June 2014
Workshop Availability
We have just had several spots open up in Pushing the Boundaries of Plain Weave for the June 30th to July 4th run. Farm Stay is also available. I know that isn’t very far away but if you’ve wanted to take this workshop now is the time because we will not be offering Pushing the Boundaries of Plain Weave again until 2016. There are new workshops on the horizon for 2015. We also have 2 spots in Terrific Twills Sept 8-12 and 2 for Terrific Twills Sept 29-Oct 3rd.
Maiwa treasures now available on Salt Spring at JST
Travelling to India always leaves me wanting more. We are committed to assisting Maiwa continue their amazing work in India by stocking a small but lovely collection of their inventory. We have carpets and leather bags from Jawaja, beautiful scarves from the cooperative Women Weave and Ajhrak table clothes and bed covers from the Kutch Desert. If you are coming to a workshop prepare to be dazzled. If you need a special gift hopefully you’ll think of us.
Another story from India
I am absolutely blown away by the block printers of India. I had no idea about the work that goes into printing a piece of fabric and I really don’t think many artisans in the west truly understand how much work is involved. Precision work, remarkable hand-eye coordination, repetition, speed…..these artisans have such skilled hands it is hard to imagine without seeing.
In Rajasthan A thick slip is made from mud with a high clay content. It is then printed directly onto fabric to create a patterned resist. Then the fabric is dyed and dried in the sun. The mud resist is removed by washing, then it is resisted again with additional pattern, dyed, dried, and washed. Resisted again, dyed, washed ……get the picture! So much work involved to put pattern onto one length of cloth.
