Breathless...

Since being on Facebook, there is a wide exchange of fiber art photos that get shared. Some folks share their travels to fiber art shows, some share their teaching, their workshops, the participant in the workshops, the finished goods, the foods they eat, the sky they share, flowers and things that inspired them. It is just great fun to see the things that others are doing.

Well....
there are some folks that ROCK MY FIBER WORLD, and now I've just added another to my list: Vyga Iene. Her work leaves me breathless! I've asked her permission to showcase this wrap. I've looked at it about 30 times today! I love how well executed the process has been implemented, but the colors are simple, understated, elegant, oh yea, and so my colors! I adore this wrap. If you are on FB, do take the time to let her know your thoughts. This is her website: http://www.jadvyga.ten.lt/ Is this beautiful or what?

Who rocks your fiber world?

This is a wrap I've been working on with hand-dyed silk and super fine merino wool. I'm liking it a lot, but my arms are sore from two days of rolling nuno scarves. I know, I could use the sander, but I am unhappy with the nerve damage from the sanders. Using my legs a bit more these days. Getting older is not, NOT easy...but you do get more inventive about getting things done.

It acted like it wanted to rain all day today, heavy clouds, overcast, high humidity, cool ...oh, I love days like these. We didn't get much rain, but any day without lots of heat is a great day. I had a wonderful day! You?

Shalom,
Suzanne

Lichen, Woods, Workshops Coming

Usually I walk a mile in the morning at one of several stores around town until the warm weather arrives here in Plainwell, Michigan. It was dark and raining this morning and I got a late start. I like walking very early before the stores get busy. When I arrived at my destination, they were already busy so I decided to go to the woods to "just look". What an excellent choice for the day! There was beautiful, spectacular lichen. I took some photos via my phone and most of them are up on my facebook page. I am struck by the subtle colors and incredible shapes lichen take on. The smell of the woods in the early spring is lovely too, very earthy, sweet, sometimes musky...and with the soft rain and overcast shies. It was a lovely time there. I love rainy days. ( You might want to click on this photo to see the detail. It is lovely to see the moss on the lichen!)

Over the past few days I've been trying to finalize three workshops I've been asked to teach in Cedar Grove, Wisconsin at Bahr Creek Llama Farm and Studio. I think we have done it. Bahr Creek Llama Studio is having sheering days on their very large herd of llama. They have a huge turn out for this annual event.
So here is the line up:
#1
Felt Bird Pods-Wednesday, May 25th, 9:30AM-2:30PM, cost 55.00 + 20.00 material fees.

#2
Nuno Felt-Thursday, May 26th, 9:30AM-2:30PM, cost 55.00 + 25.00 material fees.

#3
Sculptured Wool Felt Hat -Friday, May 27th, 9:30AM-2:30PM, cost 55.00 + 20.00 material fees.

For more information on these workshops, please contact Brigitte at Bahr Creek. She told me that the classes always fill very fast so if you are interested, I'll encourage you to act with haste.

WWW.bahrcreek.com

www.bahrcreekllamasfiber.blogspot.com

If the classes are over filled, I will stay one more day to teach.

The scarves below are the ones that I've dyed for the nuno felting workshop at Bahr Creek. The colors turned out so softly lovely. I am thinking I'll have a hard time letting go of these scarves.

I am also counting down the days until I get to go spend an extended time with Jone, the amazing, and Pam, the incredible. Looks like we're going to manage a felting get away. YES!!!!!


Well, off to go felting for the rest of the day.

Joy in the day and Shalom,
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!

It's In The Bag

In between life, I've been trying to make this bag. I started it last night, worked on it until 1 AM this morning. Started on it again this morning. It has three large pockets, two on the inside, and one on the outside, where the silk fabric is. It is nearly dry, and as it has dried, I'm thinking it needs to be felted further. I want a very thoroughly fulled bag. There is still a bit of give to the fabric, so it can be felted or fulled further. I'm too tired to do more tonight.

I wish the bag had shrunk further in length, and that is what I'll focus on when I work on it again. The pockets turned out great and I am especially pleased with the bark effect on the outside pocket. Silk is magical, isn't it?

I've been shoveling snow off and on today, trying to keep up with it. I just know the snow plow is going to go through and block off the driveway again. Shoveling that snowplow snow is really hard work!
****
1/8/10:
Did full the bag further. It started out as 14x21, ended up at 9x13. The felt is strong and study. I am much happier with the final fulling. Perhaps the wool and I both needed a rest so we could work better together.
Shalom and happy felting!
Suzanne

Felt Mama's

I've been thinking a lot these days about my “Felt Mama's” and how much they mean to me in ways that they may never understand. I want to take the time to tell you of my appreciation and admiration of them. They are amazing women. These women gave me encouragement, hints, challenges, shoulders to cry on, inspirations that I could share with them, dreams that I could tell them, goals to reach, and they gave without limits. There is no doubt in my mind that had it not been for them, I would not be making felt today. I am so honored to call many of them friends.

Barb Marr handed me my first felting needles and said go play. From that small act, came the needle felt foam forms and the beginning of my business. Thank you Barb!

When I wanted to learn to wet felt, I placed a call to Ruth Walker who told me to treat the wet wool like I was stroking a butterfly's wings, until I had a fabric that could handle the pressure of rolling. That opened up the world of felt making for me. Thank you Ruth!

Susan McFarland who has been a bouncing board for me for a good many years. She thinks as fast as I do and I love that about her!...and we can both speak at the speed of light. (I think we talk a different language when we talk together). Her efforts with the Midwest Felting Symposium have opened doors, windows and blown the roof of felting for me. Thank you Susan!

Bonnie Ahrens taught me to trust the wool...trust the wool...trust the wool. I do now. Thank you Bonnie!

Ewa Kuniczak taught me flat resist and smooth felt, good hand felt, good drape felt. Thanks you Ewa!

Rub the bump came from Sue Pufpaff. Early on I would get a crease in my felt. Sue taught me how to get it out. Rub the bump! Thank you Sue!

Pat Spark taught me to learn form everyone. What a valuable lesson that is! Thank you Pat!

My granddaughter Marie taught me that there is no such thing as too much color or texture! Thank you Marie!

Now, maybe all of these things don't seem like much to the more experienced feltmakers, but these are the treasures I take to my felting table each day. The books are great, the videos wonderful, but these women, their faces and their hearts travel with me. When I teach, each is mentioned by name, along with the felting tips they gave me. I want them to know that what they gave to me, is being given to others and their kindness toward me goes on. I think my “Felt Mama's” are the BEST!