Indigo and food

 So much fun in my new studio latley. I have been growing Mill Valley Indigo for a while now to contribute to the fibersheds Indigo compost heap in Nicassio where Rowland Ricketts came and helped us build the compost floor to hold it. My son jullian loves to water the plants while he waits for Mama to finnish her work. My studio is in a green house so its kind of begging for it.
I was gifted a bunch of organic and fabulous edables from a Williams Sonoma event so Jullian  also created a vertical little edable garden on my sliding door, How cool is that!!!! I know I have to transplant soon but was hopeing to build little planter inserts in the door. Does any body have tips for such a garden? Love some imput. I have all kinds of hierloom lettus, corn, strawberrys, basil, rosmary, oragano, tomatos and lots of other stuff.

 I also was blessed to meet a young man Peter from Guatemala. He was making shoes there and he is not only an outstanding human but he is very talented in sewing and we have a wonderful time together and of coarse Jullian loves him. Watch out cause we will be making sandles together.

April Event with Anaise at Fort Mason S.F

Click to enlarge!

AMBATALIA-WILLIAMS SONOMA

I'm so very excited to be doing business with Williams Sonoma and to finally be able to share it here with you. I designed two aprons so far for their new Agrarian concept that is launching April 2012. Ambatalia aprons will be in 7 stores across the country and you can find them on their web site as  Here is a bit of info about them. 

The Aprons are simple in design and completely made in the USA which is important to me because it supports local Jobs and lighter on the environmental shipping foot print. 

The denim is white oak narrow red stitched selvage from Cone mills, still made on original vintage shuttle looms. The twill tape ( used on full apron), grommets, thread and leather leather lacing.

I reinforced the right handed ( clipper) pocket with reclaimed leather. I made a pocket for field notes or iphone and pencils, there are three other pockets for seeds, gloves and twine or what ever else you need to get to work. By the way these aprons were proudly made by the leading premium denim manufacture here in San Francisco were denim work-wear made history.

 Besides being able to bring a heirloom product to the market at a reasonable price. Williams Sonoma supported me in my non-disposable values in such a way that I could scream from the mountain tops THANK YOU WILLIAMS SONOMA

With every apron I was supposed to send and this is how most products are sent around the world in a what they call a poly bag!!!NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Yep, I asked and they said yes with a smile!!!

Each apron is sent in a reusable muslin bag only.

 

 

Inspired Fibershed project at the farmers market with weaving.

Some of the questions I ask the children today was. Do you know how to weave? Would you like to learn how to weave? Do you know what your clothes are made of and where? Do you know where wool comes from? Okay I didn't bombard every child with questions like that but I did ask every child at least one question. I  had a couple of experts saying things like" my sisters sweater is made of synthetic materials and you can see how my tee shirt is made if you look real close. That totally impressed me. It did make sense finding out how his mother was a ( clothing and textile designer). Most people that I run across seem to brag about where they got something because it was so cheap or they don't seem to think about the details of where and how something is produced. The fibershed concept has always been a part of my obsessive brain, I have always wondered about things like this, so I love the process of this project. This project appears to be so simple, but I believe it be so important to the brain and an important part of being self reliant.

After figuring out what my project would be ( Weaving and felting) I new I had to give Kenny (one of my Fibershed buddies)  a visit. I'm excited because he and Judith ( Wooley Egg Farm out Tennessee Valley road in Mill Valley are my new neighbors, my new studio is right down the creek from Their farm, soon I can walk right along side the creek to go for a visit.

Bags of wool back there!

Washing the sheeps wool in a biodagradable Ecover version of Woolite.

As you can see I got the wool nice and clean. Smells so good! Lanolan and earth!

Comparison of dirty ( how you see sheep in the feilds) and then beaudtiful white. The kids loved to feel, pull it apart and smell.

Wanted to do some felting but ended up using kenny's wool that was processed at Yolo Mills and the fabric we dyed in Coreopsis a few weeks before. Built a loom and shuttle out of card board and used household string for the warp. It was a great project. Nothing better than stripes.

Serious work for some kids!

A natural for sure!

Passions there!! big time.

Yeeeeaaaaaaa!!! My New Stude!!!!!!!!!

Moving studio

Goodbye Sausalito!  I did love some things about my studio in Sausalito, riding my bike through the incredible Richardson Bay marsh to smelling the salt air that reminds me so much of my Father. He lived and died on his boat and being around the bay and boats gave me so much joy. I still get to be right near the marsh at my new studio  and it feels a lot more inspiring. One of mys favorite parts of being in Sausalito besides the sea air, the clanking sails and a few wonderful people I met there was the view of Mt Tamalpais from the window walking up the stairs of the ICB building.

Coreopsis Tintroia workshop at the farmers market

I do natural and Fibershed inspired childrens activitys at the Farmers market every third Saturday of the month. This last week I did a Plant dye workshop using Fibershed Coreopsis Tintroia grown and dryed here in Marin county. It makes a yellow that is international and timeless France. Doing shibori with plant dye and learning that you can grow your own color, no shipping energy, no petrolum needed is a pretty awesome concept.

 I would love to see freinds there, these activitys are for all ages. What do you think would be a great Fibershed project? I would love to here your ideas...... and best thing ever would be for you to come help me some time for fun???

  Even Sid the Squid from Fibershed came to say hello to the kids( Knitting and dying kit made withYarn from Mill Valley and Coreopsis from Laginitas.

Fibershed and Rowland Ricketts

I realized while walking down this beautiful dirt road in the Nicasio hills on the Marin Carbon Project Land.  Excited to Meet Rowland and ready to begin a day of hardwork to help build Fibersheds Indigo compost floor.  In this Video that I share Rowland talks about the importance of working together. Thats something that I crave in my life. That was one of the key reasons for opening Ambatalia years ago. Looking back I know it was steps towards that dream. I truley believe if you do what you love its not always an easy or clear path but hopefully one day something happens and  all of a sudden it makes sense.
I definitely had one of those ah ha moments that day.

      I just ordered 200 Polygonum tinctorium Japanese indigo seeds from the Fibershed Market place. I am married to a gardener but I wouldn't consider myself one. I am about to sign a lease for a new studio 

( crossing my fingers) that happens to be a green house, so I figure I better start growning Indigo as a part of the Fibershed. I'm actually obsessed with it and have been for a long time,  I am so grateful to be a part of this Fibershed community I deffinatly feel a part of something really important and meaningful.  I feel like its an extention of my self.

Go over  to A verb for kleeping warm for a step by step guide of what we did that day.

Nicasio, California

Beautiful Rebecca, with out her we wouldn't be here.

This indigo compost house ( NEDOKO) would never be a reality with out John Wick and Peggy Rathmann.

John built it with Help. We are forever grateful.

 John drops sand over the Gravel.

Every step we all have to get in to press it down( tamp) by walking all over it.

 This is a Japanese tool that helped, can't remember what its called.

Rice hulls are put in ( man those were bouncy little dudes)

 

Ah.... Lunch and what a feast it was! 

Rowland showing us how to separate Indigo seeds.

Every thing kind of blows away while you shake them.