I have quite a few ideas about how I want to remember Oman and they are all textile related. Actually, they're all weaving related. The one that has been percolating the longest is a triptique with the themes of the urban, mountain and desert landscapes. That is one for long days of sitting and weaving after lots of thinking, collecting objects and dyeing yarns. That leaves the sea, a place that I have become closer to in the last year.
My regular walks along the beach here in Al Hail are full of interesting things. Fish of all shapes and sizes, birds of My many varieties, wadi dogs, the occasional cat, not a few horses, far too many eels and sea snakes, and shells. Lots of shells. I'm particularly partial to cowrie shells, mostly because they were a rare find on the beaches of my childhood and they were always treasured. They used to be used as currency around this part of the world and it's not hard to see why. I still love them all and now have quite a collection. I'm still pondering what to do with them all. There are lots of other shells that wash up on the beach. Like these beauties.
I was very excited to discover the murex shells, but then I learnt that the dye comes from the critters that live inside them. When I came across one stranded by the tide, I elected to return it to the sea rather than torture it for its purple.
Mostly the shells come in different patterns of white and brown - many shades of brown.
However, many of them come in GINGER!
How do you spell callista? That's right - PLAID!!!
I'm thinking that cashmere might come in those colours. What do you think?
My regular walks along the beach here in Al Hail are full of interesting things. Fish of all shapes and sizes, birds of My many varieties, wadi dogs, the occasional cat, not a few horses, far too many eels and sea snakes, and shells. Lots of shells. I'm particularly partial to cowrie shells, mostly because they were a rare find on the beaches of my childhood and they were always treasured. They used to be used as currency around this part of the world and it's not hard to see why. I still love them all and now have quite a collection. I'm still pondering what to do with them all. There are lots of other shells that wash up on the beach. Like these beauties.
I was very excited to discover the murex shells, but then I learnt that the dye comes from the critters that live inside them. When I came across one stranded by the tide, I elected to return it to the sea rather than torture it for its purple.
Mostly the shells come in different patterns of white and brown - many shades of brown.
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| Like this fella |
However, many of them come in GINGER!
Or combinations of both.
Then I discovered these beauties
I'm thinking that cashmere might come in those colours. What do you think?
