Dyeing for the Day

It's been a soft cloudy day, the kind of day that moves a little slower somehow. I'd planned on getting a lot accomplished today, but the day had different plans. Errands, post office, shipping, lots of emails that required answers and unexpected company. So for the days work, all I have to show for are three silk scarves. Still, I've enjoyed the process, and the softness of the day.

There are some new felters that I've added to the list on the side bar. I hope you'll enjoy looking at the blogs as well.

Happy Sabbath!
Suzanne

Crashing Thunder, Misty Morning

As much as possible, I go to the woods in the morning to clear away the underbrush, so that eventually, we'll be able to get the trees down that interfere with the wires that hold the tower in place for the radio station that we own and operate. This morning I went out to work on it for about an hour and a half. Each day I can see where I am making more and more progress, but it is slow. What I thought was going to take a few days will actually take the entire spring and summer to accomplish. The underbrush is thick, vine-filled, and soon, very soon, the mosquitoes will be out to greet me each morning! Today however, there was a chipmunk that fled my arrival and two Baltimore oriels that flew right over head and landed on a near by branch. The sun was right on them and they were breathtakingly beautiful! They stayed there for some time, but I didn't have the camera ready to get a good photo of them.

There were some wonderful storms that went through last night, BIG THUNDER and lots of rain. There is that sweet, earthy clean in the air and the birds in the woods were singing brightly this morning. I wish I could record the sounds that occur while I am there. It is a choir of happiness with all the different birds singing, and the woodpeckers tapping out a beat unto themselves. I could stay there all day....and if I had that lovely yurt, maybe even longer.

The photos that I am sharing with you today are from the land I am working on. The first two are of the river view from the high banks. The later two photos are of the underbrush and the start of a clearing. As much as I love making felt, and I do dearly love it, there is also a farm girl in me who would love to live here, milk a couple of goats, and live a very simple, uncluttered life. Fantasies are free. .. Dream on

Ger, Yurt, Housing for Homeless

Photo is of the scarf I dyed yesterday, now being worn. Funny how the effect changes, softens somehow. Really like the effects of the color flow on this scarf. Am hoping to get some more done in the next few days.

I've been clearing some land that we own. Doing only a couple of hours of work each day usually in the early morning hours and using only loppers to get the underbrush cleared. It's about 7 acres that we have but I am doing very specific spot work on it for the time being. The land is on the High Banks of the Kalamazoo River and the vista from the land is calm and peaceful. I frequently see deer, geese, turkey, and coyote while I am clearing. I often tell my husband that I could easily live there and would love to put up a summertime yurt. So, as I am working I imagine what that yurt would look like, the feel of it, the smell of it, I wonder what thunder would sound like all muffled through the wool,...then I thought about the homeless, winters here in Michigan, the bitter, biting cold of the north wind during winter and my mind began to wander and wonder about the simple comfort of the yurt, the inexpensive housing of the yurt, the soft strength of a home of wool, the strength of the round shape ger in severe winds, the beautiful quiet that happens inside a ger or yurt.

I'm hearing from family and friends that tent villages are springing up all over the states, and not from people who choose to be homeless, but simply have nowhere to go. I realize that it could happen to anyone at anytime. Is the simple, lovely yurt a potential answer to our housing crisis? It's totally portable, easy up and down in a day, protection from the elements, and all things considered, very inexpensive housing. Now I realize that plumbing and electricity are issues, but I have to believe that a yurt or ger would be so much better than under a bridge, in a dumpster, park bench. I often wonder if the creative, artistic people of our world should not be more active in the problem solving aspects of the issues the world faces today. Creative folks already think out of the box, or as I often say "what box?" I'm going to keep thinking on this while I work in the woods.

Monday, Dyeing Silk, and Healings

Monday got here sooner than I anticipated, but it was good to see it. Spent a good deal of the weekend relaxing with my family. Called my Mom and made plans to get together soon. I love my mom. She is truly a wonderful person, very funny, and loves to hug too. I've missed her this winter while she's been in Fla. It will be so good to see her face when we finally get together, hopefully soon!

Today, I've made some felt, but mostly paid bills, and then dyed some silk. This is the silk scarf that I just dyed. I almost see a water color reflection of a tree line. Am I seeing things or does anyone else see it too?

Sometimes, what happens in the dye pot brings healing, personally this one does it for me.
Gods Peace to you all,
Suzanne

Over Dyes on Felt Hats

These are two hats that I've over dyed and had wanted to share with you earlier, but forgot to take the photos. That's all folks!

Long Road Home

Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival was a rain filled event. You've heard of "Death by Chocolate"? This was DEATH BY MUD! Packing and unpacking was a death defying event unto itself. The crowd was down by about 10,000 but spirits were high and people were buying! All of the merino silk I'd dyed sold and well over half of the locks. I sold a good many hats, though I've not counted for a grand total as of yet. Did have some felt cuffs stolen, three to be exact, and that always is upsetting. Gas prices were lower when we left then when we came home... :(. All and all though, a very good show and well worth the effort, the fatigue, and the weather.

This gal bought this hat. A passer by took the photos and then sent them my way. Her name is Miss Sally and is apparently a local weaver in the area where the show was in Maryland. She looks so darn cute in the hat. Looks like it was made for her. Her vessel is full of sparkle!

Again, I did not get to see the show. I did manage to get to see Mehmet and Theresa and the wonderful yurt they had up. There is a peaceful place.! No wonder people love to live in them. The quiet alone is simply wonderful. Once inside the yurt, you'd be completely unaware that a festival was going on around you. It really was wonderful to see it, to be in it and to see the absolutely wonderful felts they've created. It is good t see good felt. It is a goal for me that I think needs to be refreshed inside of me from time to time. Their felts are spectacular, soft and strong. I was able to purchase a felt skirt from Theresa that is a combination of nuno, felt and silk overlay. I'll try to get a photo up in the next few days. It's a wrap skirt and all hand dyed. Really wonderful.

Today, I am going to rest, try to balance my checkbook and then rest some more. It was great to be at a fiber event, and it is also very good to be home.
Shalom,
Suzanne

Back on the hat making wagon!

Full moon rising and I'm headed off to bed. This hat is made of merino wool and tussah silk, both hand dyed. I made this one while I was in the booth at Maryland. I'll try to write more tomorrow

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