Something new

I have recently seen some amazing felt jewelry and I wanted to try to make it on my own.
I had this geode for some time now, it was a necklace but the clasp had broken off at one ending it was going to be a chore to fix it.
While swimming in the internet I came across some necklaces that were really nice. When I come across it again I will make sure to post the artist name.
I made the cord first then put the wool on the geode completely covering it.
I then took the ends of the cord that were not felted and laid them over the stone, on the sides.
This was tricky. It takes a lot of time and patience.
I fulled the piece and the ends of the cord. It is a labor of love.
After I rinsed it and let it dry.
Then comes the part where you cut out the hole exposing the stone. Very carefully.
Then rub again with hot water to create a smooth edge around the opening.
I added the glass beads for added support but you don't really need to. It is all one piece in the end.
I look forward to making another.

So I'm trying to change up the way I work on projects. I would like to be more disciplined in the planning stages. Ha! I would like to plan, put it down on paper, try a sample, etc etc

I sat down to do a few samples in one cloth, didn't work. I tried another cloth, didn't work.
Frustration at its best. Here I was trying to do better be more organized, to no avail.

After throwing away the samples and cleaning up my work space, I looked over to the chair and there sat my husbands jeans that he had asked me to patch again. I had put off this chore because I had bigger and better ideas in my head for projects to come. I didn't want to waste my time patching jeans.
But now with nothing in my head that was working the way I wanted it to, I picked up the jeans.
I had patched them before but it didn't hold so now I would patch the inside as well.

I started sewing and weaving by hand and it was so freeing. I went this way and that way. I had no plan just going with the flow. It was freeing.

So here are some pictures of what freeing felt like this weekend.

TSGNY

So this is what I've been up to lately. Teal Vest with Beading and Embroidery, Spider Scarf with glass bead embroidery.
The vest reminds me of Starry Night.
Next up Hats 

Hats

I like to make hats. Its a project that you can get done in an relative amount of time. I experiment with shapes and fibers.

These two hats are made from a layer of viscose and merino. The red is showing the viscose side which made an interesting texture.

The black is showing the wool side.

I wonder what would happen if I mixed up the two?

The photo credit goes to Laura Vaccari as well as the accessories used. I did the lighting and we edited together. 

Speaking of Red

I've been canning sauce for the past few days also. Its a mess in the kitchen but well worth it in the fall and winter to come.

Found a great market by my friend Irene, so I bought a lot. Will be making pumpkin bread soon.
A favorite with my oldest and his wife. I have to make them each their own.

Grand Canyon 1 with 2

grand canyon

So I joined the Textile Guild of NY and have been pleasantly surprised by the group. Very talented, and giving in their knowledge.

There will be a gallery show in December called Red. What a great color red is. Actually extremely hard to find a good red in wool, but I found it through my friend Laura.

Now what should I do with it. The perimeters were 12" x12" canvas can extend 3" out not around.

While looking at photos I came across the Grand Canyon at sunset. Viola!

The wind that takes the stone of the canyon and creates a look of fabric and waves.

The glow of red that reflects at certain times of the evening, makes it glow.

So here is the Grand Canyon 2

So of course its been awhile. Today just trying to learn about resizing my photos. UGH!

I believe I need a new camera. I did learn that you only need a camera with 10 pixel capacity.
Anything above that is just hype. We will see...

So I'm going to post some of the projects I've been up to and some results from classes I took.

But first a look at the bulbs that I planted last fall.

I took a class with Katia Mokeyeva in Vermont last summer with the usual suspects.

Great class and a very giving teacher, if you get a chance to take on of her classes do it.

So I made a shawl and a hooded vest.

That is it for now, have a great day!

So this past summer I did some eco dying. I think this came out pretty nice. I find that vinegar and rust work the best for me. I did some more and will take pics to post, but I just really liked this one.

I decided to paint my kitchen this nice blue,purple gray color. I found the color from one of my husbands tee shirts.

I think I need a better camera, or a better picture taker.

I made this after a class with Catherine O'Leary in CT. First let me say she is a very generous teacher.
She gave us about 5 patterns and this vest pattern was one of them. I made a scarf in class.

A bit crazy and loud but a great learning curve.

I put 2 red buttons under the arms and made a vest. I like this. I had never worked with prefelt as a base before. It took a lot longer to full but only shrunk about 15 %.
Makes for many ideas going on in my head.

Speaking of heads, I should make some hats!

I had a wonderful weekend felting with a couple of great ladies that I call friends.

Laura Vaccari and Irene Dizes.

Irene was a wonderful teacher.

The technique shown here was a reverse layout using chiffon and silk to create this beautiful tunic.

It was really nice to be working together, the creative juices were flowing.

I didn't realize how much I really needed to go away and be with friends until I was there.

Thank you both. 

Hats

Life gets all crazy sometimes.

So here are some of the hats that I have been working on.

I don't know what is next but it should be fun, as I have realized I need to put fun in everyday.

The only thing that a person has is there own creativity.

Anyone can be replaced at there job.

But no one can take your place in the manner of how you create your world.

So much for my random thoughts today...

craftcouncil.org

My work has been published and I am very pleased. Please take a look.

American Craft

Ok Ok its been awhile since I have been here.
But I have been working on a project that I really liked.

American Craft Magazine asked artist if they would like to take some of their Vintage Photo's and use them however they wished.

After receiving my photo's and looking at all the wonderful work that had been done, my thought was how to preserve the art, and how to inspire more creativity.

So I bought a young girls sun dress and distressed it by taking out the color.

Then I transfered the photo's onto the dress, added crochet and buttons. Stitched by hand and then after much delay,( because I hated the thought of cutting up these photo's) I cut and folded some of the photo's into butterflies and attached them to the dress.

It came out very whimsical and fun. I can almost see her dancing in a field of wild flowers in the summer.

Thanks for looking...

Had a great workshop with Dagmar Binder at Jennifer Hoag's. It was full of new and some old friends.
We started out with making cuffs,( sounds easy right) well 11 hours later we drug ourselves out of there in time for dinner(drinks) and bed.

Next day we started our tops, did I mention math was involved at hour 9 of last night so we could make our pattern. 11 1/2 hours later still working.

Friday, fulling and sewing and ta da I will load the images tomorrow. To exhausted to do it now.

But I had a lovely time with everyone who attended, which is really rare lets face it.

The best hostess in the world Jennifer Hoag, and lets not talk about the store from heaven.
Northeastfiberarts.com

Dagmar was a great teacher who had patience sometimes with us and other times just looked at us like we had two heads. But we all got a beautiful piece of art work from her instructions.

So that's it for now and tomorrow or the day after will post the pics.

P.S. One of Kind bed and breakfast is a beautiful place to stay if you are in Burlington Vermont.

For Brother's Garden

For my Brother Dwayne, hope you like and send me pictures of the bird that decides to live in it...

This was created with merino batt and wool. Then embroidered.