What's one more thing?

I've dyed locks, packed the van, repacked the van, shipped out the last minute orders, checking the list, wondering if I've missed something, will I make any money? Will I get the flu? .....Then, decided to dye up some more fiber, here is Tussah silk. It is so dreamy, creamy in my hands. Almost don't want to pack it up! I love the way silk takes to the dyes, how it shines, how it adds so much to felt and spinning. I am so thankful that God made silk worms. Aren't they a wonderful little gift giver?

This will be my final post until I get back from the show in Maryland. I hope that we have great sales and meet many new folks. If you are a felter who is planning on being there, please, please stop in to say Hello to me and Susan and Ruth and Holly and Donna. We'd dearly love to see you.
Blessings and Peace,
Suzanne

Teeswater Hand Dyed Locks

I've been dyeing locks, beautiful, luscious, long, lovely, Teeswater locks. We'll have these for sale at Maryland Sheep and Wool. I have so many ideas for these lovelies. I have another fleece yet to wash and then dye.

Michigan to Maryland- ROAD TRIP!

I am accustomed to working alone, but these days prior to a show, I need all of the help that I can get. Kate, much loved daughter and Zach, much loved son to be, have been working so hard to help me get ready for Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. I leave on Monday and will be gone for 10 long days. I'll be staying with my sister for the whole time and am very much looking forward to seeing her and her husband. I'll be in Susan's Fiber Shop and will have a bunch of felting spinning batts, feltmaking kits and some fun stuff to share.
Orders have been coming in, kits have to be made up, batts to be made, locks to be dyed, hats to be made, ( which I fell of the wagon on getting one completed per day...what was I thinking?????????????????) van to pack, then re-pack, check list, re-check list, pay bills due while I am away, where is my check list? , where are my directions, did I fill the tank? and so on. Still, with all of the work, I am looking forward to being with my friends, meeting new people, and sharing the absolute joy of feltmaking. I get a bit scattered while I am getting ready for a show, there is so much to do and wool is flying everywhere. I sometimes wish I was one of those more organized folks, planned, all put together, but that's just not how I operate when it comes to this art form. It does overwhelm me at times, and then I sit in front of my computer, and go to youtube.com and listen to Susan Boyle. It somehow helps. I thank God for her voice and her sweet, spirity self. I laugh and cry when I watch her and it is a good thing for me.
I'll write more when I get back and oh, I did want to mention that Martha Ely Steines will have my hat forms at the Shepherds Harvest: Here is that information:
shepherd's harvest
washington county fairgrounds
lake elmo mn
may 9th 900am to 5pm
may 10th 10am to 4pm...
it is great fun with lots of classes and vendors
shepherdsharvestfestival.org
she is listed under rachels moms-nordic bohemian
Martha has been making some amazing hats using my extra large needle to wet felt hat forms. She is full of fire and joy when she talks felting. Be sure to pop in to see her works!
God's Peace to you all,
Suzanne

Felt Bag Flap

I made a bag today and am not ready to share all of it with you, but will share this much, the flap on the bag. I am hoping that it will turn out the way I hope, but I've still got some tweaking to do on it before I share all of it. The camera is not able to capture the "pretty" of this bag. No, take that back, the camera probably can, I just don't know how to make the camera do it. Gotta take a photography class!

I'm not being mysterious about the bag. It's not totally dry yet, nor have I put the handles and the finishing touches on it. Once that is done, I'll show the rest of the bag. Really.
Shalom,
Suzanne

Springing Forward Felt

It's been about a week since I last posted, but it seems even longer!
Monday I left for Ohio to spend a few days felting with my dear friend Jan. We made a stunning bag with both inside and outside pockets, using a flat resist. Jan has much to be proud of. She did an excellent job and the bag is so beautiful.
I made a small vessel for her to keep as a token of our time together. I should have made it another layer thicker, but it turned out pretty and looks lovely in her living room.
On my return home Wednesday, my cell phone rang and it was Susan McFarland. She invited me to go to The Fiber Event with her in Indiana near Indy. I left early Friday morning and arrived back home about 3:30 AM Sunday morning. We worked really hard, made some money and got to spend some time together. While I was demonstrating the needle to wet hat forms in her booth, I made this hat. I wet felted it this morning. It is hand-dyed merino and what fun it was to work with it. Just melted in my hands.
I forgot to mention that while I was with Jan, we watched the scarf video by Sharon Costello. It is very well done, and I'm fairly convinced that after you watch the video, you should be able to make any kind of scarf you wanted to. It is very instructional, simply done with nice details on how felt happens. You can find it at Black Sheep Designs and Susan's Fiber Shop. Really a very nice video to have in ones collection. I highly recommend it.
I also had the chance to meet another felter at THE FIBER EVENT in Greencastle. Her name is Paula Scott-Frantz. What a neat gal and we immediately talked 'felt". How cool is that! Anyway, here is her site which is still under construction, but some nice stuff is sure to come from it. http://paulascottfrantz.com
Have a great week and make great felt!
Shalom,
Suzanne

Meeko, Chihuahua Puppy and Merino Silk Felt Hat

Our neighbors just got a chihuahua puppy. She has a heart shaped white spot on her chest and they've named her MEEKO. ..which, I'm told, means, "my heart".
My husband is holding her in his hands. She is just a tiny bit too cute!

Did make a hat yesterday, and am getting ready to head out to see my friend Jan in Ohio. I'll be behind on my hat a day plan, but time with friends is time well spent.

Have time to laugh, hug, felt and find joy all day long.
Shalom,
Suzanne

Day of Rest

I am resting today. I did make a hat yesterday and this is it. Sorry that the photos look to be different colors. The lighting in this home is not good.

The hat is made of merino wool with organza that's been laminated into the hat. It gives it a very nice, soft shine when the light hits it. Ah, if only I could capture that on the photos.

Merino and Mohair Felt Hat

I don't usually work in blues, but I'd dyed this up some time ago and thought I'd give it a try. It is merino and mohair, and is a bit fuzzy. I've shaved it once, but will once again before it heads out to a show. This was made on my needle to wet needle felt hat form. Some days, it just works best, especially the days when I know there are going to be many interruptions, and there were lots today!

The scarf shown with this hat was made by my dear friend Terri. I don't knit, I felt. Terri's knitting rocks! Had to take the time to show it off.

Does anyone have a name for this style hat? Is it a modified cloche?
Shalom,
Suzanne

Added a flower

So love this hat so I decided to add a flower. Like it even better!