Play Time

Well I hope everyone had a pleasant weekend.  I had a great time with friends and new acquaintances at a Mexican dinner party on Sunday.  We had a scare and then a good laugh when the chef that prepared the dessert bumped his head on the corner of a cabinet.  Then someone in the kitchen doctored up his head with raspberry syrup (really meant for the pie) when we weren't looking, so that when he brought it out there was mock blood dripping off his forehead!  It looked so real!

Today I taught my second class at an active retirement complex in Post Falls.  It was needle felting again.  This time the students made felted pockets using Corridale batt.  Many of them carry their apartment keys and a cell phone around and wanted a small 'purse' to place them it.  They worked hard and finished within the two hours!  Next up for this group will be some sort of 'gift' for Valentine's Day...I am thinking felted book markers.  Going to have to work out the details though...

Tomorrow I am on to the pillows I need to make.

Have a great Tuesday,
Janet

Taking Stock

As we near the end of the month of January I have taken stock of...well everything!  Sometimes that is a scary thing to do (grins).  As far as my goal to felt something every day...and I think I must revise my goal.  Out of the first 27 days of the year I have only met my goal 10 times.  This really cannot be considered success no matter how you analyze it.  I have managed to do some type of felting each week.  So I think my new goal should be to felt 2-3 days out of every week and see how I do on meeting that goal.

For my goal to knit some lace project, I selected a simple lace stole.  It has one Estonian lace stitch in the pattern and the author states that if you have never knitted lace, this is a good first project.  I now have some sharp, pointy rosewood circular needles made by Lantern Moon, and modified by my dear husband to my specifications.  I think I may have a selected a yarn that is iffy.  The silk will help the stole keep its shape, but the mohair can make it difficult to take stitches out if a mistake has been made. (Like my first five rows!) However, today I had to take a row out and that mohair worked to my advantage.  It didn't tangle so fiercely this time and I was able to pull the whole thing off the needles without any unraveling.  Then I pulled out an inch or two at a time and the remaining stitches stayed right there waiting for me to put them back on my needle - which I did!  I'm now up to row 4 - for the second time. ;)  Making headway...even if slowly.

As far as business goes...things are moving along at a steady, if minimal, rate.  I have a set of custom pillows to make in the next few weeks.  I still have a couple pair of custom felt earrings to make.  And two people asked me to contact them in January about custom felt drapes...another wants me to call her in May.  I have my stuff in one brick and mortar shop in north Idaho and at our site online.  Unfortunately, I needed to remove my things from the other shop because of some financial issues...don't want to get into that tangle.  And Farmer's Market opens on May 12th and I have new lines of products I want to have ready...which brings me back to the top of this post and my original goal to felt every single day...sure wish I could!

Tomorrow we are off to Sandpoint to refresh our stock at Blue Flag Hand Weaving Studio.

Take care and have a great weekend!
Janet

Kindergarten All Over Again

What fun!  Remember finger painting?  I love tactile projects and today was one in that realm.  My friends and I gathered at a lady's home to learn how to dye and antique lace.  It was so like kindergarten finger painting.  Here are some quick shots of my play time this afternoon.

If you are interested in this type of art check out this site: (Yes, it will bring up lamps for sale.)
http://www.myvictorianelegance.com/
Be sure to click the link to their online store for the dyes.

Have fun painting!
Janet

This Will Take How Long?

...So I tore out all the stitches and started my lace stole over tonight.  There are 504 rows to the entire project.  I figure if I manage one row a day that is reasonable.  Some days I'll be able to knit more and some I won't get in any.  But just supposing I did get one a day...that is 1 year, 4 months and 7 days to complete this!  Yikes!!!  Maybe I should consider upping the ante and go for two a day so that I can finish it in....let's see 8 months and 3 or 4 days...probably 4 since I'll need time to bind off.  Whew!  And I thought some of my felting projects were time consuming.

I really respect lace knitters after just this first couple stabs at it!  And the bit I have read and watched about lace knitting tells me that historically the people did not have patterns like ours to go by.  If they were lucky they had a swatch of a neighbor's work showing the stitches to use.  I think that this is one reason I enjoy my free-form work so much.  I get to just make it all up along the way and there is no wrong way...just my way...no worry over whether or not I have matched to a pattern.  Like I said I really respect and admire those who can do this type of work and do it well.

Well off to bed for tonight...more to come on this project another day...(Mine does NOT look like the picture below, but hopefully some day it will!)
Janet

Dunes and Waves

pattern at http://www.tashaknits.blogspot.com/ or on Ravelry

I love getting packages!  My new needles arrived yesterday - size 4 circular needle by Lantern Moon...made in rosewood.  Yum!  So this morning my sweet hubby took the Dremel to the ends and got them all nice and pointy like I wanted them for my lace project.

...Tonight I made myself a little check list of the steps...yes there is a chart...but I have found that I end up marking that all up to the point of being unreadable in order to keep track of all the repeating patterns...soooo I made up a list of all the repeats with check boxes for me to use to keep the mess off my official chart!  It is snazzy!

...Then I took my chart, needles and yarn and got to work...only I was playing with the dog at the same time...I thought for a minute in row 3 that I was going to have to tear the whole thing out...but in recounting I found that I was still right on track...so onward I went.

Now I bet there are times that you can think of that you have done something that you really knew you shouldn't try, right?  Well I was okay with knitting lace and playing with the dog because he was patient and waited until I got to a check point...so I always kept track of where I was.  However, after he fell asleep my husband wandered in and suggested we watch some more of the history DVDs he had checked out at the library...the Crusades.  I nodded yes and kept on counting and keeping track of my stitches on my snazzy little check list...AND THEN the man lecturing on the Crusades started spouting...you guessed it...numbers!  All kinds of them!!!  By the end of row 5 which you can see in my photos, I have 'lost' three stitches somewhere...I think they got sucked up into the DVD.  Ugh!!!

So tomorrow I start all over...its starting to feel like that saying "no pain, no gain"...

Good Evening,
Janet

The flip side looks like this...

Good Evening,

I have a pictorial update to the fabric I am making for the little jacket...

Crosspatch Creations is made by Joan W. Contraman in Corvallis, Montana.  You can reach her at 406-961-4473 or joan@spinningfiber.net.  To view her products go to http://www.spinningfiber.net/.

Lovely fiber feels great!
Janet

Combat Pay

Hrumppp,

Some days I can't believe I make it though unscathed!  Tonight I was trying to sew a simple little border onto some fingerless gloves and pow! The needle snaps into numerous pieces and goes flying...toward my head (eyes! here).  I didn't think to take a photo of the mess...to rattled.  Woke the dog...

Now granted I was sewing free-motion embroidery on the machine and the area was part of a tube...i.e. it cannot be laid out all flat and nice like most sewing...and I have only sewn like this a few times...but still...Ugh!  I really need to get this project done.









I have wool laid out all over my tables and I need to get it felted so I can move on; a new client is expecting me to arrive at her home tomorrow with swatches and wool samples to decide on things for some custom pillows; and the project I was finishing tonight was a CHRISTMAS gift!



Really combat pay is not too much to ask some days!

I leave you tonight with this winter wonderland photo which makes staying indoors and working all the better - most days.
Janet

Back in the Zone!

Good Evening!

More Snow!  We got several more inches overnight.  I am so happy!  This is what I have been missing.  It is just soooo pristine and beautiful.  I took my little dog out for a walk around noon.  He had to rabbit hop since they had not yet plowed and the snow was pretty deep...and his legs are pretty short.  'Tis always fun to watch him doing this.  Anyway we got all bundled up (it was about 22 F degrees out) and once we stepped out the door I could hear it...that wonderful hushed sound that snow puts on everything.  That combined with the large, fluffy flakes falling and I was in heaven...well...sort of...

It put me in a very festive mood so upon returning I was ready to get to work on my newest piece.  I told you I had made a new sheet of bubble wrap last night.  Today I laid out some prefelts I found stashed in a corner that I had forgotten about...and then I started laying my first layers of loose wool.  I am using merino and merino/silk blends.  Then I found some funky yellow and hot pink silk hankies that I bought in Oregon several years ago...before I knew what to do with them...but I loved them and had to have them.  Today they found the perfect place amongst the prefelts and wool.  The layers I am putting down now should form the interior part of my jacket.

I shot a couple photos along the way...to show my progress.  What I noticed most when I looked at them though was the look of my felting space...YIKES!!!  Well I guess you can tell I use the space...  So more to come on this project as I go along...hope everyone is having a great week like I am!  It feels so good to be back working on my felting!!!

Janet

Ahhhhh.....the silence of...

Hello,

We awoke this morning to a couple of inches of SNOW!  Finally!  I am so happy to see it again.  We haven't had any of significance since around Thanksgiving.  I could tell it snowed because everything was so quiet...you cannot hear the cars and trucks going by...can't even hear people outside shoveling very easily.  Snow just brings everything to a soft, peaceful pace... ahhhhh...

On other topics, I haven't been doing well on my goal to felt something every day!  It has been 12 days since I last got my hands wet...It feels like going to confession to say that...(grins).  However, tonight I have taped and taped until I have a 12 foot by 5 foot section of new bubble wrap to use.  I have also planned out a new project and cut the fabric I need.  Tomorrow I begin laying out the wool and fabric...hopefully I will even get a chance to get things wet...though we have a potluck dinner to attend so that may be a bit iffy.  All and all though I am really enjoying all the quiet peace the snow has brought me.  We are due to get another 3 to 7 inches tomorrow and another couple tomorrow night...soooooo...I should be able to get some work done.  No running hither and yon....just staying home to work with my beloved felt.  No appointments until Friday!

Take care all,
Janet

Evening All,

Whew!  I now have my first official class (as a paid instructor) behind me.  I had a small group of 3, which was just fine as it gave me plenty of time to cover some background on felting and still give everyone time to felt.  One lady had a special hat  - a purple fedora with yellow dots - and a special event to use her felted corsage with...The group she belongs to is going to have a best hat competition at a local restaurant called the Fedora and whoever wins gets their lunch free.  I think her hat is adorable on her and hope she wins!

We finally have snow! Yippee!!! I keep threatening to lock myself in the house and turn off the phone so I can felt for several days straight and make some headway on the designs floating inside my head.  If this storm does as promised I won't need to as no one will be going anywhere for a few days.

Night,
Janet

Stage Fright!

Hello!

Remember your first day of school?  Or better yet, the first time you were required to stand up in front of the class and make a presentation?  I don't know about you, but I do. I loved school, yet this terrified me.  I was a huge wall flower and the idea of speaking in front of the class practically paralyzed me.  Things like ballet and tap dance classes where we all performed on stage certainly helped me with this issue, but I have never really truly been comfortable in front of a group.  Where is this going you ask?

Well having recovered from our road trip to Seattle, I decide it was time to work on my lesson plans.  Yep!  I have been hired to teach at an active living retirement establishment. My first 'gig' as a fiber artist!  So despite the fact that I have over 20 years teaching experience...well...I sort of have the jitters!  I haven't taught many adults...and here I find myself in front of a group of strangers again...and not just any strangers...my mother lives there and these are her neighbors.  Yikes...nothing like making me flash back to being that kid again up in front of the class...hoping I do everything right...hoping my folks will be proud.

I did get my plans outlined yesterday though and today I began to fill them out with the information I want to share tomorrow.  I sincerely hope we find time enough to go through all of that and to complete our project...a needle felted corsage.  I did a little bit of a test run two weeks ago when I took my supplies and walked my friends through the process.  It seemed okay, but I have tweaked my plans quite a bit since then...so here's hoping.

I also spent some time on my lace project.  I tried the Addi lace needles I bought on Thursday in Issaquah, but they just don't seen to have pointy enough tips on them.  I dug through my supply at home and found some Lana Grossa needles - also made in Germany - and tried them.  They worked beautifully!  However, the ones I have are size 2 and I need size 4.  Ugh!  So I checked all over the Internet.  Apparently the company is having problems getting the needles to the stores...some have discontinued carrying them...I couldn't find a single one anywhere!  So now what?  Suggestions? 

Janet

Quotes of an Inspiring Kind & Inspiring People

Good Evening Everyone,

What a great day!  I have been enjoying my new book: The Knitter's Life List.  I know I have already said that, but it is worth repeating.  The resources and tidbits in it are endless!!!

I am so excited to meet some of the people that author, Gwen Steege, has been introducing me to through her words!  She does a great job of bring them to life...Hopefully some day I will meet some of them in person...for now I am enjoying Gwen's words.

Today the special person she introduced me to is Alice Starmore, a resident of Isle of Lewis, Scotland.  We may be an ocean apart, but I feel as if I know Alice.  She is a very busy lady from running her own croft - or small self-sufficient farm - to managing careers as a designer of her yarn company Virtual Yarns https://www.virtualyarns.com/ to her graphic design company http://www.windfallpress.net/home.html and a career as a professional photographer and teacher.

Yet, what really resonated with me about Alice is her love of nature.  She most often turns to it for her inspiration in designing patterns for knitwear.  I guess that is how I feel about nature and it is often why I write about parts of it here in my blog.  Alice speaks of the life affirming sensations she gets being close to land, sea, sky and all the creatures...I know for myself that is how it was when we were sailing our sailboat, Sapphire.  Everything is so...close...intimate...and you know you are alive!

Quote from Steege's book: "It may seem that my various activities are disparate, but they are not at all", she explains.  "Everything is closely related.  When I am working in my croft; or taking photographs; or studying wildlife; or taking people on nature walks; or preparing classes for children; or walking the hills, moors, and coastlines; or visiting London or the Louvre, I am doing what every creative person does - absorbing inspiration and allowing ideas to form.  It is a crucial part of the process that ends up a piece of art or design."  page 110

Google Alice Starmore and look at images and you will be inundated with tons of work people have done using her patterns.

Check out both Steege's book and Alice Starmore's art...neither will disappoint you!

Janet

For Those That Have It...Treasure It!

Hello,

I just love it when I get feedback from my followers.  Today I got a great tip from Carrol about a blade for my rotary cutter that will be very helpful...so "Thanks Carrol!".

I am still working on fingerless gloves, cuffs and scarves for Christmas gifts...but I get sidetracked a bit here and there (always!) as ideas hit me in mid-stride and so tonight I am finally getting a few photos posted of my knitted scarf and fingerless gloves that I have been referring to for a bit. 

What is so funny (or maybe not) is that I bought a huge stash of this yarn in all the colors one day when I stumbled on it at Michael's.  Everyone has admired my scarf as I was knitting it and so I began to sell off my stash to friends...No problemo, right!  Wrong!!!

I ran out of some colors and some of the ladies of my knitting group want more so I went to get some and found - none - in any store in the area... still not a problem...I'll order it online...wrong again!  It is GONE!  Word on the street is that it was a limited production for the holidays and Red Heart is not going to be replenishing stores...so... 

So those that did get some and kept it are selling the balls at auction on eBay and Amazon.  Today I found numerous balls that still had a day or more to go at auction and already the bid was up to $15.50!!!  We are talking about Red Heart Sashay yarn...normally $4.99 that I got on sale once at $1.19 and once at $3.99...Incredible is all I have to say.  If you want a scarf made of this yarn and do not already have your yarn, you can buy finished scarves online from $15 to $30.  One YouTube video says the scarves were selling in stores for $30-$38.  Expect that and the price on balls of yarn to keep climbing.

So I will treasure each and every ball I have left all the more...

Enjoy it if you have it!

Janet

The Dance

Hello,

Wonderful! We have Chinese Ring Necked Pheasants in our neighborhood and I just love it when I get a good look at one.  Our small dog, of course, has decided that they do not belong in his back yard, but he doesn't seem to care if we see them out on our daily walks...which is terrific for times like today when two males were dancing back and forth in front of us!  It must have been a ritualistic breeding dance.  Quite fun to watch as they were mirroring each other in movements.  Of course, nothing lasts and they eventually decided we were encroaching in their space and so they took off...one flew to our right...one flew to our left.  Then they landed in the scruff and began calling back and forth.  Wished I had been able to film it for you, but I couldn't so I have included a couple videos so you can hear what they sound like at times. 






What I would really like to try is to create a piece of nuno felt that reflects some of this superb plumage.  Do you think I can do it?  We will see, huh!


Well I did get a bit of work done today on some felt cuffs that I made.  I added a mohair trim with some multicolored metallic beads.  All in all not too bad.  Kind of showy like the pheasants we see around here.

Goodnight everyone...sweet dreams :)
Janet

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

Death and Creation

Hello Again,

We have another funeral to attend...this time it's a Tuesday. Three people I knew have died in the last five weeks.  Something like this can leave a person wondering what it's all about.  Wondering how it is that a person's life is over just like that... "poof" and they are no more.  But are they really gone?  My mind has begun to spin...thinking...thinking...thinking.

I am finding that my art is what keeps me going...helps me to feel grounded again...to remember without pain...  The joy of taking my silk and fiber...carefully placing one on the other and working them together in one with my own hands...working until I have created something beautiful is somehow soothing and uplifting.  Knowing that someone is going to find pleasure in what I have created...knowing that I am capable of creating this!  Knowing I am alive.  It is all part of the cycle of life, right?

I hope you enjoy seeing my creations...I sure like making them.

Take care,
Janet