March 2021 Newsletter

​Mood Indigo

March marks the one-year mark of Pandemic semi-isolation, uncertainty, plenty of time in the studio, a decided reduction in outside contact and no travel adventures. It’s been a long year, and here we are in March again, AKA the NW annual cold, wet, winter-into-spring slump. Then today the sun came out! For a minute. There are crocuses of three different colors in the back as well as the front garden. Tulips are poking their points up, and daffodils too. Entering the season of – okay, this isn’t spring yet, but with intermittent sunshine, daily vitamin D supplements, and indoor fiber projects, I’m going to make it.

“Am I Blue…” What to do? Indigo. In the middle of the dark and wet, I am now in the middle of an online Journey into Indigo workshop! Due to Covid, this class, normally a two-day on-site workshop, limited to 20 students, has been re-created online, opened up to 60 people, joining in from all over the world, over a period of 7 weeks. This is a great time to get into blue!

Banana Vat, Date Vat. White cotton yarn. The first wrapped and dyed warp is on the loom at last! It’s very basic, and it took quite a process to get to this point. I am looking forward to doing more, and planning more intricate pieces, but that’s the future. I have learned a lot so far, not the least of which is, this is a time-consuming multi-step process. There are no shortcuts. Having learned about Ikats in Uzbekistan, that each family workshop masters one step in the entire process, I am starting to get it. Any aspect of the fiber arts can be a pleasing pastime, an engaging hobby, and much more… this is a lifestyle, and it is changing my definition of Blue.

To be sure, I am following safety protocols and have not turned my hands blue. I am creating organic vats, reduced with plant material, not harsh chemicals. Confident that once summer comes and we can safely meet outdoors, I look forward to sharing the process in small groups, so we can all be Blue, in the best possible way!


See you soon,

Carol Berry
WWG President
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