Summer & Winter in Taos, New Mexico

I spent the last two weeks in Taos, New Mexico, weaving and sewing in an old adobe house overlooking Taos valley and the local mountains.   The picture below was taken in the evening as the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the valley.  My mother always called this time of day, "golden glow time," and I can't think of a better name.

 

Later that evening...

 It was wonderful having time to work uninterrupted.  My first project was a cushion cover for a small storage bench.  I wove the fabric last year, but was unhappy with the overall look of the fabric.  It was too "pinkish", so I over-dyed it with tangerine Rit dye.  I like it a lot now, and it works with the other colors in the room.

The weave structure is four harness, four block, summer and winter.   I have enough fabric left to make two pillow tops and will use a red faux suede for the welting and backs.  Pictures to follow!

DoubleWeave Pillows, Inspired by A Friend

When I started weaving again about six years ago, one of the first issues of Handwoven magazine I saw was the March/April 2006 issue with this gorgeous pillow on the cover.

Here is the photo from the interior of the magazine showing the colors more accurately:

I absolutely fell in love with the pillow which was designed by Susan Horton, weaver extraordinaire.   A short while later I joined the South Coast Weavers and Spinners Guild in Orange County, and discovered, to my delight, that Susan is a member.  We have since become close friends and shared many fun-filled fiber adventures. 

I looked often at the photos of Susan's pillow, regularly "visited" it in her home, read her article several times, and imagined weaving it in another palette.  Finally, this week, I decided to actually do it.  You won't be surprised to know I pulled out my stash of reds, golds, purples, and oranges.  

Fourteen colors in the warp and seven in the weft combine for a lot of color interaction making it interesting and exciting as the colors mix in varied ways. It is so much fun to weave!  If color can be addictive, this is it for me!

I put on a warp long enough for three pillows; fronts, backs, and cording, but I'm wishing I had more!  The possibilities for color combinations seem almost endless, and I'm sure I would have fun weaving a good while longer if I just wasn't coming to the end of the warp.  

For now, back to the loom.  (I just can't stay away!)