thanks to all who have sent me aprons. I have enjoyed seeing all the varied designs and I love seeing the stains and well worn areas which tell a story of many hours cooking or baking for loved ones. If you have a great apron story please share it in the comment section.

Look forward to hearing from you. Don't forget to share this blog if you enjoy reading it.

"Celebration of Fibers"

2011-03-18T11:12:00.006-04:00

Today is the opening of the Philadelphia Guild of Handweavers' annual member's exhibit. I have 2 pieces in this show, a shawl made from the triangular loom and one of my hand dyed warp painted "Loop" Scarves. The show is held in the PGHW Guild House in Manayunk, a section of Philadelphia, PA.

I have been a member of this guild ever since I started weaving. My weaving teacher was President of the Guild at that time and she encouraged me to join. That was in 1982! I can't believe it's been that long ago! My son was just 2 years old. He will be 31 in July! I have been and am a member of many different weaving guilds as I have lived many different places since that time. But I consider the Philadelphia Guild of Handweavers my home guild. All my early mentors were and are in the guild. Some are no longer with us and others are my best weaving and personal friends. I learned so much from the weavers there. So I celebrate the opening of their annual show:

Celebration of Fibers

March 18 -20 and 23-26, 2011

Opening Reception: Friday, March 18, 6:30pm - 8:30pm

www.pghw.org

If you are in the Philadelphia, PA area check it out! Add a comment and let me know what you think.

You can also become a follower of this blog by clicking on the Followers icon. I also now have the link to share this on Facebook and Twitter.

A Funeral and a Wedding, Remembering Peter Gomes

2011-03-07T23:14:00.001-05:00

I'm going to a funeral tomorrow. I know this is an odd title for one of my posts but I lost a dear friend last week. It was sudden in that everyone expected him to recover from the stroke he had in December. That was not to be; so today I remember my dear friend Peter Gomes. I've only know him for 5 short years but he wormed his way into my heart with that "twinkle in his eye" that made you know there was more to the story. I know that countless others around the world are missing him too as he was known and loved around the world. One of my early encounters with Peter was when he shared the paint color for his kitchen with me. That color became the color in my office and one wall of the studio. Check out the blog post http://studiojottings.blogspot.com/2006/09/day-80.html#comments. I talked a little about painting the studio Pusey Room Red in that post. Every time I look at the paint in my studio I will think of Peter and smile! I remember wandering around his basement to find the paint can so I could take it to the hardware store and have them figure out the formula for me. Now if you knew Peter, you know that wandering around his basement was not something he normally did and painting was definitely not something he did. As he said to me when he first said I could use the paint, "Have your man talk to my man to get the formula". I replied, "Peter, I am the man!" That led to the wandering in the basement! But we found the paint and I got the formula and the studio office was painted "Pusey Room Red". Peter stated that he and I would be the only people in Plymouth to have this color in their house!

There are so many Peter stories. We had the great pleasure of having him officiate at our son's wedding this past July. It was a glorious event in Newport, RI and Peter did such a wonderful job. He was all decked out in what he called his "God" clothes, a beautiful red robe. He kept telling Jeff and me what a great couple they were and how much he enjoyed working with them on the wedding. WOW! The added bonus was that they both graduated from Bates College, his alma mater. Peter loved to do Bates Weddings! I will always cherish the wonderful time we had with him at the rehearsal dinner and the wedding.

He was quite a loveable character. While he loved working at Harvard, Plymouth was his home and First Baptist was his church.

So, Peter has come home, not only to Plymouth where his church family will celebrate his life and mourn his passing but also to the God that he loved so much and the Word that he shared all around the world. Well done, good and faithful servant! You are loved and will be greatly missed. I know God will love hearing all your wonderful stories and seeing that "twinkle in your eye"!

Simplicity

2011-02-23T12:12:00.002-05:00

I'm trying to take this quiet selling season time to get caught up on my journal reading. As I was looking over my June/July 2010 issue of American Craft (I'm really behind!) I came across an article on "The Cult of Simplicity" by Akiko Busch. I was struck by the idea presented in this article that things seem more simple than they really are. You have to go beyond the obvious to discover the complexities. It made me think about the triangular shawls I have been weaving. They are based on very simple weave structures, that of plain weave, basket, or twill. In my case I have only been using plain weave which is a simple over/under weave. (Remember when you made pot holders as a child. This is a simple over/under weave.) The equipment used to weave these shawls is very simple in design. And the actual weaving is not all that complicated. However if you go beyond the obvious you begin to see the complexity of yarn choice, the color choice, the design possibilities, and the finishing techniques. When you begin to push on these elements such as doubling the yarn or adding beads or embellishments you increase the complexity and decision making. What started out as simple is now a thought process of complexity in motion. How many yards of a yarn do I need? How will these colors work together? When will I change the color pattern? What length will the fringe be? Can that yarn hold up over repeated washings or dry cleanings? Will the finished piece drape appropriately for the use? And so on and so on and so on!

My 4th shawl in the series is finished. In an earlier post, Beads, Beads, Beads on February 5th, I showed pictures of the yarns I was going to weave. I doubled up the wool and silk yarns with the rayon boucle yarn. This created a thicker yarn but also added the movement of the variegated colors to the piece. The shawl is very light weight and lacy looking. The silk/wool yarn feels very soft to the touch. It's another lovely shawl on a cool summer night or just to wrap up in by the fireplace in winter. Here are some pictures:

Cutting the fringe

Close up

I'm finding that same simple/complex factor in working with the Habitat project. There is so much more than simply weaving strips of aprons into the grids to form a simple design. As I spend time deconstructing the aprons and thinking about which ones will work and which will not, I am also thinking about the end product and how it will be hung. The hanging is the last step but needs to be thought about at the beginning. It may affect how I construct the piece. I've decided to paint the grids black so they will recede into the piece and not show as much. This is another beginning process that affects the end look. Painting will be my next step along with sorting the apron color strips that I am cutting. Then I will begin to work with the hanging system as I decided that needed to be done first. I'm thinking of using the knobs as part of the hanging system. Not only do I need to think about how this will look and be applied but I also need to think about the weight of the piece and how it will be safe to hang on the wall. This is my thought process so far. There is more to come.

Here are a few more aprons I have received:

I encourage you to look at the things around you that seem so simple. Begin to think about the process that went into that item and the complexity to make it seem simple. How about your I-phone for starters or that GPS that you just plug in the address and the voice that leads you along your way! Where does that woman live anyway?!!!! Comments welcomed!

The Journey of an Apron

2011-02-17T14:35:00.003-05:00

I woke up very early this morning. Believe me that is unusual! I am not a morning person. I started thinking about the Habitat project and my mind began to race. I decided to get back to writing my Morning Pages. Those of you who have read "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron know what morning pages are. They are the first thoughts you have when you wake up in the morning. You write continuously until you fill up 3 pages of a notebook. These are the thoughts that you address as soon as you wake. You get them out there and then they do not hang over you for the rest of the day. Sometimes it is just plain therapy to get them out there. Sometimes it is creative inspiration to get them out there. And sometimes it is just waking your thoughts up for the day and making lists.

Today I made lists. I began to think about the process of working with these aprons. My list went like this:

1. Draw out design.
2.Wash all aprons.
3. Deconstruct aprons.
4. Possibly dye some of the aprons or use fabric markers, fabric crayons, and/or Shiva paint sticks. Play with these ideas.
5. Cut aprons into strips.

And that's as far as I went today. I'm sure there will be more steps but this is as far as my thought process went today. It's a beginning.

This listing the process helps me organize what needs to be done and begin to alot the time needed. This is the first part of the journey.

When you have a project you are working on, what is your process? Do you make lists? Do you organize your thoughts and work time in any special way? Or do you just plunge in and hope for the best? I'd love to hear how others begin their creative journey. I welcome you to pass this post on and share your thoughts in the comment section.

Here are a few more pictures of aprons that have come in:

"Habitat for Humanity" Project

2011-02-14T20:58:00.021-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Since today is Valentine's Day and everyone talks about Hearts, I thought I would like to tell you
about the "Habitat for Humanity" Project I am working on. "Habitat for Humanity" invited artists
in the Plymouth area to go to the Habitat Restore and choose an item to re-purpose into an art
piece. This piece will be auctioned off to raise money for Habitat. The project is called
"Warm HeARTS, Warm Homes Celebration". The auction will take place April 30 at The
Plymouth Center for the Arts in Plymouth, MA. We were invited to recycle, re-purpose, beautify, and have fun! So I took the challenge.

I went to the restore which is a great place to explore and chose an item, actually several, to work with. Here's what I chose:

Grids and knobs

I began to think about that phrase, "Warm HeARTS, Warm Homes", and the thought that came to me was APRONS! Aprons represent a bygone error of home cooked meals, families sitting around a table, and mom or grandma enjoying creating some culinary delight. OK, so that was the bygone era! To bring it up to speed and be PC correct, aprons today may be somewhat of a dinosaur but I think they still represent a time when someone, male or female, takes the time to bake or cook something for another person. There is a nice warm, cozy feeling that happens around a good meal or a favorite pastry that is enjoyed by the whole family or that someone special. So, I have asked friends and family to search their closets and maybe attics for their used old aprons (or maybe grandma's used old apron) and I will re-purpose them into a piece that Habitat will auction off. I have an idea in mind and will be working on it over the next couple of weeks. I'm still a little curious myself as to how this is going to turn out!

Aprons are starting to arrive. It is fun to see all the different kinds. I decided to document them and will post pictures from time to time of what has been sent to me. If you have sent me an apron, thank you, and keep checking back to see your apron and how it is transformed into a piece that will raise money to help house a family in need.

Here are a few of the aprons I have received so far:

Look for more pictures in another post. I'll keep blogging about the process of making this project.

Beads, Beads, Beads!

2011-02-05T14:17:00.001-05:00

Our local bead shop closed this week. As a result, I couldn't resist the deep discounts and now own more beads than I thought I would ever have or need! Beads are candy for the eye and my "bead" tooth was salivating! So now that I have all these beads the next step is to use them, not just look at them! This is the bigger challenge.

I'm on my way though. I just finished another triangular shawl and guess what? It has beads in it! There are 300 beads woven into and attached to the fringe.

It was a bit of a challenge weaving with the beads and then placing them but it worked. Here's the third shawl in my triangular loom series.

Now on to the next shawl. What will I experiment with next? I've already begun to design. Here are the yarns I will be using. Stay tuned!

The fibers are wool/silk blend, rayon boucle, and rayon ribbon

"Weavette" Loom

2011-02-01T10:16:00.001-05:00

I finished another triangular shawl. After completing the weaving I decided to add an embellishment to it. It just CRIED out for more!!!!!! So I pulled out my little "Weavette" loom and wove some square pieces made out of the ribbon yarn I used in the shawl. I then made the woven squares into flowers which I have done before on my hats (refer back to blog post of November 20,2010). I added a bead and the shawl took on a very elegant look. Perfect for a night out on the town!

Woven Flowers Close Up

"Weavette" loom used to make flowers

All of these shawls are "one of a kind". If you want to visit my studio and see how they are made go to my website, http://www.judyconnorjones.com/ and e-mail me for an appointment. If you are interested in purchasing, please contact me for pricing.

Finished Shawl

2011-01-28T10:31:00.001-05:00

Here's a picture of the finished triangular shawl. It is very light, lacy, and airy! A perfect wrap for a cool summer night.

Close up view:

I'm working on another triangular shawl. I've pulled a beautiful black with cherry nubs wool boucle from my shelves and paired it with a cherry glace ribbon. As long as the triangular loom is up, I'll keep scouring my shelves for the right combination of yarns and make as many of these one of a kind shawls until I get bored and have to move on! I'm on a roll!

Triangular Loom

2011-01-22T17:25:00.001-05:00

I pulled out the triangular loom that I have and set it up this week. I decided that part of my exploring, playing, and rediscovering would be to develop ideas that I have had brewing for a while. I had bought on sale, about 2 years ago, a number of balls of yarn that I thought would look great woven into a shawl. My intention was to weave with them on the triangular loom. The yarn is a very lacy looking yarn made out of linen binder threads and a beautiful cotton variegated yarn in pastel green, mauve, and gold. The cotton yarn is actually woven through the linen threads in a snake like fashion. Along with this yarn I went to my stash and found some rayon ribbon ("Glace" for those weavers reading this) in colors that would work with this yarn palette. So here are some pictures of the yarn and the weaving process. With a triangular loom you are weaving the warp and weft at the same time.

Yarns are chosen

Beginning planning chart - 1/2 the design

Weaving in progress

The sheet is just there to let you see the weaving as it is a very open structure.

Close up

"Body of Work"

2011-01-13T12:34:00.002-05:00

"Body of Work" is a phrase that is often used in the art world, but what does it mean? Last night I watched a program on "American Masters". It was about Jeff Bridges, the actor. I have always been fascinated by the Bridges family but have not seen many of Jeff Bridges movies. (I did see "Crazy Heart" and he definitely deserved the Oscar for that!) It was interesting to discover the varied and interesting characters he has played over the years. As he and other actors talked about Jeff's process for making a character real, I learned how much creative study goes into playing a part. For one of his movies he actually studied the moments of birds in order to play the part of "Starman". From the clip you could see how he used the tiny slow jerky movements of a baby bird, who is just learning about the world around him, and applied these movements to the character he played. This is definitely a creative adventure into playing a part. So, getting back to "Body of Work", here was a body of work presented that showed how over time and many films, Jeff Bridges could transform to play a number of different personalities by creative study. A "Body of Work" always presents the creative mind in motion. Sometimes it takes making time for yourself to discover the next thing. Sometimes it takes looking at your environment to discover the next thing. Sometimes it takes being part of a group of people who support and encourage even your craziest idea!

I feel like I am on a journey with my work. Right now I am feeling the need to do some exploring and playing with new possibilities. My journey is leading me into other avenues. I'm not sure where I will end up but I feel like I need to re-evaluate how I create my work along with how I sell my work. Is this a "Body of Work" in movement? Is there value in taking this time? The fine art world has always looked at a person's "Body of Work" as a growth and maturity factor in understanding one's message or style. The retail world of fine craft has not always been as concerned with this. The bottom line, especially for high end shows, is usually consistency of work. Are the two mutually compatible?

As I journey, I will post from time to time my progress and thinking. As part of a wider community, I'd love to have a dialogue on-going in the comments section. I'd love for you to be a part of my creative process to discovering what is next for me and my work.

Liturgical Stole

2011-01-05T20:48:00.001-05:00

For a long time I have entertained the idea of weaving Liturgical pieces. This is quite astonishing since I come from a non-liturgical denomination where the church liturgical calendar and liturgy was never a priority. Over the last 20 -25 years I have learned the colors for the various seasons and am interested in how these colors are used in the church calendar. I am also interested in how textiles play such an important part in the whole ecclesiastical environment.

In the previous post I talked about the participatory art installation that I worked on for Advent. Along with this I designed a stole for my husband for the Advent season. I had painted a warp over a year ago with the idea that I would make a stole. I used a combination of blue and red dyes so that the colorway goes from blue to purple throughout the stole. This combines the traditional Advent color of purple with the new color of blue.The warp was woven and then FEAR and PROCRASTINATION set in! It wasn't until this year that I pushed myself to explore new territory. I forged ahead sewing the stole and hoped that it would lie flat and stay where it was supposed to stay. It did! My husband loved it and wore it throughout Advent.

So here is the finished stole on my husband. What do you think?

Ecclesiastical Installation

2010-12-28T17:14:00.004-05:00

Its now the Christmas season in the liturgical calendar. During the advent season I worked once again with my church on a participatory art installation. During the four weeks in Advent a new piece of the installation was added with the last piece installed on Christmas Eve.

Working in a large scale format has been something I have been learning to do over the last couple of years. It is so totally different from my "women's wearable" work and so challenging that I am always amazed at how it turns out! I am committed to these ecclesiastical projects being not just observed but participatory. So in the planning many points of varied participation are built in. The process goes sort of like this:

Themes for the season, based on biblical passages, are developed by the persons responsible for worship. Sometimes it is a committee but more times it is my husband who happens to be the minister of First Baptist Church in Plymouth. We usually discuss various ways the theme will be played out in worship, I put on my thinking cap (usually in the shower!), and after much dreaming and envisioning come up with a basic idea. At that point other people are brought into the planning process and ideas begin to come together. Many times the idea evolves more fully as the piece evolves. Any artist will tell you, its an ever ongoing process!!!!!

The theme for this advent was Being/Becoming a People of Hope, Peace, Justice, and Faith. Each week in advent one of these themes would be the focus of worship. We chose to make banners out of silk which had these words stenciled on them, one word for each week, four banners in all.

So planning was the first point of participation involving members of the congregation. The second point of involvement was in the actual making of the piece. We had a total of 14 people involved at some point in the making and installing of the piece. This involved preparing the banners by sewing hems, making the stencils, and stenciling the words onto the banners.

The installation was another challenge as we decided to install the banners in the round at the front of the pulpit area. I am so thankful that we have one man in our church who can always figure out how to do this. I just have to say to him, Mike, this is what we want to do and how can we do it and he comes up with the idea! I call him my "Install Guy". "He's The Man" and I couldn't do it without him!!!!!!

So now we have two points of participation or connection. The third point happens each week as people enter the church and see the addition for that day's worship theme. We also had an insert in the bulletin each week which asked reflective questions so the worshiper was drawn into the piece in a way other than simply viewing it.

As each person entered the sanctuary they were given a white dove cut out of cardstock. At one point in the worship service they were asked to write on the dove the answer to the following question, where do you see signs of ........ (Hope, Peace, Justice, Faith)? The doves were collected to be used on Christmas Eve. This was point four of participation.

The final installation was on Christmas Eve when all the doves were installed in a descending manner in the center to celebrate the coming of Christ to the World. This created the fifth point of connection as all could view the final installment and celebrate that "Christ has Come"!

Since the Christmas season has just begun in the liturgical calendar the installation will be up for a few weeks. You can see more pictures on the church's website at http://www.fbc-plymouth.org/. If you live in Plymouth, stop by on a Sunday and you too can experience "this thing which has come to pass".

"And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory."

Christ has come! Hallelujah!

First Snow Fall

2010-12-20T20:43:00.002-05:00

The first snowfall of the season happened today and is still happening as I write! The wind is blowing and the snow is coming down. It looks so beautiful with all the Christmas lights lit on the houses along our street.

I was finishing up an order for a customer today and it was so nice to be warm inside looking out on the beautiful sight as I worked. there is a peacefulness about falling snow.

Here are a few pictures from my studio window taken this morning.

Later this afternoon I took this picture from our kitchen, looking out our back deck. You can see the snow flakes.

So it's really "beginning to look a lot like Christmas"! Just in time for my family from Florida to arrive!

Wishing you the Peacefulness of New Fallen Snow!

Annual Holiday Studio Open House

2010-12-03T10:10:00.003-05:00

My last show of the year is always in my studio. The looms are pushed back, the fiber dust bunnies are gone (or at least most of them), and I arrange the studio to look like a shop. You can see all my equipment (looms, warping boards, shuttles, sewing machines, etc) and the many types and colors of yarns that I use. It's a chance for you to see where and how I work with the added bonus of holiday shopping in a relaxed atmosphere and purchasing that special gift for someone on your Christmas list.

I also serve a wonderful Wassail punch along with some of my Christmas cookie favorites! Wassail for those of you who are now saying, "What is that!", is an Ancient English custom where the master of the English household (sorry for the not so politically correct gender reference) drank to the health of those present with spiced ale. The phrase Wass Hael or Be Well was repeated as each drank a cup from the bowl of Wassail.

If you are near Plymouth, stop by the studio on Saturday, drink a cup of Wassail, do some Holiday shopping, and sign up to win the door prize. I haven't decided yet what it will be but I'm leaning towards one of my $85 chenille scarves.

Time to go make the cookies!
Wassail!!!!

Mini Loop Scarves and Tassle Hats

2010-11-30T20:51:00.003-05:00

I designed some new items a few weeks ago for the Duxbury Show. Using the loop scarf idea I created a mini loop scarf that when worn looks like a rufled collar or very fancy wrapped scarf.

The technique uses differential shrinkage to create the ruffles. The principle is based on the fact that different yarns shrink at different rates. Wool shrinks at a faster rate than silk or tencel. Having that knowledge gives me a wealth of design possibilities. So how does it begin?

I first make a sample weaving. This tells me how close to sett the yarn and where to place the yarns that I want to shrink. It gives me a chance to play around with different color possibilites and to observe what happens when the yarns are woven and then washed.

Woven Sampler

From the sampler I make adjustments to the warp on the loom and decide what colors I will use in the weft. Then the piece is woven.

After twisting the fringe and washing, the scarf is ready for someone to wear.

Finished Mini Loop Scarf

Another new item for me is my Tassle Hat. When I went into my stash of extra woven fabric, I played around with it to make a more informal hat than my beret style hat. I added a spiral tassle and a handwoven flower and VOILA, a hat is born!

These hats have lots of additude for the fun loving person.

If you are in the Plymouth, MA area you can see both of these items at my Holiday Studio Open House on Saturday, December 4. Check my website for details, http://www.judyconnorjones.com/.

I love to hear your comments about my work especially new pieces so leave a comment and tell me what you think. You can also help others know about my work by passing on this blog for them to read and comment.

"Here's looking at you kid"! (I just saw Cassablanca the other night and couldn't resist using the quote. That's a great movie!)

The Old Tavern

2010-11-26T22:23:00.002-05:00

My husband and I spent Thanksgiving at The Old Tavern in Grafton, VT. This has been a favorite place of ours for over 25 years. When our family could not come for Turkey dinner this year, we decided not to sit around and have a pity party but instead headed up to Vermont. It was just what we needed. The innkeepers were fabulous hosts. We watched the parade in the Phelps Barn sitting by the fire and relaxing on the couches just as if it was our own home. Jeff offered to tend the fire making it feel even more like home! We had the added bonus of being surrounded by a wonderful art exhibit that was hung in the barn. One of the artists was a quilt artist who uses repurposed items and embellishes, embellishes, embellishes!!!!! Her work was a feast for the fiber artist's eyes! Could life get any better, sitting by a fire, sourrounded by art work, having someone else cook the turkey, and being in quaint and charming Grafton, VT.

On our way back we stopped at a tree farm and cut down our Christmas tree. Believe me this is the earliest we have ever gotten our tree. Most years we are frantic trying to find the time to go get our tree. Since we moved to Plymouth we have yet to find a good tree farm where you can cut your own. So it was really special to end our Thanksgiving adventure by cutting down our tree and diving back with wonderful pine smells in the car.

Last stop was King Arthur Flour Co. Who knew that this spot would be where everyone in Norwich, VT goes on Black Friday!!!! It was mobbed! We persevered and stocked up on our Christmas baking supplies. It's really starting to look a lot like Christmas!

So if you are looking for a great get away in the middle of all the hecticness, I highly recommend The Old Tavern at Grafton. Check them out at http://www.oldtavern.com/. Wander around the area, check out The Old Country Store in Weston , and if you make it to King Arthur Flour Co, just make sure it's not Black Friday!

Here's what you missed!

2010-11-08T11:50:00.003-05:00

My last post was the end of September. My how time flies! Anyway, here's a brief synopsis of what's happened over the last month.

I had a great day on Saturday at the Wheaton Arts Show in Millville, NJ. The weather was perfect fall weather, my neighbors were a potter and a photographer who were great, and I had wonderful friends who helped me set up and take down. Sunday was a different story weather wise as it rained and very few people attended, the unfortunate and unpredictable plight of this business! But I had a nice visit with friends and with my mom who lives in NJ.

After working so hard to be ready for shows in August, September, and October, I came home from NJ with a 7 week respite until the next show. I had to ship items off to Guilford, CT for a show called "Artistry" at the Guilford Art Center. The show is by invitation and runs from Nov. 4 - January 9. I consider it an honor to be invited to this event as the quality of work represented is excellent. Visit their site at http://www.guilfordartcenter.org/ and if you are in the area, stop by, check it out, and do some holiday shopping. I have a good representation of work there.

My 7 week respite allowed me some time for small pleasure excursions to enjoy the fall foliage and local landscape. I'm a big fan of Louisa May Alcott and always wanted to visit her family home in Concord, MA. So my husband and I decided to take a day to head north of Plymouth and visit Concord. We had a great day visiting Louisa's house (which by the way, due to settling is so unlevel in places that I felt nauseous!), Minute Man Park and the Old North Bridge (remember your history, "The shot heard round the world"?) I remember writing a book report on "Little Women" in 7th grade and drawing a picture of this house, "Orchard House" for the cover. I was so proud of that cover!

Me at Orchard House

Jeff and me at North Bridge

We ended the day by going apple picking! What fun! I haven't done that for years, since my children were little! (And that has been a looooooong time!) Some of those apples have been eaten, some of them have been baked into breads and apple bars, others are yet to be made into apple pie. Our freezer is full of apple delights!

Don't these look delicious!

My next show which I am getting ready for now is in Duxbury, MA. It is November 20 and 21 at Duxbury High School. It is sponsored by the Duxbury Art Association and it has been a good event for me in previous years. I hope this year will be also. Check out show information at http://www.duxburyart.org/. Stop by and see what is new in my booth.

So that's what you missed! (I won't mention the wicked cold I just got over which lasted for 10 days!)

Life has been full!

If you enjoy reading this blog, forward it on to someone else who might also enjoy reading it. You can also sign up to be a fan. I love to know who is following my blog!

Till next time, I'll be working in the studio!

Loop scarves

2010-09-29T10:43:00.005-04:00

Sunday I did a show at UMASS Boston. It was sponsored by the Laboure Center which is part of Catholic Charities. The Laboure Center helps woman and children who need resources and assistance. The event was a fashion show and boutique fund raiser. I was part of the boutique.

It was held in the campus center which looks out onto the Ocean. What a beautiful setting. My space was set up in a place where I could look out on the water on one side and on the other see Sister Corita's wonderful abstract rainbow painting on one of the gas tanks on the shoreline. You can Goggle her to learn more about her.

I sold a couple of my hand dyed loop scarves and when I went to the ballroom to take a peak at the fashion show, I saw that one of the women was already wearing the scarf! What a lovely compliment!

My next show is this coming Saturday and Sunday at Wheaton Arts in Millville, NJ. I have been doing this show for 7 or 8 years and it is always a good show for me. You can get more information by going to my website, http://www.judyconnorjones.com/. If you are in the area, please stop by, let me know that you follow my blog, and check out my warp painted hand dyed loop scarves.

Rainbows and Hopes

2010-09-14T10:48:00.001-04:00

At the end of the Mad River Valley Show, while we were breaking down, a beautiful double rainbow appeared! Since we were in an open field, you could see the complete arch. This actually was the second time that weekend I saw a rainbow. This was the more spectacular one. Those of us who were still taking our tents down, stood in awe at the sight. One of the exhibitors remarked that our "Pot of Gold" was waiting at the end! (Maybe that means the next show!)

The Mad River Valley Show was a success. Sales were down from last year but better than the year before. It seems to be a fairly stable show take a few hundred dollars one way or the other. Would I have liked to have done better? Yes, but there are other pluses to doing this show besides income. I love being in VT this time of year. The scenery is beautiful and the weather is usually a little "coolish" in the morning and evening giving me a taste of fall. I also get to visit with other artist friends who have become like family. It's a happy time. Despite the threat of rain, it held off until the very end and just a few sprinkles occurred as we were taking down the tent. It actually was a beautiful weekend.

So the rainbow is a promise. Take it to mean what ever you want. I choose to think it means hang in there, good things are coming!

See you at the next show! Check out my schedule at http://www.judyconnorjones.com/

Mad River Valley Show

2010-08-31T10:10:00.001-04:00

This weekend is the Mad River Valley Show. It's always Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend. It is the "finale" event of the 2 week Vermont Festival of the Arts. I always enjoy doing this show. It gives me a taste of the beginning of Fall in the beautiful mountains of VT. I've made many friends there and it is a chance to spend some time with them at the end of the day. The show is put on by The Valley Players, a theater group in Waitsfield, and this is the 40th Anniversary of the Show.

So if you want to get a taste of Fall, enjoy beautiful scenery and excellent crafts, come visit me at:

Mad River Valley Craft Fair

Kenyon's Field

Route 100, Waitsfield, VT

Saturday 10 - 5

Sunday 10 - 4

The first 40 people get in free so get there early! See you at the Fair!

Goodbye/Hello

2010-08-17T11:54:00.001-04:00

I said goodbye to an old friend last Friday! We traded in the Ford Windstar for a brand new Honda Odyssey. The Windstar was the best car/mini van I have ever driven. I loved that car. It was perfect for carrying my booth and other items to shows. (It had the largest cubic capacity of all the mini vans at the time we bought it). I am short and I could actually see above most things on the road! (I'm one of those people when you are behind them, you wonder if anyone is driving the car!!!) The Windstar was well broken in! Perhaps too broken in as, after 10 years and over 100,000 miles, it started to have some costly problems, but not until then. So this fall when I am out on the road going to shows I will have more confidence that the car will not fail. So it's Hello to the Odyssey!

My husband and I will have to figure out a new packing plan. It looks like the new car has more flexible packing space and loads of options. We just need to figure out what is best.

The first test will be my show over Labor Day weekend in Waitsfield, Mad River Valley, VT. Come visit me and see how it all worked! http://www.madrivercraftfair.com/

Speaking of shows, I never mentioned how the Chase Center on the Riverfront Show went. Sales were slow, probably a reflection of the economy as many artists said the same thing. The Chase Center is beautiful and the show was full of wonderful craft artists and their work. I had fun seeing friends and perusing the interesting and exciting work that was exhibited. We also got to stay in a fabulous hotel at a discount rate for exhibitors, The Hotel DuPont in Wilmington.

Here are a few pictures of setting up the booth in the Chase Center.

Ready to Go!

Radio Interview

2010-08-10T20:26:00.001-04:00

Today I had an opportunity to be interviewed for a short radio spot which will air tomorrow morning. The spot is sponsored by the Plymouth Art Guild and is called "Hats Off to the Arts". Each week an artist is featured and talks about their work. This week it was me!!!! I've never done a radio interview before. What fun! The spot is only about 3 minutes of air time and will air tomorrow morning, Wednesday, August 11 at around 7:10 am. Thank goodness I could tape it today at a more reasonable hour!!! So if you are in the Plymouth/South Shore area, tune in to 95.9 WATD - FM in Marshfield, MA. Those of you who live farther away, you can listen on-line by going to www.959watd.com I just hope I sound intelligent!!!!!! Or at least a little bit interesting!!!!! Let me know what you think.

Off to a Show

2010-07-28T13:52:00.001-04:00

I'm off again to a show. This time it is in Wilmington, DE. It is a show put on by the PA Guild of Craftsmen. I am a juried member of this organization and have been connected with this guild for quite some time. To be a juried member means that my work has been examined by a team of members who look for excellence in craftsmanship (or "craftwomanship" as the case may be!) and original creative design. It is quite an achievement to reach this status and I am proud that my work is considered to be of such high quality.

So if you want to see a great craft show full of excellent and gifted artists' work, then come visit us this weekend, July 31 and August 1, at Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, DE. I am thrilled to be in the company of all these wonderful artists. The show is indoors so you will be comfortable no matter what the weather. Check out my booth (#432) and see my new work, "Loop Scarves" and "Summer Tops".

More info can be found on the guild's website, http://www.pacrafts.org/, including special deals for staying at The Hotel Dupont. Click on the crafts person link and see who will be there. You might recognize a few names!

Hope to see you at the show. Let me know that you read my blog!

Wedding

2010-07-26T09:54:00.001-04:00

The wedding was beautiful. It was outdoors in Newport , RI at Castle Hill Inn. The weather was hot and humid (bad hair weekend!) but a beautiful day. The wedding took place overlooking Narragansett Bay and couldn't have been prettier. The bride and groom were surrounded by friends and family and the ceremony was officiated by our friend, the Rev. Professor Peter Gomes. Peter is also a Bates College alum as are Chris and SooAe. The traditional "Batesy" photo was taken with all the bates alums who were there. My guess is there were about 25 of them!

Jeff and me

We had a great time visiting with friends from PA and NJ. My son's friends from High School were there, about 8 of them. It was fun to see them as young men, all grown up and yet still at moments acting like those HS boys I remember so well! I remember the "field of dreams" team playing Wiffle Ball in our back yard and the after Thanksgiving football game which is a tradition they still continue to do! (They have more aches and pains now!)

The memories were sweet and the new journey begins for Chris and SooAe. They looked so happy. My son just beamed! I love to see that and wish only the best for them in the coming years.

Mr and Mrs Christopher Matthew Jones

Another Wedding!

2010-07-14T11:05:00.001-04:00

We will be celebrating another wedding this weekend! Our oldest son is getting married. The weaving is put on hold for a few days as final preparations are made. As with all special family occasions you can't help but reflect. I think of that baby I held and comforted many times. I think of that little boy I use to read to during our special time at the Library. I think of that young child who loved to play in the snow and I think of that older child who won a blue ribbon for his first place chocolate chip cookies. (I wonder if his fiancee knows that!) I think of that preteen who played Wiffle Ball in our back yard with what I call "The Field of Dreams Team". (Most of them are coming to the wedding!) I think of that teenager who experienced growing pains. I also think of that young man who went to Bates, traveled and lived in China, matured, and learned to be a world traveler who appreciates the lifestyles of those different from his.

Now he is on a new journey, one of being a husband, soul mate, and loving partner to a beautiful young woman who has her own story to tell. They will begin a new life together. We once again will expand our family. I can't wait to celebrate!

Best wishes to Chris and SooAe!

A Brief Encounter

2010-07-01T11:04:00.001-04:00

Pierre Tullier died last week. I've been thinking a lot about this. (Pierre is second from the left in the picture.) Why should this be important to me? I met Pierre about a year ago when my husband and I traveled to Washington, DC for his Page School Reunion. (I won't tell you how many years but let's just say it was during the 60's.) Jeff and Pierre were Pages together and spent many high school days working in the Senate and going to class at 6:30 in the morning! It was fun hearing about the "Glory Days" and all the things that went on behind the scenes with the various Senators, the remembrances of the Kennedy brothers, Martin Luther King , Lyndon Johnson and the social gatherings with Lucy Baines Johnson . It was interesting to hear the insights to all that was happening politically during the Vietnam years. Everyone agreed that they were present during a very unforgettable and unique time in American history.

Pierre and I had several conversations about life and business. He was very interested in what I did as a weaver and fiber artist. He took my card, the weekend ended and everyone went their separate ways. That was my first brief encounter with Pierre Tullier.

The second encounter was when I received a call last December and much to my surprise it was

Pierre. He had kept my card and wanted to buy scarves as presents for his family members. Thinking he was talking about 5 or 6 scarves, I was blown away when he said I'll take all the chenille scarves you have in stock!!! That was 29 scarves! Trying to maintain my cool (like this happens all the time!) I was happy to oblige! Little did Pierre know that after I hung up the phone there was a lot of dancing around the studio!!!!!! So Pierre had entered my life again in a another brief encounter.

I don't think Pierre knew that his purchase "made my year" and helped my struggling business survive and make a profit. I don't think Pierre knew that it helped me to make the last 2 quarters of my Social Security requirements. I don't think Pierre knew that it enabled me to think differently about my work and aim for better, more expensive shows. I owe a big thank you to him.

But then again, maybe he had an inkling of how important that sale was. He knew that my business was trying to get back off the ground after moving to MA. He knew that I had hopes and dreams to expand. He knew that an artist's life is unpredictable. But I also think he knew and understood the passion that comes with the work of an artist. He was a wonderful photographer himself.

My connection to Pierre was too short. We encounter people briefly all the time and then they are gone out of our lives. Sometimes it is more significant then other times but life makes no promises. It's important to live each encounter to the fullest no matter how brief. I liked Pierre. I wish we had more opportunities for extended encounters. I grieve for his family and wish them God's abundant peace and love in the days to come.

So where did all those 29 scarves go? I don't know but I hope the recipients are wearing them with both Pierre's and my blessings.

After the Show

2010-06-23T20:20:00.002-04:00

Ever wonder what happens after a show? Do artists wander off in the sunset, happy to have been sitting at a show all weekend selling lots of work and chatting with customers? Well sometimes, yes. But more likely the show work continues on after the show is over. For me breaking down after a show takes about 2 -2 1/2 hours. Then it's the trip home which varies depending on where the show is located. At the other end there is unpacking and putting the tent, display items and all my work away. Whew, are you tired yet?

Sometimes the work goes on to the next day as it did this past Monday. The show in Cohasset ended with 2 storm systems coming through on Sunday afternoon. One was a thunder and lightening storm with 2 really close lightning strikes! I have to admit it was a little scary being in a tent with metal poles! We had to break down in the rain so everything was thrown in the Windstar wet. On Monday morning the tent had to be set up in the back yard, hosed down to get the acid rain off of it, and dried out to be ready for the next show. The floor mats also had to be hosed down as they were muddy from the rain. All the garments had to be pressed. Creases form when they are damp and put in the garment bags for transit. I still have to unload a few boxes from the car. Are you tired yet?

This is the unglamorous side of being a craft show artist. So why do we continue to do this? Are we all crazy?! Well, yes, a little! But I like to think it's really about passion. Artist's are passionate about what they do! Artist's need affirmation. When you buy our work it is the greatest affirmation we can receive. It tells us that you are paying attention and relate to what we are doing. We like to tell you about our work and we like to see your eyes light up when the work speaks to you. We are sharing ourselves with you.

It's a special treat when someone connects perfectly with a piece of your work so that you know it was meant for only them. That happened to me this weekend when a lovely young woman bought one of my shrugs titled "Tribute to the Women of Jane Austen". It was to be her birthday present. When she tried the shrug on it was like magic. It was perfect on her. When I told her the name of the piece which was created after watching the PBS series on Jane Austen (you can read about it if you go to the archives under April, 2008) she told me how much she loved Jane Austen and was a big fan of all her work. Perfect!!!! That shrug has been waiting for her!!! That moment was worth all the work it takes to do a show! I hope she has many years of wearing that shrug!

Show Week

2010-06-16T09:57:00.001-04:00

I'm frantically getting ready for a show this weekend. It seems that all special occasions in my house fall on a show weekend or near one so that I am preoccupied with either the show itself or getting ready.

My husband and I celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary on Monday. (I can't possibly be that old!) I am so lucky to have found a wonderful man who will support this crazy craft show life I lead. He has been cooking meals, washing the dishes, baking bread, and washing the clothes ( the bread and clothes he does all the time)! How lucky can a girl get! When I look back at our 35 years I can't imagine it being any different than it has been. (Well, maybe the job loss in 2002 didn't have to happen! But then again I wouldn't be in Plymouth enjoying this historic seaside retreat if it hadn't happen.) I can't imagine a better life partner.

So as I work hard to get ready for this show, I know Jeff will be there for me. He will be my "roadie", helping me set up and take down. He will understand when I come home exhausted every night this weekend. And he will enthusiastically support my artistic abilities.

So if you are in the area come visit me at the show. Here is the information:

Judy Connor Jones
Weaving/Fiber Art
www.judyconnorjones.com
Come visit me at the South Shore Art Center Arts Festival on June 18 - 20.

See my new work:

Brand New Painted Warp Loop Scarves

Brand new Silk & Tencel Summer Tops

Silk & Wool “Collapse Weave” Scarves

Chenille “Butterfly” Jacket

I will also have my signature Chenille Crop and Tunic Tops along with Chenille Scarves, Knitted Purses, and Handwoven Quilted Hats.

55th Annual South Shore Art Center Arts Festival
June 18, 2-7pm
June 19, 10am-7pm
June 20, noon-5pm
Cohasset Town Common
Cohasset, MA
http://www.ssac.org/

Model: Jessica Hansen

Photographer: Mike Ritter

All work is copyrighted and may not be used without permission.

The Weaving Process

2010-06-11T21:19:00.001-04:00

Some of my work is called "painted warp". I've talked about his before on my blog and if you go back in the archives you can find pictures of the actual dying process. Today I want to show you what happens after the painted warp is put on the loom and the weaving process begins. After the warp is beamed, threaded, and tied onto the front apron bar the weaving process begins. One of the challenges with painted warp is finding a color to weave that will blend with the variety of color that has been dyed into the yarn. Sometimes the choice is an easy analogous one and other times the yarn must act as a neutral to work with many colors as in my "Faith Element" Series Scarves. The pictures here are of a warp I am weaving for my new "Loop Scarves". This warp is in an analogous color scheme.

The blue, purple and green dyes were painted on the yarn and blended together to produce very subtle color variations. The pattern is a 6 shaft broken twill variation.

Come see the finished product at the South Shore Art Center Arts Festival June 18-20 on the Cohasset Common in Cohasset, MA. Check my website for details, http://www.judyconnorjones.com/.

Back from Vacation

2010-05-28T10:35:00.001-04:00

We just got back from 2 weeks in lovely Sarasota, Florida. It was hot compared to New England but it was beautiful. We had a great time visiting with our family and friends not to mention walking the beach, dipping our toes in the Gulf, reading books, and lazing around the pool. What a life! Neither Jeff nor I realized how much we needed this vacation until we noticed that it took the first 3 days doing nothing to unwind and feel relaxed! I actually read 2 great books plus got caught up on all my craft and weaving journals! I never have time to do that!

So here are a few pictures from our 2 weeks in Paradise! Hope it refreshes you!

Friendly Egret who joined us for our Bar-B-Q picnic! He was waiting for a hand out!

One of the ponds at Gulf and Bay on Siesta Key. We are so fortunate to be able to stay here!

Drumming Circle on the Beach at Sunset:

Siesta Key Beach as sunset nears:

Goodbye to a perfect vacation! Can't wait for next year!

After the Open House

2010-05-04T11:03:00.001-04:00

It was a great day on Saturday! The weather was perfect and the conversation with people who came was fun and inspiring.

I enjoy connecting with the people who follow and appreciate my work. Having an Open House is a wonderful way to tell people about how I make my pieces and what is new. It also gives me a chance in a more relaxed setting to see how my pieces fit and work for people. I can have a conversation about what they like and what they would like to see me do. I always listen and evaluate those comments as they are helpful in my design process. An Open House also gives me a chance to connect with customers on a more personal basis.

I always offer a door prize as it is good advertising for me and it always makes people happy to know that they can try to win a piece of my work just by coming to the studio. The winner at the May Day Open House was Joy Burns from Plymouth. She won one of my new Eco-Green Ribbon Necklaces. I make these from left over scraps of my fabric and then raid my "stash of stuff" for embellishments. I also make Eco-Green Pins. They are all one of a kind and are created "as the design spirits move"! I do not take these necklaces and pins to shows as I am not juried in as a jewelry artist. If you want to see my Eco-Green Jewelry you have to schedule an appointment at my studio or come to an Open House.

Here's a picture of the door prize:

My next show will be June 18.19. & 20 on the Cohasset Town Common in Cohasset, MA. It is sponsored by The South Shore Art Center and you can get more information on their website at http://www.ssac.org/ .

If you didn't make it to the Open House, come visit me at the Cohasset show, say hello, and let me know that you follow my blog.

May Day Studio Open House

2010-04-29T12:10:00.001-04:00

I'm having a "May Day" Studio Open House. If you live in and around Plymouth you are invited to come!

You are invited to a Studio Open House

Saturday, May 1, 2010

10am - 5 pm

Visit the studio and see my new work including fiber jewelry.

Welcome "May Day" in with punch and cookies and chat with the artist (that would be me!).

Items will be for sale.

Remember Mother's day is coming up!

Visit my website, http://www.judyconnorjones.com/ for e-mail address to get directions.

Soapberries

2010-04-26T13:40:00.001-04:00

Have you ever heard of soapberries? I hadn't until a few months ago when I went to my local farmer's market at Plimoth Plantation. One of the vendors was selling soapberries. OK, I was curious! What are soapberries? Do you eat them? Do you plant them? No, you wash with them, hence the name soapberries! Well, I listened to how ecologically sound these berries were and how they come from a tree plentiful in India and China. Some can be found in Florida and California but they are not as plentiful in the USA. These berries have a sap called saponin which is a natural cleaning agent. Who knew! Well, apparently alot of people knew!!!! Just Goggle soapberries and you will be surprised how many people use them and all the information that is out there. So for a mere $2.50 I bought a sample bag and tried them. I loved them!

It takes about 4-5 whole berries to do a wash. Each berry lasts around 5 washes although I have found them to last longer. When they deteriorate and only the thin shell is left, you put them out in your garden for compost! We have been using the soapberries now for at least a month and a half. Our clothes are clean and we are helping Mother Earth. Our septic system especially the leaching field says "Thank You". I'm also using them to wash my handwoven fabrics that I sell so rest assure you will not be getting a product that has been washed in chemicals.

Here's a picture of the soapberries. You just put 4-5 of them in the muslin bag and throw it in the wash.

Check them out at http://www.soberryclean.com/ and if you live in Plymouth, MA go to the next Farmer's Market on May 19 at Plimoth Plantation and check them out for yourself.

Another cleaning product I use is called Eucalan. It is made for washing woolen items. It is a no rinse lanolin enriched natural wash product. It comes in Unscented, Eucalyptus, Lavender, or Grapefruit. I use this product to wash and finish my wool and silk collapse weave scarves. You simple pour it in, squeeze the item gently to loosen up the soil, and let it soak for 15 minutes. No need to rinse. Your wool items come out clean and smelling great. I always give customers who buy a collapse weave scarf a sample of this product. With only one application of water there is less chance of felting. You avoid agitation and water temperature differences which are the things that cause shrinking and felting of wool. Since this is a product not easily found in stores I carry 100 ml bottles of it, available for purchase, in my studio.

So, be kind to the earth. We are the caretakers of this world. Let's get better at it!!!

Photo Shoot

2010-04-17T10:25:00.001-04:00

Every few years I need to invest in good photography of my work. Since I enter juried shows it is a must to have photography that best represents my work. When I first started out selling my work in 1990, I was lucky enough to get into a well known local show in Rochester, NY with just photos I had taken. As the competition for spots in shows increased, that no longer was enough so I made a trade for photo shots with a friend and amateur photographer and a local high school girl who was an aspiring model. She received the experience and modeling shots, my photographer friend received fashion photography experience, and I received photo shots of my work for juring into shows. That all worked for a while, but then I realized how many times people were attracted to the model who was beautiful, young, and always smiling into the camera. I don't know how many times I was asked if she was my daughter! While I would have loved to claim her as my daughter (I have 2 boys!) I wanted people to notice and remark about the clothes! I was beginning to learn that professional or semi professional shots are complicated!

To make this story short, it is time for new photography of my work. On Tuesday I went into the South End of Boston with assorted pieces of my work (many new items) and had a 4 hour photography session. The photographer I am working with is very good. I discovered him at a show I did in Boston last Nov. I've been working with him to develop his skill in the juried show photo area. These shots are different than just a straight product shot. They require a background which makes the object pop while not creating a stark glaring difference. The shots must help the jury focus on the work.

The model we hired was great. She too must be able to show the clothes to their best advantage even when they are a size too big! Both of these people must work well together and between all 3 of us we bring suggestions and expertise "to the table". I would definitely work with both of these people again. It was a fun long tiring day but I received some great images of my work and made some new friends.

Thanks, Mike and Jessica. It was fun working with you.

Here are a few images from the photo shoot.

Photography Credit: Mike Ritter, http://www.ritterbin.com/

Model: Jessica Hansen http://www.jessicahansen.com/

All work on this blog is copyrighted.

Alleluia!

2010-04-03T20:33:00.002-04:00

During the six weeks of Lent First Baptist Church in Plymouth has been on a “Journey to Newness.” We have experienced the sign posts of temptation, challenge, reliance, grace, assurance, and boldness along the way. Each of us has traveled our own path and along the way we have encounter others headed for the same destination, the newness that the resurrection brings.

A significant part of our journey to newness has been to let go of the past and yet at the same time use the past to help shape the future. We symbolized that by taking the old purple panels that hung in the sanctuary previous years during Lent and making them into something new. I worked with a small group in the church to create the new art experience within the context of worship. The art piece we created symbolized our starting out on separate paths, which merged as we traveled along the way to the cross and newness.

Now it is Easter. The newness has emerged. The purple has been replaced by white. Our paths are now woven together as we experience the Resurrected Christ. Our many paths have become one. We are one and yet many as we each journey in newness out into the world.

Alleluia! Have a Joyous and Blessed Easter!

Ecclesiastical Installation

2010-03-15T11:27:00.001-04:00

I've mentioned before in this blog about working with my church on what I call "Experiential Art Within the Context of Worship". Long title but it best describes one way I feel that art can be expressed in the worship setting. By that I mean all who enter are in some way participants with the art. They are not just observers but are caught up in the art by either making it or being encompassed by it.

The first Lent that my husband and I were at First Baptist Church in Plymouth, we worked with the congregation to experience God's wonderful gift of creativity. We all have it somewhere and in some form. We just need to find it and have it brought forth. My belief is that a God who creates in his/ her own image would surely give humans the ability to create. It can show up in many forms according to the gift of each individual.

The first Lent we dyed 14 silk panels purple and hung them throughout the sanctuary so that no matter where you sat you were a part of the hue of purple, the liturgical color during Lent . So after 4 Lenten seasons we decided that the panels were losing their effectiveness and that something new needed to happen. Since the theme for Lent this year was to be "Journey to Newness" we decided to rip up those panels and make them into something new. So a new journey began.

I worked with a small group to decide what we would do with all this purple fabric. We discussed the journey theme and decided that we were all travelers on different paths headed toward a common destination, the Cross and Resurrection. Symbolically we designed pathways from the torn panels which extend throughout the sanctuary and lead to the cross. This is all hung high in the sanctuary so all who enter are encompassed in the art and can experience it from where they sit. The weekly themes which are talked about in the sermon are added to the end of the paths each week. Those themes are Temptation, Challenges, Reliance, Grace, Assurance, and Boldness.

We are now in the process of working on the next phase of this installation which is to rip up the white panels that had previously hung for Easter and make them into a woven pathway which will extend from the cross out into the sanctuary on Easter morning. The paths will be white, the liturgical color for Easter, and they will be woven together as symbolically we all join the same journey from the Cross out into the world and into newness.

If you are in or near Plymouth, come see and experience the wonderful gift of creativity and be a part of the journey. The church website is http://www.fbc-plymouth.org/.

Blessings for the Journey!

"One of a Kind"

2010-02-21T20:07:00.001-05:00

From time to time I enjoy departing from weaving scarves and tops in order to do "one of a kind pieces". When I weave a garment many times there is left over warp so I continue to weave cloth that can be used for something else at another time. These pieces of handwoven cloth go into my extra fabric stash. When I am ready I pull them out and make something with them. Sometimes it's a handwoven embellished purse, sometimes it becomes the embellishment on something, and other times it becomes a shrug.

A shrug for those of you who do not know is a shawl type garment that has a very small sleeve seam so that when worn if it falls off your shoulder the sleeves will keep it from leaving the body completely.

I just finished working on one of these. They are time consuming as I am designing the embellishments as I go. I am hunting through my stash of interesting fabric, trims, beads, buttons, etc. in hopes of finding just the right items to use.

This time I looked into my stash of samples from a complex cloth class I took which was taught by Jane Dunnewold (the complex cloth guru!). These samples are only about 10" x 12"and are dyed, over dyed, discharged, screen printed, stamped, and painted. Multiple techniques are used to make the cloth design. Since I have documented all the processes used for each sample, I am free to use them , soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, I decided to cut them on the bias and use them for trim and binding.

Here are a few pictures of the process. It goes like this:

These are my complimentary complex cloth samples. One has been dyed, over dyed, discharged, stenciled, stamped and printed. The other has only been dyed and over dyed.

Bias trim is cut from both cloths.

I organize the fabrics. Here are 3 complex cloth fabrics and 2 handwoven fabrics. All will be sewn together. I love this color combination!

The bias trim is applied to the handwoven fabric. The other complimentary fabric is used as piping.

Seams are covered for a couture finish.

Here is the completed piece with the third complex sample creating the binding along the upper edge.

Drawing Inspiration

2010-02-03T10:01:00.001-05:00

Recently I visited the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA. There is a wonderful exhibit right now called "Rare Bird of Fashion: The Irreverent Iris Apfel". Basically it is the fashions from one woman's closet! But, OH MY, what an interesting closet! And even more interesting is the way she puts pieces together.

Iris Apfel is a women of flamboyant and eclectic tastes. In her wardrobe are pieces from designers and pieces from flea markets around the world. She has a knack for pairing the most unusual with couture designs. She converts large Turkish belt buckles to brooches, Bakelite sample chips to necklaces, and unusual Tibetan carrying cases to purses.

I think my 2 favorite pieces in the whole show are an Antonio del Castillo (circa 1961) gold lame ribbon applique, beads, and rhinestone evening coat. It is spectacular! I have a friend who I know would covet it instantly!

The other piece is much simpler. It is a beautiful Krizia (1980) cornelian twin sweater set paired with a multicolored silk brocade, silk damask, and silk embroidered wrap skirt. The fabric is from the Chinese, Qing Dynasty! It is accessorized with a very long silk corded necklace of cornelian, jade, and metal. Once again from the Chinese, Qing Dynasty. (I'd love to shop at the flea markets where she shops!) I could see myself wearing this many times over!

The point that Iris makes over and over again (and she is alive and well in New York) is discover your style. Express yourself through clothes, have fun with them, and don't be afraid of what other's think. I have to add that it helps if you have a little bit of a sense of what looks interesting and fashionable together with out being costume-y or clownish! Sometimes there is a fine line!

This exhibit is only on until Feb 7 (Sunday). If you can't make the exhibit you can check out pictures on-line at http://www.pem.org/. There is also a wonderful article written for the Boston Globe about Iris and the exhibit. Go to http://www.boston.com/ and google Iris Apfel.

Hope this inspires you to be creative and express yourself through apparel and accessories. Live adventurously! Be a work of art!

20 Years!

2010-01-14T09:44:00.001-05:00

As is my custom the first couple weeks in January, I take inventory and get all my information together for taxes. This year as I was doing my inventory I noticed that I have had some yarns for 20 years! Yikes!!!! As I was thinking about that and remembering what I was originally going to weave with those yarns, I realized that this year, 2010, celebrates 20 years of my business!

I started the business in 1990 when we lived in Rochester, NY and my sons were 10 and 7. I and 2 other friends got together, invited a few other friends, called ourselves Artisans 3+ and had a home show. We were the 3 J's, Jinny, Jeannie, and Judy! Jinny does Quilling and makes wonderful small quilled dolls called "Jinisans". Jeannie is a skilled Counted Cross Thread Embroiderer. She does beautiful reproduction samplers. We had great fun planning the sale and admiring each other's work!

I think that first year I sold around $500 worth of items in our one day sale to friends and family. There are some shows today that I have not sold as much! Today I don't consider that a good show but in 1990 that was great for a beginning one day home show.

Twenty years and 2 moves later, I am still in business. Each move the business took a little set back as I re-established myself. This last move took several years to get back into the business swing but I am looking forward to my 20th year being the best year yet!

I am grateful to all of you who have supported me throughout those 20 years, especially my husband, Jeff. Without your loyalty to what I do, your encouragement, and your advice, I wouldn't still be doing this. I am also grateful for all my loyal buyers who continue to buy from me and tell other people about my work. When I see you wearing one of my scarves or tops or hats, it makes it all worth while. I love hearing from you and love seeing you at shows.

I am still in touch with Jinny and Jeannie even though we live miles apart. They were a significant part of my learning and growing the business. Thank you J & J.

Check out that curly hair! OK, OK, don't laugh too much. It was 20 years ago! My husband says I've improved with age and am better looking today! Bless him! He knows the right thing to say!

Newness

2010-01-02T16:51:00.001-05:00

It's a new year and a new decade! I remember how apprehensive we all were when the millennium was new. Something about newness that brings worry along with anticipation. Can they ever be separated? Without the worry, the anticipation would probably not be as exciting.

As this new year begins, I look out my window and see white snow falling. White, pure snow is a sign of newness for me. I remember when we lived in Rochester, NY and it snowed almost every day from November to March. They were long (very long!) winters but the snow was always fresh and made new by the daily snowfall. It brought light to a winter which seemed to go on forever! I sold a lot of white mohair scarves!

We have had a lot of snow this winter so far. There was the blizzard on Dec. 19/20. We had 20 inches of snow, just in time for our family to arrive from Florida! Our new daughter-in-law who has lived in Florida all her life was able to experience a white Christmas for the first time. We manged to have some snow fall while she was here letting her have the full snow experience! We kept the fireplace going so everyone would be "toasty warm". Hot chocolate seemed to be popular too! (A perfect New England Christmas!)

So the snow outside my window is reminding me of warm family get togethers along with new experiences and thoughts of all the new things to happen in 2010.

I wish you new thoughts, new adventures, new friends, new experiences, and a sense of newness in everything you do. Happy New Year! May 2010 be your best year yet!

Here are pictures from the Blizzard! We woke up to snow covered windows. It looked like a scene in Dr. Zhivago!

A message of Hope!

2009-12-24T15:34:00.001-05:00

I love this time of year! This year we are very blessed to have my son and daughter-in-law here along with my husband's sister. They all live in Florida and we have managed to have 18-20 inches of snow on the ground for a White Christmas. We've enjoyed sharing a cold snowy New England Christmas with them around a warm fire. We will also have our other son and future daughter-in-law here on Christmas Day. We are blessed to have family that can be with us.

For me, Christmas has always been more than just a holiday. It is a time of waiting for Promises to be fulfilled, for Wonder to stop me in my tracks, and for Hope to be reclaimed. For me it is about God's wonderful and abundant love for all humankind. That love was and is being fulfilled in the promise of a baby, the wonder of a night long ago, and the hope for a better world where relationships are not broken, nations work together, the poor are rewarded, and peace reigns.

I've been starting to work more with Ecclesiastical Installations within the church worship service. I have a strong belief that a God who creates would not have created humans in his/her image without giving us creative abilities. I have been working with my own church to bring that creative ability forward in the lives of the members. This Advent season we have collectively been creating a mosaic. Each week during the worship service pieces of the mosaic were added. The final installation will take place tonight at the Christmas Eve service. Stop by First Baptist Church in Plymouth if you want to be a part of this experience.

As a message of hope I want to share the pictures of the progression of the mosaic with you and wish you all the Hope, Peace, and Joy that a living Creator wants all his/her children to have.

What ever you celebrate at this time of year, may you experience the presence of the Creator and the glory of a night long ago.

Holiday Open House

2009-12-11T09:13:00.001-05:00

I had a wonderful time at my Holiday Studio Open House. The studio was decked out with all my handwoven creations. People came and purchased for which I am very grateful. I was able to connect with the people who buy my work on a more informal and intimate basis than at a show. I might add that the cookies and Wassail were excellent!!!! Those chocolate snack cookies seemed to disappear fast! I'll share the recipe with anyone who would like it. Just send me a note in the comment section.

Many people are curious about the Wassail. It is a hot spiced recipe that I make using cranapple juice, pineapple juice, and spices. Wassail is an ancient English custom. The master of the English Household would drink to the health of those present with spiced ale. The phase Wass Hael or Be Well was repeated as each drank from the bowl of Wassail. My punch is spiced but none alcoholic!

Congratulations to Linda Tassinari who won the door prize which was a wide chenille scarf valued at $85.

If you missed my Holiday event, make sure you come next year! You might win the door prize!

Holiday Studio Open House

2009-12-02T23:29:00.002-05:00

Come join me this weekend at my Holiday Studio Open House. You can Holiday Shop, visit the Studio, enjoy a cup of Wassail, and enter to win the Door Prize.

I have been working on some necklaces and pins based on the Eco-Green necklace that I did for my weaving guild's challenge this past spring. They are a smaller version of that necklace and will sell at gift giving prices. They are made from pieces of my handwoven fabric and items from my "stash of stuff"! I will be showing them at my studio only. Here are a few pictures to peek your interest.

November Skies

2009-11-19T19:58:00.001-05:00

Have you ever noticed in November when the trees have turned red and orange and the sky becomes a beautiful grey blue color when a storm is either approaching or ending? The sun casts a back light and the sky becomes this gorgeous color against the backdrop of the trees. Everything is back lit and the colors become more vibrant.

A few weeks ago this was happening outside my studio. Every time I tried to capture it on the camera the clouds rolled in and the sun went away. I wanted to try to mimic those colors in a scarf using Barnett Newman's technique of "Zips". I have talked about him before. He was an abstract expressionist and in his paintings he developed a technique of introducing a second or third color by painting what he called "Zips". They were lines of color, usually unexpected but very pleasing.

Here are the results of my efforts.

There are actually 3 scarves here varying in color from a lighter blue to a charcoal blue color. For the "Zips" I used a variegated yarn which goes from a spice orange color to brown to red and along with a forest green variegated yarn.

I am very happy with the scarves.

I will have these scarves at my show this weekend in Duxbury, MA. If you are in the neighborhood, come visit my booth. You can get more information by going to my website, http://www.judyconnorjones.com/, and linking on Duxbury Art Association’s 37th Annual Craft Showcase.

Hope to see you there.

"Art on the Pews"

2009-11-09T10:43:00.002-05:00

What a lovely little show this was! Unfortunately, very few people came to see it. It was their loss as the work presented was excellent! There were 21 artists in the show, both fine art and fine craft and live continuous music performances.

The people from St Peter's Episcopal Church couldn't have been nicer. They did all the right things. They had volunteers there to help unload and load. They had people there to help with set up if you needed it. They provided grids and lights for those who needed that for their set up. And they provided the boards to go over the pews for those who used tables for display.

They went over and above to help where ever they could.

The breakfast they provided on Saturday morning was a virtual feast! And they gave awards and door prizes to the artists! They treated us like gold!

I felt like I made several friends, both artists and congregants. This was such a contrast from the treatment I received at the last show!!!!! They definitely were the "Craft Show Angels"!

I made a few sales, enough to cover costs but not enough to be profitable. It's too bad because these are the types of shows I as an artist love to support. The unfortunate side is I need to make a profit and there was so little traffic and it seemed like so little potential for my buyer to show up that I have to think long and hard about doing the show in the future. What a dilemma.

How long do you stay loyal to a show because you like the people? Right now with selling so hard the business hard edge, I am afraid, must prevail. Any thoughts on the topic?

Off to the Show!

2009-11-06T09:56:00.002-05:00

Today is the first day of the "Art on the Pews" show in Cambridge, MA. I will be setting up my display this afternoon and the show starts at 4pm and goes to 8pm.

If you are in the Boston area, stop by and visit me in my booth at St Peter's Episcopal Church.

You can get more information about the show on my website, http://www.judyconnorjones.com/, and linking to the "Art on the Pews" site.

I'll try to remember to take pictures so I can put them on the blog.

Here's hoping it will be a good show!

Show Buzz!

2009-10-27T10:39:00.001-04:00

I'm on a roll now doing fall shows. Some have been very good and one in particular was very bad. The weekend didn't start out promising as the weather people were forecasting rainy, windy, cold weather. In other words, a Nor'easter! And this was an outdoor show! Saturday was actually a nice day, a little cold but the sun was visible for most of the day. However, sales were not good. Sunday turned out to be a miserable day. Remember that rain, wind and cold! Well add snow to the mix! The event coordinator would not let exhibitors leave or close the show despite the fact that very few people came through the gate and those who did, I discovered, thought it was an indoor show! They too were not happy to be trudging around in such horrible conditions. So my question is where do you draw the line between keeping a show open and risking the health and well being of not only your exhibitors but also your paying guests? When threatened by a promoter that if you leave you will not be invited back to a show, do you suffer and risk inventory, display equipment, and health being ruined or compromised in order to be invited back?! Where is the concern and respect from the promoter for the artist and their work? After all, we are the ones who are bringing in the gate fee!

When telling my banker about my horrible weekend, she asked if they had paid me to be there or did I pay for the space to sell my work. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM! A light bulb went on when I said, I paid for the space! What's wrong with this picture!

I have more respect for myself and my work than to be subjected to the "power control" driven promoter who has little regard for the artists who make the event a success. If you want to know what show it was, write your e-mail in the comment section and I will e-mail you privately. I cannot recommend this show because of the way we were all treated when the weather and going got rough. A little understanding and appreciation would have gone a looooooooooong way.

I tried to take a picture of the snow coming down as we packed up the car. The video was on accidentally and I must have turned the camera sideways. I can't figure out how to rotate it. The rotate buttons don't work for the video clip. If anyone knows how to do this let me know. In the mean time, just rotate your neck!!!!!!

The snow flakes were silver dollar size (remember silver dollars?!)

My next show is indoors! Yeah! It's in Cambridge, MA at St Peter's Episcopal Church. The show is called "ART on the PEWS"! I love that!!! I'm looking forward to being there. Stop by and see me if you are in the area.

Show mania!

2009-10-09T20:03:00.001-04:00

This time of year is always stressful as most of my shows happen now. This year I've taken on a very agressive show schedule. I have a show every 2 weeks from now until the first weekend in December. I have never done that many shows before. I usually only do one a month from September to December. So am I crazy or what!!!!? Trying to keep up with inventory is a real challenge. In one month's time I sold 33 items. It takes me a whole lot longer than one month to replace 33 items! Weaving is not a fast craft! Anyway, I am so happy that show sales have been up but I only wish now that there were more hours in the day or I didn't need so much sleep.

So, if I don't write on the blog very much it's because I'm glued to my loom or sewing machine or have fallen asleep at them, one or the other!

My show at Wheaton Arts in NJ last weekend was very good. I love doing that show. I get to sell my work in a great place (Wheaton is a working glass blowing village) and I get to visit with artist friends and family. The only thing I don't like is the long drive down and back. My husband does not go with me as he has to work but I am very grateful for friends who help me set up and break down and provide my night's shelter and food. Their cat, Tripper, seems to look after me too! He's more like a dog than a cat!

I am so happy to see that show sales are picking up again. I had one of my better years at Wheaton this year. However that presents a dilemma as this week I needed to send items to the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen's Homemade Holiday Show in Lancaster, PA. I also have a show next weekend in Woodstock, CT. I am frantically trying to replace those 33 items and have more to send off to PA!

Check out my show scehedule on my website, http://www.judyconnorjones.com/. You'll see why I am working night and day in the studio.

Till I can write again.................................................................................................................

Show Musings

2009-09-08T17:21:00.001-04:00

I did my first show of the fall season this past weekend. It was at Mad River Valley in Waitsfield, VT. This is the third year I've done the show. What a beautiful place! Each year sales have gotten better and this year was no exception. It was my best year there! Attendance at the show was up and so were sales. My new jackets and collapse weave scarves attracted alot of interest and sales. I am encouraged to move ahead with these designs.

The weather was beautiful all weekend long. You couldn't have asked for better.

One of the fun things about doing shows is seeing artist friends again and meeting new ones. It's a special community. My husband was sick while we were there and so many of my fellow craft's artists offered to help with anything I needed. It was comforting to know that I was not alone. I am so grateful to all those who came to help me. Fortunately he felt well enough to help me break down at the end of the show, but I know that if he hadn't I would have had lots of help.
We made it home Sunday night around 11pm. It felt so good to fall into our own bed!
My next show is October 3 & 4 at Wheaton Arts in Millville, NJ. I'll be working hard between now and then to have more of my new items. I'm encouraged that the economy is picking up.
Hope to see you at Wheaton!

This and That!

2009-08-10T17:39:00.003-04:00

The bookshelves are back up and the books are on the shelves! Putting the books away gave me a chance to get reacquainted with my books. I have a lot to inspire me!

So, the only thing left to complete the clean up of the bookcase debacle, is to replace the under cabinet lights which were broken in the fall and the drawer system next to the desk. That also was broken in the fall! Someday it will be complete but right now I need to concentrate on getting ready for my fall shows.

I've completed 3 scarves using the collapse weave technique. It is an interesting technique and can be explored many ways. My scarves are woven using a 1/3, 3/1 twill structure. The yarns used are Zephyr 2/18 wool silk and HABU wool crepe. The wool crepe must be woven very loosely in order for the yarns to move and cause the collapse. It does not collapse until it is washed and fulled. Here are pictures of how it looks on the loom and right after taking off the loom.

You can see how loosely woven it is.

Here's a picture showing the size of the yarn. The sewing thread is on the left. The HABU yarn is next to the arrow, and the Zephyr is on the right. The Zephyr actually is thicker than it looks here but not much thicker. You can see how thin the HABU wool crepe is next to the thread.

Here is the scarf after it comes off the loom. It still looks very open and flat.

After gently washing the wool crepe shrinks up and the scarf collapses! Here are 3 finished products. What's the verdict! Do I have a designer scarf on my hands?

Collapse Weave

2009-07-21T11:54:00.001-04:00

I've had several cones of HABU wool crepe sitting on my shelf for a long time. I have tried several times to work with it. Most of my attempts have been unsuccessful. It is a highly over spun wool and has the wonderful ability to collapse fabric when used appropriately. It is a beautiful yarn from Japan and loves to twist back on itself.

It's very nature makes it difficult to wind onto a bobbin. And if it is a humid day - FORGET IT!

I recently bought a book on collapse weave by Anne Field. After reading it I did some experimenting. Here are pictures of my sampler using Zephyr yarn which is a wool silk blend and the HABU wool crepe for the collapse.

The weave structure I used was a 3/1, 1/3 twill. Most of Anne's book deals with the collapse in the warp. I wanted the collapse in the weft. The wool crepe yarn used in the weft needs room to move so the picks per inch are very loosely woven allowing the over twist to move when wet finished.

I see possibilities for scarves using this method. I want to experiment more with this but for now I think I have the beginnings of an interesting scarf.

What do you think? Remember this is a sampler not a finished product. I welcome an exchange of ideas on how you have done collapse weave.

A Green Project

2009-07-01T10:43:00.001-04:00

My weaving guild has had a year long project for each member to design a project involving something Eco-green. The items are to be displayed at the New England Weaver's Seminar which meets every other year. Each member guild is responsible for a display representing a study or emphasis they have had throughout the year. It's a worthy challenge but like all things it always takes me to the deadline to come up with an idea!

As I was thinking about this I kept coming back to my stash of small woven pieces of fabric which are left after cutting the garments that I make. I also have a huge stash of buttons and vintage costume jewelry. After being inspired by a necklace in "Marie Claire" magazine I designed a necklace using these elements. Hope you like it!

What do you think? Should I make more? I have loads of interesting items in my stash, not to mention lots of fabric scraps!