judith e martin dot com

The main thing in this post is that I have a new website.

It holds my work in order and I'm pleased to announce judithemartin.com .

That's judith with an e martin, the e stands for Evelynn.  

Zoe helped me with the square space website.  We launched it when the moon entered Aries last weekend.  Thank you sweet Zoe. xo

   

In this post, images of recent projects.  

The first one is a rescued quilt that I'm mending with circles of dyed velvet.   

But it's time to fold it up and let it steep a bit.     

I've moved on to a different project,   'new beginning' , 

It's mentioned in the lecture 'my awakened heart / my pandemic summer.

I'm quilting into it from the back.

judithemartin.com  

life affirming

When I make a baby quilt, I go off track in regard to my arty ideas.

Baby quilts are meant to be used and they are automatic heirlooms.

The reverse applique is finished.
The variety of greys are from local plants, the reds are from procion.
Velvet applique in organic cotton.

This one is for my one year old baby, Maia Wren.

It will be saved by her.  Way past my own life time.
I am giving something more than cloth and labour.
More even than my creativity.
I am giving pure love.

the front

It is my fourth grand-child quilt.

the back

put goodness into the world
count on its rippling effect

These baby quilts are personal

and I believe that they have a powerful beauty.
A beauty for the future.

I believe in the future.
I would not be making things without that kind of surety.

Those of us who make things affirm life.

The emotions of caring and hope and love and a little worry are transferred into my work

through touch.

red rose and madder

 red rose tea bags and madder

I cooked frozen used tea bags with soy beans and water, drained that off and then added linen cloth (right) and silk-rayon velvet.  I added madder extract then and the fabrics turned a pink-tan colour.  I brought them to a simmer,  (not boiling) for at least an hour and then steeped them over night.

In the same potion the next day, I added alum powder from the grocery store plus madder powder from Maiwa and dyed some wool, silk and silk-rayon velvet cloths.  On the line, velvet on the left, and then wool, wool, and finally silk.  (a little pinker)

On the third day, I added a procion mx conectrate of chinese red to the mixture and dyed 4 more pieces of cloth a true red .  From the top, silk hemp, wool, wool, velvet.  Truly a gorgeous red  - the method used was with heat as for natural dye.  Bring the liquid with cloth immersed to a simmer and then steep overnight.

Also, I am still adding red edges to hankies embroidered with circles.

A cardinal came to our feeder and stayed calm while several chickadees flitted in and out and around him.   I admired his redness and stead fastness.