Rhinebeck, NY , Ashville, NC ,Jan, The Village Weaver and The Color of Dreams

I left my beloved husband, daughter, and home on Tuesday morning to heads, first south to Sugar Creek Ohio, to link up with Jan, The Village Weaver and her husband Bob. At about 1:AM, we were up and on the road by 3AM to start our journey to Rhinebeck, NY. We arrived today, Wen. at 3 PM, weary, with numb bottoms from the drive, but we here, and happy to be so. It is 6:30 and Bob and Jan have already gone to bed. I am trying to get a post off before I too drift off into the land of sweet slumber.

I've made a couple of hats this week, did some dyeing of silk hankies, and put flower kits together. I had hoped to get a lot more done, but time and work and hopes did not work well together this week. One of the hats I did get done using the needle to wet technique turned out very well, simple, yet elegant. It was 50/50 merino/corriedale. The effect was both strong and soft with beautiful little ripples throughout the final fabric. It is a deep olive green with felt plumes in burgundy and burnt orange.

I have 1 HUGE angora batt that I am so looking forward to creating with when I get home. It was purchased about two years ago, and has been safely tucked away until inspiration motivated me. I've been dreaming in felts, so i think at breakthrough is just around the corner of my mind. Designs often come to me in my sleep. I am learning to get up and write them down while the idea is are fresh. I am planning on getting some colored pencils to keep with the idea journal so that I can have a cue of the color of dreams. I am fairly certain that I will make felt with the angora batt and the resist dye it afterward. With the delicateness of the fiber, I think it would be better than trying to dye the batt. The decision/choice will be, make a large piece of flt or tear it apart and make many things from it. Tough call.

I am aniticapating seeing both old and new friends this weekend at Rhinebeck for the New York Sheep & wool festival. On Monday next, Jan, Bob and I will head off to Ashville NC for SAFF. We'll be driving though some fab countryside. The visual stimulation...ah, if only the economy could take it's inspiration from such beauty!

If there are blogs that you think that I should add to the growing list I have on my blog, I'd love the heads up on them. It is the goal oft this blog to promote felt makers, of any sort; traditional feltmakes, needle to wet felters, dry felters, machine felters, it matters not. So please feel free to share your favorite blog spots or websites with me. I'll do my best to get them listed.

If you can, come see me in Rhinebeck or Ashville. I'd love to see you!
Shalom,
Suzanne