I hate it when I am the only model I can find!

I wanted to show you the final results of the nuno/laminate felt wrap. It was dyed in shades of blue, gray, green and soft plumb. the wool that was added was olive, navy and plumb-purples. I adore this wrap, and really wish I had done it in colors that were more suited to me. (I rarely wear blue.) I imagine it will look quite lovely on a blond. This wrap rates pretty high on the "flutter factor" and I love that about it.
I have to admit that the photos are not very good, lighting is bad, my husband is not thrilled at doing this for me (but he won't model it either!) and I am the model....need I say more!
Woke up this morning to 60 degrees and raining. Not bad for November 22, in Michigan. Love rainy days, the coffee tastes better, the day moves slower, wool felts faster and I have time to breathe!
Shalom and happy felting all day long!
Suzanne

Random layout, delightful surprise!

This post will be brief and to the point today. I simply have too much on my plate, as usual.

The past few weeks I've been playing a lot with nuno felts, dyeing the silks and playing with the lay out. On the piece I am going to show, I did a random layout, and am thrilled with the final results. The photos explain it, so I can be brief today.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Wish I could chat longer, but I really can't right now. I'll be back soon.
Shalom, and Good Sabbath to all!

November Already?

I can hardly believe how fast time is moving....must be a true sign of aging, and not one that I appreciate much. However, it does bring to mind that time is limited and therefore, one must work hard to even try to get some of the ideas brought to fruition!

This past week has been spent trying to get some felts made, dyeing silks for nuno felt that will be up soon, (I hope), planning some workshops, writing proposals for next seasons teaching schedule and just in general trying to pull it all together, however in very short, attention deficit disorder spurts. (It's not easy being me!) It will all come together, but not necessarily as I had hoped. I could just eat and felt and think my days were completely happy. There is just this other stuff that has to be taken care of too that I find disruptive to my day. I find myself multitasking on a level far bigger than I am. (Washing silk, cutting silk, dyeing silk, writing proposals, opps forgot about the dye pot, phone calls....layout on a nuno, another phone call, roll the felt, check the dye pot, shipping orders, did the dog get her medication? and what's for dinner? roll the felt some more, HUH, are you talking to me?) Anyway, it's been that kind of week. I'm glad I have anything to show for!

First photo is of a hat that I made this week, the background is of a silk that I dyed in olive and a hunter green color. The olive split in the dye bath...I love when that happens because all of these wonderful under and over tones emerge to create something incredible and unpredictable. I love that!

The other pics are of silk that I dyed and the champagne and brown nuno is from a silk that I got from Elis Vermullen. It was too pale of a color in champagne for me to feel comfortable with so I over dyed it and then applied the wool to it. It is a small triangular shawl. The texture is just wonderful and I love the color play on it. I added some orange, purple and black wool. It has a very autumn feel to it. Thank you Elis!

It's the end of the sales season for me and I have only 4 hats left, no nunos except the ones I've started to make. I think with all of the ideas running through my head, it's going to be a nice winter to stay inside and create.

Also wanted to let you all know that the Felt United site is up and wonderful! Do take a peek! There are more than 1000 pictures of felts from all over the world, incredible felts! Amazing felts. I love this medium!
http://www.feltunited.com/

Shalom,
Suzanne

Felting My Fingerprints Off!

Seriously, I think I could commit crimes and there would be no fingerprints to identify me! I've been felting like a crazy person...but let's no dwell on that too much!

Ms. Allison and I spent the day together yesterday and she made two scarves, one was in the white pre-felt and the other was a lovely nuno felt scarf, her first! I was very please with her designs and lay out. She felts with such ease. I love how her mind works and her hands play!

The cream/tan hat was needle then wet felted. The red hat in an improvisational piece from a former pattern I've used. I took the viking princess hat resist, cut off one of the rosettes/horns and turned the hat around. In stead of making a rose or horn, I cut it open to be flames and then ones own hair becomes part of the design.

The hood is one that I started at the Creative Felt Gathering and finally finished. You can't see very well from this photo but there is a very long tail that hangs off the back of it. It was made with pre-felts, hand dyed prior to felting.


The green, blue and yellow vessel is my beginning creation for Felt United. I am going to do some beading on it and put a floral design in it before it is completed. I'll try to remember to post pics of it when it is done.

I leave in a few hours for Wisc. Sheep and Wool Festival. Other than flying through Chicago, I love the drive there. I am bringing a lot of Bling Batts, teaching and enjoying the company of good friends.

Before I leave, I've got to make a nuno felt scarf for my friend Judy. Her son is getting married next month and she's asked for one of my nuno scarves. I am so honored to do it for her. I'll be working in blues, so those of you who know I struggle with blues, please pray. I'm going to need it!

Shalom and hugs,
Suzanne

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Eva Cassidy/Fields of Gold/Nuno Felt

Some time ago I was listening to some stuff on You Tube and found Eva Cassidy, quite by accident. I was shocked, amazed, tear filled, awestruck by her amazing voice. I listened to everything I could find. What a gift in her voice, her delivery, her soft strength. I went on to do some research on her, only to find that she died some time ago from melanoma. It appears that the UK is well aware of her, though USA born. They made her a household name, then her fame filtered back to us here in the states. If you have the time and inclination, do take a listen.

The nuno here is in honor of Fields Of Gold, no matter who sings it. I'd love say that I shibori dyed the silk, but for those of you who follow, you know I just twisted, knotted, tied and twisted some more to get the effect on the silk. I used hand dyed 50/50 merino silk along with some hand dyed mohair locks and hand dyed tencel. It is a very large shawl. Though I don't sew a stitch, it makes me want a dress of this fabric. It is YUMMY!

We are having phenomenal heat and humidity. I continue to pray for an early, long, soft autumn, temperatures in the 70's again. Naturally, I want it right now. The Michigan Fiber Festival starts next week Wednesday. I'll be teaching the Needle to Wet Felt Hat and Let's Just Bag It there. One is on Wednesday, the other on Thrusday. I think there is still a spot of two open in the bag glass if you are interested. I'd really like the heat to cease for the festival. It is 5 days of hard work, hugs, booth set up and tear down. Ok, maybe the heat won't stop, but will you at least join me in praying for a very nice breeze?

Don't expect much for the next week or so, gotta finish getting ready for festival, houseful of Sabbath guests and of course, delicious rest.

Shalom and happy felting!

Catching Up / Falling Behind

It has been a couple of weeks of packing, unpacking, dyeing wool, getting ready for the next show, blown head gasket on my big van, (gerrrrrrrrrrrr!), packing orders, getting ready for classes, and finding precious little time to create. I also find the heat, which has been intense this year with very high humidity, disabling.

I've only made a few things in the past two weeks. One of the things I was able to get done was this nuno/laminate scarf. Huge shrinkage was achieved on this piece. It started out 7 feet x 3.5 feet, but after it was all done, it measures a mere 54" x 24". It has merino silk, hand dyed silk roving, mohair locks in scattered clumps all on silk gauze. What great fun to watch it all come together. My goal is to get one a day completed over this week.

On many of my felts I've been adding sari silks and a huge new shipment arrived last week. These are in fat quarters and the variety of colors is stunning and inspiring. I've been buying them from Fiona Wright on Etsy.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Glitzandpieces

The service and selection is outstanding. If you decided to try out the silks, you'll be hard-pressed to be disappointing. These are recycled so they do have some small, and I do mean small, flaws. For those of us who use them in the feltmaking process, it is completely un-noticeable. The colors are incredible.














This hat has was made of hand dyed merino/silk with some of the sari silk on the surface, as well as my beloved cheese cloth. When working with the sari silks, be sure to be very gentle and use cold soapy water until it has really melded into the wool.

I had the unique opportunity to be on a local TV station, Channel 8, the program "eightwest" this morning. Here is the link to watch it if you'd like.

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/eightwest/Hooked_on_Felt


So tired tonight, maybe I'll not make any felt tonight.
Sleep well in Peace,
Suzanne

It's Too Darn Hot!

Very hot 4th of July, and warmer still today in southwest Michigan. As the day cooled down a bit last night, I decided to make sculpted felt hat. I used two very thin layers of roving in the lay out, so it took a lot of rolling to get the rate of shrinkage that I needed. It is a light weight, very sturdy felt.

Today I am going to get an ice pack and take a nap through the heat of the day. Is it "sweater weather" yet?

Upcoming classes and pretty little things

A bit back, I was asked to be part of The Rose Gazebo art shop on Mackinaw Island. I think she is going to have about 50+ artist there, including my dear friend, Dawn Edwards of Felt So Right. (see side bar for her website) Jodie, the gal who is opening the shop, has asked me to supply her with many things...most of which I'll be lucky to get done! We talked a good deal about price points and how she needed to have some of the smaller items that walk out of the door easily. I decided to dye up a bunch of merino silk in some wonderful water colors (she is opening the shop on an island after all) and made up 50 felted soaps for her. I hope these soaps will grow feet and will walk out the door for her. She also wants 30 pin cushions, 30 bags and 30 nuno wraps! ...all by the end of the month, YIKES! I am confident that I'll be working into the wee hours of the morning trying to accomplish all that she wants for her shop, plus get ready for the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival at the end of the month.

The teaching schedule is filling fast this year. I am so pleased to be introducing or furthering felting for so many. I will be teaching at Barb Marr's in Allegan, MI this next weekend for a group coming up from Chicago, have 5 women for a class in July at my home, Michigan Fiber Festival, two classes at the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival, and will likely hold another class in October.

I've also been asked to teach at our local library, children and adults next month. It is always great fun to be with the children. They are not programed to think a certain way, thus they listen to their hearts and beauty is created. They are my favorites to show how to felt, then stand back and let them discover what their hands can do. Children are amazing! If you are interested in taking a class from me, please feel free to contact me. I do teach privately if that is what you need.

We are anticipating a very large group here for dinner tomorrow at our Sabbath Group. I think there may be 20 people. I better get "the studio" turned back into a dining room as soon as I can.

Have a blessed weekend and remember to rest. It refreshes your soul.
Shalom
Suzanne

Trying to Keep it Simple

Ah yes, another bag....and that may be it for a bit on the bag making. Have huge orders to fill for nuno/laminate felts, vessels, felted soaps, bags, and hats. I've been working on the nuno felts for the past few days and will try to get a photo up at the end of the week to show the weeks work. Since there is much to be done, I'll not be posting much this week.

Have joy in your days, peace in your sleep.
Shalom, Suzanne

PS:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/avivaschwarz
This gal has some really lovely things, no blog, but I did want to share her shop.

With No Particular Place to Go

For the past several months I've been working on this piece very sporadically. I think it is because I've no particular place to go with it. It is just a piece that I am working on that may or may not be functional. I simply have no end goal in mind.

It is hand dyed silk gauze, measures about 40 inches wide and about 96 inches long. After I dyed it, I thought I would just put wisps of wool, in many colors all over the piece, in my usual random fashion. These photos are not showing the finished product, just what I've accomplished (as pitiful as it is!) so far. The first photo shows the wool colors I've used, the second and third show the reverse side. There is something very sensual about piece to me. I something think it would be a great shawl, or an over dress with a black slip under it, or....help me out. Got ideas? I'm wide open to anything right now, so if you have an idea, please share.

I'll be working on this today as I can do it in small bits. My gall bladder is killing me and I am doing to a cleanse/purge. Need to keep it simple today.

Shalom,
Suzanne












Suzanne's late entry: It turned into a wrap! Who knew? I did finish applying the fibers to the silk, slowly, small area at a time. I wanted to keep the look very random both in color and texture. After is was well felted together into the silk, I rinsed completely and placed it in my dryer on "air only" for about 20 minutes to further bind it together and give it deeper, more complex texture. I love it!

Flim Flam Man

I was walking through the grocery store on Thursday just looking for stuff to eat, when a song I'd long loved, and had long forgotten about popped into my head. I began singing it to myself...because no one else would want to hear it, (and though I've never tried it, I think spontaneous singing in public is probably frowned on in Plainwell.) It stayed in my head for days, but I've enjoyed every minute of it. The song? "Flim Flam Man" by the very talented, singer- poet, song-writer, Laura Nyro. For those first brief moments of that song being played in my head, I was delightfully 20 years old again. It is wonderful that music is able to transform us, transport us, to bring joy, hope, tears, laughter, and memories. It is a true sweetness in living.

Then I began thinking about Laura Nyro and her wonderful lyrics. Her songs, sung by so many others, had literally cocooned a great span of my time on earth. Just some of her songs include: Wedding Bell Blue's, Blowin Away, Stoned Soul Picnic, Sweet Blindness by the 5th Dimension, Spanish Harlem by Ben E. King, Stoney End and Time and Love by Barbara Streisand , And When I Die by Blood Sweat and Tears, Eli's Comin' by Three Dog Night, La La Means I love You by the Delfonics, Up On The Roof, by the Drifters, and that's just some of her incredible song writing. Laura died in the late 90's from ovarian cancer I think. Of all the songs she wrote, Flim Flam Man remains a high favorite of mine and I am so glad that it spontaneously popped into my head.

I have been making felt. I've been working on some nuno / laminate felts. I am still amazed by the amount of shrinkage that occurs with these felts. The texture is simply yummy. The turquoise hat is made of a merino and angora 50/50 blend. It has a very soft halo of bunny on the surface. The scarf is felted with 100% merino.

It has been a day of resting, sleeping a lot, down time, and I've enjoyed it very much. Tomorrow will bring new joys, new energies, and it's own song. I'm so glad that Laura Nyro will be there, refreshed in my musical memories.

Subtle Changes

While I was doing the lay out for this laminate / nuno felt scarf, I decided to play with the lay out a bit to see if it would bring about the subtlest of changes on the surface of the silk. It is very subtle, but it did make some very nice different patterns in the silk. Now I am wondering if by leaving strategic places on the layout if I could create a design that would actually look like something, flowers perhaps. I am random in texture and color play, so that will be an idea for someone else to try, but if you do, I'd like to know if it works. Maybe I will try it with geometric designs. That might be fun.

Looking over my show schedule for this year, I've come to realize that my stock is rather low and I need to kick start the felting again. I see 12-16 hours a day ahead of me, but I count it all joy when I am making felt. I never get tired of making felt.

Oh, the hat, well, it was blue and I just never really loved it, just thought it was ok. Well, as you know, I am prone to throwing things in the dye pot, and this hat fell victim to the GREAT DUNK. I love it now, and it sold immediately. It has a deep chestnut color to it, even though I over dyed it with black. The color is warm, rich, soothing now. I love what happens in the dye pot. Now, I'll miss this hat!

I hope you get to spend your weekend with people you love to be with, that your ideas are overflowing, that your efforts are appreciated and that your felts give you joy.

Shalom,
Suzanne

DAZE of Rest and Recovery

Seriously, I am still a bit dazed over the whole 10 day show thing. While I am thinking felt, I am not making felt. I think it must be that time when the ideas store up and then will burst forth at some later date. The time now is spent looking for upcoming art shows in early spring, looking at the fiber art show schedule, getting some crocheting done for the pure pleasure of doing it and putting things away from the trip. There is still much of that to get done.

I'll be teaching a lot more this year than last year. The phone has been busy with offers to teach. Classes are filling before I can get them put up on the blog or posted locally. Have a class between Christmas and New Year. Who does that? What was I thinking????

I am putting some items up on ETSY. The one in the photo is one of my favorite hand dyed scarves with random acts of felting all over it. The color alone is great, adding the felt just makes the texture a bit more interesting to me. Listing things take so long for me. But it is a time of taking it easy, so I'll not berate myself for being a slow lister.

There is snow falling, it is quiet in the house, peaceful in my heart. I am so glad that felt happened to me. I love everything about it. I think my favorite moment is when the wool almost become liquid in my hands, just before it becomes felt. It is superb moment for me. Has anyone else experienced that? It is most noticeable when I am making felt beads. Love that feeling!

Horse....Mule....Horse....Mule

"Usually, we live peaceably together, except there was the time when he sold him a horse, but delivered a mule." ...a line from one of my favorite stage plays, Fiddler on the Roof. I think that is how I would sum up the total experience of the 10 day show. We had 17-21 inches of snow, depending upon where you were in Wisconsin, followed by the ever lovely ice that follows a melt and re-freeze. Most of the crowd was there to experience the German themed Christmas atmosphere, to do some shopping and of course, eat the wonderful foods that were there. We were lead to believe that the show was juror ed , but when we were setting up, we knew differently. They were looking to fill booth spaces, that was the process. Suffice it to say, I am so glad to be home.

I met wonderful people, people who "got it" about the felt or wanted to know more about the wonderful textile. Several hats in particular got a lot of attention, ones with the hand dyed yearling mohair and the ones with unusual fabrics in the surface design, such as the velvet, silk, gauze, chunky yarns, or the ones with unusual lines. I think the total number of hats I sold was 24 by actual count. All in all, really not that bad and with the other felt items that were sold, the nuno/laminate felts, pincushions, scarves, etc, it was all ok. I was surprised at how many of the wool and silk scarves sold. I think for many, they are comfortable with silk, and they are intrigued by the combination, so they are comfortable making the purchase even if they are unfamiliar with felt. It was a great learning experience in many ways.

In the days ahead, there will be much family time, and I rejoice in that. There will be time to reflect on the great gift of Christ's birth, more joy in that as well. I believe the final days of this year will be full of family, friends, wonderful foods, quiet nights and simple joys all around us. But, I know I have a lot to think about as well... Felt ideas that keep going through my head, thinking about going back to the art shows for finished goods and blending my time between art shows and fiber art shows, wondering how much I can physically accomplish to build my inventory, and getting class schedules put together. It's going to be a busy 2010!

Looking back in thanksgiving, looking forward in hope, looking up, listening.
Blessed Christmastime and Shalom,
Suzanne

Two Silk Laminate Scarves

Some time ago I dyed these scarves, and do to the winter weather that will soon be upon us here in the Northern Hemisphere, I decided to nuno or laminate felt them. If you click on the photo, you'll notice a difference in the pucker of the scarves. They are the same kind of silk and super fine merino wool was used on both of them. The difference between them if the amount of wool that I used. On the pumpkin colored scarf, I used two ultra thin layers of wool, on the floral colored scarf, I used a single layer of wool. Isn't it amazing what wool can do. No wonder we love the stuff!
Make good felt and have joy in your day!
Shalom,
Suzanne

Putz'en around

Added some sprites to the a fore shown purple hat and made a couple of nuno/laminate felt scarves today. The other is still drying so I'll try to get the photos of it up for you tomorrow. It's time for a glass of wine, feet up and relax. The wrap is an iridescent purple silk with the colors of pumpkin, olive green, teal and squash. I love both sides of these wraps. Eventually, I'll have them up in my etsy shop, but for now, these are going to the 10 day show in Wisconsin.
Shalom and joy,
Suzanne

Ok, so I did do some felting....

At the Midwest Felting Symposium two years ago, I purchased this silk from Lori Flood. So while I am on the hat making hiatus, I was able to make this laminate/nuno felt wit my right arm only. While some prefer the wool side of laminate felt, I prefer the silk side. I like the wool next to my skin and the romance of the silk to the outside.

I laid the fibers out on the bubble wrap, bubble side up, then laid the silk on top, wetted down the fibers and the silk, then applied another bubble wrap with bubbles down. Then I took out the sander to do the felting. It took a long time, but I didn't have to roll, thus saving the left arm from further damage. I left portions of the silk not felted. the drape is very nice on this felted wrap.

I am now off to find the top of my desk and perhaps get some things organized.

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.