David and I have been going on long, ambling walks through the city. It is so much fun to do, there are so many people here that you stumble upon things, little altars, or street art that is either in progress or embellished by the locals who live near it. This weekend we walked to Fairway in Red Hook. There is a beach that over looks the Verrazano Narrows, Statue of Liberty and Staten Island right there and it has become...
my new place to shop for fabric. This new cotton length is very pretty, don't you think? It is aged and softened, mottled from sitting in the sun and drying after being wet and rewet so often. And it has holes! Natural, beautiful holes. The one thing about shopping for cloth on a New York City beach is that I need to carry a plastic bag with me and I need to wash my hands as soon as I am able after touching stuff! Luckily Fairway has a bathroom and hat water!
In continuing with the tags and labels theme, I am considering putting this label into the facing.
But the real next step is to use some of my new cloth somewhere. In the sleeves, like Jeannie suggested? On the inside of the ties for a little eye candy that can only be seen once in a while? Hm.
Remember, I am conversing with you through the comments on the blog. Check back to read my response to your comments or better yet, leave a comment. If you have a blog I will visit you. Part of the reason I am blogging everyday is to get back into the swing of our vibrant and exciting on-line community.
And don't forget about the Rockstar Boro Flickr group where Russty is flying about, Arrow has a friend and Jeannie is doing interesting work. And hey! I got an email from Lyric Kinard this weekend saying she was going to join in the fun too.
Look at this eye...
I love the idea of harvesting found fabric. I've done it in the past in my neighborhood but have never been lucky enough to find it on a beach. So let me ask you a question. I stopped harvesting when every news story was about bed bugs. My question - do you have a process with found fibers so you don't have to worry about critters?
I have that question too, Kathryn. I am in the habit of picking up found objects from nature as I walk. I often pick up bird feathers, and have been know to stick them in my hair to carry, until one day I picked up a beautiful pigeon feather, and noticed the live lice in it!
I brought a plastic bag with me and washed my hands right away, I worry about sewage more than bugs. I don't touch anything unnecessary after touching the cloth-and I wash my hands as soon as possible. When I get home, while wearing gloves, I rinse the dirt free. Then I boil it for a half hour. I don't touch the cloth until then. I don't worry about bed bugs because this cloth has seriously been there for years-I have tugged and ripped the cloth free from the sand, trees and flotsam. I don't pick cloth up off the street, that may have bed bugs and I don't even want to think about that.
Do you wonder when you're handling these fabrics what kind of past they've had? Or should I say, could any help BUT wonder? Lovely finds.
I do Judi, This blue cloth is gorgeous. I have no idea why it ended up on the beach. I would love to know.
Loverly!!! As you know, I always have bags and pockets full and love found objects. As to the cooties one might pick up along with the treasures, I carry Purell in my car and a few alcohol wipes in my pockets. I leaned my lesson after getting sick at the Oregon Coast from picking up seashells.
Tell me what sickness you got, Jeannie. I also carry hand cleaner. It would be good to know what I could get from gathering cloth in this way.
A mild case of giardia. Always was vigilent about it on river trips, never thought about it on the coast. I learned my lesson.;-)
Can't believe you found all this nature-stuff in NYC! Would love to take long walks in the city with you! Also, I love your home page with the little tabs! See you soon-
...carry vinyl glove, watch out for syringes and bring a scrap or two to leave in place of the ones you took. Who knows what other harvesters are out there..
(she who stops in the street and leans out the car door to examine "road killed cloth")
Deb, I have always loved your sense of humor. 'Road killed cloth'! And I have never thought to leave cloth behind for my fellow scavengers, great idea.
Love the photos of all your found stuff! And it's good to know you are taking care of yourself. I'm afraid all I would be able to bring home would be the photos. All this talk about bugs and germs in the found fabrics/objects gives me the hebby jebbys! Ugh! My head is starting to itch. hahaha
And Jeannie I want to know what you got sick with too. I have never thought of catching something from picking up shells along the coach. Perhaps I really don't want to know because I don't want to stop picking up shells when I go to the beach!
Lisa, I know it is kind of crazy to pick things off the beach, but the gains (in this case) are so good! I think the real thing is to do it consciously and care for self properly.
I don't live near the beach to go walking there often enough, but I have never seen such 'treasures' as you are finding Melly!