Dyeing to Tell (Not allowed to tell the rest)

More tidbits of projects that are keeping me very busy but I can't share what they are since they are projects for my book. The working title is "Magical Felting" but the publisher can change that.

This week's dyeing attempt - much more pleasing to me than last weeks although the lighting makes it look much paler than it is - I'm going to do Shibori stitching on the robin egg blue chiffon and overdye it - exciting to plan! Having some extra time to play really makes the dyeing experience much more fun and I learned so much!

Here is the silk habotai, silk gauze, silk chiffon, silk hankies, silk rods, a few wool curls and a bit of wool roving -- I'm feeling a bit more confident now working with the acid dyes - there's some pieces missing that are still drying - some red that was way too bright overdyed with a golden brown and now it's a lovely cinnebar - lovely for Fall.

This was last week's dyeing attempt - I wanted a "leafy" green but got this neon green instead. I've since overdyed it and and it's deeper and much more subdued which is what I wanted - it's still drying :-)

Felting work

I wouldn't want anyone to get the mistaken idea that I've been sitting around eating Bon Bons lately and not felting. I've been furiously working every spare moment (most of the work I do are experiments - sometime they turn out and sometimes, the technique needs perfected) but it is all geared toward my new book due out late next year (these things take a couple of years with the process from beginning to end) - so I'm not able to show any of the finished projects - but I do think it is okay if I show tiny "snippets" (I do love that word!) as I go along here to give glimpse of the projects. Here are a few - mystery is always fun, isn't it?

Trees

I've just visited cramzy's new work http://www.flickr.com/photos/cramzy/ on flickr and her beautiful work reminded me of my favorite poem. Here it is - enjoy!

Trees

by

Joyce Kilmer

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree,

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth's sweet flowing breast.

A tree that looks at God all day.

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair.

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me.

But only God can make a tree.

The truth of the matter is that I love flowers as well as trees and as I've mentioned before, our home is in a clearing surrounded by tall oaks. What we have found out after spending thousands of dollars and countless hours that flowers don't do well here - it's not the shade as we've tried all of the shade varieties (a very few do grow) but the trees take so much moisture so it is very dry. I must be a slow learner, but it has taken 20 years to figure out why we bring home and plant the most gorgeous flowers only to have them tortured and die - we have finally figured out that we need to do container planting for flowers. BUT, we wouldn't give up the pleasure we get from our trees and all the creatures that love them as well.

That means that I have to create my own flowers - and my new book will combine machine needle and wet felting and every project will have flowers :-)

Another Felt

I've been meaning to post a picture of this felt for a few weeks now so while I'm on a roll here it it. The process will be covered in my new book that is due out next year. The most difficult thing is to know when to stop - I do love those tiny details!

Feast or Famine

There isn't much free time these days between working at the real job, creating samples for class and working on my new book so I don't always have the spare time it takes to keep my Blog
up to date - I really admire those who manage to post daily!

These samples are for Quilting in the Piedmont at the end of September hosted by Randy's Quilt Shop. There are three classes: Cottage Garden, Silk and Wool Collage and Painting with Fiber. I've gotten more and more selective about teaching but Randy is among the nicest Baby Lock dealers I've had the pleasure of working with and I can't wait to share the fun!

Felting!

This felt was made a few weeks ago at a felting day held at my friend Nancy's studio. These days are a dream surrounded by unlimited inspiration and others working on individual projects. I'd planned to make a footstool cover but it turned out to look more like a Monet and calls out to be a wallhanging instead.

Everyone else worked on nuno scarves using vintage saris -- a great find by one of the Nancy's friends. I'm never happy just doing what I know how to do already; I love to stretch the imagination and sometimes things turn out better than others, but you always learn what to do more of and what not to do next time. This piece has some prefelt pinwheels and velvet embedded in it and turned out really great so I gave it to my daughter who'll make good use of it. I have since learned that the type of wool a footstool needs to be a really strong felt to hold up.

At last!

It's been SO difficult to keep a secret for the past few months! but finally it's out -- a brand new Embellisher with my endorsement surrounded by my samples! This was the "proof" and I couldn't wait to share with you! Keep tuned, there is more excitement to come within the next couple of months . . .