Class Announcemnt for Asheville, NC July 15th.

Wool Felt Pottery

Make a vessel or piece of wool pottery using flat resist and surface designs elements. Prerequisite student skills: beginners and up. Students should bring scissors, 2 towels and an apron.

Date: 7-15
Location: Vendor Booth
Cost: $90.00
Material Fee: $25.00
Start Time: 12:00 PM
End Time: 6:00 PM
Total Cost: $115.00

http://friendsandfiberworks.com/summer-retreat/

If you are in the area and want to take this class or several of the other felt classes offered in Asheville, NC, now is the time to sign up. Looking forward to seeing many friends there!
Shalom,
Suzanne

Busy time around the Shanty

Finally got around to making a hat! I love this pattern. About 5 years ago, while I was at the Midwest Felting Symposium taking a classes from Judit Pocs, I developed a severe migraine. Ruth Walker went into the class in my place. She designed the pattern and over the next two days, we made this style hat. Truth be told, Ruth did most of the work. One day I was not even there, and the second day I was mostly "post-migraine". I think I've shared this pattern with most of my felting friends in Michigan. It is fun to make and most folks wear it well. It's been sooooo long since I've made a hat. Just felt good to make one again.


In a few hours I leave for a 4 day work shop in Wisc. where I'll be teaching nuno felt, bird pods, rug stomp, and vessels. I've been packing most of the day and trying to get some last minute dyeing done. Sometimes, great work can come out of time pressures. These silk scarves turned out so interesting. I think the participants in the workshops will have great fun with them. There were many color splits that occurred and that adds another element of interest to the silk.

There is still a good bit of packing to get done plus a load or two of laundry before I head out. I hope I can sleep tonight. I'm so looking forward to seeing my friends in Wisc. I hope that when I get home, there will be wonderful photos to share with you.

The bouquet is packed and ready to go. I am sharing one last photo, mostly because I am going to miss having her around the house. I'll probably never do another.

Happy felting and Shalom
Suzanne

Silence and then not so much....

I've not had the time to post lately...life is usually pretty busy here, but then it goes on steroids and gets CRAZY, out of control, heavier than one thinks one can handle. Such is life here right now, and an end of it may be in sight soon. The operative word is "may". Since I've not had time to post, I've had even less time to make felt. Here is the latest work...time is a gift. (I want more presents!)

For felting news....It's kind of cool! A friend of mine is getting married and has asked me to make her bouquet out of felt flowers. How cool is that! I am so excited and honored to do this for her...and I get to work with two of my favorite colors, white and purple! I used to do floral design on the side, so this is going to be great fun for me. She is knitting her wedding dress (can you imagine!) out of lace weight kid mohair, she'll carry felt flowers, and I think I am going to try to incorporate nuno ribbons coming from the bouquet as well. Anyone got ideas that they want to share with me?

Gotta run for now. Plainwell is having the ART HOP tonight and I need to hit the shower and get ready for a fun, fun night. Pop over if you can, many wonderful artist there!

Kisses and Peace to you all,
Suzanne
Oh, the second photos is of a wall hanging: "Birth: To Spill Forth"
It is made of merino wool silk fabric, silk fibers, Mohair and Teeswater locks, cheese cloth and beads.

Plainwell's Art Hop

For many years there have been local art hops, but this will be the first in Plainwell. It is this Friday night from 5-9pm with local business's opening their doors to artists to share their space. How gracious of them! If you live near the area, and the weather is permitting, it would be great to see you there. There will be three felt artist showing their goods. One is my friend, Dawn Edwards and myself. I will be presenting Ms. Allison's works as well. I am so proud of her artful eye.

This is the vessel that I made several days ago, now with the arrangement in it for the Art Hop Sale.

The green eye glass case has many eyes on it, one of the beaded. It it has a cord to hang around the neck, for those of us, (like me) who have a tendency to lose our cheaters or spare glasses. This was made of all merino and merino silk, with the merino silk on the inside so not to damage the glasses. I've wanted to get to some bags, but time is slipping away too fast, each day, faster and faster. Though this is relatively small, it took a good many hours to get it done. This is one of those things one makes for pure fiber play, not to sell. It might be a very nice gift too.

Shalom,
Suzanne