A Pip of a Poppy

Yippy!  I have been able to get back to felting...finally.  On Sunday evening I worked on a few samples for my class with the Senior Ladies.  Then today I taught them to wet felt jewelry.  Two finished and they are shown below along with one of my new poppies!

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

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

Bhahhh! What to do, What to do?!

Hi,

I got the bah-hum-bugs today so I went shopping!!! Great idea, right?  Well I thought so... and I did find a great dress at the second hand shop that I can use to felt with.  Then as I was looking around at home to decide what to do next I ran across this set of patterns I had purchased back when my sister was getting married...



And I decided that I would use some speciality fibers that come from Montana to make the shrug shown at the bottom in mauve.  The fibers are a mix of wools and silk that make a beautifully, rich and vibrant yet soft and supple felt.  To this I plan to add a crochet border that I hope to make out of another fabulously luxurious fiber - mohair - from another company in Montana.  Their mohair yarn has such a wonderful luster and sheen, plus great body that I just want to lay a bunch on the carpet and roll up in it!

So tomorrow I may go shopping again to buy all the fiber I will need to make this very special wrap.  Then I am going shopping for lace weight yarn and needles so I can start on a personal project...more on this tomorrow!

Later,
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

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

Rime Ice - Great Inspiration!

Hello!

You know those days when you find yourself dragging your heals because you can?...Many would say...lazy....Well I was having one of those days today...really moving slow because I didn't have anything on my platter until noon...so it wasn't until quite late in the morning that I finally stuck my head out the door and decided to walk the dog.  Wow!  The view was literally breath taking! 

Our neighbors across the street have a beautiful willow and it was silhouetted in the sunshine with snow drifting out of its branches.  Luckily I was able to catch this while fumbling with gloves, dog leash and my phone!  As I walked closer I noticed that the poles people stick in the edges of their lawns to show the snow plows where to stop - were covered in precision cut crystals.  In fact, it was a very particular kind of crystal formation...rime ice.  I had taught a unit about this when teaching school children.  Great to see in person. Rime ice forms under just the right conditions and apparently we had just that the night before.

Later today we drove into Spokane, Washington and went through dense fog along the way.  Fog is one of the conditions that must exist in order for rime ice to form so I am pretty sure that is what it is...as much of it is still around tonight since it stayed cool and many places even cooler because they are shaded from what sun we did get.

For more information on rime ice do a google search or follow this link:
http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?14714-Ice-crystals!

I have a felting project that is now inspired by this formation...I am not sure I can get anything close to the precision cut look of the crystals today...but I am going to try and get as close to the idea as I can...more to come on this project later...  In the meantime, I am finishing felting Christmas gifts which I am not posting since my relatives monitor my blog :) and would see them.  Also I got hired today to teach some classes in January.  WhooHoo!

Hope you are enjoying the Season and the weather wherever you may be,
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

Great Shot!

Hello,

The other day while out walking the dog (sometimes it seems like I always am...) I captured this awesome picture of the full moon.  Unusual because it was so bright and during daylight hours.  Also there was to be a full lunar eclipse only I didn't know about that until Sunday...two days after I took this.  I had been having a bad week as you may have noticed by my intermittent posts here...and I was blaming all sorts of things...the full moon being one of them...others I talked to noticed it too.  Is it possible that it was especially bad because there was to be an eclipse?  I don't know...but I sure am glad that the doom and gloom has fled with the waining moon and things are getting back to normal!  Still it was a beautiful view of the moon.



Since things are on the upswing around here I was busy felting yesterday.  I have finished two sets of fingerless gloves.  The black pair is already sold and is heading to California for Christmas.  The other is a gift I am giving. 

I also received some very soft and unusual Alpaca yarn at my fiber group get together.  This Alpaca comes from some animals that are living just south of Spokane in Washington state.  The yarn was my payment for some knitting I had done several months ago.  I love the twining brown and black - the natural color of the two Alpacas!  I am combining that with a golden ribbon yarn in a scarf.  Hopefully it will be masculine enough when I am done!

Have a great day everyone!
Janet

Living in the Northern Latitudes

Good Evening,

Well more and more beautiful decorations are appearing around my neighborhood.  I love it!  I only wish it would snow!!!  It seems to be a dirty word to locals here, but I see no advantage to living this far north and freezing when I go outside but missing out on the beauty of a white Christmas.  I know, I know, I don't have to report to work elsewhere or shuttle my children to and fro all their various activities in the sloppy, slippery wet mess that snow can present, but winter has a beauty all its own and I miss it!  Therefore I am finding it hard to get into the spirit of Christmas, so I am happy that at least my neighbors are showing some spirit by putting up sparkly decorations....still I Ho-Hum through my days.  One good thing has been the colorful sunsets like this one:


I have completed one project that I have been struggling to finish for a few weeks now.  A custom handbag that is going off to California tomorrow.  Whew! Finally!! Finished!!!

Tomorrow I hope to finish a few quick items that I can sell on Saturday.  Have a great day everyone!
Janet

The Power Of Suggestion

Ever have something happen to you just by the power of suggestion?  You know...you get a fortune cookie and it says something and then a day or so later sure enough that's what happens?!  What I always wonder is did it happen because it was going to happen anyway or did it happen because I was thinking about it a few days earlier???  People out there that believe in the power of suggestion would say it only happened because my conscious and then unconscious brain activity was attracting "it"...and a big part of me believes that...especially after what happened to me today!

At Thanksgiving dinner someone mentioned self-cleaning ovens.  That led to a discussion about their merits and whatnot.  Two people in on the discussion LOVED the feature...but the third person had incurred a $250 bill and still didn't have a clean oven after she had tried to use the feature on her oven and it malfunctioned.  So despite the fact that I needed to clean the oven, I hadn't quite decided to flip the switch on it, so to speak.

Sure enough today my husband leaned against the stove long enough to turn on the self-cleaning feature (which neither of us noticed).  About 20 minutes later I noticed the smell!  But by now the oven was LOCKED!  We are renting and I have not used this feature on this oven or any oven - ever!...I neede to find the manual and see what it said.  I was still thinking about it but the discussionfrom Thanksgiving had me wary ...well too late!...it was out of my hands!...nothing to do but wait and see...

That's how my felting project went too...I had created some beautiful 'nature' felt and was set to assemble my next felpture (a felted sculpture).  It seems that my subliminal thoughts were guiding my project for today...things seemed out of my control.  I could picture it in my mind, but I wasn't getting there.  It took many trials and lots of error, but by mid-afternoon (while the oven, I hoped, was baking away all my lovely spills) I had lighting that would hopefully work...a sculpted framework...and my felt cut into the correct sized pieces.  If I just pictured it harder in my head would it "just happen"? 

Somewhere my brain must have skipped some steps...I could see in my mind what it would look like finished but failed to quickly attract the solutions for getting there...though now...at 1 AM it is finally!!!...and so is the oven!  No blow-ups and no need for a repair man.  Had to open some windows for a bit to air the place out...and dinner was take out!

Here are some quick snaps of my felpture...

This little beauty is headed to the Christmas Farmers' Market this Saturday.  Hope to see many of you there cuase everything is way more spectacular in person!
Janet

Runners

Well it is after 1 AM which makes it Monday.  This is it...4 days left to finish things before set-up day on Friday and the Christmas Farmers' Market on Saturday.  I am NOT ready.  I have completed some things since I last posted about this upcoming show.  Not as much as I wanted, but more than I had before!

4 silk pillows
2 party wraps
3 table runners
3 sets of wrist cuffs

Next up I want to work on Felptures.  If I have time after that (not sure how that could possibly occur except if I were to work through the night and all day!) I sort of promised to get some wrap around scarves done for a couple of interested people.  Whew!  Glad I am not having to do any Christmas shopping this week!

For tonight I have the wet, but finished table runners for you to see.  I am including before and after pictures.  I found that the holes I had cut in my white prefelt to make my snowflakes closed up more that I liked...guess I should make gigantic holes...but then they tended to fall apart.  The holly leaves and berries turned out well except for a few that didn't want to attach for some reason.  Finally got them on there well enough that I could stop rolling.  The leaves and acorns turned out really, really well!  My favorite by far.  I did have trouble on this one too...the acorn tops didn't want to attach as well as other parts so it took some tender loving care with just them to get them on there.  They will look different after they dry...

Enjoy! I am off to bed for some much needed sleep :)
Janet

Wrist Cuffs - Fashion or Function?

Good Morning! 

Well almost...I neglected to get this post done last night...so sorry.  I have been very busy so I have lots of new things to post for you over the next couple days.  First off many of you may have been noticing women and young ladies wearing an item on their wrist that is unfamiliar to you.  It probably wasn't a glove, even a fingerless version...so what was it?  This newest craze is called wrist cuff or wrist warmer.  And they are just that!  A great way to keep your wrists warm, but for many it is all about making a fashion statement.  I have seen many a young lady sporting a fashionable wrist cuff - most often it was peeking out from under her sweatshirt or sweater.  I have made some myself.  Some are felted with silk as an accent.  Some are sewn with velvet, lace and other embellishments.  And one is a fingerless glove out of wool (many varieties), tussah silk, viscose and silk noil.  Some of these come as a pair though I am only posting one.  However, keep in mind that many use only one cuff - especially when it is done for fashion.

I think that many more women would benefit from a pair of cuffs.  Many of my friends complain about stiff hands and wrists, especially during the winter.  Those that knit and crochet are really bothered by it so I think that a pair of cuffs could help them out so they can continue to enjoy their hobby!  Patterns can be found on the Internet at http://www.ravelry.com/ and http://www.lionbrand.com/ and your can look at the types others are creating at http://www.etsy.com/

Enjoy!

Janet

Nuno Felting - Part 2

Good Evening...we're expecting our first serious winter storm here tonight.  Can't wait!!!  I love the snow...falling...the flakes swirling...ahhh.  Great weather to do some more felting too!  I'll show you what I've been up to the past couple of days.

And if you want to learn more about Nuno felting, which is how I made the pillow above, you can watch part two of this series.



Enjoy!

Janet

My Husband the Fashion Advisor

One of the most amusing things to me these days is watching my husband as he tries to be a fashion advisor for me!  He himms, humms and haahhhas at me as he decides how to best answer my latest request for his input.  Amazingly though, he does answer me!  And usually he has very perceptive answers too.  It isn't always what I want to hear, but what the heck, I asked, right?

I have had the beginnings of a felted coat hanging on my dress form in the hall for weeks now.  Slowly I have added a fur collar, inherited from my Auntie in Montana, and sleeves since it was still sleeveless.  I hung two different fabrics off of the sides to see which he may prefer.  He gave me a most definitive answer on those choices!  Now I would like to hear from all of you... What do you think?  Yes to the fur collar or no?  Light green suede sleeves or light brown sleeves...or shall I work on re-purposing this dark brown leather suede poncho a friend gave me?  Or something else all together???  Let's see if hubby got it right, shall we?  Tell me what you think.

The Science of Felting

As an educator in training years ago, I learned all about the scientific method.  Hypothesis, controlled variables, experiment, results....   And years before that I worked for several scientists at Montana State University.  I love science!  It was always my favorite subject to teach.

So as I sat at my felting table the other day it struck me how much of what I am doing today as a felter is all about science.  Yes there is very much an art form to it, but there is also a great deal of science too.  Each time I set about to do a piece it is an experiment....I combine wool and other natural fibers with a variety of natural (silk) and synthetic materials and see what happens...problem is I often have blown the controlled experiment process by introducing more than one new variable in each new experiment....but I like the surprises!  They are what keeps me going...the anticipation of seeing what the result of all my combinations will yield.  I know if I approached this more scientifically - having only one new variable - I would be able to replicate my work.  But...well...that is just too stifling and so I guess that is why it is called art instead.

Well Good Evening Everyone!

I have been busy nuno felting scarves yesterday and today.  They aren't ready for their pictures to be taken though so instead I have a couple of other items that I have finished to show you.

I love the Photo Bucket slide shows - when they work!  Hope you get to see all six photos.  I stitched on the felted fabric using the free stitching method (darning foot) on a machine.  I used different colored threads depending on the accent I needed - in some cases I used gold metallic thread.  Difficult stuff to work with!

Both these pillows will be sold through Blue Flag Handweaving Studio in Sandpoint, Idaho.  You can click the like below to contact Kristie about them.
http://www.blueflagweaving.com/

As a teaser here is a preview of a new scarf - before felting.



Well I am off to get my scarves out of their acid water bath.  Night All!

Janet

I often work late into the night.  There is just something so peaceful about the quiet of the world once all the traffic dies down on the streets, the people have all gone indoors, and everything goes to sleep.  I feel so much peace and contentment...and still something more...and energy that allows me to produce so much more than I can ever get done during daylight hours.  It is because of this that I rarely am up to see the sunrise.  As a young child I was a morning person...even as a young adult I suppose, but definitely not now.

However, I  am familiar with the beauty of the world first waking up...the first rays across the frosted grass...the thin ice sheets over puddles...the reflection of the light on the lake water...and the warmth of the sun that finally begins to warm the world.  I created this handbag with Sunrise in mind...though in all honesty I guess it could reflect the beauty of the sun setting as well.  Either way...

Hope you enjoy it!
Janet

We Go For an Adventure Today

Hello,

So today was a very interesting day.  It started out so well...one of those days you can just feel are going to be good.  After all hubby and I had spent numerous hours these past weeks getting ready for it...so it just had to be a good day, right?!  I was well rested having finally gotten a full 8 hours of sleep and everything for the shop Blue Flag Handweaving Studio, in Sandpoint was tagged and ready to be loaded.  Whew!!

So after a leisurely breakfast and loading of merchandise and dog (yes, the puppy got to go for a ride today) we were off!  It is about 40 miles from home to Kristie's shop.  And about 5 miles from there this crazy truck driver tried to run us down...only he wasn't crazy he was trying to let us know we had a flat rear tire.  Wished I could thank him.  For some reason neither of us had been able to feel it - rather strange - never happened before.  Anyway an hour later and we had our spare tire - The Dreaded Donut Tire - on and we were back on the road to deliver all the cool felted stuff I had made.  And on the plus side all the time sitting and waiting allowed me to get some knitting done!

This is one of the small, fun-loving bags we took up there today.  I made the beads out of tyvek, paint and wire.  Almost too cute to part with!  Hope you enjoy seeing it.  And if you want to purchase it you can do so through Kristie at http://www.blueflagweaving.com/

Now we are back home and I am off to devour some of the yummy brownies I just baked...from scratch!  Yum...I'll try to save some for you :)
Janet