Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Spinning, Spinning, Spinning, Painting With Fiber, Magical Crochet Hooks...




Handspun Yarns on Spindles, Fiber, Dyed Cotswold Curls and
the beginning of another Magical Serpent, Bettina, begun with
Coopworth wool and colorful silk noils throughout.



I have been spinning up a storm since Beatrix went in the mail to her new owner. Making her was a magical experience and I was delighted for her to find such a good home.

As I am now spinning and letting the twist set on the spindles and then working right off of the spindles, a totally new approach for me, I am spinning like crazy so I have a number of new yarns to work with. I have spindles lined up and am trying many new techniques getting wilder and wilder with the yarn and I am having so much fun, as well as enjoying the meditative nature of the spinning itself. It is very soothing and healing in this time of tremendous change in my life.

And then there's the Freeform Crochet. It is such an amazing process to me. I learned to knit when I was young, I learned to weave as an adult. I have done embroidery and all kinds of needlework, but for some reason, until this last year, I have not crocheted. And heavens! I didn't know what I was missing.

Once I make the basic object, picking up the crochet hook and using many different colors, textures, and types of yarn is like painting on a canvas, I am painting with fiber, the crochet hook, my brush. And I have used a number of different types of crochet hooks, but the large, whimsical, magical Gulliver Hooks by Noreen and Jim Crone-Findlay are pretty much all that I use now, except when I need a small thin one to
pull in the ends as I'm finishing. If you look below you will see them. I used the sunflower, the daisy (to the far left) and mostly the Lady Gnome, my favorite hook of all, to make Beatrix. As I am using my own handspun for my projects and the yarn is all different sizes, this wonderful array of hooks lets me always have the "right brush," to paint with.





The magical Gulliver Crochet Hooks made by
Noreen and Jim Crone-Findlay. They are truly
a dream to work with, like holding a magic
wand in your hand as you crochet...




Creative work is so amazing. As I was working on Beatrix my mind was jumping 2 serpents ahead. The body of Bettina is made and now the embellishing with freeforming with many yarns and many crochet hooks begins, as well as adding vintage items like beads and buttons and whatever she feels like she needs in the moment. And I already have the yarn spun and am ready to make the next snake.

When I was finishing Beatrix and put up the entry before the final entry with her finished, someone wrote to me and said that Beatrix reminded her of the Aboriginal Rainbow Serpent of The Dreamtime, and that is very much what these serpents have come to mean to me. They are no longer simply snakes because they were always meant to be whimsical, other-worldly, have the power of totemic creatures, and yes, they are spiritual. When I spin, when I do my fiber art, I meditate, I pray, I weave blessings into the piece for the new owner. That's what fiber art is to me, it is holy.

Wearable art of a whimsical nature is where my future lies with my fiber art. After years I have finally figured that out and I have several much bigger projects in mind, but as I just started my store on etsy, and Beatrix, meant to go in the store, was bought sight unseen before she was even finished (...which I was very grateful for and delighted about!), I have too few items in my store so I am working working working to produce more magical wonders to fill the shop. I will soon be making large Goddess bags as well, and yes they will be freeform, and I can't wait to get started. My mind stretches even further to Goddessy, flowing freeform wearable art for plus size women like myself, as it is so hard to find this type of item if you are anything above a large/extra large at best. I think all women are Goddesses in their own right, with all of the mysteries of womanhood, the wonder, our awesome womanly bodies, and to that end to create powerful totemic, spirit pieces that can make a woman celebrate all that she is, that is my dream, as I sit with spindle or crochet hook in hand.

So I spin, I crochet, I do many other crafts to finish a piece, from embroidery to sewing to weaving to many other things, I am always working in the Dreamtime, dreaming possibilities into realities. How blessed I feel to be doing this work.

In the weeks ahead you will see Bettina materialize. What a wonder she already is!

Blessings and Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

Maitri, about to pick up a spindle and begin spinning again...


2 comments:

Breezy said...

I love your yarns you are really lucky to have such a gift. The colours are wonderful as is the thought and feeling you are putting into every piece you craft with them

maitrilibellule said...

Thank you so much Breezy. It is the work of my soul, and as such, your kind words mean more than you know. I've just uploaded a new piece on the blog with many pictures of the newest design going up in my etsy shop probably over the weekend...

All good blessings to you, and again, many thanks...

Maitri

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