Ocean...

I've always loved the ocean - I'll never live too far away from it if I have any choice about the matter.
Weaving the ocean is something I attempt periodically on purpose yet it also makes its way into my other weaving projects subconsciously. The colors vary so much - so many different blues and greens, even gray and purple, depending on the ocean, sun, clouds, and weather.
My 'favorite' ocean is the Pacific around the Hawaiian Islands - the source of the photos below which I use often for inspiration, not to mention relaxation.



The photos (below) are from a project intended to weave the ocean and all the different colors within it. There are the expected blues but also greens and grays..
The fibers are primarily cottons although there are a couple of rayon threads in there. I added those since they are a bit more shiny than the cottons, thus invoking the sunshine reflecting off the water.
I like the cottons since they are not shiny - they are for representing the waters that run deep, through which you can see and in which you know are dwelling creatures and many forms of life.
Here I used one of the neutral cotton blues for the weft while in the second, below, I used sewing thread.
Both of these show the colors of the warp nicely as I used plain weave for the structure.







The third photo shows how a twill weave pattern can mimic the waves and currents. Using different sizes of yarns, some moving together, some separately, a basic twill looks very complicated.
This twill closeup is of my favorite scarf, I often wear it. It's been in the washer and dryer many times and still looks good.
I love it when that happens (since that's not always the case).

More poppies

With regard to the poppies mentioned in my previous blog, here are more photos of what the series looks like - I made a number of different scarves from one very long warp. The scarf photo in my last blog was a bit washed out and the green is squirrelly thus here are more accurate images!



This first scarf (left) has a sewing thread weft. It's really lightweight and drapes and crunches up really well.
(Click on the photos and a larger image will load in.)









This next scarf (below) has a cashmere-merino weft. It's a still lightweight but it's a bit stiffer than the others - but it is a bit warmer when wrapped around your neck!
















This last image shows the scarf with a weft from one of the cotton yarns in the warp. It's a lightweight scarf that drapes pretty nicely. though not as nicely as the one with the sewing thread weft...
















The orange hues mixed with some green (for leaves) and brownish oranges (for the ground and shaded flowers) really reflect what I love in the poppy fields when they are at their best.

Spring poppies

Every spring when the California poppies bloom, I am amazed at the range of colors in those blooms.





























We try to drive out to Lancaster/Palmdale and see what we can of the blooms.
















And every time we see them, there are pictures to be taken - and weaving to be done once I get home!













This is just a plain weave project that I did awhile back with different yarns, both smooth and bumpy, to mimic the range of colors and textures.

All yarns are cottons, no synthetics fibers here.

The flowers themselves but also the stems, leaves, and the earth below gave me the color palette.