Wednesday, March 14, 2012

there's a tree spirit in my cloth





The slippery elm tree, Ulmus rubra, and the use of its bark as food and medicine has been on my mind since the new moon. I wanted to sew something ceremonially in elm's honor and found this amaranth eco-dyed cloth in my stash that looked like peeling tree bark. At first I laid it on a light background and it wasn't right. But when I placed it on a dark background, the spirit of slippery elm appeared. Then I added some of Jeannie's (thank you!) beautiful dyed silks and a bit of my oak-leaf dyed wool and the tree trunk appeared. Just like that.

I never saw that face before in that cloth. It makes me wonder what else I've missed -- but at the same time, hopeful about seeing anew. In the case that a seeing-with-new-eyes quote comes to your mind right now, take a look here. I had no idea there were so many famous quotes about seeing. And they're all spot on.

To seeing.

 


21 comments:

  1. fabulous tree spirit. yes, sometimes the time has to be right to see.

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    1. Thanks, Deanna. Feels like magic when it happens.

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  2. oh, i see many faces talking here...and tiny stars light their conversation. nice.

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    1. henrietta, thanks, I like that. I see more faces in the cloth, too!

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  3. wow...so beautiful.
    To seeing xxx

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  4. It's great how the blue cloth made her spirit shine out. She is utterly beautiful and I can imagine the thrilled excitement you must have felt when your eyes saw her that first time.

    Slippery Elm is important in my life right now and I love love love this ceremonial cloth in her honour....it is perfect.

    I am so happy when I 'see'

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    1. Helen, thanks and yes, that experience of seeing was wonderful. I feel like I spend more time staring and less time seeing when it comes to cloth. Wonderful slippery elm. I have a bag of ground bark right here beside me.

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  5. oh this is wonderful...............

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  6. what a find! maybe the spirit didn't have anything to say until now?
    & those stars in the last image- this is such a beautiful piece.

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    1. Cindy, thanks -- you're right, maybe it was waiting to be seen at the right time/right place before it spoke! I like that.

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  7. Slippery, but you've certainly caught her! Love the star fabric paired with the spirit's face.

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    1. Yvonne, yes I did! ha. Thanks for the star love.

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  8. A twinkling spirit cloth! I love the face and it warms my heart to see my cloth used in such a wonderful piece. I really like how the vertebrae show up as well. A strong spirit! Happy stitching!

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    1. Jeannie, I so love your pieces in this. Do you see the bottom one with the perfect curves to be the base of the tree trunk? So wonderful. Thank you.

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  9. hi, slippery elm is one of my favorite barks, makes a lovely dye and paper and it medicinal to boot! peels easily, but nothing like the birches. it's wet and, er, slippery!

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    1. Velma, oh wow, I'll need to check this out -- I've only used it as food or medicine, not a dye! This is exciting, thanks!!

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  10. And to YOU, Peggy! Thanks again.

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