When I can’t go on a Mediterranean holiday I do the next best thing, incorporate the beautiful array of colours into a woven artwork.
I recently claimed that our September BeWeave Box was my favourite so far. They say colours are a way to create feeling and emotion and I know I get excited by each of my boxes when they come together, but this box seriously took me back to my time travelling many years ago and inspires me to travel to such places once again. This box has a stunning colour palette with bold contrasting colours that bring out the best of each other. Along with the intricate patterns it definitely had me feeling the Mediterranean vibes, in particular Morocco… think Moroccan tiles.
Warm earthy colours such as terracotta, chestnut and ochre are a staple for this theme, but you also have the bright colourful pops of colour including the recognizable bold blues that bring the coastal aspect.
I had so many directions that I could have taken with this box, however there was one product in particular that took my breath away. Once I had my hands on the cotton sari ribbons, I just knew I was going to build the rest of this box around them. My hope for this box was to inspire my BeWeavers to explore pattern and see for themselves that sometimes more is more when you have the right combination.
I had a couple of extra spaces for the September #beweavebox but they quickly sold out and here is why.
Cotton Sari ribbon - Mixed
Including the mustards, red and earthy greens we expect, the cotton sari also includes pops of pinks and blues with a mix of bold patterns. It was these colours and patterns and the fun that they ensured, that I choose to build my box around this ribbon.
The Cotton sari is a similar product to your much loved Sari Silk ribbon however it is of course made using off cuts of cotton saris rather than silk. It is made incorporating the patterns and colours found on the sari fabric as they are, meaning they are not redyed to create a certain look but are instead selected and sewn together in a random order. Therefore, no two skeins are the same in colour and pattern composition.
Cotton Rope - Ochre
I wanted to encourage something different this month so the inclusion of the cotton rope bundle meant that a macra-weave or macrame plant hanger were some possible options for the makers to explore. The rope bundles include enough length to complete either of these as a small project. The gorgeous dusty mustard pairs impeccably with the blues, reds and other bold colours found across the other yarns and fibres and there was no doubt this was the exact colour for our September Beweave Box
As cotton string is one of my favourite fibres to weave with and something I often share with my BeWeavers and other makers, I also wanted to encourage my BeWeaver ssubscribers to explore weaving with rope rather than string. I wanted them to feel how different this is given the structure of rope compared to string, to acknowledge how it sits across the warp less snuggly than string and to notice how it can affect the positioning of your warp strings. I also wanted them to embrace the delicious texture that rope provides.
Merino Top - Cobolt
Earthy tones asides, it was time for some boldness and there was no other colour I wanted to include more than a Mediterranean blue. We also have not seen any fibre for a while so a soft Merino wool top in Cobalt was an easy choice. This month we have a Fine Merino, 23 Microns and an ideal wool top to weave, felt or spin.
Rolled Sari Ribbon - Mixed
Our final pop of colour comes from our rolled and stitched Sari Silk Ribbon. This beautiful and unusual ribbon brings a huge range of colours and detail and I felt like it belonged in this box 100%. Created by rolling sari silk ribbon, these rolls are woven through a golden warp to create a large fabric that is then cut into wide strips. The warp is striking across the mixture of colours and the frayed edges provide extra detail.
Wooden Beads
I first thought about using some bold glass or ceramic beads for our non-fibre item this month, however I felt that we had a lot of colour and pattern to play with already. Rather than sticking to a single colour I eventually opted for a raw wooden bead, providing 3 different sizes. I love how wood can help soften a space, including your hand created spaces. I also envisioned your beads offering a visual contrast with their plainness against an array of colours and textures, therefore being a special feature of their own.
This month we see a few exclusives with the colour palettes across the cotton sari ribbon, cotton rope bundle and the cobalt blue wool top, the small beads were also a special addition for the box.
I had so much fun with this month's BeWeave Box and in the end I had managed to create three pieces which include a Macraweave plant hanger, a round weave and a small tapestry. I feel that I will also be creating a Macraweave wall hanging in the near future as the Ochre and the cotton sari ribbon are just destined to be together and I need to play around with these again.
Here are some of the things we have heard about this box so far.
WOW!! How amazing are the colours in the Mediterranean inspired colour palate in this months BeWeave Box from Vada Blue. – Deb
Love the colours in this month’s box!!!
The Box is absolutely beautiful - Katrina
I hope you love this months box as much as I do. Keep an eye out over the coming months for an addition of cotton sari to the store, unfortunately you will not be able to get your hands on the palette inspiration behind the September BeWeave Mediterranean box, however there are a stunning selection of colour mixes coming your way. If you love the look and opportunity of the rolled sari silk ribbon, you can get your hands on some of this here and of course we have a range of cotton rope bundles and wool tops plus wooden beads with large holes including the 20mm size that I included in the box.
If you are waiting to get your hands on a BeWeave Box, you don’t have long to wait. We have an increase of box numbers coming over the next few months as we head towards Christmas with the first going live October 1. This will coincide with a new option to grab a discount with a quarterly subscription instead. Now is your chance.
BeWeave Always.
Sarah.
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