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!

Day One of the Twelve Days: Christmas Stollen

CHRISTMAS STOLLEN

For Day 1 of the 12 days of Christmas, I wanted to share something with you that my family requires I make every year during the Christmas season. In fact, I have to make several batches just to satisfy them and then a few more in order to be able to give a few loaves away. I wear my baking hat the majority of December needless to say! 

Stollen (pronounced stolen, as in I stole something) has European roots. The original recipe did not call for almond paste but the filling is what takes this bread to the next level. We eat it for breakfast, we eat it as a snack, and we eat it as a dessert. I have one recommendation, heat it for a few moments in the microwave if you have it a couple of days. The center becomes so gooey and warm, the bread re-awakening to a more tender slice. 

So what is it exactly?

Christmas Stollen is rich, dessert like bread with rum soaked dried fruit. It is filled with an almond filling that takes this from plan old fruit bread to simply delicious. I think that this bread is better than other "stollens" because there is potato water and mashed potato in it. It makes the bread so soft, so tender. This recipe is quite a bit more effort but it is definitely worth it.  If you make it, please share on the blog with me or on facebook at the Threadgatherer's page- I would love to hear what you think or if you have questions. 

Recipe:

1/2 C mashed potato, freshly made

1/2 C potato water, reserved from cooking potatoes 

1 1/4 C scalded Milk, cooled

3 t instant yeast

7 1/4 C bread flour

1 1/4 C butter, room temperature

1 1/3 C sugar

2 t salt

1/2 t vanilla extract

1/4 t almond extract

2 1/2 C fruitcake mix from King Arthur Flour (this is NOT

the usual fruitcake mix from grocery store)

find at www.kingarthurflour.com

1/2 C Rum or Brandy

1/2 C slivered almonds or almond flour

Filling:

1 pkg almond paste 8 oz

1 T beaten egg

1/2 C additional sugar

1/4 t almond extract

 Powdered Sugar

Combine fruitcake mix with rum or brandy and let sit for several hours.  May use apple juice if you don't want to use alcohol, but the alcohol cooks out in the oven.

Sponge:  Combine potato water, mashed potatoes, scalded milk, instant yeast and 2 cups flour.  Combine and form a smooth dough.  Let rest, covered for 2 hours.

Combine all the sponge, the sugar, and extracts.  Stir in 1/2 of the  softened butter.  Using a dough hook attachment mix well.  Combine the salt and 2 C of  flour, then add to dough, mixing well.  Add remaining  soft butter.  Add remaining flour (you may not need all of the flour).  You want a soft dough that does not stick to your hands.   Add fruit mix to the dough.  Add either the slivered almonds or the almond flour at this time.  Knead dough well and put into a greased bowl and cover with a towel and let rise for a couple hours.  You can cover with greased plastic wrap and let sit overnight at this point.  If you do put it in refrigerator, then allow it to come up to nearly room temperature before proceeding.

While dough is resting, combine the almond paste, 1 T of beaten egg, 1/2 C sugar, 1/4 t almond extract.  Form a stiff dough consistency and divide  4 parts.  Form logs and  wrap in plastic wrap.  Put into refrigerator until ready to form loaves.

Divide dough into 4 parts.  Roll into a rectangle about 7 x 9" and place one filling log in the center.  Fold over the dough lengthwise, with the top edge set back by about half an inch.  Press firmly to combine the dough where folded over.  Repeat with remaining 3 dough parts.  Place on a parchment lined pan.  Cover and let dough rise for about 45 minutes.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  The Stollen won't double in size but will look somewhat 'puffy'.  Bake for about 30 minutes, checking after 25 minutes.  You want it to be golden brown.  Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes on rack.  While still warm brush loaf with melted butter and dust heavily with powdered sugar.  Cool completely and then re-dust lightly with powdered sugar.

Two New Loves

Who would think that I would have these two items as 'new loves'. . .

I really like Heinz' new Sriracha Ketchup  - so much that even if I have two other bottles of regular ketchup in the refrigerator I'll open a new bottle of the Srirascha if I don't have any remaining.  The other new love is my IPhone.  Just got it today! 

I've been using a hand-me-down phone from Maritta,  one I could barely get past 'just learning how to answer', and don't ask me about putting the phone in 'airplane mode' and my issues getting it where it would ring again while on a business trip. . . .  I told Maritta I wasn't going to get a new phone unless it was 'totally free' - I lied, and I love it thus far. 

I can already turn it off and on by myself and add contacts!  Also, it has that feature that means the kids won't get such cryptic text messages from me anymore since I can 'talk' and the phone will 'type' it for me.  I do believe that I will have to  either occasionally type my own so that they will maybe get my usual text message where out of 20 words, two or three might be real words and the rest - well I knew what I was telling them.  I guess in a pinch I can just make up a few really far out words since I think the phone will type what I speak - guess I'd best go practice that to see if it really works.  I wouldn't want anyone to think the real Cece or Mom had disappeared.  

Darn it anyway, I just learned that I missed my opportunity to be on Ellen - Mariah said she was having a program on text messages from Moms.  I could have definitely won.

Tomorrow I'll try my best to get off the phone and back to the dye pots!

Until Later,
Cece

Color Your World Wonderful Club

Over the years one of the top questions we've been asked by shop owners and retail customers has been "Where do you get your inspiration for your colors?".  Our answer has changed over the years, from looking at the particular thread line to see what color families are missing to finding inspiration from a picture, or a theme we are doing for an upcoming tradeshow.  We have had so much fun creating colors.  We would like to offer you lovers of the needle arts the chance to say "that new Thread Gatherer Color, it was my creation!".  We are starting a limited edition Silk 'n Colors thread club with colors each month designed by you! 

 

 The club will be called 'Coloring My World Wonderful'. 

 

This is how it will work.  The first twelve people (or shops) who sign up will get the chance to choose (in the order you sign up) one month out of the year for 2016.  These twelve people will take inspiration from nature, a photo,  place  or other inspiration such as gift wrap etc.  Send us your inspiration (with at least 3 colors) via email or the mail,  (ideas:  paint chips, a snippet of fabric,  a picture from a magazine) by the 15th of the month prior to your month. The official first shipment comes out January 2016.

 

 Thus, if you have January as your month we must have your color choices no later than Dec 15th, and if your month is February 2016 we must have your color inspiration no later than January 15th and so on.  We will create one multi-color and two other colors (probably solids) to compliment the multi.  Each person in the club will receive 3 limited edition colors each month.  The club will be a year long commitment.  The retail special price of this club is $15 per month plus shipping charges via USPS.  In the US this will be $2.  International customers will pay actual shipping charges.  We will include a special gift four times during the year with your club. 

 

 All colors created  become our property and we reserve the right to name the colors and add any color to our regular line.  There is a small fee of $5 to join the club. You will be required to sign a contract for a year ($15.00 per month plus shipping for a year).  Email Cece at:  thethreadgatherer@msn.com to join using subject line of email:  Color My World Wonderful Club.  Shops may also join the club,  and we will advise you of your wholesale price when you email or phone us.  There are many color inspiration boards on Pinterest if you need assistance in choosing your colors.   Here is an example of a color inspiration board:

 

 

  

Fiona's Beautiful Stitching

I loved the idea my daughter, Maritta posted on our facebook page inviting you, our best customers, to send us an email with a design stitched using our Silk n Colors.

I opened an email from Fiona McKinnon of Melbourne, Australia with this picture of her beautiful work.  It is a design of Tracy Horner's of Ink Circles, called Solitaire.  Fiona stitched it using our SNC 102 Grape Soda on 32 ct. Belfast Linen.  I'm sure you agree that the color is simply stunning in this design!

There is a touching story regarding this stitching of this piece in Fiona's words:  "I started it for my boss's wife, she fell ill last August, and sadly passed away in February.  Far too young and a very gentle, kind and loving lady.  I finished it last month, had it framed, and gave it to Peter, in loving memory of Ann Elizabeth Carpenter, he was very pleased."

Fiona wrote:  "I love the rich colors in The Thread Gatherer range, my favorite colors are purples, pinks and reds."  She is working on another Ink Circles design using our Regal Orchid color.  Fiona says visiting lovely needlework stores in the U.S. in on her bucket list.  Thanks Fiona for sharing with us.  Her work is the perfect example of taking one of our colors you love and using it in any design of your choosing which then makes the design uniquely yours! 

Still dyeing, threads that is!
Until Later,
Cece

For the Birds. . .

I'm all 'for the birds' as they say.  We are enjoying  four little baby chicks that my son Gage and his girlfriend Tyna have started raising.  I know being a 'chicken sitter' will be both entertaining and interesting, not to mention those delicious eggs.  I'd love to have backyard chickens. . . .getting a husband to agree. . . .a different story.

There seems to be no lack of birds to stitch in either needlepoint, cross stitch, or any other needle art you can think of.  So let the love affair with birds continue with a picture of an owl canvas by Charley Harper stitched by a very talented needle artist - Tess from Hawaii.  Thanks for sharing your picture with me.   Tess used Oriental Linen for the body of the owl and Silken Chenille for the Moth.

The texture these threads offer is what makes them so beautiful in this piece.  Another Needle Artist from Austria is Gina from www.stitcheries.org.  Here is a picture of a piece of art that she stitched.

I love her use of our Flax 'n Colors, Silk 'n Colors and Oriental Linen.  Another bird, this time the front of a hand made book I am working on:

The branches are hand dyed silk carrier rods (silk cocoons that didn't reel off properly for silk thread. Finally, since we are just before Easter and still thinking chickens and birds - our dyed easter eggs for this year.

Wishing you all a Happy Easter and Spring!

Still dyeing.  . . .eggs and threads!  Cece

Remembering Gentler Times

Laying on my stomach to smell the early spring hyacinths. . .
Fresh churned vanilla ice cream on a hot summer evening. . .
Playing with the basket of empty glass medicine bottles & caps,  turned into a child's toy to keep little hands busy. . .
Sitting near Grandma's knee as she crocheted, quilted or simply stitched with a needle and thread.


{p.s. Keep reading to find out about our '1,000 likes drawing'}


I just love these old needlework items that belonged to my Paternal Grandmother, Bessie Maybelle Springer Allen.  I remember watching her from my earliest moments as she sewed, crocheted and quilted, always a needle & thread in hand. I was deeply fascinated by the creation of so many lovely things.  Many hours were spent sitting at her knee and simply watching.

Here is another picture of items in a shadow box of her needlework tools.  I just love the way she threaded the buttons on a string!

  
My Sister made me the shadow box and included a picture of me with Grandma at about 18 months.

 So, thank you Grandma. . .



Now, on to the choosing of our recipients for the gifts celebrating 1,000 likes on The Thread Gatherer's Facebook page.   Please comment (on facebook) who or what inspired your interest in the needle arts. It will be interesting to read your answers.  We will see how many comments we get over two days time and I'll have my daughters who work with me choose 5 numbers from the 1 - ??? comments we have.  We will put these numbers on pieces of paper in a jar and draw one at a time.  The first four will receive a limited edition Silken Pearl 15/3 thread, a Silk 'n Colors thread and a Silken Ribbons 7mm.  The remaining number in the jar will receive our '1,000 likes' prize of 10 Silk 'n Colors (a rainbow of colors) and the same items mentioned above.  We have to limit winners to within the US, unless out of country winners are willing to pay the additional shipping costs to get your packages to you.   I'll post on facebook the comment number and your name so you can email me privately your shipping address. 

Good luck to everyone and I hope you enjoy sharing with us who taught or inspired you to love the needle arts.  May you be inspired to share with another the joy of working with needle & thread.

Fondly,
Cece

Silk Chenille for Embellishment & Stitcher's Sugar Scrub

Sugar Scrub

We've been busy lately with a new sugar scrub in several delicious scents, one of which is Blackberry Sage.  The ripe, sweet blackberry tempered with just a hint of herbal sage.  Our sugar scrub is made with a whipped body wash base with added butters of cocoa, mango and shea with two kinds of sugar.  The butters leave your hands feeling ultra moisturized after being exfoliated gently with the sugar.  No silk threads sticking and catching on your smooth skin!  An added bonus is that if you use it as an all over body sugar scrub it emulsifies with the water to leave less oils to cause a 'slippery slope' in tub or shower.  Visit our etsy site www.soaponawhim.etsy.com which is our body care shop Mathair Earth (Mother in Gaelic).

If you are into wool applique or embellishment our Silken Chenille might be just the thread you are looking for to surface couch, make some fantastic spider web roses, or simply make some incredibly tactile colonial knots.  I've been using the Silk Chenille a bit more on some wool applique I've been stitching and I love it.  I just added it to our Thread Gatherer etsy store.  www.linenweaver.etsy.com.

Pincushion and Silken Pearl 15/3

It is always a pleasure to receive an email from a needle artist and learn of yet, another way our threads find their way into your projects.  The picture attached to the email was of this beautiful pincushion crocheted by Maxine Perotto of Rupert, Idaho.  Maxine used our Silken Pearl 15/3 (100% silk thread)in colors:   SP5 111 Old Lace, SP5 012 Vintage Brown and SP5 00B  Ink Black. The value contrast of the colors do make the flower pop.   I love,  love the added touch of the beads around the edge.  Best of all Maxine gifted this to me.  What a lucky lady I am - thanks again Maxine!

A Wool Christmas Stocking

 

 

I Spent part of the Christmas Holiday Making an all wool, embellished Christmas Stocking.  It all started with the circles, simply making a few embellished with beads, Silk Ribbon Colonial Knots, and Silken Pearl Bullion Stitches.   I then had to decide what to do with those circles.  I had a lovely piece of wool I had hand dyed so I made a Christmas Stocking.  I plan to hang other 'dangly' items from the ribbon loop, but for showing purposes I attached the wonderful Christmas 'Nice' scissor fob decoration from the Shepherd's Bush Retreat.  Someone came by the house and said, "You've made a Dr. Seuss Christmas Stocking".  Well, not really my intent. . . .but it is rather playful I have to admit.
I used the new color of 'Red' Seagrass for the straight stitching at the top of the stocking and I lined it with a cute quilting fabric.  It was fun to make. 

Still Dyeing, Threads That Is. . . .
Until Later,
Cecelia

A Christmas Reindeer

 

A Christmas Reindeer

A Design & Kit By Charland Designs

While teaching at the Shepherd's Bush Retreat this fall I purchased this darling and quick to stitch Reindeer Kit from Charland Designs.  Although it came with a different fabric for backing the finished cross stitch I used a different finishing technique using some wool fabric I have on hand for wool applique.  I thought I'd share the results with you. 

 

 

 



Sheep's Silk

Sheep's Silk . . .

                               

Our Sheep's Silk is pictured at one of the local quilt shops where it is displayed near the hand dyed wool for wool applique.  This very versatile thread is perfect for blanket stitch when layering wool for wool applique, needlepoint, and cross stitch on 18-ct fabric especially.  The soft hand and gorgeous  dyed colors are due to the 50% silk and 50% wool content.  If you've never used this thread you simply must try it.  Available in a palette of palest to vibrant hues.  See the colors on our website - www.threadgatherer.com


Sometime later this fall I will have wool dyed to match some of the Sheep's Silk colors and available on our etsy site - www.thethreadgatherer.etsy.com as fabric and thread as a combined set.

Still dyeing - threads that is.

Until Later,
Cece

A Hornbook in Beeswax

Beeswax Hornbook

What an incredible hornbook in beeswax this is!  Measuring approximately 6" x 6" and weighing almost 6 oz.  This original design was actually an antique springerle mold (cookie) from which I  had a professional silicone mold designed for beeswax.  Such incredible detail:

I dusted the beeswax with gold mica so that the detail would show up in the pictures.  I showed this at a needlework trade show, but didn't get any shops really interested due to the cost and shipping of this heavy an item.  I'm thrilled to offer this for sale now on our etsy site which is:  www.thethreadgatherer.etsy.com.  If you love hornbooks, this is certainly a must for your collection.  It would be functional to actually wax your threads, but we will be offering smaller beeswaxers for this purpose.  I think it is too beautiful to use!  When you consider this was all hand carved in wood (in reverse) it is quite amazing.

Still dyeing. . . .threads that is

Until Later,
Cecelia

Old. . . .And New

I love Everything that's Old:

Old Friends. . . .

Old Times. . . .

Old Manners. . ..

Old Books. . . 

Old Wines. . .

-Oliver Goldsmith (1728-1774)

And I might add:

Old Recipes. . .

Old Colors. . .

Old Violins. . .

Old Letters. . .

Old Familiar Scents. . .

Like:

Pumpkin Lavender. . .

One of our new fall scents (old favorite from last year) is Pumpkin Lavender.  This year we also added a touch of vanilla to the mix and what a scrumptious, to dye for (forgive the pun) scent.  Available now in our etsy store for our side business, Mathair Earth (Mother in Gaelic).  Visit us at www.soaponawhim.etsy.com to see this selection and other enticing Autumn offerings.

Also, something new:

Our Etsy site for exclusive Hand dyed items is now open.  Visit us at www.thethreadgatherer.etsy.com

This is our Hand-dyed knitting yarn.  This is a 100% superwash Merino Wool fingering weight (sock) yarn.  This color we are calling Strawflower.  There are several skeins available.

Also available are our Odds and Ends Bags:

A great value at only $15 each plus shipping.

Lastly. . . .perhaps my favorite autumn color we dye in Silk 'n Colors, Ribbons and our Silken Pearl - Acorn Woods

Enjoy all the 'old' things in life you love today!

Until Later, 

Cecelia

The Last Rose of Summer

The Last Rose of Summer. . . . I think a fitting name for another new pattern for Nashville. The combination of several of our rose-pinks, greens and our ever popular Pond Scum color. It is kind of what I would call a 'modern' color combination for these motifs that came from a simply stunning old sampler that I own. Yes, the entire sampler will be available sometime in the future, but for now I will tempt you with my updated version of these motifs. Since I took the picture of the pin keep I actually ended up adding some pins to the ribboned edge. I love making my own pins for the edges of pin keeps, using silk pins and beads from the beading store.

I love needle cases, especially customizing them to make them my own. I blanket stitched two hand-dyed wool pieces together for the inside needle pages and attached them to one side. on the other I made a small pocket where a handmade ATC (artist trading card) I made with fabric and a spider web rose in our chenille. I had entitled the card "The Last rose of Summer" when I traded it with a friend. Now it has its own pocket for safe keeping. . . . .

Until later. . . . .as I do indeed dream of the Last Rose of Summer, or rather look forward to the first rose of summer during this time of winter.

Cecelia

La Fleur Memory Keeper, Button Box & Pin Keep

A preview of something new for Nashville. La Fleur Memory Keeper, Button Box and Pinkeep.

Gather old vintage buttons or purchase new ones to make these items personalized by your own buttons. Inside are several pockets to hold old letters, pictures or other memorabilia. You could finish the memory keeper into a lovely thread roll if desired also. Rolled up and tied with our hand-dyed 13mm ribbon the roll fits perfectly in the Paper Mache box which was painted and aged with Bri-Wax. The Memory Keeper is a separate pattern and the Button Box and Pin Keep a separate pattern. We will have a third pattern available in March/April that is a needle case, beeswax holder (yes we will have a special waxer also), and a button scissor fob.

Our hand-dyed 1/4" velvet ribbon finishes off the edges of the pin keep and the top of the button box. We made our own beaded pins using silk pins and beads. If you wanted to change the colors of the flowers and stitch on a neutral linen this would be lovely and we have many choices in velvet ribbon available to match our Silk 'n Colors.

Using Pumpkins & Black Cats!

I loved Halloween Jack Needle Roll by Stacy Nash Primitives. 

I had this stitched using our Silk 'n Colors Pumpkins & Black Cats

I love the soft variation of color you get when you stitch with 1 or 2 strands of floss, even in a color as dark as this one is in the full skein.

I hand dyed the wool to use in finishing.  I quilted around the tree (?).  I like the effect of the quilting and it helps with the slight puckering you get when a piece this large is rolled up in needle roll style.  Originally I'd planned to quilt around all of it, but my daughter suggested that would be 'too much'.  What do you think? 

'

Check back soon for the 'versatile blogger award' I am giving within the next couple of days.

Until later,

Cecelia

Be Happy

When I found these type set blocks on etsy I had to purchase them because this is what my Mom said each day to us as we left for school.  As a grumpy teenager I hated this, but now I appreciate the wisdom in her saying this to us each day.  I believe the 'be' denotes an action on our part to find happiness in our circumstances.  Thanks Mom for your wisdom!