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Archives: January 2011

Batik

  • January 31, 2011

I’m a fiber artist and have done a lot of dyeing in my time, but have never done batik. I adore it, it’s right up my alley, but something has always held me back. Who knows what, or why, as I’m usually rather adventurous, especially when it comes to my craft. I guess I’ll just have to continue to admire from afar, and appreciate the beauty that the wonderful Batik artists out there create.

This colorway was inspired by an unconventional quilt made from a myriad of batik fabrics. Deep blue green, coral, pink, blue, olive tones and almost black were mixed throughout, but the whole thing had a cohesive feel. It felt funky and fun and special. I took colors from the quilt that were the essence of that special blanket and made a colorway that hopefully speaks to it’s origins.

Tea Party

  • January 23, 2011

I was recently developing a colorway for an Asian themed stocking and thought it would be great to do one inspired by my love of tea.

I drink tea almost daily. I love the ritual of steeping the tea leaves in my traditional Chinese iron pot, waiting for it to cool to just the right temperature, the aroma of the brew that always seems to match my mood. (Maybe that’s because I have a different blend for almost every day of the month. I know there is a Wool Hoarders site, perhaps I should look into a Tea Hoarders?).

As I was dyeing this though, my daughter came in to talk to me, asking what I was going to dye today. When I told her probably something about tea, she insisted that I do a Tea Party and proceeded to pick out all the colors. Of course, they are the epitome of a little girl’s tea party with all her dolls and her imaginary friend, Jeanette.

Soft gold, princess blue and girly pink with hints of light purple throughout.

I just hope Jeanette likes it as much as my daughter does.



China Blue

  • January 19, 2011


I don’t play favorites with color, I love them all equally. But every once in awhile I show a bit of favoritism for one over the others. The love affair is usually short lived as I’m always lured away by the brilliance of another hue. This week’s love, blue. No idea why really, maybe it’s in stark rebellion of my recent romance with pink, but this day felt like a great time to dye something blue.

I hope the other colors aren’t jealous.

Meet China Blue, it’s bright and deep simultaneously. And oh. so. blue.

Things I Have Learned as a Dyer

  • January 16, 2011

There are things I have learned over the years as a fiber artist. I never much cared for that term, I call myself a dyer first, but people tend to get confused by that one. The things I have learned are many, and they tend to be more universal than fabric specific. I find that doing this has taught me a lot about not only dye, but life.

1. I love color.—Duh, right? It’s true though, my love of color is why I do what I do. And, I’ve learned that doing what you love is worth a lot more than any income you can earn. If you aren’t doing what you love, get out now, change your path and find a new one.

2. Colors act differently depending on the fabric. One colorway can look remarkably different on velour than it does on interlock, terry or french terry. This has actually taught me a lot about my kids. Same family, same parents, but the kids all react differently to our parenting. We’ve had to learn that they each need something different from us, because they are themselves unique. And it’s important to not only let them be unique, but to celebrate it.

3. Dye has a mind of its own. I get the best results when I let go of my expectations and allow the dye do it’s thing. It does indeed have a mind of it’s own. I get a daily reminder of the lack of control I have in life through my work and it’s given me the ability to be more free with my kids, to let go of my preconceived notions and just let life happen. When you do this, you get to be a part of true magic.

4. Colors in the dye bath are often not what they appear. Some colorways that are hideous in the dye bath are the most stunning when all is said and done. Mandarin is one such colorway. It’s one of the ugliest things I’ve ever seen while dyeing, heck, pictures don’t even do it justice, but the end result is simply stunning in person, especially on terry. So, don’t judge a book by its cover, you just might be pleasantly surprised by what’s inside. This is probably the most important lesson of all.

5. Heat helps. Not sure how this applies to life in general, but a little heat goes a long way when pasting up and mixing even colors. Just sayin’.

Wood Floors

  • January 11, 2011

I adore small towns. This area is full of them, which is one reason I love living here. There is a tiny town outside of Albany called Sharon Springs. Population around 520.

I told you it was tiny.

It’s a quaint Victorian town with one main street, full of inns and local merchants and craftsmen. There are plenty of farms around too, and we had the chance to visit one this weekend. Friends of ours have a farm there where they raise goats, chickens, a couple of sheep and one very cute llama who is full of personality.

They have a garden that I can only dream of and rolling hills as their view. It’s just about perfect if you ask me. The kids had a blast with the animals and climbing in the hay loft. The farm house was, “much more beautiful than our house” according to my daughter. She was right of course as kids often are in their unbridled, frank honesty. It was a great weekend getaway, with a fun drive up, a great visit with friends and the chance to explore a place we had never seen.

This colorway was done for our friend, made in a blanket for them as a thank you for a fun weekend and to keep them warm in the winter in their 200 year old house. The idea for it came from my favorite part of the farm house, the floors. Original to the house, wide plank wood stained so dark that it looks black at night and the darkest pecan I’ve ever seen during the light of day. Worn and gorgeous, I’d live there just to have those floors.

The colorway is contemporary, Think Restoration Hardware meets antique charm. It’s rough and tumble in it’s personality, but ultra soft and plush like all Tickety Bu items are. It’s called Wood Floors.



Bitey Bu Galore

  • January 9, 2011

I haven’t posted anything for my local wholesale account in awhile, but I just finished an order of fun Bitey Bu for them. I loved seeing them all together and thought I’d share the fun with you all. The Bitey Bu is the ultimate teether, a blend of wood and fabric, natural and safe to sooth sore gums. Enjoy!

Stone Garden

  • January 6, 2011

The first new colorway of 2011, Stone Garden, was inspired by a book I’m reading. There is a setting in the book where Mina, the heroine frequents. It’s on a cliff, overlooking the ocean in winter and there is a cemetery there. She sits there often, watching the ships, the lighthouses and thinks and pines for her lost love. As I read it, I imagined the gray shades of the water, sky and head stones, the lichen growing on the tree trunks and the pale grasses on the ground and plucked the colors from my mind for this colorway. It’s soft and cool, with wonderfully muted shades. Perfect for this time of year.