Summer Days, Smokey Haze, Desert Daze...and other stuff!

It's been awhile since I have offered a new post and I'm in the thick of so many things now that I'll have to make several tries to complete what's on my mind....as though I can ever accomplish THAT!

Have you heard about our smokey skies because of the big fire down south? We are doing fine, effected by the smoke, keeping our windows shut and continuing to find our high mountain desert home a blessing....

I am back from the New Mexico Quilters Association's "Spring Fling" which was a total delight! You know how you make lists to help you remember things....well, I have a show packing list, but never thought to put my camera on that list.... until I was ready to take photos of my new booth set-up for when I have a double booth. My sweet friend, Carry Wilcox, came along and I asked her to take this photo on her phone...now bad, heh?

First, I want to mention that this show was absolutely delightful, well-run, well-set up, lovely location at the Albuquerque Convention Center, easy load-in, wonderful load-out....I highly recommend this show to vendors and shoppers alike!!!

Now, as I was saying....I had no idea that photos from a phone could catch so much light! I was so thrilled and grateful to Carry since this is the only....let me say that again....ONLY....photo that I have of the entire event!

I really liked my new set-up and I have exciting news as well. The reason I changed my set-up was that I will start to show clothing in my booth!

I should be all ready by Convergence 2012. I made the decision because people were coming into my booth, making a bee-line for one of my garments, dropping purse, bags and packages to start to try something on only to have me say...."Oh, I'm sorry that is only a sample of what can be made out of my handwovens!" So, I have begun my long-awaited collaboration with a wonderful clothing designer who lives right here in my village. I won't mention her name until I ask her purrrrrrrrrmission, but I think she won't mind.

My new garment label !!!

So, I am feeling pretty happy about this development and she and I have just ordered our clothing labels and mine is just to the right.......

I'm feeling sort of like a school girl on this now. I used to have labels, but they were very....what's the word....understated.

But this new label is MEEEEEEE!

Let me know what you think!

I will be showing the garments once they are ready for that and they will be totally designed and made by my new designer....yes, that makes me her new weaver!

Here's an example of works that my dear friend, Rachel, has made with my handwovens and they recently appeared on runway!

This is Desert Nights fabric from my loom named Jimmy. It's 4-Harness Shadow weave and it has the same concept in all my "Desert Series" of earth on my right and sky on my left...that's as I wove it and as it will be when Rachel wears these. The wefts are chartruese and purple 20/2 and 10/2 cotton threads.

I soooooo wish I could have seen them on the runway...to see them come ALIVE when someone is wearing a piece that is my handwoven cloth is just stunning to me. She titled this one "Desert Daze Jacket".

Here's is another of her new works...I love this! Can you see the moon/star pieces hanging from the bottom of the front lapels/collars?

Rachel's creativity and design is unsurpassed and I know that she looks like an ANGEL whenever she wears this piece...I hope I get to see THAT!

Thank you Rachel, for making my fabrics soooooo much more than it ever was before! This fabric is the same Shadow Weave, but here I wove in Lurex which is a silver metallic thread that's so tiny, it take 88,000 yards just to get a POUND of it!

Rachel entitled this piece "Midnight in the Desert Jacket".  It certainly does glitter, doesn't it? This fabric was very similar to fabric recently selected for exhibition at Convergence 2012 in Long Beach California. The title of that piece is "Midnight's Desert in Moonlight" and will appear from July18th (?) to July 21st.

There sooooooo much more I want to show and share, but I am currently completely redressing Stanley and winding on 62 yards on Margaret right now and they are calling....can you hear them, too?!?!? Also, I have decided to sew a backing on another fabric that was chosen for exhibition in Convergence 2012...that's other happy news.....they chose TWO of my pieces!!!!!!!! I just about fell OVER!!!!!

There will be more soon, either added on or a new post. Until then, think happy thoughts, enjoy summer, do something peaceful and quiet for yourself, and I'll add my good karma to all that by sending out Miles and Miles of Smiles....Cat B.