Grosgrain & Velvet Ribbons

Making tiebacks for white linen drapes. I couldn't decide in the shop which would be the right colour ...now home and it's definitely the teal velvet. This is the widest I could find so I'll sew 2 pieces together side-by-side. All from the magnificent RIX RAX a notions shop on Gilford at St-Hubert (hard to miss with a giant button hanging above the front entrance). They specialize in vintage buttons -far and away the best source I know of, and all organized by colour. They have a fairly good selection of grosgrain too.

Hallowe'en is upon us. I'm dressing up as a Jesuit priest -got an old black cassock choir robe that'll do and a crumbly leather-bound bible. Alice'll be Alice Cooper.

- - - Happy Halloweening - - -

A Long Walk and a Good Supper

makes everything better
(there was protein on that plate too, just wasn't ready for the photo)

Afterward I went down to Sala to see Eric play with his troupe No More Shapes.
Bouyant! radiant!

HAND DRAWN THREAD

Hand Drawn Thread

Kerry pointed out to me how beautiful that sounds. We had a little lunch together in her sunny studio yesterday. I meant to take pictures but it seemed invasive. Maybe next time I'll have the guts. Her place is so full of delightful things organized in such a way.

A few thrifted items from a church basement sale Alice and I stumbled on during our walk home after lunch. The boxes of thread! there were dozens. What nice presents they'll make.

And a perfect dessert enjoyed after supper tonight ... with the austere and miraculous film Silent Light (Stellet Licht) by Carlos Reygadas (the tender).
ok. this film is stunning.

The last time I watched a film I felt this immediately aligned with was ten years ago, it was Y aura-t-il de la neige a Noel? by Sandrine Veysset, with Dominique Reymond playing the role of the mother - and she was so incredible.

Email me if you have trouble finding Silent Light and you want to see it.

It's Lovely It Lasts

I imagine Elizabeth Jane Howard has been sleeping on pure linen sheets all her life.
Her memoir Slipstream begins with a childhood dream of cakes. On October 12 I was treated to an interview she did with the great Eleanor Wachtel, available here.

* night night *

MENDING

Above is a loom woven linen coverlet from the early 19th century that I just finished working on. The wool would've originally have been a poppy red and is woven directly into the linen & looped over a twig or other tool to create the pretty tree pattern. This technique is boutonnée or candlewicking.
Candlewicking is also a form of whitework embroidery. The term comes from the resemblance that early materials would've had (unbleached muslin and unbleached cotton thread) to the braided thread formed into candle wicks. Contemporary candlewicking is generally heavy on the bleached white cottons and French Knots.

FRENCH KNOT


Below is a hand-hooked rug from French Canada that would've been made in the early part of the last century. The pattern & colours are so exquisite in this. And the back is at least as beautiful as the front - the mended spots were done by an early owner. I love them.

I added burlap to the two ends and rehooked where it had come unraveled and reinforced a number of areas in the interior that had come apart or loose. It's getting so brittle as it ages but the colour is hardly faded.

S P II

Squash Pie

My favorite pie to make.
This one will be for a tea party on Sunday with Mark and Jeff.

I start with:
- sweet orange squash
- eggs laid by chickens who run free
- fresh smooth tofu
- cream
- maple syrup
- nutmeg
- allspice
- cinnamon
poured into a pastry of organic pastry flour, unsalted butter. sea salt and ice water.

what is the light?

DANCING WITH SKELETONS, a new dance performance by Suzanne Miller and Allan Paivio, just back from a residency in Mexico. (I missed it for being with the baby) The invitation is so beautiful I wanted to share it, and let you know their work can be found here

The first time I met Suzanne was through her sister-in-law Mindy Yan Miller, we sat together and wove sturdy newspaper wastebaskets.

The Mouse

Yesterday the butcher asked me her name and when I said ALICE he said, "oh, comme Alice Cooper!" Then I went over to the vegetable seller and when he asked her name and I said ALICE he said, "oh, comme Alice in Chains"
I think she looks like Alice Cooper more than Alice in Chains but for those black nails...

Warming the House

a gift from K+S, thank you I love it.

A is for

at 10 weeks and finally in town!