The Winner Is....

I had my son draw the name. When I asked him to please select someone who would appreciate it and has a good heart, he said, "Thanks for the extra pressure." Then I felt really guilty and said, "I am sure everyone with a name in this hat is deserving and has a good heart." Michele Bilyeu is the winner! She is deserving and while I have never met Michele, I know that she has a huge and caring heart. Congratulations! I hope you enjoy your new treasures and I really hope you use them! I am sorry that I did not own enough silk to share it with everyone. Don't despair. Next Blog Hop Giveaway, I'll share a little of my Georgian (country not state) silk. And I am thrilled that once again a follower of my blog won.


I thought I would also share with you that there was a woman sitting in the back of the booth where I bought the silk. Her image still haunts me. She was the saddest looking person I have ever seen. I always wished I had tried to find out more about her. While I was in Osh, I met a lot of women artists. Many practiced their art in secret because their husbands disapproved. I met women who divorced their husbands because they didn't want them to create art and then I met wonderful couples who created art together. It was truly an eye opener for me. I am so thankful that I can create anything I choose even if my husband doesn't get most of what I do. Make it a creative and caring day. It's my plan.

Blog Giveaway- Sharing My Love Afffair with Silk

The wonderful Michele Foster is hosting another blog hop in hopes of chasing the winter blues away. I sure hope it works! I decided to share some of my silk from my travels.

The silk I am sharing today is from Kyrgyzstan, a small, poor country near China. I had the privilege of traveling to Kyrgyzstan to curate an exhibition of American art quilts and Kyrgyz patchwork.  The silk was produced during Soviet times. While silk use to be a major industry in Kyrgyzstan, that ended when the Soviet Union fell apart. There is a small effort being made to weave silk again in Osh, where I purchased the silk in an open air market. I've included a photograph I took of the women who were selling it (note the meter silk she is using to measure it). In addition, there is a photo transfer of postage stamps from Kyrgyzstan.

Each piece is approximately 9" x 28" and as you can see in the second photograph, you can use either side. I hope you enjoy owning a little bit of history.


Read Carefully:

1. I will ship internationally.
2. I won't be responsible if the package gets lost in the mail.
3. Winner will be announced on March 20 in honor of the spring equinox.  I will not track you down so make sure you either check back or leave an easy way for me to contact you so I can get your address. If I don't hear from you within 24 hours, a new winner will be selected.
4.  I love people who follow my blog and want them to know it so my followers will get their names put into the hat twice. My last blog giveaway a follower won!

Enjoy the hop!

The Family Behind the Window

I didn't know it at the time, my travel to Osh was life changing. More about this some other time.  When Kamila (dressed in red and the U.S. Embassy employee assigned to escort me) asked if I want to meet some artists, I did not hesitate to say "yes!" We traveled to a village outside of Osh to this couple's home (Sorry I have searched for my notes which I cannot find because I do not remember their names.And while I feel names are important, I'm not sure it is vital to this story.) on what could barely be called roads. I marveled that our town car did not break an axle.  A Texas rodeo was going to travel around Kyrgyzstan and Condalisa Rice had commissioned this couple to create Kyrgyz cowboy hats for the American cowboys to wear. I wanted one badly but there was none to be had.

The Kyrgyz people were once nomads and the horse is revered. I should also add that the Kyrgyz people feel that they have a close relationship with Native Americans. Many feel they are related and don't understand that there are actually more than 500 different tribes living in the U.S.

Anyway, the couple works closely together. They card the wool, create the felt by hand, cut felt into the pieces for hats then sews them together on treadle sewing machines. They did not speak English. To be honest, they had little interest in me and yet answered all my questions politely. I was fed as a guest of honor and blessed Allah for the meal as the couple was Muslim.  I did not get to meet their children because they were in school. Both of their faces lit up when they talked about their two children who also help with the family business. They took great pride in their work. I was told that they are known throughout their country as one of the best felt makers. They make their living for the most part by making traditional Kyrgyz hats for men. I'll share more soon.

Soviet Silk

I have always loved silk especially dupioni. When I had the opportunity to visit Osh in Kyrgyzstan, I did not know that I would have the chance to purchase silk made in the area during Soviet times. Winding the open air market with Kimi, my Kyrgyz guide, in her four inch heels, we came upon the stall full of silk. Not all of it was from Soviet times and I was asked to feel the different silks to see if I could determine the difference. It was not hard. The weight and feel of the Soviet silk was unmistakable. I was also shown the tags on the silk bearing the ax and sickle. I also purchased one piece of Soviet cotton/silk blend. I pass around the silk samples that I have collected in my travels. Someday I hope to find a project worthy of its use.