Creatively Organized Spaces
This week’s FUN DIY Organizing project that may (or may not) help you stay organized.
Recycled Handlebar Bike Rack! Instructions HERE.
These may not always be the most practical projects but that’s not the point here, this is about FUN folks, it’s FRIDAY!
I had the blues but in the BEST way! The Sea Island Blues! Two weeks ago I went down to Ossabaw Island with Donna Hard to help with a 2 day Indigo retreat out on this magical Island. 
I have wanted to go to Ossabaw since I was in school at SCAD and I finally got the opportunity for which I am so grateful for. You can’t just go out there for any old reason, you practically have to be invited to go…or chance upon the beach by way of boat but while I was on this island and never saw the beach or really even the ocean because it’s wild and there are no paved roads. There was so much to see though that I really didn’t miss it but maybe another trip, another day…
It is a remarkably beautiful place, kind of frozen in time but not exactly. Cut off from the mainland and protected through partnerships between the State of GA and the Ossabaw Foundation. I highly recommend checking out their website and reading up on it. I predict that you will be hearing more about this special place in years to come. It’s already quite well know in “these parts” for the wild Ossabaw Hogs, which I did not encounter on the island during my sunrise walks, thank god! But I did come by them this past weekend, more on that to come…there’s a thread to be woven here so please be patient while I continue to weave.
Upon this Island you may stumble upon oyster shell middens, graceful water birds such as egrets and heron’s, deer, wild indigo, loggerhead sea turtles, Indigo eating feral donkey’s-who can’t stay out of the action, ancient pottery shards, racoons, Tabby Ruins, Slave houses, a once active pottery kiln-part of the former Genesis Project, more Spanish moss than I’ve ever seen in one place and a resident sharp shooter for those Wild Ossabaw hogs. But since I had the blues we got down to mixing blue…Indigo blue which has roots on this island that was at one point an Indigo Plantation. Once we had some vats prepared the workshop participants arrived and learned all about the Island and using natural Indigo as a sustainable solution for making textiles more beautiful.
This workshop was open to all levels of experience and they came, learned and created some exceptional pieces. Some of the folks who came knew a thing or two about fibers and natural dye and others were totally new to the experience, like the donkey’s who didn’t so much care about the indigo or textiles and were mostly looking for handouts of other sorts.
I’m pretty sure everyone had a lot of fun too, despite about a million love bugs pestering us while we worked. We had several of the resident DNR folks join in the fun, Indigo can be addictive and there are several on Ossabaw who’ve been bitten:) not by the love bug but by the blue bug.
We had a very special visit from Mrs. West who is now 101 and loves this island so much she lives here still, with a caretaker or two. She didn’t feel the same when she arrived at age 10 and welcomed the island by spitting on it. She came to love this land though and had the vision to donate the island as a Heritage preserve. Mrs. West wanted us to help her dye a bit of her hair or perhaps one of her dog’s tails, instead we convinced her an Ossabaw tee shirt would be a safer and more long lasting choice.
Ossabaw is a very special place for many reasons and for Donna, that reason is all about the Indigo. The Indigo led her here and will hopefully continue to lead her and many others here to learn about the art of natural dyeing with this remarkable plant that yields it’s beautiful array of blues…the ocean and the sky are ever present when you witness a piece of cloth that’s been dyed with the artful hands of a skilled indigo dyer.
Here’s the happy group of workshop participants from Saturday’s workshop sharing some of their beautiful creations…Now you can understand why I had the Blues! In part two I’ll share last weekend’s blues…not just 1 day of dyeing but a whole long weekend retreat with two master natural dyers.
I came across an upcoming event for American Craft Week this morning and decided to write to Charleston’s Mayor, Joe Riley, about crafts and the makers movement here in our community. I think it’s important enough to make sure that our Mayor sees these talented folks!
Dear Mayor Riley,
As a designer, artist, teacher and maker I want to be sure that you have your eye on the talent that is being nurtured here in Charleston through the “Makers Movement” via local craft galleries (like new gallery Surface, charlestoncrafts.org) and maker spaces like Spacecraft Studio, Cone 10, Rock Paper Scissors, Redux and more. These are places where people can learn new crafts make beautiful things and find a healthy personal creative outlet while meeting other like minded folks in their community.
Did you know that the first week in October (3rd – 12th) is American Craft week? http://americancraftweek.com/ Many mayor’s across the country are planning events to celebrate this movement, including this one that I saw upcoming in Asheville; http://americancraftweek.com/wnc.
Charleston’s makers movement is on the rise with some amazing, creative people who are working hard to find ways to make sustainable and local handmade items. I’m sure you know some of these talented people already, people like Mary Edna Fraser and Jocelyn Chateauvert, whose work is world renowned. This list is expanding to include newcomers like Donna Hardy who is working to revive natural Indigo (growing, processing and dyeing), Kris Westerson, a paper maker who is launching “Street Pulp”, Heather Rose Johnson of Charleston Garment Manufactory (Did you know that there is a “Slow Fiber & Fashion movement?), Susan Hull Walker who has started the Ibu Movement and will open a shop on King Street next month, Charleston Supported Art where you can “subscribe” to seasons of one of a kind art and crafts made by local artists and Spacecraft Studio where you can “Meet people Make Stuff” including using their 3–D printer! I hope you will take the time to look at some of these new small creative business’ and see the potential in them.
I know you have many important matters on your hands but I think know how important it is to stop and celebrate the fun, creative, exciting things going on and encourage them to be nurtured and celebrated! Those of us who are makers would love to hear that you offer your support and appreciation for how crafts and the makers movement are beginning to contribute to our local economy and provide us with an avenue for personal self expression.
Cheers, Heather
If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram you may have seen some of my recent posts of indigo dyed fingernails etc…here’s why. I was recently re-introduced to a wonderful woman named Donna Hardy through a mutual fiber friend, who moved to Charleston about a year ago. The funny thing is we had met each other years ago when we were both living in Georgia and a part of the Chattahoochee Handweavers Guild. Since then, Donna has spent years researching and tracking down regional species of Indigo that were once grown as production crop and exported to England from the LowCountry as well as learning from other Master Dyers the art of natural dyeing. This year she is working with Clemson extension to grow field trials in hopes of reviving this beautiful source of natural blue dye. Donna graciously invited me to play with her using a recently set up vat. It was then that I realized that probably all of my previous experiences with Indigo vat dyeing were synthetic vats:(
I am honored to begin to learn about natural dye from someone who is truly a master dyer. If you want to learn more about setting up and using a natural indigo vat, Donna will be leading a 3 day low country indigo workshop this fall. Check out Botanical Interest website for more information and registration HERE. Indigo certainly seems to be quite trendy and popular these days but if you really want to learn how to master the art of using this beautiful natural dye, come join us!
Traveling back to Norway I want to share with you some of the beautiful knit wear and knitting shops I saw in my travels. A very special stop was made to a wonderful yarn shop called Garnloftet Helle which was closed for the summer but we had a private “showing”. This shop is owned by the super talented aunt of my new sister in law! The Norwegians are known for their talent for knitting, with their cold climate it’s almost a necessity to learn to knit yourself warm clothes for the winter! 
A very special lace knitting pattern that was expertly translated from Japanese into Norwegian by the owner of the shop. She did so by repeatedly watching a video of the pattern until she had it down. She teaches a class for this pattern and we got a brief lesson of our own and I’ll be trying this pattern out over the winter. I’m not sure I have the skills needed since I will have to train myself to knit continental to master this pattern but I’m determined to try!
In addition to yarn, patterns and classes there were quite a few knitted gifts ready to buy, like these candle jar covers, fingerless gloves (below), several styles of felted “pot holders” and garments such as sweaters and scarves available for purchase.
Above and below are two beautiful examples of traditional Fair Isle knitting. 
Boy would I have loved to spend a day here with some more in depth lessons but my mom and I had our guys with us who were quite patient but not enough for a day there! We discovered yarn in quite a few other shops in Kristiansand although we didn’t visit any other dedicated knitting shops. What I loved was that there were sections of many shops that carried a small to medium selection of yarns, patterns and ready to wear knit items. I found these sections in a couple “gift shops” and a children’s store. I love the idea of incorporating this creative hobby into everyday gift giving!
Spectacular stuff, don’t you think? It really inspired me to knit this winter but having just moved to a tropical climate I won’t be knitting too much from wool for myself. I have a big yarn stash that needs to be knit and maybe one day I’ll learn to knit like a Norwegian!