I've been spinning yarns based on images for several years, through Ravelry, and the intrigue never gets old. This type of challenge, composing a yarn that reflects and interacts with the same tone, colors, feelings and movement of an image, is incessantly new. The only reason I haven't done it on a weekly basis is that I just don't spend enough time with the fiber.
Most recently, I chose an image that epitomizes the palette of Doha. Everything here is muted, matte, and within a range of dusty, peachy, lightly burnished sandy colors.
I think of the buildings and the surrounding land when I describe this palette, so I was looking at my photos of architecture, searching for the right combination of color and texture.
But the one that struck me as the best one for spinning was a photo of notes, lashed to a pillar in the wholesale vegetable market.
I'm surprised to see that this detail has the same colors as the houses and buildings and natural surroundings of Doha. It seems that everything takes on the same tone after a while, especially if it is exposed to the elements outdoors.
At any rate, the image stimulated the spinning mind, and I gathered materials, many of which are weak manifestations of natural dyeing.
Wanting to emulate my friend Janet, whose projects bloom in bouquets of spindles, I've been spinning this entirely on supported spindles.
I used to make myself practice supported spinning, having learned it in order to study the traditions in Ladakh, but slowly this method has become more and more comfortable and pleasing to me, so I've enjoyed filling these spindles. One is my own recently handmade phang, the one above is a phang from Ladakh, and the third is from True Creations.
(And I just noticed, the beautiful bowl from Cathy Broski provides the touch of green/blue one sees in the modern buildings, or in the sea.)
And, a few months later.... here is the finished yarn.