I forgot to put up pictures of this when I went to it... So here's one, and there are more on my flickr.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Huaca Pucllana, a large temple ruin in Miraflores, Lima, Peru
I forgot to put up pictures of this when I went to it... So here's one, and there are more on my flickr.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Dyeing in Chinchero
Today was a dye workshop with the weavers in Chinchero. Amazing. We dyed yellow (flower dye), orange (flower dye mixed with cochineal), orange (lichen), peach (woody stems), red (cochineal), purple (cochineal with a cupric sulfate modifier), green (plant leaves), really dark green (plant leaves with cupric sulfate), turquoise (plant with fungi), pink (second dye in cochineal vat), and there were still a few more pots on the stoves when I left! I still don’t know what they dyes are called in Spanish however I’m now able to identify which plants make which colors, and how to prepare most of these plants for cooking. They use alum in large rock crystal form, and citric acid to modify ph, as well as cupric sulfate which is found in the volcanic rock in the area—much different from the blue vitriol I’m used to (safer too!).
The workshop today was the children of the weavers, a group of biology & botany students from Washington University in Oregon, myself, and Clara. Nilda and the weavers oversaw the day’s proceedings and directed what was to be done in what order. Dyeing in Peru is an all-in-one process (ie. the yarn is mordanted and dyed at once, and the dyestuff is cooked with the yarn). First was the preparation of the dyestuffs and heating the water with the mordant in it.
The leaves needed their stems removed, the plant with fungi and the woody stems had to be chopped into little pieces, the cochineal ground to a powder, the flowers removed from their stems, ect. So once the dyestuff was prepped, it went into the pot and the quantity of yarn allocated for that dye went in with it. It cooked until it looked like it was the right color (no specific timing). As it cooked, if it looked not to be the right color, the modification was just tossed into the pot and then you stirred frantically. So, if it needed to be more… red maybe? You added vinegar to the cochineal and stirred. If the yellow was too yellow and needed to be more gold, a bucket of red dye water from one of the cochineal pots was poured into the pot and you stirred frantically. They removed the pot from the wood stove and pulled a bucket of dye water out of the vat when they wanted to add the copper modifier. The copper was added to that small bucket, stirred it in until dissolved, and then poured it into the pot and then you stir like crazy (you stir with large sticks, btw, because these pots could cook a small person). Then the pot is put back on the heat. Once it’s cooked enough, the pot is taken off the wood stove, and a massive group of people hoist the yarn out of the pot with the large sticks, hold it there to drip, and then drop it into a large tub to be set aside and sorted later.
Then the dye water is used for an exhaust vat or its color is modified for another color entirely. I later ended up going through the red cochineal and the purple cochineal vats, sorting yarn (my hands are now various shades of orange and purple). Once the skeins were separated, they were laid on the wooden fence and sorted by what type of yarn they were. Once things calm down a bit and the yarn is sufficiently cool, it is then rinsed out.
During the day there were a few very interesting things that went on. The first is I ended up giving a mini science lesson on the chemistry of natural dyeing to the biology/botany students—why they use protein based fibers, what the chemical names of the mordants were and what they basically do, why you use them, how the colors change based on PH, dyes I use in the states, ect. They were absolutely fascinated and I was having a great time. It was nice to feel helpful, and I always love talking to scientists about dyeing because they come at it from such a different (but awesome) perspective. The second interesting thing is they served a 3 course lunch for everybody… It began with a delicious broth based barley and veggie soup, dressed with cilantro. There was toasted barley and corn on the table for snacking and spicy home-made salsa. Then the second course which included: a purred bean dish that had the consistency of hummus, a veggie dish of swiss chard, potato, vinegars and spices that was AMAZING, a cooked salad of lima beans, carrots, with peeled tomatoes, fresh onions, and cubed cheese, boiled corn and potatoes and lima beans (a staple), and fried corn flour biscuits with peppers and cheese. Then the third course, seasoned and roasted cuy (which tastes like duck btw). To finish it off, they served Matte de Coca tea. I WAS SO FULL (Estoy muy satisfecha). I helped serve, because they needed it and ate in between helping. People wanted to know what things were (which I felt special when I knew). The third and maybe strangest/coolest (figuratively and literally) thing that happened today, was that, after lunch, it hailed on us!!! This is very strange weather here. We all had to duck under the awnings to seek shelter and keep working. It hailed for almost 45min. The children were running around, throwing showballs at each other (they’d probably never seen such a thing before!) So we all finished out the day with wet pants and shoes….
I left around 4pm, taking a super crowded taxi back to Cusco (2 ppl in the front passenger seat, 4 in the back seat, and 2 in back of the hatchback). Indira (one of the women from the CTTC, who is in charge of organizing dye workshops) and I went to the grocery store on our way home. And yet I don’t have it in me to cook this evening after the lunch I had!! Best things about this evening? Hot showers and a brand new archeologist apt. mate Adrienne!!!
The workshop today was the children of the weavers, a group of biology & botany students from Washington University in Oregon, myself, and Clara. Nilda and the weavers oversaw the day’s proceedings and directed what was to be done in what order. Dyeing in Peru is an all-in-one process (ie. the yarn is mordanted and dyed at once, and the dyestuff is cooked with the yarn). First was the preparation of the dyestuffs and heating the water with the mordant in it.
The leaves needed their stems removed, the plant with fungi and the woody stems had to be chopped into little pieces, the cochineal ground to a powder, the flowers removed from their stems, ect. So once the dyestuff was prepped, it went into the pot and the quantity of yarn allocated for that dye went in with it. It cooked until it looked like it was the right color (no specific timing). As it cooked, if it looked not to be the right color, the modification was just tossed into the pot and then you stirred frantically. So, if it needed to be more… red maybe? You added vinegar to the cochineal and stirred. If the yellow was too yellow and needed to be more gold, a bucket of red dye water from one of the cochineal pots was poured into the pot and you stirred frantically. They removed the pot from the wood stove and pulled a bucket of dye water out of the vat when they wanted to add the copper modifier. The copper was added to that small bucket, stirred it in until dissolved, and then poured it into the pot and then you stir like crazy (you stir with large sticks, btw, because these pots could cook a small person). Then the pot is put back on the heat. Once it’s cooked enough, the pot is taken off the wood stove, and a massive group of people hoist the yarn out of the pot with the large sticks, hold it there to drip, and then drop it into a large tub to be set aside and sorted later.
Then the dye water is used for an exhaust vat or its color is modified for another color entirely. I later ended up going through the red cochineal and the purple cochineal vats, sorting yarn (my hands are now various shades of orange and purple). Once the skeins were separated, they were laid on the wooden fence and sorted by what type of yarn they were. Once things calm down a bit and the yarn is sufficiently cool, it is then rinsed out.
During the day there were a few very interesting things that went on. The first is I ended up giving a mini science lesson on the chemistry of natural dyeing to the biology/botany students—why they use protein based fibers, what the chemical names of the mordants were and what they basically do, why you use them, how the colors change based on PH, dyes I use in the states, ect. They were absolutely fascinated and I was having a great time. It was nice to feel helpful, and I always love talking to scientists about dyeing because they come at it from such a different (but awesome) perspective. The second interesting thing is they served a 3 course lunch for everybody… It began with a delicious broth based barley and veggie soup, dressed with cilantro. There was toasted barley and corn on the table for snacking and spicy home-made salsa. Then the second course which included: a purred bean dish that had the consistency of hummus, a veggie dish of swiss chard, potato, vinegars and spices that was AMAZING, a cooked salad of lima beans, carrots, with peeled tomatoes, fresh onions, and cubed cheese, boiled corn and potatoes and lima beans (a staple), and fried corn flour biscuits with peppers and cheese. Then the third course, seasoned and roasted cuy (which tastes like duck btw). To finish it off, they served Matte de Coca tea. I WAS SO FULL (Estoy muy satisfecha). I helped serve, because they needed it and ate in between helping. People wanted to know what things were (which I felt special when I knew). The third and maybe strangest/coolest (figuratively and literally) thing that happened today, was that, after lunch, it hailed on us!!! This is very strange weather here. We all had to duck under the awnings to seek shelter and keep working. It hailed for almost 45min. The children were running around, throwing showballs at each other (they’d probably never seen such a thing before!) So we all finished out the day with wet pants and shoes….
I left around 4pm, taking a super crowded taxi back to Cusco (2 ppl in the front passenger seat, 4 in the back seat, and 2 in back of the hatchback). Indira (one of the women from the CTTC, who is in charge of organizing dye workshops) and I went to the grocery store on our way home. And yet I don’t have it in me to cook this evening after the lunch I had!! Best things about this evening? Hot showers and a brand new archeologist apt. mate Adrienne!!!
Monday, August 29, 2011
Lunes
9-11: Espanol leccion con mi maestra Danitza. I cannot remember my p-verbs to save my life.
Nilda sat down and discussed with me what they need from me, in exchange for weaving, dyeing and spinning instruction. Basically, I get to be their PR manager! I'm in charge of their facebook and other online media presence. I'm to create a newsletter to be sent out to donors and people they want to be donors. I'm to re-do their pamphlets and help in better distribution around the city so that the tourists are able to more easily find the museum, as well as making their presence known to tourist groups in the US. If I have time I may be creating a simple html/CSS based alternate web page for smart technology (their site is flash-based). I will also be helping with dye sourcing for Indigo and Cochineal, compiling fresh fermented indigo recipes and maybe accompanying Indira (the dye workshop coordinator among other things) to the Amazon region of western Peru to see where the Indigo is grown (it doesn't grow in Cusco's climate) and maybe participate in a dye. There may end up being more, I dunno. I'm really excited about all of this.... but I need to beef up my comupter skills a bit.
Got a local cell phone.
Got in touch with the women in charge of the apt owned by the CTTC board members and moved in! I am now officially settled! I have internet, a full kitchen, an awesome bedroom, and hot water for showers!!! YAY!
Nilda sat down and discussed with me what they need from me, in exchange for weaving, dyeing and spinning instruction. Basically, I get to be their PR manager! I'm in charge of their facebook and other online media presence. I'm to create a newsletter to be sent out to donors and people they want to be donors. I'm to re-do their pamphlets and help in better distribution around the city so that the tourists are able to more easily find the museum, as well as making their presence known to tourist groups in the US. If I have time I may be creating a simple html/CSS based alternate web page for smart technology (their site is flash-based). I will also be helping with dye sourcing for Indigo and Cochineal, compiling fresh fermented indigo recipes and maybe accompanying Indira (the dye workshop coordinator among other things) to the Amazon region of western Peru to see where the Indigo is grown (it doesn't grow in Cusco's climate) and maybe participate in a dye. There may end up being more, I dunno. I'm really excited about all of this.... but I need to beef up my comupter skills a bit.
Got a local cell phone.
Got in touch with the women in charge of the apt owned by the CTTC board members and moved in! I am now officially settled! I have internet, a full kitchen, an awesome bedroom, and hot water for showers!!! YAY!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Life & Whatnot
I would like to say something about this experience, outside of the day to day goings-on. I’ve only been in Cusco for 3 days, and in Peru for a whole 6, however I can honestly already say I am beginning to understand how big this is. I was at the festival today and then at the CTTC in Chinchero and I had this thought, that I wanted to weave with these women all day, for weeks and weeks. I want to dye with them for as long as they’ll let me. I want to share their community and their history and their stories… I know this requires me to speak the language well, and it’s coming. I’ll get better as I take more classes and as I am immersed in it for a prolonged period of time. Maybe I’ll even pick up some Quechua along the way. So far it’s been a good experience, but a tough one. I am so fortunate to have this grant, but I don’t think most people can really understand what all this entails for me. The people I encounter here even, who speak English and are traveling abroad with a friend or partner, they don’t understand how I can strike out alone, to an unfamiliar place, to people I don’t know. A guy the other day was like “you must be very strong.” My response was “and stubborn!” but really, he has no idea. I miss tap water and hot showers. I miss pilates classes and raw carrots and strawberries. I miss my girlfriend and my family and my friends. Skype is no replacement for seeing the people I care about in person. So here’s the real test—I thought I had done a pretty decent job figuring myself out while I was in Detroit, but this will show what I’m really made of.
The more people I meet, the better it gets. And there’s always weaving. And spinning. And dyeing… The familiarity of these, even if the techniques or the materials are different, is a comfort. And who knows, maybe I’ll finally get good at knitting (these women are badass knitters). Maybe I’ll travel into the Amazon to finally do an indigo dye with real indigo. And then there are 13yr old girls who sit down around you at fountains to ask in rapid Spanish about your Nook and your clothes and your hair and where you’re from and what you do and what is your name and don’t you miss your family and then tell you what you’re wearing when you say you only speak a little Spanish, and then tell you you’re beautiful, that they want to touch your hair, and run off shouting Nos Vemos. There is an archeologist to follow into the ruins of Incan and Pre-Columbian civilizations, and a Spanish instructor who I get to finally meet in person after a year of lessons, and some seemingly over-zealous well meaning persons who believe they really can change the world all by themselves. I haven’t said no to an invitation yet to go somewhere or meet someone and I plan to make it stay that way.
I got to see some real stars tonight. Nilda pointed out the southern cross on our way back to Cusco. To top it all off, I get 10ms of southern constellations. Muy bonito.
The more people I meet, the better it gets. And there’s always weaving. And spinning. And dyeing… The familiarity of these, even if the techniques or the materials are different, is a comfort. And who knows, maybe I’ll finally get good at knitting (these women are badass knitters). Maybe I’ll travel into the Amazon to finally do an indigo dye with real indigo. And then there are 13yr old girls who sit down around you at fountains to ask in rapid Spanish about your Nook and your clothes and your hair and where you’re from and what you do and what is your name and don’t you miss your family and then tell you what you’re wearing when you say you only speak a little Spanish, and then tell you you’re beautiful, that they want to touch your hair, and run off shouting Nos Vemos. There is an archeologist to follow into the ruins of Incan and Pre-Columbian civilizations, and a Spanish instructor who I get to finally meet in person after a year of lessons, and some seemingly over-zealous well meaning persons who believe they really can change the world all by themselves. I haven’t said no to an invitation yet to go somewhere or meet someone and I plan to make it stay that way.
I got to see some real stars tonight. Nilda pointed out the southern cross on our way back to Cusco. To top it all off, I get 10ms of southern constellations. Muy bonito.
Chinchero
Today I traveled out to Chinchero with Nilda and her esposo (husband) for the Festival happening today. When we arrived, the CTTC’s weavers were assembled (as they are basically 7 days a week) in the Chinchero HQ’s courtyard. I got to meet her Mama and many of the weavers she grew up learning from or weaving with. They were decked out in traditional garb [picture!!] and had wares for sale, were working on warps in various states of progress tied to posts around the yard, were spinning piles of roving with drop spindles, and in the back of the court yard, a gigantic pot sat on a wood fire stove simmering yarn with natural dye flowers. Natural dyes are like a magnet for me…. As soon as I noticed the pot, I headed straight towards it. On the stone wall across from the cooking stoves were bowls with piles of natural dyestuffs, and a few mordants as well (as of yet unidentified, but my guess is lime, alum and salt). There was also a stick with big skeins of yarn on it in various shades of red (cochineal), orange (lichen), yellow (the dye pot on the stove at that moment), green, blue-green, purple, and blue (indigo). I was in heaven. A woman came over to stir the giant cauldron and I tried asking questions of her… the answers I only understood a part of, but it was enough to get the gist of which plants made which colors, and which was in the pot at that moment. What was really interesting was later, after I’d gotten back from the festival, I offered to help the woman from earlier (who never did give me her name even though I asked) wash out the yarn. It had big chunks of flowers in it!! I sat there, picking flower bits out, wondering if they hadn’t thought to put the dyestuff in a nylon mesh bag, and my thoughts were interrupted by the woman telling me to Shake the yarn…. I have dyed with things (black walnuts and annatto to name a couple) where I had to shake the skeins to get all the particulates out, however I never found it particularly pleasant. I’m sure the overhead of purchasing a cheap giant bolt of nylon mesh (for pantyhose) would be worth it for the time they save picking out flower bits? I may mention it at some point…
Upon arrival I was told that Chinchero usually has a big Sunday market, but that they moved it to the festival grounds today. So once I’d seen Nilda’s house and the Center’s HQ, Clara (the awesome Canadian working with the CTTC) and I went off to the festival! They had pens of animals (including giant pigs and cuy (guinea pigs), food vendors cooking over wood stoves, more textiles that you could shake a stick at, booths for utensils (at one of which I got myself a drop spindle!), stands exhibiting competition weavings and potatos, and a big ring for the dances. I only got to see a few dances as I am so short that I got crowded out and couldn’t see over everyone else, but they were beautiful and full of color. As I understand it, all the children in Chinchero form groups, choreograph dances, choose costumes, and compete at this festival. After I decided I was done with the dancing for a while, I went back to the CTTC’s stand at the festival and asked one of the spinners if she could show me how to spin. Spinning was one of those things I learned a few times at MICA, but never did enough of to really get good at it. Today I started from scratch, learning from some of the best spinners in the world (they are good enough to spin thin yarn that stands up to being pulled taut as warp thread, so it my estimation, this ranks them the best. I’ve never met a hand-spun yarn I’d use as a warp until I saw what these women do). One of them grabbed a chunk of llama yarn that had been set aside as unsuitable for spinning, told me I could have it if I wanted it, and when I nodded, she showed me how to begin. And then how they spin (which is to almost overspin). I spent some time on it before getting food, and after getting food, being stuffed with more food by the weavers.
After lunch, Clara and I headed back to the center—she had a warp to work on and I wanted out of the sun, because I was starting to feel the elevation and needed a break (in actuality I spent the afternoon spinning, and am now better than aweful). Right before I left, I stopped at a booth I had noticed earlier that had hats. I bought the most beautiful felt blocked wide brimmed hat… but left it in the taxi on my way to San Blas due to my splitting headache, and now I am sad and frustrated with myself. The headache has since gone away (due to 4 ibuprophine) which is the upside. It’s my belief it was caused by my going off the altitude meds. Le sigh.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
The afternoon
So everyone was right when they said I’d drop dead of exhaustion for the first few days. I want to do yoga and stretch out my back and legs but it’s too cold in this hostel (or the hotel yesterday for that matter) for me to want to take off my sweaters, scarf, boots, gloves, ect. So I’ll settle for lying down and typing (which I can’t imagine anything feeling as good as sitting after walking all over this city).
This is the hill....
After my morning… I struck out looking for apartments and found nothing. Not a sign, not a whisper at a café, not a small pamphlet listing vacancies. I wandered through San Blas (arts district) for a bit to no avail (and honestly after wandering here for a day, I already think this is not the area for me—why I wanted a hostel here in the first place). Then on to Central Cusco, then to the Western part of Cusco. I have decided to go for the apt that was found for me by Nilda, because of convenience and because I don’t want to be in a hostel indefinitely. And honestly, everyone in the states keeps telling me they can’t find one room studio apts for that price, let alone with utilities included. So win.
When I finally gave up looking, it was well into lunchtime so I wandered the absolutely gigantic, fabulous Mercado Central de San Pedro. Did I mention it’s really big? And supremely crowded? When I first entered, I was immediately surrounded by large gathered skirts of the traditional Peruvian style (thought not in fabric). At each booth, there was a little Peruvian lady or gentleman with a treadle-powered sewing machine, working on garments, which were hung up for sale as soon as they were completed. There were all sorts of hats and vests and mantas (shawls) and ponchos and mittens and gloves and sox and more of both Alpaca yarns and brightly colored synthetics. The better part wasa the food…. I’m told it’s the best place in the area for delicious cheap veggies, locally grown and harvested. I got 3 bananas (called plantains here though they’re just bananas), 1 tangerine, the most delicious Peruvian avocado ever, and a pack of whole wheat flat breads. That was lunch today, a snack tonight and breakfast tomorrow. Mmmmm fresh local tasty food. That’s the tame food. There were isles of meat, where whole animals were being made into cuts and sold, where piles of chickens that were freshly plucked still had their feet but no heads, where I seriously wondered about it all…. Other strange things of note: pig feet, donkey noses with fuzz still on them, fish eggs, more types of potatos than I’ve ever seen in my life, corn with kernals the size of nickels…. There were also more grains than I knew the names of (in English, let alone Spanish), beautiful fresh purple garlic, bouquets of what looked to be mint, fennel, and chamomile for the holiday on Tuesday, Spices, fresh (fragrant) cheeses, drop spindles, stone mortar and pestles, and a section that was just people cooking and serving up traditional dishes from gigantic cauldrons that were big enough boil a person. Everything from Chicken Soup with Rice (which has chicken feet and chicken heart in it btw), lomo saltado (salted beef and potatoes with rice), octopus, curries, stews, juices, smoothes (which they call milkshakes), and tons of things I didn’t recognize. I’ve been cautioned not to eat at places like that because you can’t control the water they use and if it’s contaminated or the veggies are and aren’t cooked enough, you’re in trouble. Ran into a pair of Canadians and ended up talking about the mixture of abundance and poverty there, and which spices were most delicious. I accused them of being from the US because they didn’t speak with British or Scandinavian accents (most English speaking people here do if they’re not from the US). I think I may have offended them (or at least gave them a good reason not to ask me to get a drink with them, oh my). Had lunch on a sunny bench, moved to a different, more shady stone wall to read for a bit, headed back to the hostel for a bit.
I got to meet Adrienne, one of the other Fulbrighters this afternoon. We met at the Plaza de Armas (central plaza) and headed for a little café she knew for tea and introductions. She’s an archeologists and I think we’ll get along famously (or at least I hope so). She’s been here the last 2 summers working in the sacred valley region, so she’s very familiar with Cusco. She’s offered to take me out to the ruins and temples she’s working on, and let me in on the secret not-touristy time to go to Machu Piccu. She also salsa dances and is a tea connoisseur (see what I mean, we’ll get along very well).
Plaza de Armas
Was invited out with mi maestra’s amigas and then it was postponed (which was perfectly fine with me, I wasn’t up for much this evening anyway). I ended up drinking tea and eating veggie curry at a little café near the hostel, and stayed, drinking more tea, to read my book because it was warm there.
Off to sleep now—I’m up at 7am so I can meet Nilda and we can go to an awesome festival tomorrow!
Ciao!
This is the hill....
After my morning… I struck out looking for apartments and found nothing. Not a sign, not a whisper at a café, not a small pamphlet listing vacancies. I wandered through San Blas (arts district) for a bit to no avail (and honestly after wandering here for a day, I already think this is not the area for me—why I wanted a hostel here in the first place). Then on to Central Cusco, then to the Western part of Cusco. I have decided to go for the apt that was found for me by Nilda, because of convenience and because I don’t want to be in a hostel indefinitely. And honestly, everyone in the states keeps telling me they can’t find one room studio apts for that price, let alone with utilities included. So win.
When I finally gave up looking, it was well into lunchtime so I wandered the absolutely gigantic, fabulous Mercado Central de San Pedro. Did I mention it’s really big? And supremely crowded? When I first entered, I was immediately surrounded by large gathered skirts of the traditional Peruvian style (thought not in fabric). At each booth, there was a little Peruvian lady or gentleman with a treadle-powered sewing machine, working on garments, which were hung up for sale as soon as they were completed. There were all sorts of hats and vests and mantas (shawls) and ponchos and mittens and gloves and sox and more of both Alpaca yarns and brightly colored synthetics. The better part wasa the food…. I’m told it’s the best place in the area for delicious cheap veggies, locally grown and harvested. I got 3 bananas (called plantains here though they’re just bananas), 1 tangerine, the most delicious Peruvian avocado ever, and a pack of whole wheat flat breads. That was lunch today, a snack tonight and breakfast tomorrow. Mmmmm fresh local tasty food. That’s the tame food. There were isles of meat, where whole animals were being made into cuts and sold, where piles of chickens that were freshly plucked still had their feet but no heads, where I seriously wondered about it all…. Other strange things of note: pig feet, donkey noses with fuzz still on them, fish eggs, more types of potatos than I’ve ever seen in my life, corn with kernals the size of nickels…. There were also more grains than I knew the names of (in English, let alone Spanish), beautiful fresh purple garlic, bouquets of what looked to be mint, fennel, and chamomile for the holiday on Tuesday, Spices, fresh (fragrant) cheeses, drop spindles, stone mortar and pestles, and a section that was just people cooking and serving up traditional dishes from gigantic cauldrons that were big enough boil a person. Everything from Chicken Soup with Rice (which has chicken feet and chicken heart in it btw), lomo saltado (salted beef and potatoes with rice), octopus, curries, stews, juices, smoothes (which they call milkshakes), and tons of things I didn’t recognize. I’ve been cautioned not to eat at places like that because you can’t control the water they use and if it’s contaminated or the veggies are and aren’t cooked enough, you’re in trouble. Ran into a pair of Canadians and ended up talking about the mixture of abundance and poverty there, and which spices were most delicious. I accused them of being from the US because they didn’t speak with British or Scandinavian accents (most English speaking people here do if they’re not from the US). I think I may have offended them (or at least gave them a good reason not to ask me to get a drink with them, oh my). Had lunch on a sunny bench, moved to a different, more shady stone wall to read for a bit, headed back to the hostel for a bit.
I got to meet Adrienne, one of the other Fulbrighters this afternoon. We met at the Plaza de Armas (central plaza) and headed for a little café she knew for tea and introductions. She’s an archeologists and I think we’ll get along famously (or at least I hope so). She’s been here the last 2 summers working in the sacred valley region, so she’s very familiar with Cusco. She’s offered to take me out to the ruins and temples she’s working on, and let me in on the secret not-touristy time to go to Machu Piccu. She also salsa dances and is a tea connoisseur (see what I mean, we’ll get along very well).
Plaza de Armas
Was invited out with mi maestra’s amigas and then it was postponed (which was perfectly fine with me, I wasn’t up for much this evening anyway). I ended up drinking tea and eating veggie curry at a little café near the hostel, and stayed, drinking more tea, to read my book because it was warm there.
Off to sleep now—I’m up at 7am so I can meet Nilda and we can go to an awesome festival tomorrow!
Ciao!
Most brilliant dumb thing in the whole world.
So I am on top of a mountain, in the San Blas Arts district in Cusco. How did I get here, you might ask? Well, I decided the hotel where I was staying—the hotel with a big bed and lots of covers, private bathroom, and breakfast in the morning—was too expensive if I was going to be staying until Monday. So a Hostal, I thought. I had a good experience at one in Venice, and then in Lima. And then I was like, well, I think I want to look around at apartments in the arts district, so I should find a hostel there. So I looked in my guide book and on the internet and one, the Hostal of Artists in San Blas, was the one that got good reviews and only costs $8 a night. So I called them, got a room until Monday, and was happy.
I took a walk this morning, checked out of my hotel, and at 9:45am had the taxi take me to the hostal. He took me as far as the San Blas square and pointed up the hill and then abandoned me. So I started walking. That was when I encountered the stairs… The stairs that lead all the way up the giant steep hill stairs. The stairs that someone who is not used to the altitude should not try even if they’re only carrying a purse stairs. And I had 2 luggage bags that weight 50lbs each (remember I’m here for 10ms, for a few seasons, and there are no malls or stores for buying clothes easily, so I had to bring it all with me). A very nice shop owner let me stow one bag in his back room and I proceeded to lug the other up the hill. It almost killed me, I felt like I was having an asthma attack the whole time, and when I got to the top all the hawkers took one look at me and scattered. You know it’s bad when the hawkers won’t even approach you—I think they were worried I’d pass out.
I got in, talked to the man behind the counter (Lenny) about checking in and then put on my most piteous face (not hard after all that) to ask if he could help me get the other bag (which turned out to be the lighter of the 2). He pointed to the communal bathrooms, to the communal kitchen, and helped me get my bags into my room. I realized then that I have no towels, no hand/face soap, no shower sandals, no mirror, a gigantic bruise on my arm, and I wanted to cry. Oh yea, good morning.
Now I’m supposed to go apt. looking. I don’t know if I have the energy for this or even the will power after seeing the one yesterday. I’m supposed to be taking it easy and getting used to the altitude….not doing so well on that point so far today. I want to be able to call my girlfriend without arranging a skype session. In good news, I signed up for in person classes with mi maestra, Danitza, 2 hrs a day M-F this week. So hopefully I’ll get more comfortable just talking to people. And if all else fails, the bright side to this little adventure (which won’t be funny for a while, but will be hilarious years from now) is that it will be much easier going back down.
I took a walk this morning, checked out of my hotel, and at 9:45am had the taxi take me to the hostal. He took me as far as the San Blas square and pointed up the hill and then abandoned me. So I started walking. That was when I encountered the stairs… The stairs that lead all the way up the giant steep hill stairs. The stairs that someone who is not used to the altitude should not try even if they’re only carrying a purse stairs. And I had 2 luggage bags that weight 50lbs each (remember I’m here for 10ms, for a few seasons, and there are no malls or stores for buying clothes easily, so I had to bring it all with me). A very nice shop owner let me stow one bag in his back room and I proceeded to lug the other up the hill. It almost killed me, I felt like I was having an asthma attack the whole time, and when I got to the top all the hawkers took one look at me and scattered. You know it’s bad when the hawkers won’t even approach you—I think they were worried I’d pass out.
I got in, talked to the man behind the counter (Lenny) about checking in and then put on my most piteous face (not hard after all that) to ask if he could help me get the other bag (which turned out to be the lighter of the 2). He pointed to the communal bathrooms, to the communal kitchen, and helped me get my bags into my room. I realized then that I have no towels, no hand/face soap, no shower sandals, no mirror, a gigantic bruise on my arm, and I wanted to cry. Oh yea, good morning.
Now I’m supposed to go apt. looking. I don’t know if I have the energy for this or even the will power after seeing the one yesterday. I’m supposed to be taking it easy and getting used to the altitude….not doing so well on that point so far today. I want to be able to call my girlfriend without arranging a skype session. In good news, I signed up for in person classes with mi maestra, Danitza, 2 hrs a day M-F this week. So hopefully I’ll get more comfortable just talking to people. And if all else fails, the bright side to this little adventure (which won’t be funny for a while, but will be hilarious years from now) is that it will be much easier going back down.
Friday, August 26, 2011
The calle of lost gatos
Someone asked me if I’d seen any kitties since I got to Lima and I told them no, then I saw this. A street where kitties are abandoned and nice locals come and bring them food and pet them. Saddest, sweetest thing ever.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Lima oh Lima
Two days of adventuring before my flight to Cusco... I've walked all over the Miraflores district of Lima and its cute and very well-to-do compared to the other parts of the city I've seen. I'm still getting used to not being able to use my phone.....fjsdklfjsdklfjsdkljf (Oh the perils of getting used to crackberries...). Things are strangely cheap/expensive, everything (esp food) is Americanized in the most painful way ever (everyone here loves the US it seems, which makes me cringe-- we export fast food, pop culture, coca cola, and American Eagle. Why is destroying the authenticity of other cultures what the US is known for?) There is a TON of construction in the area (is it really growing that fast?), and every time I cross the street I'm sure I'm going to be run over by a buscar or a taxi is going to stop on the cross walk to ask me if I need a ride. NO I REALLY DO LIKE TO WALK THANKYOU! However, now that I'm getting used to the pace and flow of things I really do love it here. The weather is humid-cool (it is winter after all), hostels are the most awesome things ever, and it's Beautiful (even the gritty parts). I don't think it's possible to take a bad picture of Peru. And I'm unbelievably excited to get to Cusco tomorrow!!
Now that my rambling is done, here's what I've been up to the last few days:
Miercoles (Wednesday)
I got to go to the Commission for International Education for orientation and setting up my bank account.... Everyone was supremely friendly and helpful, reassuring me that I'll get the language in no time, that Cusco is easier because more people speak English, and simultaneously harder because the Spanish up there is a bit of a Quechua hybrid. They gave me a brief safety lecture, basically saying "Don't take any buses to the middle of nowhere overnight, you'll get kidnapped." And "Use your common sense." They want us to travel, to make friends with local people, act as cultural ambassadors to the US, and also complete our projects. It's the experience and connections that will be important, not necessarily the quantity of work I make (however, I will not de-prioritize the making of awesome things for anything, no matter what they say. I want to dye everything!!!) The bank was a rather awful experience, as our signature had to match our passport exactly and mine is never the same twice. I had to sit and practice the signature in my passport for almost 40min before they said it was a good match and let me sign the paperwork. I was basically in tears at the end of it-- it's kinda scary when they're lecturing you in Spanish about something you feel you should be able to do, that doesn't have a whole lot of importance where you're from but is massively important where you are. But it's sorted out now and I have an account at a Peruvian cuenta bancaria!
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
After this, I decided it was time for a walking adventure. I stopped at the French Bakery down the street from my hostel, because it was 2:30 and I hadn't had lunch. Most delicious chocolate croissant ever. Then I headed for the Ocean. The Pacific Ocean in the Southern Hemisphere, where you have to watch out for Sharks and stinging jellyfish in the summer and seagulls and surfers in the winter. It was so very beautiful. When I approached the coast, the land just dropped off into these rounded cliffs, with pebbly faces and viney ground cover. There was a zig-zagging winding path down the cliff-side, down to a bridge that crossed a highway, and then down more stairs to the beach path. I made up my mind and the first thing I did was run up to the water in between waves and touch the water. I had to run right back away from it to avoid getting splashed. I'm sure I had a gigantic smile on my face and was laughing like a crazy person, but it didn't matter (looking ridiculous doesn't matter a whole lot when nobody speaks your language, they just assume you're nuts to begin with). I took something like 90 pictures... they're on my flicker. Wandered through the downtown for a while, looking for sweaters (found one) before heading home. Didn't find any traditional peruvian food (strangest thing ever) but did find veggies for dinner. Collapsed when I finally got back to my room around 9pm (walking for long stints like that is exhausting).
Jueves (Thrusday)
Today (hoy) I got up at a decent hour and headed for the post office!! Found a crepe resturant that will definitely be dinner this evening, and then headed for Huaca Pucllana, an archeological site about 2 blocks from my hostel. It's a Lima Culture pyramid temple and they've been excavating and restoring it for 30 years and expect to be working another 20. It used to be 18 Hectares and is now just 6, because the construction of the area began before the archeologists knew what the site was-- it just looked like a big dirt mountain, and was then used for soccer, motorcross bike ramping, and other damaging things.... I got to tour what they have excavated, take lots of pictures, and look at some adorable Alpacas!!! (Alpacas have such cute faces!!!)
Then it was off to find lunch (finally traditional Peruvian food at this PACKED little cafe-- I had Lomo Saltado ie. salted beef and veggies) and the "Indian" district, which to me meant India Market and to the people here means Inca Descendents. I am now the proud owner of an insanely brightly colored purse, a cheap pair of slouchy boots, and some probably off the back of a truck old navy v-neck shirts! Walked back to the hostel for a break before dinner (the dinner rush is closer to 8pm here??). Mmm crepes.
Now that my rambling is done, here's what I've been up to the last few days:
Miercoles (Wednesday)
I got to go to the Commission for International Education for orientation and setting up my bank account.... Everyone was supremely friendly and helpful, reassuring me that I'll get the language in no time, that Cusco is easier because more people speak English, and simultaneously harder because the Spanish up there is a bit of a Quechua hybrid. They gave me a brief safety lecture, basically saying "Don't take any buses to the middle of nowhere overnight, you'll get kidnapped." And "Use your common sense." They want us to travel, to make friends with local people, act as cultural ambassadors to the US, and also complete our projects. It's the experience and connections that will be important, not necessarily the quantity of work I make (however, I will not de-prioritize the making of awesome things for anything, no matter what they say. I want to dye everything!!!) The bank was a rather awful experience, as our signature had to match our passport exactly and mine is never the same twice. I had to sit and practice the signature in my passport for almost 40min before they said it was a good match and let me sign the paperwork. I was basically in tears at the end of it-- it's kinda scary when they're lecturing you in Spanish about something you feel you should be able to do, that doesn't have a whole lot of importance where you're from but is massively important where you are. But it's sorted out now and I have an account at a Peruvian cuenta bancaria!
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
After this, I decided it was time for a walking adventure. I stopped at the French Bakery down the street from my hostel, because it was 2:30 and I hadn't had lunch. Most delicious chocolate croissant ever. Then I headed for the Ocean. The Pacific Ocean in the Southern Hemisphere, where you have to watch out for Sharks and stinging jellyfish in the summer and seagulls and surfers in the winter. It was so very beautiful. When I approached the coast, the land just dropped off into these rounded cliffs, with pebbly faces and viney ground cover. There was a zig-zagging winding path down the cliff-side, down to a bridge that crossed a highway, and then down more stairs to the beach path. I made up my mind and the first thing I did was run up to the water in between waves and touch the water. I had to run right back away from it to avoid getting splashed. I'm sure I had a gigantic smile on my face and was laughing like a crazy person, but it didn't matter (looking ridiculous doesn't matter a whole lot when nobody speaks your language, they just assume you're nuts to begin with). I took something like 90 pictures... they're on my flicker. Wandered through the downtown for a while, looking for sweaters (found one) before heading home. Didn't find any traditional peruvian food (strangest thing ever) but did find veggies for dinner. Collapsed when I finally got back to my room around 9pm (walking for long stints like that is exhausting).
Jueves (Thrusday)
Today (hoy) I got up at a decent hour and headed for the post office!! Found a crepe resturant that will definitely be dinner this evening, and then headed for Huaca Pucllana, an archeological site about 2 blocks from my hostel. It's a Lima Culture pyramid temple and they've been excavating and restoring it for 30 years and expect to be working another 20. It used to be 18 Hectares and is now just 6, because the construction of the area began before the archeologists knew what the site was-- it just looked like a big dirt mountain, and was then used for soccer, motorcross bike ramping, and other damaging things.... I got to tour what they have excavated, take lots of pictures, and look at some adorable Alpacas!!! (Alpacas have such cute faces!!!)
Then it was off to find lunch (finally traditional Peruvian food at this PACKED little cafe-- I had Lomo Saltado ie. salted beef and veggies) and the "Indian" district, which to me meant India Market and to the people here means Inca Descendents. I am now the proud owner of an insanely brightly colored purse, a cheap pair of slouchy boots, and some probably off the back of a truck old navy v-neck shirts! Walked back to the hostel for a break before dinner (the dinner rush is closer to 8pm here??). Mmm crepes.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
All Airports Begin to Look The Same After a While....
-or-
My Spanish is as bad as I thought it was....
Cincinnati to JFK in NY to Guayaquil, Ecuador to Lima, Peru....
I began my trip yesterday, leaving my house around 2:30pm. I got to the Cincinnati airport with time to spare, and my flight was delayed from a 5:20 to 7:20 take-off. Made me really glad I had a 4 hour layover planned in at JFK (the 3rd most unfriendly airport I've been too-- 1st being Paris, 2nd being DC). It was huge and I had to run/train from my dinky Cincy plane to the other end of the airport to find the international flights. I got to the correct gate and no one really spoke English... So now the crash course begins! While waiting (now 2 hours) at JFK, I had the most expensive whiskey on the rocks of my life, and realized I won't be having another until after Peru because I can't trust the ice (maybe if I make it myself). Oh joyous.
The flight to Ecuador was crowded and uncomfortable. My but fell asleep, people continued to speak Spanish and look at me like a mentally-handicapped 4yr old when I tried to speak Spanish in response, I deemed the movie "Water for Elephants" an awful movie, and I didn't get nearly enough sleep. However, I was awake long enough to talk to the girl next to me, who was on her way home for Universidad, after spending a month in NYC with a cousin. She was wonderfully nice and patient with me and we spoke brokenly to one another in languages that weren't our own. After I got off I realized I never got her name.
Our flight landed in the middle of nowhere at the airport, in the dark, and we were (overcrowded) bussed to the terminals, where I successfully asked where the bathroom was in Spanish. So now I'm waiting for my flight to Lima at the Guayaquil Airport. It's an hour earlier here than at home (5:30 instead of 6:30 eastern time), and all I want is to brush my teeth and find a muffin... Instead I have a while to wait and 2 more hours on a plane to look forward to. At least the cappuccinos here are delicious (salvation).
-------------
The flight from Guayaquil to Lima was uneventful, with the exception of Jamila (my new tiny friend). At some point near the end of the flight, this 3-4 year old girl in a pink disney princess dress and pink disney princess jacket decided to crawl across my lap to "Miro las montanas" (watch the mountains) and then decided she liked that seat better and proceeded to have a half english-half spanish conversation with me, which ended up with her pointing at our surroundings and telling me what things were in spanish, and me asking words that came up in our english conversation. I am most certainly at the speaking level of a 4 year old (this is proof). At the airport later, when we were waiting to go through customs she was waving and shouting "hi friend!! hi friend!!" which her mother found distressing and I thought was the cutest thing ever. I think she proly would have wandered after me if she weren't so excited about visiting her abuela (grandmother).
I arrived in Lima around noon today, couldn't find my taxi, found my taxi (with assistance) was taxied to my hostel. The drivers here are just like how the drivers in India were described to me. Every type of car imaginable new and old, bikes, mopeds, dirt bikes, motorcycles, people walking and running everywhere. Insanity.
When I got to the hostel and got my room, I promptly brushed my teeth and took a LONG nap. Woke up, dressed warmly (it’s winter here) and went for a walk around the square outside... It's a round-about that seems to be the center hub of tourism-- there's a starbucks, McDonalds, Friday's, Chili's and a cinema (which is showing The Lion King omg wtf I'm going to see it in Spanish!!). It's horrific how hard it was to find a local restaurant. However, I went to a cafe y gelateria and had the best cappuccino I've had since I was in Venice and a very interesting sandwich (tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, olives, motz, and vinaigrette)... Not quite how I translated the description to myself but good none-the-less. Also went looking for "local" wines. Will have to try some of these Argentinean Malbecs asap.
Lima
My Spanish is as bad as I thought it was....
Cincinnati to JFK in NY to Guayaquil, Ecuador to Lima, Peru....
I began my trip yesterday, leaving my house around 2:30pm. I got to the Cincinnati airport with time to spare, and my flight was delayed from a 5:20 to 7:20 take-off. Made me really glad I had a 4 hour layover planned in at JFK (the 3rd most unfriendly airport I've been too-- 1st being Paris, 2nd being DC). It was huge and I had to run/train from my dinky Cincy plane to the other end of the airport to find the international flights. I got to the correct gate and no one really spoke English... So now the crash course begins! While waiting (now 2 hours) at JFK, I had the most expensive whiskey on the rocks of my life, and realized I won't be having another until after Peru because I can't trust the ice (maybe if I make it myself). Oh joyous.
The flight to Ecuador was crowded and uncomfortable. My but fell asleep, people continued to speak Spanish and look at me like a mentally-handicapped 4yr old when I tried to speak Spanish in response, I deemed the movie "Water for Elephants" an awful movie, and I didn't get nearly enough sleep. However, I was awake long enough to talk to the girl next to me, who was on her way home for Universidad, after spending a month in NYC with a cousin. She was wonderfully nice and patient with me and we spoke brokenly to one another in languages that weren't our own. After I got off I realized I never got her name.
Our flight landed in the middle of nowhere at the airport, in the dark, and we were (overcrowded) bussed to the terminals, where I successfully asked where the bathroom was in Spanish. So now I'm waiting for my flight to Lima at the Guayaquil Airport. It's an hour earlier here than at home (5:30 instead of 6:30 eastern time), and all I want is to brush my teeth and find a muffin... Instead I have a while to wait and 2 more hours on a plane to look forward to. At least the cappuccinos here are delicious (salvation).
-------------
The flight from Guayaquil to Lima was uneventful, with the exception of Jamila (my new tiny friend). At some point near the end of the flight, this 3-4 year old girl in a pink disney princess dress and pink disney princess jacket decided to crawl across my lap to "Miro las montanas" (watch the mountains) and then decided she liked that seat better and proceeded to have a half english-half spanish conversation with me, which ended up with her pointing at our surroundings and telling me what things were in spanish, and me asking words that came up in our english conversation. I am most certainly at the speaking level of a 4 year old (this is proof). At the airport later, when we were waiting to go through customs she was waving and shouting "hi friend!! hi friend!!" which her mother found distressing and I thought was the cutest thing ever. I think she proly would have wandered after me if she weren't so excited about visiting her abuela (grandmother).
I arrived in Lima around noon today, couldn't find my taxi, found my taxi (with assistance) was taxied to my hostel. The drivers here are just like how the drivers in India were described to me. Every type of car imaginable new and old, bikes, mopeds, dirt bikes, motorcycles, people walking and running everywhere. Insanity.
When I got to the hostel and got my room, I promptly brushed my teeth and took a LONG nap. Woke up, dressed warmly (it’s winter here) and went for a walk around the square outside... It's a round-about that seems to be the center hub of tourism-- there's a starbucks, McDonalds, Friday's, Chili's and a cinema (which is showing The Lion King omg wtf I'm going to see it in Spanish!!). It's horrific how hard it was to find a local restaurant. However, I went to a cafe y gelateria and had the best cappuccino I've had since I was in Venice and a very interesting sandwich (tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, olives, motz, and vinaigrette)... Not quite how I translated the description to myself but good none-the-less. Also went looking for "local" wines. Will have to try some of these Argentinean Malbecs asap.
Lima
Friday, August 12, 2011
ISLAND Dye Workshop last Sunday
All the images were provided by the wonderful Brad and Amanda Kik: PHOTOS
In this album, there are images of the Indigo dye, the Weld dye, and the Tansy dye. I'm putting up a few highlights and you can browse the rest...
Indigo:
Weld:
Tansy:
In this album, there are images of the Indigo dye, the Weld dye, and the Tansy dye. I'm putting up a few highlights and you can browse the rest...
Indigo:
Weld:
Tansy:
For the purposes of using this blog for Fulbright documentation ....
14.2 Web-Based Media: Grantees who share their Fulbright experiences publicly via web-based media are responsible to acknowledge that theirs is not an official Department of State website or blog, and that the views and information presented are their own and do not represent the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State. Any grantee who posts inappropriate or offensive material on the Internet in relation to the Fulbright Program may be subject to revocation or termination of their grant (see section 15.3 below, grounds for revocation 2 and 8).
This is not an official Dpt. of State blog. These views are my own, the experiences are my own, and the opinions are my own. I will not post anything I find objectionable or offensive (and since this blog is generally dye themed, when have you ever heard of anything natural dye related that is offensive? Even the idea that the youngest apprentices in Renaissance Europe were made to go around to pubs to collect urea to use with the Woad dyes, historical not objectionable.....)
So now that the formalities are out of the way.... I leave for Peru Aug. 22nd.
I'm doing another pre-reduced indigo workshop this Saturday. Other than maybe a post about the workshops I've done in the last month, I'll see you in South America!
This is not an official Dpt. of State blog. These views are my own, the experiences are my own, and the opinions are my own. I will not post anything I find objectionable or offensive (and since this blog is generally dye themed, when have you ever heard of anything natural dye related that is offensive? Even the idea that the youngest apprentices in Renaissance Europe were made to go around to pubs to collect urea to use with the Woad dyes, historical not objectionable.....)
So now that the formalities are out of the way.... I leave for Peru Aug. 22nd.
I'm doing another pre-reduced indigo workshop this Saturday. Other than maybe a post about the workshops I've done in the last month, I'll see you in South America!
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
Last Night at the ISLAND Hill House
It's my last night here. I packed up the car this afternoon after getting that paper cut I wanted to do well underway. Then for a relaxing evening of delicious food, good wine, crickets, a softly falling rain, and classical music that seemed to be a soundtrack to the stillness here. It's beautiful and peaceful. (Of course, as I write this the soft rain has become a downpour and I had to run about and shut the windows...) I wonder what it will be like to be headed back to civilization tomorrow-- to Detroit and then to the suburbs of Cincinnati. I feel like it will be very... noisy?
Monday, August 08, 2011
ISLAND Hill House: The Round-up
I leave the ISLAND Hill House on Wednesday morning, heading back to Cincinnati to begin the full-time packing marathon for my trip to Peru. So I'm wondering what my final numbers are...
My rough count on dye baths, without counting exhaust baths (there were many and I don't remember them all), is 29 dyes in the last two weeks. This includes the individual dye baths for the multi-part dyes like brazilwood, madder, cochineal and safflower. Plus 4 after-mordants today (Washing Soda, Iron, Copper, and Tannic Acid) on top of that.
I ended up with 2 brown paper bags of dyed yarn, 2 over-dyed pieces of wool, 2 tapioca resisted test pieces, and 7 over-dyed pieces of silk.
I finished 2 cut paper pieces (hopefully at least one more tomorrow).
I need a second binder for my dye swatches and notes! And everything I've tested in the last two weeks has been swatched with a full range of fabric samples with an alum mordant and at the very least Iron and Copper after-mordants.
I participated in a butoh dance workshop, and co-taught a dye workshop.
I finished one book, read one book, and started another book.
I got plenty of sleep and ate lots of delicious local veggies.
Would I do it again? Definitely. But maybe with a friend next time (I mean, I don't have anyone to take pictures of me looking triumphant right now...).
My rough count on dye baths, without counting exhaust baths (there were many and I don't remember them all), is 29 dyes in the last two weeks. This includes the individual dye baths for the multi-part dyes like brazilwood, madder, cochineal and safflower. Plus 4 after-mordants today (Washing Soda, Iron, Copper, and Tannic Acid) on top of that.
I ended up with 2 brown paper bags of dyed yarn, 2 over-dyed pieces of wool, 2 tapioca resisted test pieces, and 7 over-dyed pieces of silk.
I finished 2 cut paper pieces (hopefully at least one more tomorrow).
I need a second binder for my dye swatches and notes! And everything I've tested in the last two weeks has been swatched with a full range of fabric samples with an alum mordant and at the very least Iron and Copper after-mordants.
I participated in a butoh dance workshop, and co-taught a dye workshop.
I finished one book, read one book, and started another book.
I got plenty of sleep and ate lots of delicious local veggies.
Would I do it again? Definitely. But maybe with a friend next time (I mean, I don't have anyone to take pictures of me looking triumphant right now...).
The Last Few Dyes
The last few dyes that haven’t been put up yet are Bracken Ferns, Cutch Extract, Logwood Extract, and the Safflower part#2 (pinks!).
BRACKEN FERNS
1:1 ratio dyestuffs to fiber. Use gloves and scissors to harvest. Cut up to manageable pieces. Pour hot water over leaves to soak 24-48 hours. Cook 30-45min, strain, cook 45min – 1hr.
Safflower pink on Cotton:
Extracts are very strong, they’re basically pure pigment. Add less than you think you need to.
Cutch Extract
With this one I tried mordanting while I was dyeing. Extracts are strong enough for this not to effect them.
Ratio 1:3. Add extract, a little salt, and enough alum for your weight of goods (WoG) to the pot of water. Stir to dissolve. Add wetted fibers, raise water to a simmer and stir. Let it simmer 30min. Remove the fibers and set them aside to cool. If there's still strength to the bath, add another skein or two of yarn and do an exhaust bath, simmering 30min. Let the exhaust bath cool completely before rinsing out.
Logwood Extract
1:4 Ratio dyestuffs to fiber. Add the powdered extract to a pot and add cold water. Mix with a spoon until all the extract is dissolved. Add pre-mordanted wetted yarn to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook until it looks dark enough (up to a half hour). Remove yarn and set aside to cool. If there is still a strong color in the water, do a second batch for a lighter color.
A note about logwood. It only gives true purples on alum mordanted fibers. On Iron mordanted fibers it gives burgundy reds, and on oxalic acid mordanted fibers it gives browns.
BRACKEN FERNS
1:1 ratio dyestuffs to fiber. Use gloves and scissors to harvest. Cut up to manageable pieces. Pour hot water over leaves to soak 24-48 hours. Cook 30-45min, strain, cook 45min – 1hr.
Safflower pink on Cotton:
Extracts are very strong, they’re basically pure pigment. Add less than you think you need to.
Cutch Extract
With this one I tried mordanting while I was dyeing. Extracts are strong enough for this not to effect them.
Ratio 1:3. Add extract, a little salt, and enough alum for your weight of goods (WoG) to the pot of water. Stir to dissolve. Add wetted fibers, raise water to a simmer and stir. Let it simmer 30min. Remove the fibers and set them aside to cool. If there's still strength to the bath, add another skein or two of yarn and do an exhaust bath, simmering 30min. Let the exhaust bath cool completely before rinsing out.
Logwood Extract
1:4 Ratio dyestuffs to fiber. Add the powdered extract to a pot and add cold water. Mix with a spoon until all the extract is dissolved. Add pre-mordanted wetted yarn to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook until it looks dark enough (up to a half hour). Remove yarn and set aside to cool. If there is still a strong color in the water, do a second batch for a lighter color.
A note about logwood. It only gives true purples on alum mordanted fibers. On Iron mordanted fibers it gives burgundy reds, and on oxalic acid mordanted fibers it gives browns.
Tapioca Resist part 2
I let the fabrics dry, painted on the dye paste (1tbsp monogum per 1/2 cup dye concentrate, see dye printing entry), let that dry... Then I boiled some water, put the fabrics in a big tub, and poured the hot water over them. I left them to sit about 15-20 minutes, until the tapioca had softened again, then I rubbed the tapioca off (wearing gloves, it's gross and slimy, and the water is hot). Then I ran it through the washing machine.
Cotton Soaked in Soymilk
Had a question at the workshop yesterday about the soymilk process I use to get brighter colors in soymilk. Here's a basic rundown of what I do:
I usually buy the plainest soymilk I can get my hands on (vanilla attracts buggies we discovered) and soak wetted and well wrung out pre-mordanted yarn/fabric in just enough to fully wet the fibers. I usually do this in one of my white tubs, and I squeeze the material so that the soymilk penetrates it fully. Then I let it sit about 15min, moving it around and continuing to squeeze the soymilk into the fibers (so it doesn't penetrate unevely and doesn't begin drying in any one place). I wring it out, but I don't wring the life out of it (if that makes sense). I find it works better if it still has a little in it when it begins drying. I hang it on a clothesline out of direct sun and let it dry. You wanna move it around as you do this too so it doesn't dry unevenly on the line either (I think that soaking it and leaving it with only one part up and exposed to air is part of what was giving me the streaking, the last bunch of skeins that I did like this didn't streak at all). I've found it only works on cotton, though I tried Rayon and Bamboo and linen when I first started doing this.
It's not a perfect system and is still in the trial and error stage. My theory is that the water dries out leaving just the soy part imbedded in the fiber, which is the part that has the protein and then the cotton absorbs more like a protein fiber. The color doesn't wash out though with repeated handling and has so far proven fast.
I usually buy the plainest soymilk I can get my hands on (vanilla attracts buggies we discovered) and soak wetted and well wrung out pre-mordanted yarn/fabric in just enough to fully wet the fibers. I usually do this in one of my white tubs, and I squeeze the material so that the soymilk penetrates it fully. Then I let it sit about 15min, moving it around and continuing to squeeze the soymilk into the fibers (so it doesn't penetrate unevely and doesn't begin drying in any one place). I wring it out, but I don't wring the life out of it (if that makes sense). I find it works better if it still has a little in it when it begins drying. I hang it on a clothesline out of direct sun and let it dry. You wanna move it around as you do this too so it doesn't dry unevenly on the line either (I think that soaking it and leaving it with only one part up and exposed to air is part of what was giving me the streaking, the last bunch of skeins that I did like this didn't streak at all). I've found it only works on cotton, though I tried Rayon and Bamboo and linen when I first started doing this.
It's not a perfect system and is still in the trial and error stage. My theory is that the water dries out leaving just the soy part imbedded in the fiber, which is the part that has the protein and then the cotton absorbs more like a protein fiber. The color doesn't wash out though with repeated handling and has so far proven fast.
NATURAL DYE CONTACT LIST
Below is a list of suppliers and places for information concerning Natural Dyes:
Aurora Silk-- dyer@aurorasilk.com // 503.286.4149
Longridge Farms-- longridge@myfairpoint.net // 603-313-8393
Dharma Trading Co.-- www.dharma trading.com // 800-542-5227
Earthues-- www.earthues.com // 206-789-1065
Paradise Fibers-- www.paradise fibers.net // 888-320-7746
Prochemical and Dye-- www.prochemicalanddye.com // 800.228.9393
Testfabrics, Inc-- www.testfabrics.com // 570-603- 0432
Exotic Silks-- www.exoticilks.com // 800-845-7455
Companion Plants-- www.companionplants.com // 740.592-4643
Stonehedge Fiber Mill-- www.stonehedgefibermill.com // 231.536-2779
Rowland Ricketts III-- www.indigrowingblue.com // indigo@indiana.edu
Griffin Dyeworks-- http://www.griffindyeworks.com/
http://griffindyeworks.com/store/
D.Y. Begay-- http://members.cox.net/dybegay/index.html
Mackenzie Frere-- http://www.mackenziefrere.com/
Table Rock Llamas-- http://www.tablerockllamas.com/store.html // 719-495-7747
Jenny Dean’s Wild Color-- http://www.jennydean.co.uk/wordpress/
Turkey Red Journal-- http://www.turkeyredjournal.com/index.html
Natural Dyes International-- http://www.naturaldyes.org/ // 800-665-9786
Earth Guild-- http://www.earthguild.com/ // 1-800-327-8448
Jacquard-- http://www.jacquardproducts.com/ // 800-442-0455
All About Hand Dyeing http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/dyesources.shtml
**link list, contains some of the above and a few other chemical dye suppliers
Aurora Silk-- dyer@aurorasilk.com // 503.286.4149
Longridge Farms-- longridge@myfairpoint.net // 603-313-8393
Dharma Trading Co.-- www.dharma trading.com // 800-542-5227
Earthues-- www.earthues.com // 206-789-1065
Paradise Fibers-- www.paradise fibers.net // 888-320-7746
Prochemical and Dye-- www.prochemicalanddye.com // 800.228.9393
Testfabrics, Inc-- www.testfabrics.com // 570-603- 0432
Exotic Silks-- www.exoticilks.com // 800-845-7455
Companion Plants-- www.companionplants.com // 740.592-4643
Stonehedge Fiber Mill-- www.stonehedgefibermill.com // 231.536-2779
Rowland Ricketts III-- www.indigrowingblue.com // indigo@indiana.edu
Griffin Dyeworks-- http://www.griffindyeworks.com/
http://griffindyeworks.com/store/
D.Y. Begay-- http://members.cox.net/dybegay/index.html
Mackenzie Frere-- http://www.mackenziefrere.com/
Table Rock Llamas-- http://www.tablerockllamas.com/store.html // 719-495-7747
Jenny Dean’s Wild Color-- http://www.jennydean.co.uk/wordpress/
Turkey Red Journal-- http://www.turkeyredjournal.com/index.html
Natural Dyes International-- http://www.naturaldyes.org/ // 800-665-9786
Earth Guild-- http://www.earthguild.com/ // 1-800-327-8448
Jacquard-- http://www.jacquardproducts.com/ // 800-442-0455
All About Hand Dyeing http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/dyesources.shtml
**link list, contains some of the above and a few other chemical dye suppliers
Sunday, August 07, 2011
ISLAND Dye Workshop
I taught a natural dye workshop today through ISLAND and the Dhaseleer Events Barn, with fellow dyer and professor at North Central Michigan College, Shanna Robinson. We did a basic alum mordant, and dyed with Weld harvested from Shanna's dye garden and Tansy that grows wild in the area. We also did a sustainable clothing indigo dye with pre-reduced synthetic indigo. It (of course) ran over, and was way too much fun.
I now have swatches for both weld and tansy, including enough to include them in my Iron and Copper mordant testing tomorrow!!! I'm incredibly psyched that I got to try both of these dyes, as I hadn't done either before. They both give beautiful, clear yellows, but I must express my preference towards the Weld, of the two. It was just such a saturated color!!!! le sigh. Too bad it's evil and invasive (haha which dye plants aren't?) or I'd grow some myself.
I now have swatches for both weld and tansy, including enough to include them in my Iron and Copper mordant testing tomorrow!!! I'm incredibly psyched that I got to try both of these dyes, as I hadn't done either before. They both give beautiful, clear yellows, but I must express my preference towards the Weld, of the two. It was just such a saturated color!!!! le sigh. Too bad it's evil and invasive (haha which dye plants aren't?) or I'd grow some myself.
Silks
I have a pile of silks that I've been progressively tie and stitch resisting (Shibori) over the course of the last two weeks. (Technically, the first two pieces are wool...) Here's where they're at so far.
Also, some finished pictures of the printed silk:
Also, some finished pictures of the printed silk:
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