My first Fiber Art Bowl

In the past, whenever we headed out on a car trip vacation, I'd buy three or four craft related magazines or books and envision possibilities (if only I had the talent), while passing the miles.  Then, after vacation, they'd get stacked into a cabinet and mostly forgotten.   While going through the downsizing process for our move, I couldn't pass them on.   They made the move to us.  This time, however, I've put them on the bookshelf in my new studio and am going to start working through them.    What do they call that .... search for my (hopefully not off-key) voice?

I started this magazine.  Why?  Well, Beau and I were making a short car trip over to Biloxi and I needed a magazine to look at in the car.  

The first article in covers marvelous journal bowls by fiber artist Diane Wright.  (I searched the web and it doesn't appear she has a site of her own, however there are a good number of references to her work on others).

 Along with a several delicious shots of bowls, there is a short tutorial on how to create one of your own.   

Okay ... I'm game.  

 I made a quick stop by the hardware store for the suggested cotton cording.  Then, selected a piece of fabric for it's color values, and cut into 9 - 2"x40" strips as directed.   

Now, for the first holdup.   This is the first time the sewing machine was set up in the new studio.   I couldn't find the box of bobbins, which resulted in an hour search.   Well, it didn't really take an hour.   I just kept coming across other items that belonged somewhere else and was, as my mother would have called it --- sidetracked.  

 I wrapped a couple lengths of the fabric around the cording, leaving the 1/2" spacing as suggested.  The next step calls for coiling the cord around itself (in whatever shape one might desire) and zig zag stitching between the cords to hold together.  But, ... uh oh .. the cording doesn't fit under my zipper foot.   I tried several different feet .. nope.   

So, the next day, another trip back to the hardware store for smaller cord.  After checking to make sure it would fit under the machine foot, I wrapped all nine strips to the cord (securing with little clasps here and there) -- a great TV time activity.   

 And then, the final moment .... I stitched it together.   I had just began making my turn to start the bowl edges and I ran to the end of my pre-covered cord.    This is the point where I should have gone and cut another 8 or 9 strips of fabric, wrapped the cord and continued on.   But no, I stopped here.  

Why?  I have no real need for fabric bowls and I was mostly interested in the exercise itself.   I do think there are alot of other possibilities for fiber wrapped cord here, which I'll have to ponder.  

I'll move on to the next article in the book in a day or two.

Thanks for dropping by,
Lorrie

P.S.  Saw this rope (it's tied around the entry posts at Pro Bass Shop in Denim Springs.   It was an instant double take!   WOW ... now that would make a really large bowl.