Sweet Needle Felts--Jenn Dockerty

Several weeks ago, Chris sent me a couple of photos of a new book she'd picked up. She called and told me that my form, needle felting tools and needles were all listed in the new book that had just been released. How cool is that. There are several other photos in the book that I'll try to get posted for you. I was delighted to learn that he products we created 8 years ago continue to impact the creative lives of others. Very exciting indeed!

In this book, she uses our small doll form to make a woven/needle felted bowl. The photos in this book are really great, nice illustrations, good tutorials.

I'll be leaving again this next week to go to Hoosier Hills Fiber Festival in Franklin, IN. I'll be teaching there this year. I'll be teaching on Friday if you are interested in taking the felt flower class. This is a wet felt class. Each flower takes about an hour to make. We're going to make three. Class runs from 12-3 on opening day. This show is a Fri-Sat show. It was wonderful last year and I anticipate that it will be even better this year. Cannot imagine the work that goes into putting a festival together. So I've got a lot of work to get done before I go....lots of dyeing, lots of carding, and I should make some felt! If I get a hat or two put together, I'll post them for you to see.
Shalom,
Suzanne

I'll be posting some of these hand-dyed 50/50 merino/silk rovings on my etsy shop: www.hookedonfelt.etsy.com Featured here is a 2 ounce roving. I am spending too much time in my dye pots and need to stop and get making felt! This stuff felts so beautifully. Hmmmm, maybe I won't put it up for sale, perhaps I'll use it myself.

It is Wrap-really!

It's a Wrap, well, it's a start anyway

This (on the right side) is a small sample of the new weaving I've been working on since the sale of the other wrap. I am using wool, mohair and novelty yarns in both commercial and hand spun form and weaving on a 4x4 square loom. Want to finish this so I can get back to doing some felting.

While at Great Lakes Fiber Show, I stayed with a friend Donna, who is a wonderful weaver. During one evening we spent several hours going through very old Spin- Off newsletters, (pre-Spin-Off magazine) and wonderful books on weaving, something I've had very little interest in, until this past weekend. Amazing workmanship in some of these garments. and very inspiring, indeed. Jan, The Village Weaver, had several wraps that were show stoppers, one with a hand-painted warp. I think it sold before the show even opened. SPECTACULAR! Took my breather away, literally. While I am not a weaver myself, I am in awe of the work of the weaver and the weavers cloth. Jan's wrap is on the display. Isn't it grand?
Shalom,
Suzanne

Random Acts of Carding--Wool Batts

Again I am packing for a Fiber Event. This time, I am heading off to Wooster, Ohio for the Great Lakes Fiber Show. I'll be leaving a day earlier than I have to, just so I can rest up a bit before the show, and visit some friends there. Am looking forward to the show.

I've put together about 6 pounds of "Random Acts Of Carding" batts for the event. These are so pretty, with a bunch of wonderful fibers, including merino wool, mohair, silk, llama, alpaca, angora, ...well, you get the picture. I've enjoyed making them and love to spin them or felt with them. They make for wonderful one of a kind items.

If you are at the show, I hope you'll pop in to my booth if you get a moment.

Shalom --Suzanne

For a Reason

As I packed for the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, I scanned "the studio" one more time to make sure that I had not missed bringing anything. From across the room, a shawl that I had made several years ago asked to go with me. I've never worn it except to see that it fit, never took it to any shows, rarely showed it to anyone. It was done with my beginning handspun yarns and was kind of a personal treasure, my first, my hand spun, my first weaving. Anyway, I took it with me, not really knowing why...until she walked into the booth and fell in love with it. It now has a new home and is being well loved there I will miss the piece, but will miss it a bit less knowing that it is being appreciated and treasured. I know it is silly to get attached to things, but still I do sometimes. I need to recall these wise words:
Matt 6: 19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Doesn't she look lovely in the wrap. I am so please that I took it with me! I think she was the reason I went to Maryland

How was the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival? Cannot even tell you. I didn't get to leave my booth space on Sat. at all and only to run to the bathroom on Sunday. It was amazing to see so many people. I truly do wish that I could have seen some folks that were there, other vendors, other felters, but it just didn't happen. I am still trying to recover with an afternoon nap whenever I can squeeze one in. In fact, I think I'll do that now