Friday, January 6, 2012

Rag of the Day 2011 Wrap Up

 -cotton-blend? velvet-type, partially sunfaded; found on the curb on Horton Street where it had been plowed up out of the gutter with the snow; had one panel of wood (at the top here) glued to it.  'Up-stream' is a place which regularly throws out old cases from musical instruments. December 2011, but I can't remember which day.

-polyester (some type) cover from an 'accent cushion'; tangled up at the bank in Weekend Park between Pebble Beach and Sandy Beach; the polyester fill stuffing had been pulled out by the recent floods and fanned out for yards where it caught on stems of plants and looked like tiny snow drifts. Horrifyingly the cloth has no fading, few pulls, no signs of erosion at all even though it has been underwater, in the sand, for weeks. December 31 2011.

Strange new finds. I love the colour of the purple and how it faded so consistently to mauve. It is not a particularly drapey velvet, it is stiffer, but will be a perfect base for stitching, maybe applique. The polyester brocaded kind of thing is easy to sew, but feels cold and unpleasant to the touch. I could use it as a lining for something, between cloths. And it appears it will last - forever.

3 comments:

  1. The polyester has a great pattern, but yes, it is scary how sturdy it is. Does it seem that you are more attuned to rags now, and notice them in the environment more than you used to? That happened to me when I was making the Buddhist patchwork quilt.

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  2. I love this idea of noticing and collecting and reusing cloth. Old velvets like yours lining jewelry boxes and instrument cases and who knows what else. Suitcases, trunks. Thank you, now I'll look more and better!

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  3. accent cushion

    for whatever reason, i just love those words,
    the vague "desire" they create as i think of
    them...not for me, but for someone(s)
    what would we be accenting, i'm wondering....

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