Fingerweaving

When I worked at Fort Union, I learned how to fingerweave so that I could give demonstrations for visitors. Even after my season was over, I enjoyed making fingerwoven sashes and scarves and have recently listed a couple on Etsy.

Simple chevron pattern scarf. Etsy

So what is fingerweaving? It is basically a technique for weaving without a loom. The strands of yarn are anchored at one end, and then each strand is cycled through the pattern as both warp (lengthwise threads) and weft (horizontal thread that is inserted over and under the warp). You can see a video demonstration here.

Beaded arrowhead belt.

This technique is associated with the Métis of the Northern Plains. Métis are the descendants of early European fur trappers and native women. Their culture is a blend of traditions and skills from both aspects of their heritage.

Flame sash.

Their fingerwoven sashes (also known by the French voyageurs as ceinture fléchée) had many practical uses. A wide sash wrapped around the waist functioned as a weight belt. Fold that sash in half lengthwise, and you had a pocket to carry things you needed easy access to, or hang a pouch on it to hold your pipe. The wool fibers kept the cold from creeping up under your shirt. Different colors and patterns could represent your company or group.

Diamond with vertical border purse.

My own examples are quite simple in comparison to the intricate work historically made by native artisans. It can take me from a week to a month to complete a project; some of the most intricate and beautiful Métis sashes represent several years of work.

Double lightning with glass beads.

Further Reading:

Virtual Museum of Métis History and Culture

Moon River Métis Council

Fingerweaving Untangled (Carol James)

Get Your Kicks

Back when I worked in the Texas panhandle, I enjoyed exploring Route 66. I took a trip to Tucumcari, NM to see it's famous Route 66 neon and stayed at the Blue Swallow Motel. I recently came across some of my old New Mexico photos and decided to take a break from my bigger projects to make this fun little ACEO.

See this ACEO on Etsy.

The Blue Swallow opened in the early 1940s. It is arranged in a cozy L-shaped court with 14 rooms complete with garages. In the 1950s, it was bought by Lillian Redman, who modernized the rooms with TV and 'refrigerated air' and added the large neon sign. Redman and her husband became known for their hospitality and generosity. By the end of the 1960s, the new I-40 diverted traffic away from the old highway and many of the businesses that had catered to the motorists disappeared. The Blue Swallow held on though, and Redman operated it for nearly 40 years. In her words, "When Route 66 was closed to the majority of traffic and the other highway came in, I felt just like I had lost an old friend. But some of us stuck it out and are still here on Route 66." True to Ms. Redman's spirit, the Blue Swallow is still open for business today.

The drawing shows the Blue Swallow's amazing neon sign, done in colored pencil and acrylic on black paper. The Route US 66 shield is on the pavement out front. It is mounted on cardstock cut with an old photo trimmer. I had fun making this one, and now I really need another visit to New Mexico!

Fort Union Trading Post

Tour the US: North Dakota / Montana

Google Williston, ND, and you will find plenty of headlines about the oil field that has made the area into one big boomtown. Seemingly gone is the quiet life enjoyed on the (formerly) sparsely populated northern plains. However, go 30 miles south-west of Williston and you will find an outpost hanging on to the days of isolated frontier life.

Fort Union. NPS Photo

Great Basin Images (plus...Blogaversary!)

Play Me A Happy Song is one year old! Even scarier...that means I've been in Europe for a year and a half now. I still miss things back home, not the least of which, my last park--Great Basin--and it's wide open places, natural beauty, and friendly people. Lately I've been enjoying some amazing photography of the area made by one of my friends. I had the pleasure of working with Kelly for two seasons, and his knowledge and enthusiasm always impressed me. His expertise ranges from the geology beneath our feet to the stars above our heads, both of which are dramatically captured in his photography.

He has graciously let me share with you two examples of his work from his website, Great Basin Images. The first one is a great shot of the type of quirky and unexpected remains one can stumble upon in the desert. The back-drop is the awesome night sky, one of the best in the continental U.S. Just looking at this makes me homesick--sorry Europe, but you lost your stars several million light-bulbs ago!

Find this photo on his website

The next photo shows some local history. That's another thing I love about this area, so many artifacts and old structures that have just been left lying in the desert, preserved by the dry climate and sparse population. These are the Ward Charcoal Ovens, which operated in the 1870s to produce charcoal in support of mining operations.

Find this photo on his website

These are just a couple of his photographs from the Great Basin desert. You can see some more awe-inspiring skies and scenery at Great Basin Images.

Or, if Facebook is your cup of tea, follow him here.

Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument

Tour the US: Texas

Canadian River Breaks. NPS Photo

 The Texas panhandle is not known for its interesting and varied scenery. In fact, "flat" and "dry" pretty well sums it up. However, the Canadian River is a distinct contrast, and stumbling upon the lush vegetation and red, iron-rich banks it has carved a path through is a real treat. The best place to appreciate the unique landscape it has shaped is Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, just outside of Fritch, or about 30 miles north of Amarillo. Here, you can climb up on top of a mesa that not only gives a great view, it is also an expansive archeological site, covered with colorful stone left behind long ago.

America...Dutch Style

USA Day, Voorburg

Psst...your Stars and Stripes are showing...

Every culture has stereotypes it is known for. Some are things they are proud of, some are things they would rather ignore. Some make for a good party (I'm looking at you, St. Patrick's Day). Seeing your culture from the outside can give you a new perspective when the mundane back home becomes exotic somewhere else.

Great Basin National Park

Tour the US: Nevada

Wheeler Peak is one of the hikes in the park.

Vast stretches of open sage brush desert bordered by steep, pine covered mountains. This is the landscape that spans before anyone who ventures out of Las Vegas to explore the northern and eastern parts of Nevada. This area is part of the Great Basin, a region of the United States named for the fact that precipitation stays in the Great Basin rather than flowing to the ocean. Great Basin National Park was established to preserve several notable features of the region and to introduce visitors to some of its wonders.

On a Roll With Classic Cars: 1950s Edition

I have a bit of a love affair with old cars. On the simplest level, I appreciate their classy retro style, but I also like what they represent in a more abstract sense. Each mile (or kilometer!) on that odometer is a journey. Maybe it's a trip to the store, or maybe it's a cross country trek on Route 66. They have a romanticism that conjures up an image of travel...adventure...freedom.

I'm excited to have a couple more additions to my Classic Car ACEO series. I've done my best to catch the shine of the chrome and the flowing lines within a trading card sized space. The small format is a fun challenge because cars have so much detail but there is only limited space to capture the essential form! As tempting as it is to try to add each glint, each reflection, each color shift, the small format forces me to focus and simplify.

1950 Mercury. Available on Etsy