Rug Weaving Progress!

The first of the clasp weft rugs I'm working on is coming along nicely! I'm actually almost done with the first one, these pictures are from a week or so ago. Excited to share the finished products when I cut them off the loom!

Learning to Knit

 My knitting progress! I did not yet realize that I was 1 stitch too many, and so the rib stitch did not make ribs. I proceeded to knit the entire hat before really grasping that...and then ripped it out and started over. VERY glad I did. I love the final (below).

So, I've never really had any desire to knit, I love weaving, and that was fully satisfying all my textile needs, but I got it in my head that I could make a hat a few weeks ago and so I set out to teach myself how to knit. Wool and the Gang's youtube station has great tutorials, and after watching the ones I needed at least a dozen times each, I think I got a good start! Love my new hat!

The yarn, super soft alpaca, and the pattern are from Wool and the Gang. I went to their store in SoHo when I lived in NYC but I think that's the only shop they have in the US.

I think it's a good Fall to try some new things, and so far, they've all been very fun and exciting. What are you trying that's new this fall?

Shibori Indigo Dyeing

I went to a shibori indigo dyeing workshop last weekend. We did 3 samples and then 1 scarf. It was so much fun, I had no idea that indigo dye is actually green until it oxidizes with the air.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with my samples or scarf yet, but I think a sewing project should definitely be on the horizon.

Rug Weaving

Here's the very beginning of my rug!

Around Here Recently

 We had a potluck! I got to use some of my weavings as table coverings, and baked a ton of cookies using the macadamia nuts we brought back from Hawaii.

 Back in the studio, got my loom warped for rugs!

Friday was my birthday, my husband baked me a sprinkle cake!

It's a good start to fall around here, I'm excited to get started on my rugs, and enjoy some of the crisp Portland weather before the rainy season officially hits. I'm taking a shibori dyeing class in a few weeks, which sounds incredible. I'll be sure to have some photos to share, we're indigo dyeing scarves to learn the technique.

Portland Pre Fall

 

It's starting to feel a little like fall is upon us in Portland, last week was still pretty warm though. I took an awesome lunch break walk for coffee at the Albina Press off of N Mississippi, they make a killer americano, and I've been working on my lap loom at home. Lets get ready for fall!

Wool for Rugs

About a month ago I put in a huge order for wool yarn from a Navajo shop. I'm going to be making rugs this fall! These are the sketches that I'm going to try and work from.

It took forever to wind all the skeins into balls, but they're finally done and ready to go. I rent a loom at a studio here, since Cameron and I live in a small 1 bedroom apt. I took the summer off since we were so busy with plans, and I am anxious to return to the studio and start on these.

Long Weekend

 the top of my desk

outside our back door

It's a beautiful weekend here in Portland. We're enjoying the sun and some much needed time off!

New Cup

 I bought us 2 new ceramic cups from Leif in Brooklyn last week.

I drink iced coffee year round, which makes for sweaty ceramics, so I wove this napkin a while ago for that very purpose. It's a tight twill structure in cotton so it's easy to wash too.

Cacti & Succulents - 2nd Edition

 2nd Edition of my Cacti & Succulents book is done!

 Assembly in process

 The 2nd edition has green cover stamps

 Seafoam green sewn spines

I have some of the copies up for sale in my Etsy, they're $8, have a look!

CSA Veggies

Our CSA this week gave us a crazy amount of food. It's all delicious but I have to admit I get really overwhelmed every week trying to use it all up. If you're looking for a good CSA for next year, ours is Love Farm Organics in Forest Grove, they have many Portland pick up locations, and are just the best people ever.

Summer Weaving

 I wove a set of picnic blankets for summer, they double as table runners for the indoor months that need some cheering up.

Fancy taco night. Fresh radishes, guacamole, and lettuce straight out of the ground.

Oregon Coast - Newport

 We took a trip to the Oregon coast last weekend, down near Newport. It's always so misty at the beach here.

 Tide pools a plenty

And of course, loads of salt water taffy!

Lately..

 I made us hard boiled eggs with pickled onions. I got the idea from Ashely Helvey's blog, her recipe for the pickled onions turned out fantastic!

A new cactus to add to my ever growing collection.

Weaving Notebook

Some excerpts from my weaving notebook. It's usually filled with clippings, pictures I like, sketches, pattern drafts, and measurements for current and future projects. Next up for me is weaving a few rugs. My yarn is set to arrive next week!

Collage Thank You's

Collage Thank You notes!

Prints to Giveaway

In spirits of the holidays and starting a new year off fresh. I have a few letterpress prints to giveaway.

I made these as a collaboration with Rachael of Pistachio Press when I lived in Brooklyn. We split up the edition of 100 and I still have a number in my possession that I would love to find homes for.

I would ask that if you'd like one, you just help me cover the postage ~ $4 ~ and I will send it off to your home! I have 12 that I would love to give away.

Here's how! Leave a comment below, be sure to leave your email or a link where I can find it. And I'll email you for your address and paypal instructions.
Or if you'd like, you can just email me directly at: 

bos.jacqueline@gmail.com

I'll mail these out to the first 12 who respond.

Happy Holidays, and a little early.. Happy New Year!

Golden Girls Iphone Cases

My Golden Girls illustrations are now available as iPhone cases from Society6.

AND!

Free shipping in my Society6 shop through Dec 9th {click here}

Blue Floral Pouches!

{Blue Floral Pouches! in my Etsy}

I finally finished sewing up a few of these pouches with the fabric I designed a while back. I've been struggling with the tension on my old school sewing machine but finally put in the hours to fix it in order to do these properly.

They're fully lined in royal blue fabric, have a blue zipper, and measure approximately 7.5"x5.5"

FALL

it's been a really great Fall so far!

Loom Space & Thoughts

Here's my loom space! I got to go in this morning for a good couple of hours to work on a new project. It was great to have a chunk of time to make some actual progress. I've been working on this loom for about 6 months now (where I rent one, we rotate depending on projects as they're all donated looms, and all different) and it's my FAVORITE! it's a 4 shaft Schacht Mighty Wolf. This is the one I would love to buy once I have the space.

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about balancing time, and how having a full time job effects my outside of work time and priorities. I've been having a little bit of a hard time since starting my new position, which is very similar to my old position, but still different, as to keeping a good work life balance. I think it's more finding a balance between expecting to accomplish what I used to when I was a full time illustrator/artist to now where I have significantly less time to devote to making mini books and the like. I have been trying to set aside certain days for certain things and that seems to help keep realistic expectations for myself. 

Along that line of thought, I'm thinking about shutting down my actual portfolio website when my hosting runs out in February. Right now there's a bunch of gibberish error text across the top, which makes me think this is just the universe telling me it's gotta go. I don't really update it much anymore, and most of the things I like to share with people I do here on the blog. It's a big decision for me, mostly because it seems like admitting that I'm not really an illustrator anymore. Maybe it's time to bring in a new era... I am still making things, and weaving, and drawing and designing textiles, but at a much slower pace. I think accepting this is a change for the better, I'm just waiting to see how things progress.

Drawings of Weavings

Lately I've been working on a series of small drawings based on weaving patterns, and textiles. I'm really enjoying drawing out the patterns, and thinking about how they would transfer into actual woven pieces.