psithurism

Inspired by the sound of the wind passing through the trees, the wisdom gained from listening, and the beauty, joy, & love in beige, brown, & black.

Limited edition set of handmade items: a hand bound book for visual journaling, a woven pouch, black walnut ink, a black walnut stamp, and some bonus treasures.

Proceeds from Psithurism went to stock a few of Philly’s lil free libraries with books from the Best Books for Young Readers list by Dr. Ebony Elizabeth Thomas and to support initiatives and programs at the Marsha P. Johnson Institute. Made for you with ♥ in the Ampersand Textile & Design studio in Philly, PA.

Indigo in Green: Black Walnut
This episode of Indigo in Green features more black walnut projects and products beyond the Psithurism 2020 Collection, including the black walnut Golden Ratio Quilt.

The Collector's Book

A hand bound journal for your stories and collections with plenty of spaces to tuck secrets and surprises, & found or collected treasures. Each handmade book in this small edition has 18 pages, with ever so slight variation, making each one unique. Made of beloved and collected mixed papers bound with waxed linen. Pages include:

+ line ruled paper pages from a travel journal picked up on a stop off the Trans-Siberian Railroad
+ pages of musical exercises & sewing pattern pieces,
+ phone book pages,
+ little bits of a vintage planner picked up in Brooklyn many moons ago,
+ hand painted paper using black walnut ink,
+ envelopes and bags of all shapes and sizes, and
+ tiny books inside of books

The Collector's Book is a place to hold the things we collect from everyday experiences: the found treasures, ideas, dreams, quotes, everyday observations, thoughts, lists... all that make up the archive of you and capture the moments that make up this time of our existence.

It is a book for your story. It is a journal for creatives. It's for collectors.
It's for you and future you.

Black Walnut Ink

2 oz bottle of ink for use with dip pens and brushes. Black walnuts for this small batch of ink were collected from Aunt Marjory's yard in Germantown, Philadelphia and gently brewed in the Ampersand Textile & Design studio.

Germantown Black Walnut Ink
from 2022 and 2021 batches in 1oz and 2oz bottles available at:

+ The Philadelphia Museum of Art Store

+ Modest Transitions

+ Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art Museum Shop

Black ♥ Walnut Stamp

A heart shaped stamp made from a black walnut.

When cracked open, at the center of the black walnut is a heart shaped space where the walnut once grew.

Works well with stamp pads or with a bit of ink on a sponge. To put a little ♥ wherever you may need/want/enjoy it!

Black Walnut Golden Ratio Quilt

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55... Add the two last to numbers and find what’s next! You may know this as the Fibonacci sequence that is the basis for the golden ratio and the most aesthetically pleasing proportions found in art and nature–and now in your handmade quilt. Using foundation paper piecing techniques, create an art quilt with the most ideal proportions (34in x 55in) suited for display on your wall, as a receiving baby blanket, or one of your most math-oriented lap blankets.

Make the quilt at Cut & Sew - Workshop
Watch how the Golden Ratio Quilt is made - Project Video
Get the quilt fabric pack for the workshop - Black Walnut Fabric