PRACTICE GIVES IDEAS

CREATING A WOOL & SILK PALETTE

New for 2025, I started working on a new seascape - this is just the beginning.  I still have to add the detail and stitching which really enhances felting.

Something that I found through practice that really helps a wool and silk palette is to use my lovely Louette drumcarder to blend fiber.  I run colors that I think will be used for a particular piece without blending them too much; usually warms, cools and greens.  This way, I can select colors for the sky as well as the other components just like a painter would.

As you can see, colors are incorporated to a point that when these batts are unrolled, particular colors can be selected and blended further if needed.  These are what were used for the above picture with the addition of some lace and some wool nepps.

NEW POSTS FOR NEW YEAR

I'm attempting to remedy updating my blog as it serves as a good record to look back on.  Natalie Drummond's invitation to join "Fiber Art Blogs" really gave me a push.  

It's tough to know where to begin writing this in 2025 since I've worked on many things since my last post in 2024. I love working on a variety of things related to textiles, and since I'm retired, I enjoy going with the flow. One thing that makes posting a bit easier is that my iPad automatically posts pictures to the 'gallery' on OneDrive.  These are only a few.

I love love dyeing wool and silk especially.  I had nuno felted the small blue scarf for a special purpose but although I liked the shape, to me it was rather 'blah' so I dyed it with Landscape Wild Raspberry and added some kid locks that I dyed at the same time and now I'm in love with it!

This mix of yarn and ribbon were dyed in my turkey roaster all together using acid dyes - such fun doing this as everything turns out variegated and just a bit different.  Then I had to do something with it to show to full advantage so I knit this neck fancy and added some ribbon and ribbon flower.

LANTERNS

One of the things I spent quite a bit of time doing was figuring out how to create sturdy lanterns from a lightweight Nuno felt with margilan silk and kid curl inclusions.

The other was a piece of Joomchi that was made a few months ago.  I found it tricky to know exactly how to present these so that they were sturdy and would maintain their shape after a while.

First I purchased LED lights but they didn't work the way I wanted them to, so then I found strings of fairy lights with 200 lights in each string complete with remotes.  The next issue was how to mount them inside so that they stayed put without using glue and were not all clumped together at the bottom.  My husband to the rescue!  He had an unused accordion vent that he cut to size for each and wound the lights around them before I inserted them inside.  It worked.

The next issue was how to secure the remote, since, if in a gallery they may be moved around a bit and get lost.  I put the remotes in a small organza bag and attached them inside at the top to a small piece of double-sided tape. 

CAT IN A HAT

For Christmas, one of our granddaughters visited so I knitted her a hat and then I decided to knit a matching one for her cat!  I added some locks hanging down the back to look like hair.  I don't think she loves it! lolol!!!

COTTAGES

I've been felting cottages since early 2003 - I love creating peaceful green scenes with hills sometimes a stream and featuring a wee cottage.   I can spend hours adding details with stitching and/or beads.  I wasn't so sure how well they would do in the May River Gallery since our town of Bluffton, SC, is surrounded by marshes and rivers, and art reflecting those is very popular; however, happily, the first one I placed ended up selling within a week!   It is hard to tell from here but it was quite large before being matted and framed (unfortunately the framed picture has too many reflections) but I was really pleased with how it turned out!

I had a small frame so I decided to make another and again it sold!  I see more cottages in my future - so much fun and I love creating them!

STILL PLAYING WITH COLOR EVERY DAY!

Ahhh retirement - no set schedule to adhere to, but I have been busy.  I have a fun dye studio outside and when it's too hot to be out there, I'm in my studio playing and experimenting.  

There is so much to post to keep track of the past months.  First of all I had been working on a wall hanging for a special friend that I finally finished - she was really pleased with how it turned out and that made me happy!  It is quite large and it is named 'As above, so below' and if you look closely there is a little school of beaded fish following another wee school of smaller fish!  There is a beaded/sequined sky with the moon and a swirly ocean.

Besides felting, my new passion is ice dyeing, and what fun it is!  You never know what you will get when you open it up - it all depends on how you fold the fabric and that is the trick - there are so many options.  It is very much like botanical printing with each project being a surprise!  After the initial trial, I decided I loved the serendipity and wanted more!  I set out to learn about different folds and their results.  I'm interested in dyeing mainly scarves at this point and folding and ironing a long and wide wrap takes quite a bit of time but so far the results have been worth it.  Out of the many I've dyed, there is only one that I can truly say isn't quite up to par so guess what?  It was a learning experience and will be a do-over with color remover which is quite effective.

As you can see, they are all quite different depending on how they are folded or tied before dyeing.  The one on the left was one of the first that got my interest tweaked and one of the easiest to fold.  For the center one I used rubber bands and the dye traveled differently to each side creating two different patterns for the same wrap.

It is a perfect process when it is too hot to work outside in the summer heat as I do most of the work indoors before soaking in the soda ash and then placing it on the screen used and then I add the ice.  The colors I plan to use have been determined ahead of time so then it just takes a few minutes for this step and then the piece is left until the next day before it is rinsed and washed.

SERENDIPITY!!!

Our daughter-in-love, Michele McPhee Duke, designs and prints the best fabric using Spoonflower and creates all kinds of magic with her designs, so I go the idea from her to try Spoonflower.

My friend, Judy Warren, mentioned that the print I made while taking Jane Dunnewold's Heat Press Botanical Printing class would look great on fabric so that's why I was searching for a company that printed on silk. I haven't really been able to find one that does what I want exactly and while Spoonflower doesn't carry silk, they do carry very fine cotton. I need a lot of practice although it does seem simple, I ordered 1 yard, and while I thought it would have repeats, I got one large print in the center of the yard! Truly a learning experience!

However, the good news is that I've been looking for some artwork to hang over our bed that would tie together our sage leather recliners and rug which has a range of pinks with touches of aqua/sage.

!  Voila!  

the print will be perfect for a quilted wall hanging and I couldn't be more excited or happy.     (I visualize some stitching in gold and beads! - yes beads, oh yes and velvet!) 

Serendipity indeed!

DEADLINES

 I've been busy working on samples for FAB (Fiber Artists of Beaufort) - Japanese Rice Bags - each of us teaches a program and January was my turn!

The bags can be any size you like and can be plain or fancy.  I chose to make one from a quite gorgeous piece of Indigo-dyed Japanese shibori gifted to me by a friend.  I lined it with red reclaimed silk.  I love saving textiles and use them whenever possible.

The other was created using scraps from a felted/stitched garment and had Liberty Tara Lawn for its lining.

Then I needed some sample bags for the Savannah Guild workshop.  It always helps to refresh your memory with regard to materials and supplies required if it has been a while since you made one.  The bag advertised for the workshop was one that was made in a Jorie Johnson workshop that I took after my teaching venue in Scotland.  

We also learned how to make soy milk and how to use it to paint on fabric.  It had been a while since I did this so I had to practice,  The pieces I painted on silk (to use for felting) took forever to dry so I wasn't too happy with them but after doing a bit of research, I found that adding textile medium rather than soy it worked really well.   Because the textile medium thinned the sumi ink out, it dried much faster, and then I added touches of a lovely gold fabric paint just purchased recently at Dick Blick.  I will use this technique again and share my findings with my students.  It's also fun to use objects to paint such as small branches.

My sample bags.

Complete with silk lining and handle

work in progress . . . . 

We had nine students, one of which brought her homeschooled daughter and they were all happy with their bags - I was so busy that I completely forgot to take pictures!  I usually ask for a volunteer but we were all so immersed that I didn't.  Fortunately, Celia, did take some during the process which was a lovely surprise.  The bags were all felted when class was over, but students had to add lining and handle at home.  I'm hoping to get pictures of the finished bags soon!

As soon as this event was over, I had to meet a deadline for FACE (FACE of Fibe in the Rockies 2023  “Invitational-Juried“ Exhibit & Sale)

I entered photographs of three garments and the jury will select what to send.

The timing was really great because right after that, I received the draft of the Zero Waste Vest workshop for SEFAA in Atlanta in July.  

https://facebook.com/events/s/fancifull-mosaic-vest-with-mar/579187107493087/

. . . . Also, simultaneously I was invited by Spring Gardens in Okatai, Bluffton, SC, to do a scarf workshop in November so life is good since I love sharing my techniques! 

(But now that I have my new pc, I must update my blog more often as it took way too long to update it this time and keeps me away from my passions - life is too short to spend on the computer!)

SAVANNAH GUILD GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION; LEARNING NEW PC

I really had intended to finish up my blog posts a couple of days ago but with the new pc, I'm finding it quite a learning curve because my former Photo Plus 8 no longer works on Windows 11 so I was forced to install a new program and I think it will be fine once I get used to it; however, I made a giant error while getting pictures from my i-pad to my pc and changed the icon so I was unable to see what was in the folders.  Suffice it to say that it took hours but I finally figured it out so here we are - a learning experience

Now on to the important things!  The Fiber Guild of the Savannahs had their Golden Anniversary a few weeks ago and the members banded together to make it special and it was!  I was inspired by the Queen's Jubilee after I saw some women create a huge bed of textile flowers as a tribute to her.  Of course, it probably took them a couple of years to do as many as they had and we had only a couple of weeks.  The guild meets at Oatlands Museum in Savannah and they kindly give them a room and allow them to meet there as well.  In return, the guild makes things for their gift store to help them out as it is mainly staffed by volunteers.  The person in charge of the event loved the idea of the flowers and we had several discussions on how to accomplish something worthy in such a short time frame.   

I offered to create a wet felted background that was to be attached to a movable frame since we are in a shared situation.  I used a green wool background with brown branches and leaves that were stitched as well as a few sheep's locks to add interest.     

Cecilia Ridge who is also a guild member painted the top banner on silk and it is quite lovely.  Just the finishing touch that it needed.

Another event that Oatland has planned will take place, on April 29 from 10-2 is the Fairy and Gnome Festival so members have been diligently working towards this popular event.  All proceeds go toward feeding the animals!

Faerie Antoinette

Zelda Fae

Our daughter, Andi, and I had a fairy day - rare for us to play together since she has a full-time job on Hilton Head Island and feeds her horses before and after work.  We had a wonderful time and here are the results!  I would love to make more but I've been working on deadlines.