Saturday, December 1, 2012

Rag of the Day December 01 2012



December 1, 2012 under the Horton Street bridge. Poly/Cotton blend from polyester-stuffed duvet that has been stuck in the mud here since at least August.

Other side of the above. This side had some tender small roots grown through it.

For comparison, the red I found today beside the red I found in the same place some months ago. The stiched piece above is a close up view of the red patch on the front of the boro yogi/dragon robe. I'm struck by the difference. The original red is more yellow, the new is more blue. And it makes a huge difference.

November 29, 2012, L and PS tracks at Bathurst Street. Really jammed up against the track. Probably from a quilted garment of some kind, there is a wisp of polyester fill caught in a line of stitches on one piece. Seems like a rayon blend of some kind, but I can't quite tell. Blue, full of holes, some from sparks, rust marks. Survived washing and being pressed dry.
Just a catalogue and process entry today, to keep track of the dates. Also, to note that I've discovered that I can take small parts of items too large to carry home or that would be impossible to launder properly (like 'sleeping bags that have been underwater in the river' or 'blankets embedded in mud for months') by poking a hole in it with my house key. I can tear segments of the cloth using this method. It leaves most of the item behind, and I only do this when the item is too far gone to recover whole, if there's no chance someone else could use it, or if it is home to 'wildlife' (by which I mean insects settled in for the winter!).

Thanks for stopping by!

7 comments:

  1. It is amazing how the elements and time can affect a fabric.
    :)

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  2. I always enjoy your Rag of the day documentation. Thanks

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  3. i had put off coming here, to enjoy the anticipation of the update.
    you are a scientist. what is this Science that you
    engage in here? fiber/textile Life Scene Investigator?
    sociocultureal ? socio economic textile
    Natural Sciences
    Life Sciences
    Planetary Witness

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  4. and i don't know WHAT to think about how
    the fake cloth and cloth blends are so
    STRONG
    can withstand so much and still keep their
    creepy integrity

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  5. I've just found your project and I am enthralled by it. I look forward to reading and seeing more of your rescue mission and of your boro.

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  6. Very interesting. I wonder if part of the reason natural fibres are so appealing is that they show the processes of age and wear, while polyester remains unchanging.

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  7. Pat of Project Minima led me to your blog. LOVE this!

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