Wearing of the Green

 Where do ideas come from?  I was exploring this question when I made this most recent pieced scarf.

"Irish Fantasy

tightly wrapped "Irish Fantasy"

Spring Garden at the Crane

Despite my lack of Irish heritage I have discovered that I am compelled to work in green and orange this time of year. Last year was the first time I noticed this... I was working on a series of scarves that I wanted to screen some gold paisley on to using a thermofax. I was not at all pleased with the screened gold fabric paint. Then I noticed the greens and oranges and labeled that series in my mind as "The Troubles."  The largest of those pieces found a new home with a visitor from the United Kingdom who I met at Quilting By the Lake. All but two of the small squares are also out in the real world.


These pieces began as deconstructed screens and are on my favorite stonewashed silk crepe.

"The Troubles" small square

"The Troubles" large square

We have been having lovely weather of late and spring is early because we really had almost no winter. And once again I was surprised to watch myself  heading back into Green and Orange. So today in honor of St. Patrick's Day I will share this years versions. You have already seen "Irish Fantasy" above. I have just loved playing with the variety of textures and colors.

Discharged deep green silk gauze, sand colored crinkle silk chiffon, orange and chartreuse doupioni both woven with a red warp, soy wax resist habotai (china) silk ... and all of it edged with brilliant red orange serged lines acting like piping. Now this is my idea of an yummy combination.

Another exciting recent discovery is a new silk that I am working with. It is a tightly wrapped silk seersucker that has a subtle shimmer I suspect because of the tight wrap. It drapes beautifully takes dye perfectly, has a slight texture and weighs nothing and doesn't wrinkle. What more could one ask?

Close up "Sea Currents" Organic Geometry

"Sea Currents" draped as
shawl.

"Sea Currents" wrapped snuggly.

And I forgot to mention it is nearly 60" wide. It called out to make huge squares scarves that could be packed up to fit in any suitcase.



Here is one fully open and then wrapped.

Fully open "Red Cross"
Organic Geometry Series

"Red Cross" wrapped as Sarong.

It is beach weather somewhere in the world.

But here in Philadelphia it is a gorgeous St. Patrick's day and a wonderful time to be wearing the green.