It’s been fun and interesting experimenting with how to extract the cellulose fibers from various native, naturalized, and invasive plants that live in our gardens and all around our neighborhood. Because, like Stinging Nettle, Fireweed bast fiber was also traditionally utilized by the First Peoples of this region for cordage making, and it … [Read more...]
Weaving With Western Red Cedar
It was a lovely week at IslandWood this May, with every kind of weather. Warm and sunny, then cool winds with dramatic clouds and thunder, torrential spurts of showers, and back again to warm slightly humid air, scented with the fragrance of everything living. I brought a simple project for both the graduate students professional … [Read more...]
Coiled Cordage Pendant
Learning to make cordage from the leaves and grasses at hand is fun for every age. Discovering a bit of ancient knowledge about how to appreciate and utilize the plants around us, transforms us into makers of make beautiful and useful objects. Here are some pictures of young people making coiled cordage pendants, but this workshop is fun for all … [Read more...]
Fall Fireweed on Mt. Townsend
Paul and I were happy to be able to sneak a day away from a busy fall, to visit our favorite close-by Olympic Mountain hike. We've lived on the Kitsap Peninsula for 33 years, and we are pretty sure that this was our 33rd visit to Mt. Townsend. Though it is mostly uphill to get there, the 2,880 feet of elevation is spread out over 4 miles, and … [Read more...]
