A Problem, A Solution and A Gift

Good Evening!

Well it is on toward 1:30 am and the dog has given up and gone to bed...off to my side the dishwasher is quietly swishing away and in the other room my husband is practicing on his piano...

We had a sweet surprise gift arrive in the mail today from one of our granddaughters that we have not seen for many years.  She and her mother made this cute mouse ornament for us!



As far as projects go I did not wet felt or needle felt an entire piece today so I have to fudge a bit on my goal to felt something every day...  I did work on two felt projects though.  I finished the scarf to go with my felted fingerless gloves, but have discovered that my gloves seem to be stretching out at the thumb area with wear.  This is a problem!  I sought to find a solution for this tonight...I tried some crochet edging that I thought may keep the original shape in place.  However, I had problems with the crochet hook punching too large of a hole in the edge which then tore through.  I made needle felt repairs and quit.


However I may try some free embroidery stitching using the sewing machine like Lisa Klakulak taught us in one class I took.  Stay tuned...this picture is before any messing with the thumb hole and top edge.

So after that little foray into solutions, I decided to tackle a different, yet similar problem.  I'd made a prototype pair of felt fingerless gloves that did not turn out to be long enough.  So I cut them off above the thumb hole.  I had been staring at them for awhile tonight when I decided that they each could be a bracelet of sorts...so I got out my crochet hook and thread again.  This time though I used my leather punch to make holes in the felt instead of trying to punch through with my hook.  Boy did this help!  So tonight you will see my newest product...a felt bracelet with an embroidered flower, beads, pearl, and crochet edge.  I have more of these in my mind I want to make...

I must say that I am getting tired too and need to go to sleep like our very intelligent dog, but the urge is there to stay up...get my hook, thread and beads out again and keep going!

Goodnight all,
Janet

The Knitter's Life List

Hello!

I have had the pleasure to experience a most pleasing day today.  We invited a recently widowed friend for lunch and spent hours visiting and dining on all the appetizing food...our friend brought her homemade chocolate pecan Bourbon pie for dessert!  Yuuummmmm!!!  We have some of the leftovers to nibble on tonight...it will be a great late night snack.  Then we attended a meeting at our Artists' Cooperative this evening before coming home to get some work done.  I am pretty sure that I will not get any felting done tonight which is a bit of a disappointment, but who knows maybe after I post my blog I'll get yet another second wind and felt. 

This evening I would like to introduce you to a splendid book that I received from one of my sister's for a Christmas gift.  The Knitter's Life List by Gwen W. Steege is jam-packed with tidbits of taste just like our lunch!  Gwen (I am sure she would want to be called by her first name) has put a little bit of this and a little bit of that into each chapter so that as one reviewer wrote: "It is like a smorgassboard!"  She has covered a huge amount of the fiber world and grouped them into five catagories...

1001 Inspirations
122 Techniques and Tips to Learn
69 Styles and Traditions to Explore
33 Yarn Fibers to Try
64 Personalities to Meet

I find it a wonderful book to pick up when I have a few moments to spare and read.  The quick reading sections are snippets of fun-filled information that inspires me to get up and try something new.  There are no patterns in the entire book...rather she provides lists of all the information you need to access resources on the Internet, in the community and at your local yarn store.  Hope you can locate a copy and check it out!  Library...bookstore...friend...

You can buy it at Amazon for around $16. 
http://www.amazon.com/Knitters-Life-List-Know-Explore/dp/1603429964

Enjoy!
Janet

New Merino Felted Bag

Good Evening!

I guess I can say honestly that I don't really ever make New Year Resolutions...but this is a goal I have (had) that I hope to be able to accomplish...My hope is to felt something every day.  This is going to be a challenge believe me...it seems there are always life's little emergencies that interrupt my carefully laid plans.  Still I am off to an okay start.  I figure if I can put a star on my calender most days then I am fairly successful.  I wet felted on the first and second...needle felted on the third and wet felted again on the fourth (today).  We'll  see how long I can keep it up.  We have to go to Seattle next Thursday and Friday so that is going to be a hurdle to get over...maybe needle felting???

I told you last night that I had a new bag to show you...and I do!  It is so lovely!!!  Just remember that my photos are quick snaps done with my phone so I don't get the quality shots I need to show details well.  This little cutie is made from natural merino.  It has a drawstring with sterling silver caps at the ends.  The strap is also merino and I attached it inside the edge of the bag so the bag stayed fluted when being used.  When I attached the strap I used pearls, crystals, sequins and such to add some hidden sparkle so that the owner of this bag will get that little thrill of seeing these things each time she opens her bag.  Lastly, I felted a red heart and put it on a string of crystals, pearls and rhinestones. I also added sparkle fiber to the bag itself as I was felting it so that is even more pizazz.  Hope you enjoy it and can see most of this in the photos!

Goodnight,
Janet

Rolling Along

Good Evening Everyone,

I admit it!  I have been hiding out...as in being lazy and selfish...doing things that were just for me, myself and I...and hanging out with my family...playing with my fiber :)  Sorry to have been gone so long, but I needed some down time.  Today I realized exactly why I had needed it so much as everything came at me from all sides and I felt bombarded.  Yikes!  How can I get myself so busy?!?  Things are selling at the Northwest Artists Gallery and I need to restock...soon!

I would like to extend good wishes to everyone that their year turns out to be fruitful in whatever it is that you desire to achieve..."Go for it!" is my motto.  To celebrate my husband and I attended the local symphony performance on New Years Eve.  This is a work related endeavor as my husband is now trying his hand at the piano and song writing.  We heard Beethoven's 9th Symphony...and it was very nice...I even recognized a few parts.  Here is a photo of the musicians warming up beforehand.



During my absence from blogging, my dog broke his leather collar.  He is a Christmas Eve baby and just celebrated his 11th birthday this year.  He has had his collar since he was 4 months old so I believe we got great use out of it...however at present he is wearing his "Jingle Bells" collar and it is a flat woven fabric that causes his hair to matt - quickly!  After checking a local store and not finding what I needed I realized I could make him a new collar!  Yep!  Since I have learned to cut, dye, punch, and lace my own leather straps for my handbags I thought...Heck this is the same idea!  So this is one project on my plate.

I also have a new bag to show you this week and hopefully I will be finished with a scarf and fingerless gloves that I am making for myself. Aaaaannd...I got a new knitting resource book for Christmas that I want to share with you!  So stay tuned fiber lovers!

Janet