Sunday, May 7, 2023

Ikat weaving, spring evening and robot victory

Yesterday's presentation, Global Ikat, Roots and Routes of a Textile Technique, was a rapid trip over many regions where ikat has been made for centuries, and continues.

Ikat is a weaving form where the weft, horizontal, threads  and/or the warp, vertical,  threads are pre wrapped and dyed to form patterns once woven. The planning and execution is as complex as you can imagine. When the threads are tied onto the loom and woven, there's a slight shift, resulting in familiar slightly fuzzy outlines.

Let's see some of the slides, to speak for themselves



































Then, the endless rainy grey weather having blown away, I got out for a spring evening walk, just beautiful, one of those you remember.




Honeysuckle started, the scent not there yet, probably needs more warmth.


Presiding rabbit of the trees

What's this, in a neighbor's front yard? No scent, but great blossoms.

Then Mrs Dove this morning


 Then



Maybe taking a break or changing shifts with Mr Dove.

And this morning, watch this space


I used up the ivy leaf laundry soap so here's the ingredients for a different batch, not having much access to ivy right now. The lemon balm is the scent ingredient, after I'd shaken out a few resident insects.

And finally here's our local school district kids winning a world robotics competition yesterday
Underdogs because all their initial tries failed and they kept on working anyway.
Effort rewarded.

Happy day everyone, keep on keeping on! 



25 comments:

  1. That's a beautiful weaving style! Glad Mrs Dove is taking good care of herself and the eggs!

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  2. Well done to the students! What an achievement.

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    1. I know parents who've come from India to get their kids into our school district. We now have a large Asian population, high achieving folks, and very nice neighbors.

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  3. The weaving looks so complicated and beautiful. We have sunshine today, rain last night. Enjoy making soap!

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    1. It makes me fancy trying pre dyeing weaving yarns. I've done it for knitting, usually solid colors though. This is more complex.

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  4. My plant app says that your mystery blossoms are Asian virginsbower, a species of Clematis. Aka Passion Flower Clematis.
    Very pretty.
    It amazes me how weaving is such a universal thing. Even with different materials and dyes and techniques, many of the patterns are related in one way or another. I am fascinated by that aspect of it.

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    1. Thank you! It looked sort of familiar, but it's a low shrub, so not exactly like the climbing clematis I know. It's really pretty.

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  5. I'm glad Ms Moon identified that plant; I've never seen it before but it does indeed look a lot like the clematis I know here in the UK. Come on, doves! We're pulling for you!

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    1. I caught another change of shift this afternoon, too.

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  6. This is a beautiful post. All the different weavings really interest me. Have a lovely day today.

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    1. Aren't they interesting? Endless inventiveness.

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  7. It was sunny here today after days of wind and rain. Yay. The sun makes such a difference in how I feel about the day after so much miserable weather.

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    1. I can't help thinking I ought to rise above it. But I don't manage it.

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  8. Kudos to the underdog N.J. high schoolers who kept trying because it wasn't over, and they won!

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  9. Those weavings are amazing.
    Your place is looking so lush and green
    Can’t wait to see mrs doves babies

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  10. You are always up to doing something or watching something to possibly do. Carry on.

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    1. I suppose this is true. I feel as if I don't do much, though!

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  11. I think those pink flowers are a kind of clematis.

    the weaving is all lovely and very heavy on the red. is that traditional for this type of weaving or is red just the easiest color to make?

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    1. Mary moon checked it on her app, see earlier comments for her exact id. It is related to clematis, except in a bush form.

      About the red: it's popular in some cultures symbolizing health and luck and prosperity. But he was showing pieces from his own collection, so we may be seeing his taste as much as how often it's found. So I'm not sure.

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  12. Wonderful collection of textiles, each so very different. Have to admire the use of colour throughout.
    Would love to get out for a walk but don't dare. Today is a bad allergy day if the number of sneezes is any indication.

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    1. Does it help to mask? I find it does, probably intercepting pollen.

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