tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-246398662024-03-13T08:33:56.699-04:00WoolWorksMusings of a career fibre artist and the tangles it takes to stay afloat.WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.comBlogger339125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-55068836507343313612019-04-30T15:39:00.000-04:002019-04-30T15:39:58.689-04:00Short and Sweet...Jacket Done!Well, not so short. I made up a jacket using my cache of Kantha Quilts. I love them and had a hard time deciding how a simple jacket should look.
With five quilts, all double sided, I had a lot to choose from and I do have colours I like and some I really don't. I tried to put the colours and patterns I like on the outside and the ones I'm not so fond of on the inside or maybe not WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-69088632137660127252019-03-24T22:59:00.002-04:002019-03-24T22:59:37.104-04:00Colourful People....Really!Here we are in the depths of a Canadian Winter and I am fortunate to have been able to travel to the Caribbean for a warm getaway. Not something I have been able to do often I revel in the travel, new people, new lands and vistas, a new country with all the different customs and styles.
Of course, I take books with me to read on the beach or while travelling to and from my destination...one of WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-51571902690712908492019-01-18T09:59:00.002-05:002019-01-18T10:03:26.957-05:00Sew ExcitingWith an email from Marcy Tilton's blog/website I got all fired up about Kantha quilts. I didn't think the price was too unreasonable and I thought I'd like some to make a cool jacket. Anyone who knows me and my work knows I'm 'coco' for Cocopops...er...colour! Colours I liked were sold out and it was advised to get on the email list (which I must already have been) for notice when more came WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-89594177905925068382019-01-06T13:47:00.001-05:002019-01-06T13:47:33.764-05:00Stupid Questions or Learning?We're well into 2019 and a new show season but we artisans and craftspeople are reviewing our 2018 shows. It'll be tax time soon so we have to crunch and record the numbers, decide which shows to continue with and apply or reapply, and which shows to move on from.
On the other side of this coin is the humour that cropped up in the Fall when an artisan started a closed Facebook post saying she WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-57653973913044849582018-08-19T11:34:00.001-04:002018-08-19T11:34:23.204-04:00Feeling FeltI recently spent a wonderful week in a workshop with Eva Camacho Sanchez on silk surface techniques and Nuno felting.
The first two days were working with silk, paper, fabric paint and dye. We had a lot of colouring, folding, stamping and plopping our bundles into pots of concoctions, and just plain water, on the stove and unwrapping to be surprised at how things turned out! This was the WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-20954980238919641352018-06-04T22:14:00.000-04:002018-06-04T22:14:37.113-04:00When I Work...When I sleep.I ended the heading of this post with an exclamation mark...why...well, it's because I'm tired of explaining my day to a number of folk. When I discuss my work/sleep/downtime hours to other colleagues, say, in a quiet time at an art show, I don't have to explain...it's just taken as my particular part of the day, which may be different from others.
I got onto this when away sharing a WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-69913576791366506022018-04-18T10:58:00.000-04:002018-04-18T10:58:27.237-04:00Dressing Mannequins.Wow...I haven't written a post since before Christmas! I have so many things I love to share but have been sick, lazy or snowed in...then doing my taxes...to actually log in and post. Here is something that came over my email today from www.atlasobscura.com and as someone who has done theatre costume work and loves historic costume, I found this very interesting.
'The Art of DressingWoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-88004986373866308132017-12-12T23:45:00.000-05:002017-12-12T23:45:36.863-05:00Sponge Bar Repair Sponges.
Bar to be repaired...new strip.
I recently hosted a private one on one workshop in my studio with a newbie knitter student who wanted to learn to make dishcloths for her business...quicker than hand knitting. First, we started out with an LK150 which I didn't like for the heavy cotton she needed to use so we moved to my Brother 230 which I had set up for knitting some WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-30430069361654417962017-10-16T10:00:00.000-04:002017-10-16T10:00:25.144-04:00In a New York 'Mood'.
I may have mentioned this before but I'm a huge fan of the TV program Project Runway. Two weekends ago my sister Judi Goldie and I took a trip to New York (on Amtrak not a Greyhound a la Billy Joel) and as it was her first time in the Big Apple it was 'her' trip with her camera and we went wherever she wanted to go.
I guided and contributed suggestions that I thought she would enjoyWoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-66755015007731255242017-09-21T09:30:00.000-04:002017-09-21T09:30:07.256-04:00Summer's Still Here......but I'm in Fall mode. I can't believe I haven't written anything since April! After my wonderful trip to California we went to St. Martin to our favorite place...for what might be the last time! We've been keeping our eye on the island and hope we can return in a year or so and spend some money to help out. These islands depend on tourists which I'm happy to be. I keep wearing WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-90807361992247532722017-04-07T12:00:00.000-04:002017-04-07T23:25:17.752-04:00Talking of Socks.....As my recent flight from San Diego to San Francisco was cancelled due to the awful weather I went with my lovely hostess, Nancy, to her group of women as a school who came to class to learn machine knitting. It was a hoot! What a great bunch of ladies...some of whom I had been with over the weekend.
I did some demonstration....buttonholes I think I did...anyway, I came away with a box of See's WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-87527135603181058532017-04-06T16:24:00.002-04:002017-04-06T16:57:19.837-04:00Dyeing Differently - Part 2
My recent trip to San Francisco and stay with Nancy Roberts
http://www.machineknittingtodyefor.com/ netted me a lesson in painting knitted pieces and then two pieces for me to knit up into socks.
I love the idea of knitting up pieces and dyeing as opposed to dyeing skeins...more controlled and creative I think.
Here, Nancy is checking my red/gold piece, the other was lime green/blue.
WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-55106097684411971312017-03-07T12:52:00.000-05:002017-03-07T12:59:28.926-05:00Dyeing Differently and Fibre Fun
Nancy Davis & me in San Diego
I recently was invited to travel to California by two wonderful Machine Knitting Guilds (San Diego & San Francisco) and it was Nancy Roberts of the San Francisco guild and of machineknittingtodyefor.com who got this ball rolling. My last port of call was San Francisco and a few days staying with Nancy.
My first port of call was San Diego and a stay withWoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-59474726021587301292017-01-11T16:11:00.000-05:002017-01-11T16:12:58.043-05:00A Snowy MK Club afternoon.
Well, mild but blustery, I made it over to Karen’s yesterday and we spent nearly three hours together. We had planned to meet at another member's house out in the country but the snow and wind were so bad no one dared take a car out on that road...so we decided on meeting in town at Karen's house.
When I arrived Karen announced she had problems which needed solving so we got right to itWoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-90237193754061588862016-11-17T12:17:00.000-05:002016-11-17T12:17:22.151-05:00East Coast Explorations
I can't believe I haven't posted anything since early Summer! It's not like I've been away from the computer...I've spent a lot of time on my laptop....teaching myself WordPress to rebuild my web sites (my former platform providers have closed shop after 20 years) and build new sites. My web builder name it Two Hats Simple Sites, as being a fibre artist and building web sites gives me my 'two WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-91569394630467011402016-07-15T10:53:00.000-04:002016-07-15T10:53:07.579-04:00Show Food - Good Eatin'
Whew! Well, June is over and so are the three shows I did last month. Long ago I set it up so I would be doing one show per month, that gave me time to get more stock done, some new designs, rework new designs which had already sold etc.
Though they were local (sleeping in my own bed) and not too big the last one was Artfest Kingston in City Park with 150 artisans + food trucks, WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-7287021074658753832016-06-14T10:09:00.002-04:002016-06-14T10:09:43.717-04:00Felting - More Hats!Yesterday I took a felted hat workshop with Chris Hall of Cake~Tin Hats and once again I learned so much from another master. The workshop took place at a fave haunt of mine in Picton ON...Rosehaven Yarn Shop.
My first foray in to felting a hat was using the directions in Uniquely Felt by Christie White...the 'bible' Andrea Graham made me buy when I took my first ever class with her years ago. MyWoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-52801471584194777762016-05-18T16:22:00.001-04:002016-05-18T16:22:17.659-04:00My Garter Carriage Love/Hate Relationship!I waited years until I chanced upon an opportunity to buy a Brother knitting machine and a much anticipated Garter Carriage. I'd been a Singer knitter (they don't have garter carriages) for about 25 years when this happened and I was so excited and looked forward to working garter stitches into my designs.
This pink and periwinkle jacket has garter stitch as the lower half and cuffs on the WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-70603037501797290882016-02-28T07:53:00.000-05:002016-02-28T07:54:38.532-05:00Travel for Work & Play...Roaming & Roving.Who'd a thunk it. On vacation and I didn't pack my sock knitting stuff...on purpose. First...there are too many ball of yarn to pack as I knit my socks from about a dozen different self patterning balls each. Second, thought I'd give my left thumb and wrist a rest.
Anyway, I've got to spend time browsing and 'Pinning' on Pinterest, 'sock'ing away ideas for when I get back into the studio.
On myWoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-87820621525928169662016-01-20T13:35:00.001-05:002016-01-20T13:37:34.508-05:00Winter Work.I can't believe we're deep in to January...I'm not ready! For years I've thought of the post Christmas/Holiday months of January and February as my 'down' time. I have no shows at this time and the ones that are coming up are far enough off not to think about yet...hopefully my custom orders were all done in time for the holidays or soon after and I can devote time to updating my web site and WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-71210706950673131622015-12-17T13:18:00.001-05:002015-12-17T13:18:29.269-05:00Busy Christmas Season 2015Sheesh! It's been a busy time this December....and there's a tiny spanner in the works...my foot!
With arthritic big toes needing work I had my right one worked on in 2008 by Dr. Mark Harrison at Hotel Dieu Hospital here in Kingston. Now it was time to get my left toe worked on as it slowly worked it's way into a diagonal direction on the end of my foot.
I spent the days before surgery getting WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-27610518046370870292015-10-19T12:05:00.000-04:002015-10-19T12:05:54.466-04:00Dyeing to Have Fun
I finally got to go over to my friend Heather's place to do a couple of hours of dyeing which we had been talking about for ages!
Heather is a textile artist, teacher and rug hooker so she dyes her own materials much as I do but more so. We followed the dye mix recipes in one of her books which she had borrowed (they are expensive!)
We mixed Yellow, Navy and a Magenta red.
Here WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-9704405933079569692015-09-06T10:39:00.000-04:002015-09-06T10:39:12.203-04:00Felting My Way ForwardIt's been a busy Summer and I can't believe we're into September...however, a wonderful paddle with the group SUP Kingston on my paddle board this morning was just the height of Summer. It was so good to get out as I had spent last week indoors mostly at a workshop with Australian felter Pam de Groot. It was hosted by Lesley at Rosehaven Yarn Shop in Picton.
The workshop was 'Mosaic WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-64167965883045441852015-08-20T10:06:00.001-04:002015-08-20T10:06:29.826-04:00Getting Older....Another Road TripWell, I am, as well as everyone....(the alternative is just not an option just now....too much life to live). Anyway, August 15th found me turning 65 in another country, on one of our road trips. This one took us by WEBS in Northampton MA in the USA, an even though every CAD $ I spend is really only about .76cents USD they give enough of a discount to even it out somewhat.
My WEBS purchases.
WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24639866.post-28367187063140610282015-06-12T10:17:00.000-04:002015-06-12T10:17:04.320-04:00Joining Kingston Fibre Artists.
Recently I was asked to join a very interesting group...Kingston Fibre Artists. This is a small group of women who gather to work on and promote their wonderful work with textiles, fibre, dyes, needles, beads....etc. I have always attended their group shows (about two per year) and been asked if I am a member....now I can say yes.
I was driven to a secret location and inducted....no not WoolWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08109970389326751579noreply@blogger.com0