Black & White: A color comparison

If you google the question "is black a color" you will find a lot of websites that report no, it is an absorption of all colors or you will find the opposite that white is actually a color. It's definitely a bit confusing to say the least! Color perception depends heavily upon the medium being used, and the receiver (our eyes are the receiver). Everyone has slightly different abilities of color differentiation and perception.

For many, black is the absence of color. From a dyers perspective, black is what you get when you combine all colors/solvents/solutions together into one. You have to have the perfect balance though because you can end up with "true black", "blue black", "brown black", etc. The same way that whites can be "snow white", "ivory white", "grey white". Even black and white colors harbor undertones.When dying fibers, true white is only obtained with complete absence of any dye or any color. White is the fresh, clean slate. Black is the accumulation of many colors into one.

White is a common color. The color of milk, bone, light, chalk, and many materials seen in every day life. It is symbolic of life, purity, innocence, Black harbors opposing symbolic ideas. It is symbolic of evil, death, mourning, loss, emptiness. What is most interesting though, is that different cultures view white and black in different ways. Some cultures use white for mourning. The yin and yang of the color debate, these colors often take on values from their opposite.

I'll close with some black words on this white page and an interesting quote or two:

"It's not easy taking your own advise, accepting what you don't like hearing, and seeing the grey amongst the black & white."  -April Mae Monterry

"When you photograph people in color you photograph their clothes.  But when you photograph people in Black and White you photograph their souls."  -Ted Grant

Sile's Dress

A tiny, baby girl was stillborn on February 28, 2016 to my daughter Maritta and her husband Ben.  She was given the  name, 'Sile'  (pronounced See-lah) the Irish name for Cecelia.  Many friends sent kind notes and offered gestures of love and kindness.  Our dear friends from Fern Ridge Collection knew of a woman in their local guild that makes beautiful burial dresses for these tiny infants.  Pattie Davidson graciously made this as a lovely gift from Pat and Peggy.

Taking the time to make such beautiful things to sell would be a wonderful item for someone to purchase, but Pattie makes these dresses and charges not a single penny.  I was in awe of her generous kindness in all the lovely details of the smocking, sewing and embroidery.  We want to thank her publicly for this gift from the hands of a needle artist who gives back in such a special way.
Maritta says:  "When I opened the package and saw the beautiful gown I was in tears, not because it was a sad moment. My tears were from seeing such a perfect dress, made with such care and love; the gown was so precious and it gave me back a memory I thought I was not going to have...the memory of a handmade gown for my beautiful daughter. Thank you for the love, and tenderness put into each and every gown you make Pattie, your thoughtfulness gave this mom a memory and a motherly moment I was in such need of at the time."

At the hospital there was a room, called the Butterfly Room.  It is filled with handmade blankets, some quilted, some knit for these tiny babies who were either stillborn or died shortly after birth.  Little dresses and outfits were also there along with tiny plush animals.  Grieving Mothers and Grandmothers can choose little outfits and a blanket for the burial.  Often they had matching sets so one set was given to the Mothers when they leave the hospital and placed in a 'memory box' with the feet and hand prints of the baby and other items. 

If you feel inclined to share your needlework skills in this way I suggest contacting your local hospital to see if such a program exists in your area.

In gratitude for the gifts from the hand and heart,
Cecelia 

Color Your World Wonderful in January

Here is the inspiration and our interpretation in thread for our January Club.

Mary Grosser has already started a piece using these threads.  I love the way she is

stitching on needlepoint canvas with them!

We can't wait to see what wonderful colors are developed as our club members send in their color inspiration each month!