Black and White and Snow

Today, my corner of the world is in full, bold, stark and stunning black and white. It is snowing a very wet snow and though there is a bit of wind, it is not yet strong enough to disturb the snow. The Kalamazoo river runs through our small city. These photos were taken at a local park that I go to nearly everyday to watch the water and the wildlife that comes to it. I put these up on small pics this time, but if you click on the pictures, it will bring it up into full size for you. I love when the world turns into black and white all on it's own. It is peaceful to me and strikingly beautiful
Shalom,
Suzanne

This sculptured hat was sent off before I could get good photos of it, but here it is anyway, only showing one side of it. The other side has a rosette on it sculpted from just the black wool. It has a very nice feel on the head the only color other than the black is on this side flap. I hope whoever buys it finds it as much fun to wear as I had making it. It is double hooded, so it should be very warm as well as elegant

I've had a energy surge today, so I'm tempted to think that I might be on the road to recovery from the dreaded "MISERY". Beloved husband is not faring as well. If I have enough energy, I may felt a hat today...or pay bills....I think the felting sounds like a better choice!

Trying to create through "THE MISERY"

The hat/scarf combo I crocheted while I've been sitting on the sofa sick with "The MISERY" (see previous post). The tiny wall piece is constructed from bits and pieces with some heat bondable angelina. The colors are white, gold, burgundy and a deep olive green. The angelina is in gold, pink, green, and a wonderful blue. The photo does not capture how lovely this little piece is. It makes me smile. The final photo is one of the married hats I've designed from scraps of wool felt that were made with no purpose in mind. The pieces were put onto one of my needle felt forms with pins, then hand sewed. I was not sure if I'd like the effect, but I do.


My beloved husabnd is also coming down with this horrid cold/flu. God bless him. I was so hoping it wouldn't happen!

New Friends!

While I was in Rhinebeck, NY last year, I met Amy. She was interested in needle felting. This year she sought me out to show me what she had done. I love this little gal and the sparkle all over her is just amazing. She is a wonderful new friend and I am anxious to see what she will bring to show me next year. She is as sweet as a Georgia Peach!

I am wearing my favorite hat and a new wrap that I'd just purchased from Theresa May-O'Brien. Not a usual color for me, but I do dearly love it!

I have been busy, mostly with the flu/cold! Have managed to get a few hats done, several of which will be posted here as soon as I can get the photos taken and get then put up on the blog.
This hat is a combination of several of my favorite things: felt, crochet and needle felt. In the past, I've made felt for the sole purpose of making felt, with nothing in particular in mind. In my attempts to get organized ( a challenge thrown down by my dear friend Dawn) I am using up some of those felts to create hats that are a bit different from what I've done in the past. This one is an example of that marriage between felt making, crochet and needle felting. The band is handmade, merino wool felt with hand-dyed merino silk on the surface. I then crocheted the top of the hat with a soft grey colored wool yarn. To add more texture to the hat. I needle felted Teeswater locks into the crocheted top and allowed the locks to tendril down the side of the hat. I like the many textures playing together and am going through my box of felts to find what other little pieces will ask to to married into something. It is a much longer process, but I am enjoying it very much.

The weather has turned significantly cooler and it feels as though it is time to do the things that take a bit longer to do. Many evenings I am now crocheting or drawing out designs. After a long day of cleaning closets, trips to Goodwill, and filling orders, all through the fuzz of a bad cold, crochet is about all I can manage to do. I am totally convinced that the common cold is misnamed. It should be called '"MISERY"; cold sounds so benign, when in fact, one can be quite miseraly sick with a cold.

Zenni Optical--Great Find

This entry has absolutely nothing to do with the joy of feltmaking, but is is so worth sharing! While I was at the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool festival, this young woman was in my booth trying on several of my hats. She was wearing the coolest glasses. I asked if I could try them on and told her how much I loved them. ( They really were wonderful in color and design!) She said, "15 bucks" to which I responded, "Oh, cheaters?" She said no and told me about www. Zennioptical.com
We all wear glasses in my family. From now on, this is where I'll be getting mine. If you have a moment, or a need to purchase glasses, check them out!

Basic Black, Whimsy and Enfold Me

All three of these hats were made on my new Needle To Wet Felt Hat Forms. I love these forms . It is great for making a consistently very nice basic hat shape. There is not the versatility that is accomplished with a flat resists, but still, a very nice cloche or bell shaped hat can be acheived rahter quickly.

The black hat has silk fabric felted into it, with random stitching around the silk fabric with copper metallic thread. The combination is quite nice together IMO.

The folded blue hat was made using one of my random acts of carded batts, where nearly anything goes! There is a great deal of tussah silk on the surface of this hat and it blended well with the felt.

The purple over-dyed hat has been great fun to work with. First I made the hat in an off white merino, then dyed and over-dyed and resist dyed it about 4 times, then added the hand-dyed Teeswater locks for further surface design and texture. While the black hat is most elegant and versatile to wear, this one with the locks captures my heart a good bit.

Rhinebeck, NY , Ashville, NC ,Jan, The Village Weaver and The Color of Dreams

I left my beloved husband, daughter, and home on Tuesday morning to heads, first south to Sugar Creek Ohio, to link up with Jan, The Village Weaver and her husband Bob. At about 1:AM, we were up and on the road by 3AM to start our journey to Rhinebeck, NY. We arrived today, Wen. at 3 PM, weary, with numb bottoms from the drive, but we here, and happy to be so. It is 6:30 and Bob and Jan have already gone to bed. I am trying to get a post off before I too drift off into the land of sweet slumber.

I've made a couple of hats this week, did some dyeing of silk hankies, and put flower kits together. I had hoped to get a lot more done, but time and work and hopes did not work well together this week. One of the hats I did get done using the needle to wet technique turned out very well, simple, yet elegant. It was 50/50 merino/corriedale. The effect was both strong and soft with beautiful little ripples throughout the final fabric. It is a deep olive green with felt plumes in burgundy and burnt orange.

I have 1 HUGE angora batt that I am so looking forward to creating with when I get home. It was purchased about two years ago, and has been safely tucked away until inspiration motivated me. I've been dreaming in felts, so i think at breakthrough is just around the corner of my mind. Designs often come to me in my sleep. I am learning to get up and write them down while the idea is are fresh. I am planning on getting some colored pencils to keep with the idea journal so that I can have a cue of the color of dreams. I am fairly certain that I will make felt with the angora batt and the resist dye it afterward. With the delicateness of the fiber, I think it would be better than trying to dye the batt. The decision/choice will be, make a large piece of flt or tear it apart and make many things from it. Tough call.

I am aniticapating seeing both old and new friends this weekend at Rhinebeck for the New York Sheep & wool festival. On Monday next, Jan, Bob and I will head off to Ashville NC for SAFF. We'll be driving though some fab countryside. The visual stimulation...ah, if only the economy could take it's inspiration from such beauty!

If there are blogs that you think that I should add to the growing list I have on my blog, I'd love the heads up on them. It is the goal oft this blog to promote felt makers, of any sort; traditional feltmakes, needle to wet felters, dry felters, machine felters, it matters not. So please feel free to share your favorite blog spots or websites with me. I'll do my best to get them listed.

If you can, come see me in Rhinebeck or Ashville. I'd love to see you!
Shalom,
Suzanne

I've been Tagged by Ilana and Chris!

The Rules:

• Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
• Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random and some weird.
• Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
• Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1) I love my name--Suzanne-- and do not answer to anything but that. My mom ingrained that in me. Even when I try on the name Sue, it just will not work. Sue is also the name of my husbands first wife, so I don't try real hard...though she is a really nice person.

2) I am heavenly blessed...my husband truly loves me and shows it everyday. It is good to be loved!

3) I love buying clothes from Israel...the best!

4) I am a political-news- junkie and love falling asleep to the weather channel or the news.

5) I can drink coffee just before going to bed and it doesn't bother me at all.

6) I love being in my 50's!

7) I love the sound of a shofar!



I'm tagging:
Barb Marr
Elizabeth Armstrong
Iona Loyola
Renee Nation
for now

Goodwill Finds

On a day such as this....at a time such as this...had a whim to go to the Goodwill store in town. I usually go in about once a week, especially in the fall/winter months. Often I'll find some lovely things, like great wool sweaters. Today I found some really lovely, brand new, tags still on, merino sweaters that had just come in the back door. While there, a woman walked in, dropped off this incredibly beautiful Tibetan Lamb Wool Coat. I feel like I stole it. Paid almost $15.00 for it. It appears as thought it has never been worn. I could re-sell it, but it is just too wonderful to even think about doing that. I think it might very well go to Iceland with me. It does have two small tears in the collar area, but those will be fixed in no time.

I know that this entry has nothing to do with felting, but had to share the lovely surprises that do come our way, every now and again.

Happy felting!
Shalom,
Suzanne

Iceland anyone?

Dear Felt-makers ,

I have an hankering for the out of the ordinary places to travel, often to places less traveled with wide open spaces. While at the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool festival I spoke with a new friend and felt makers about wanting to go to Iceland, in the winter! She was curious about why I'd want to go in the winter. First off, I'm Sooooooooo menopausal...the cold could be welcomed with open arms! Second, more night sky and hopefully more opportunity to see auroras in that vast sky. Third, more felt makers might be able to go since our fiber art season in on the slow end of things. Fourth, something to look forward to between the holidays and spring. Fifth, if I take a felting class, tax write off!

Here are the details...so far from the gal putting this together for me!
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February 18, 2008 leave Boston on Iceland air flight.

February 19Th arrive Reykjavik early the next morning. private transfer to hotel after a two hour sightseeing trip around the city. among other things we will stop at the farmer's market store which offers only Icelandic wool products.

February 20Th Reykjavik and vowel Icelandic wool factory. we will visit the Alfi's factory outlet in Moselle's. there is a huge selection of woolen sweaters raning from traditional to high fashion. many other things including mittens, caps, scarves and blankets. we may also tour the factory if the group is interested. we will then proceed to istex, a company producing the famous alafoss-lopi yarns (great for embellishments). after a light lunch we will visit kraun, a design store in the city center. many Icelandic designers have there work there. afterward our guide will walk with us and show us some of the many stores that sell felted products.

February 21st felting workshop...either the Icelandic handwork association or a designer will teach a class in intermediate to advanced felting techniques. we will also have time to visit kirsuberjatero (a boutique that sells Icelandic design.

February 22ND Reykjavik and sheep farm. we will visit a 200 ewe farm (and 20 horses). the family will greet us and show us around the farm and their home. after this visit,we will move on the gullfoss )the golden waterfall), and then the great geysir which spouts up to 30 meters. we will see many of the Icelandic natural landmarks on this tour.

February 23rd approximately 5 hours prior to departure we will be picked up by our private coach and taken to the blue lagoon (a man made oasis in the lava). we will stop for a refreshing bath or swim in the pleasantly warm mineral rich water reputed for it's healing powers. they also have skin care products available here. we will continue on to the keflavik airport and out flight home.


the land cost per person is $1215.00 usd. it includes all of the above; plus a breakfast at the hotel every morning. the taxes are also included. the air from Boston to Iceland is $590.00/person and includes all of the taxes. we will have to add flights for anyone coming from any other part of the country.

the land deposit is $450.00 usd and the air from Boston (full payment) is due at the time of booking. i would also recommend travel insurance for everyone and i can be contacted for that individually.
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If you are interested in going with us, please e-mail me as soon as possible. This should be great fun!

Mt. Bruce Station and lovely women!

This gal(second photo) bought the brown hat. I think she looks fantastic! What a great gal! Click on her photo to see her stunning eyes. She sparkles! Wish I had taken pictures of all of the folks who purchased hats from me. ( I've got to get better at that!)

Mt. Bruce was a great show and the weather was just about perfect! Mostly finished goods sold, much teaching and so many really wonderful people. The place was decorated with gords, pumpkins, and hundreds of mums all over the farm. To see more, visit their website: www.sheepstuff.com Truly a wonderful show.

I taught two classes on felt flower making. Had fun and funny students who made some really wonderful felt flowers. I love teaching and watching the lights snap on when the novice felter "gets it". It's an amazing thing to behold each time it happens. It's just the best thing to be apart of.

Have lots to do before Rhinebeck, NY so I'd better go for now. Happy felting! Oh, forgot, go check out who is on:

http://felting.craftgossip.com

How flattered am I to be in a such great company!

Have a great week!
Shalom,
Suzanne

Felting Books, finally!

I've been collecting felting books for about the last 3 years and have finally listed them on the sidebar of the blog! What ever takes me so long? I am always looking for more books, so if you have any that you'd like to recommend, please do share them with me.

I am absolutely in love with Chris Whites' book, Uniquely Felt. It is one of the most complete felting books out there, IMO. The photos, the details in instructions, the all of it is very good. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn even the smallest details of felting. Chris did an outstanding job on this book. The writing is superb, great read!

The month of September is nearly gone and looking back on it, I find sadness in falling short of the goals I've set for myself. Always time crunching, always falling short, always trying to find ways to get more time for felting! Had planned on making 5 hats a week and find that if I get one a week, it's a huge accomplishment. Need to get more done for some orders as well as upcoming shows. I've decided that I need to be cloned rather rapidly or sleep a lot less than I do. I'm leaning toward the cloning...

Did get this one hat done this week. I like the softness of it. The inside is black merino with 80/20 hand dyed merino silk in varied golden browns on the exterior. It has a demure quality about it. I am planning on making several more in this style over the next few weeks....right after the cloning gets done!

My Buddy Dawn, We make felt together and laugh!

She was not quite what you would call refined. She was not quite what you would call unrefined. She was the kind of person that keeps a parrot.
Mark Twain

Nuff Said!
Shalom,
Suzanne

PS:

check out her website
www.feltsoright.com

Wisconsin Sheep and Wool and Beyond

Had a wonderful time in Wisc. I always do. Just super great people, wonderful talent all over the place,and let's not forget, CHEESE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just simply the best cheese! The hats below and the gauntlets did find their new homes in Wisc. I am so happy for them! I need to make more of the gauntlets, but they are time consuming. Many hats sold in Wisconsin, so I am making as many as I can during the next week. Will be heading out to the wonderful Finger Lakes region of New York in little over a week. It will be a first time experience for me and I think it might be wise to have a good supply of hats with me. I hear it gets a bit chilly there.

Oh, nearly forgot to mention that I will soon have the scarf pattern available soon. I cannot read a pattern, nor can I write a pattern very well. However, I am greatly blessed to have folks around me who can do it for me. I've several patterns that I've made up along the way that will written for crochet. The scarf on previous blog entries, will be called "Gitti Girl Curl Scarf'. In fact, all of the patterns that I put out will be under the name "Gitti Girl". I'll post it here first when the pattern is ready!

It's SWEATRER WEATHER! ....my favorite weather!
Wear yours well!
Suzanne