Arlenesfelt

Studio Mascot

2012-02-13T23:15:00.000-08:00

The studio is all set up and ready for the felt bracelet class to begin.

Industrious students, hard at work!

Everyone loves Monty, our ever vigilant studio mascot!

Creating Nuno Felt

2012-01-25T09:36:00.000-08:00

From Fluff to Felt-More Student Work

2011-12-10T11:22:00.001-08:00

Student Work

2011-12-02T22:02:00.000-08:00

Beautiful pieces of Nuno Felt made by students in my basic class.

Hand painted roving in Tequila Sunrise colorway

provides a spectacular background for Nuno Felt

Exciting piece of pre-felt!

Vineyard colorway lives up to it's name.

This first time felter had fun playing with color and materials.

New Gauze Shawl

2011-11-28T17:34:00.000-08:00

laid out and wetted down

More rolling needed.

Then rubbing to really shrink it down.

The rinsed and finished shawl dries quickly in the warm air.

Beautiful colors, soft and flowing design.

Talmadge Art Show this Sunday

2011-11-16T11:21:00.000-08:00

I will have lots of new work at the Talmadge Art Show, this Sunday, November 20th.

If you are in the San Diego area, we hope to see you there. We do this show three times a year and feel it is the very best art and fine craft show in town!

You will also be treated to a unique selection of new leather purses from Burt.

His unique color combinations, wide soft shoulder straps,

and signature closures finish each piece beautifully.

Flexible Felt Bracelets

2011-11-13T12:33:00.000-08:00

Budding Bracelets

2011-11-11T23:42:00.001-08:00

More Whidbey Island

2011-11-10T07:58:00.001-08:00

I love all of the delicious materials we play with, making Nuno Felt!

We even had time to do some beach walking.

Felt Bracelet Class

2011-11-07T20:39:00.001-08:00

The felt bracelet class puts a smile on felters faces. With a bit of nuno, a little wet felting, and discovering needle felting. It has it all!

Felting on Whidbey Island

2011-10-28T17:14:00.000-07:00

To work in a room with lots of natural light is always a pleasure. But to also have the most peaceful and beautiful views out of the windows was a real treat.

Together we spent four fabulous days of felting. Beginning with the basics of Nuno Felt,

we moved on to scarves, then felted rope bracelets and cuffs, and finally........

Stringy Thingys!

Nothing could give a teacher more satisfaction than happy participants,

enjoying every minute........

and being delighted with their efforts.

Thanks to all of you for a wonderful retreat!

A very special thanks to Beverly Ash Gilbert for making it all possible.

Silk Over Silk Under

2011-09-20T21:34:00.000-07:00

With luscious hand painted BFL

inbetween.

The Mad Hatter

2011-09-19T23:50:00.001-07:00

You can find this lovely at The Mad Hatter, in Port Townsend, Washington.

Girls just want to wear ruffles!

2011-09-15T17:19:00.000-07:00

Ruffles

2011-09-07T17:51:00.000-07:00

New Felt Bracelet Class

2011-08-28T10:05:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to teach my new felt bracelet class. It gives my students an opportunity to experience several felting techniques. Wet felting, needle felting, and even a bit of nuno. I have one class scheduled for November and one in December. Just in time for the holidays. These bracelets make wonderful gifts.

The Tree of Life

2011-07-28T00:17:00.000-07:00

Layers of Nuno

2011-07-21T08:12:00.000-07:00

James Hubbell Open House and Studio Tour

2011-06-22T14:32:00.000-07:00

To have a vision, to make it happen, to live and work

in a place, and in a way that feeds the creative spirit,

is evident in every detail of this beautiful environment.

Fantastic Structures

Magnificent Iron Work.

Art tucked into every corner.

Gardens in Bloom

Nature is the backdrop to....

Sculptures large and small

And every where,

light reflecting off of stained glass panels onto

mosaics, floors and walls.

Video

Nuno in Nature

2011-06-12T19:57:00.000-07:00

Catherine's Bowl

2011-06-08T11:50:00.000-07:00

Autumn Retreat on Whidby Island

2011-05-26T09:04:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty excited about being asked by Beverly Ash Gilbert to be a part of her annual Autumn Retreat on Whidby Island this coming October. Between the beautiful scenery and exciting bead and felt workshops, not to mention the wonderful gourmet meals to nourish our creative selves, a great time will be had by all! I am teaching four days of felting.

You can find all the details by clicking on this link

Beginning with my basic nuno felt workshop, participants will create felt pieces suitable for pillow covers, wall hangings, folded clutch purses etc. etc.

Nuno Felt is so versatile!

Followed by a day of scarves and ruffles

to experience the true magic of Nuno Felting

And by special request, the ever popular,

Stringy Thingy

Plus my newest class,

Felted Ropes, Cords, and Beads

Hope you can join us!

Two Small Wall Hangings

2011-05-16T21:49:00.000-07:00

More Felted Rope Bracelets

2011-04-29T00:14:00.000-07:00

The beaded ones.

My Best recommendation

2011-04-20T10:14:00.001-07:00

I'm often asked by my students to recommend a good book on felting. Without hesitation I point them towards Christine White's wonderful book, Uniquely Felt. I consider it a felting bible of sorts. Well written and illustrated, it answers every sort of question one might have regarding felting and fiber. Check it out on Amazon, or in your local book store.

Wire and Wool

2011-04-18T17:02:00.001-07:00

The endless possibilities of felt!

Details

2011-04-07T10:28:00.000-07:00

I am drawn to the richness of

Nuno Felt and all the elements

used to embellish it.

Fabulous Fun Ruffled Scarves

2011-04-03T17:47:00.000-07:00

Todays Nuno Felt Scarf class was lots of fun.

All were students who came back for more!

Each a delight to have in my studio.

Meet my new assistant!

2011-03-29T08:58:00.001-07:00

The first scarf made on the rolling machine.

Red and Black

2011-03-27T09:22:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you nuno luscious Red BFL roving and chunky wool yarn onto black cotton scrim?

Primary Colors

2011-03-23T15:41:00.000-07:00

This piece began as a baby blanket, which it certainly could be. But I like it best as a throw or lap blanket with it's beautiful, vivid, primary colors.

Sharing Felt

2011-03-12T16:17:00.000-08:00

Rabenfilz is a unique felt blog that I like to follow, and who follows me.

This elegant piece is an example of her work.

I feel quite fortunate to be able to connect in this way with others around the globe who are making felt, and feeling about the process and the material as I do. How else would I be likely to see the work of a felter in Spain, short of going there?

A fabulous idea, but not always possible.

"the slow process of felting is my daily meditation",

Rabenfilz

I could not have expressed it more perfectly.

Open Spaces

2011-03-10T08:45:00.000-08:00

Nuno felt scarf with open spaces.

Cotton scrim with wool and silk, and over dyed

a lively green after felting.

Needle Felted Vase

2011-03-04T22:04:00.001-08:00

Sometimes I really enjoy a bit of needle felting.

A process both sculptural and meditative.

Click twice on the picture for a closer look

Fiber Earring Challenge

2011-02-20T12:40:00.001-08:00

Pat Riesenburger, of the The Crafty Retailer, has offered up a Fiber Earring Challenge too good to resist. The prizes are, to say the least, tempting. I offered, for consideration, two pair of my felt ball earrings. I enjoy combining the hard and shinny metal,

with the soft and often whispy fiber.

This link will take you to Pat's blog and information ( when you scroll down)

about the Fiber Earring Challenge.

The deadline is Feb. 23, so hurry and enter your own fiber earring creation.

Same Great Show, New Venue

2011-02-16T10:42:00.001-08:00

I'm so excited about the February 27th, Talmadge Art Show. This time at a new venue in Liberty Station, Point Loma. For you San Diegans who have not discovered Liberty Station and NTC Promenade, you are in for a treat. With great restaurants ( my favorite being Tender Greens) and beautiful galleries, you can plan a delightful outing!

NTC Promenade Event Center

2875 Dewey Road, Corner of Dewey and Truxton

Directions to the Talmadge Art Show

I am proud to be going into my seventh year of selling and showing my work at

The Talmadge Art Show

Hope to see you there!

Little Felter

2011-02-09T16:15:00.000-08:00

Never too young to learn to felt.

First blush of felt pride!

Antique Nuno

2011-02-03T08:50:00.000-08:00

I have been collecting old lace for years now, and I'm glad I did. This scarf I call "Antique" for just that reason.

Some of the lace I used was hand dyed

Black scrim provides a dramatic base.

The bits of old lace and the velvet that I dyed in deep jewel tones,

lend that rich antique look.

Nuno felt collage

Felting in Hope Alaska

2011-01-28T08:56:00.000-08:00

Once again the ladies of Hope got together to make felt.

Some needle felted

Some made nuno scarves

Everyone was delighted with the results!

It's All Here in Black and White

2010-12-09T20:01:00.000-08:00

I couldn't decide if I should use this beautiful tissue thin designer silk to make a black nuno felt scarf, or a white one. So I decided to make one of each. My preference is the black one with black scrim as the base. The white version is made on a white silk base. Which is your favorite?

Talmadge Art Show in the rain!

2010-11-22T10:24:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was another great Talmadge Art Show here in San Diego. In spite of the threatening weather, we had a fantastic turn out. The growing reputation of this show, in it's 20th year, brought lots of new people and old friends out on a rainy day to see the best in art and quality craft items around.

New this show, for me, were my new art batts. A specialty item for sure, or so I thought. But, as I commented to a fellow felter, the soft almost magical quality of the carded wool was so compelling, that I sold many to people who were not felters or even crafters, but just wanted to take one home! They were the first batts I made on my new drum carder, and I discovered that everyone found them as delicious as I do!

Set up is always a challenge.

I love the mixing and blending of my felted pieces with Burt's leather.

Nuno Felt Baby Blankie

2010-11-19T10:27:00.000-08:00

A very special blanket for a very special baby!

I made large pre felt pieces of each color to cut squares for this sweet little patchwork.

Wetted and ready to roll!

I just love the soft edges that happen when I full the wool.

So soft, and ready to keep a sweet baby warm and cozy.

Studio Open House

2010-11-15T10:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, guests were greeted with a colorful display of Nuno Felt shawls soaking up the morning light outside the studio. The first, of what I hope will be many, studio sales of felting supplies went very well. Cotton scrim and hand painted roving were the hits of the day.

Many delicious hanks of wool and wool and silk color blends

found new and loving homes.

I took the opportunity to show off some of my latest boxed soaps.

Isn't She Lovely?

2010-11-13T10:44:00.000-08:00

This is my brand new, well brand new to me anyway, drum carder. Now I need to learn all about making batts. If any of you have tips, tricks, instructions, books to recommend, an accessory I simply must have , and/or any other suggestions to benefit a novice carder, they would be most welcome.

She is a Fricke, now made by Strauch.

Cob Web Scarf

2010-10-27T00:23:00.000-07:00

The lacy, silky quality of the Wenslydale wool makes a luxurious wrap.

Wenslydale

2010-10-24T23:24:00.000-07:00

I bought this soft and silky Wenslydale roving in Taos, at the Wool Festival two years ago. I've had it stashed, taking it out to admire it's lustrous beauty from time to time. My plan was to make myself a delicate shawl or scarf of thin cobweb Wenslydale, and tomorrow is the day!

My First Nuno Felt Bolero

2010-10-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the likes of brave felters, such as my friend Joni Cornell I made my first one piece garment. While not seamless, that's next, it's the largest wearable piece I've made so far. But I sense it's only the beginning. I rolled it, a lot. I fulled it, a lot. Towards the end I was rubbing and trying it on, then rubbing a little here, a little there to adjust the fit and trying it on again, until I was pleased with the custom fit those final subtle adjustments provided. What would take stitching and ripping and re-stitching in a sewn garment, is accomplished with spot fulling.

Felting in Hope Alaska

2010-08-24T10:26:00.000-07:00

I packed a suitcase full of fiber and felting supplies for my recent visit to Anchorage, and I'm glad I did! The gals in Hope, Alaska, a tiny historic gold mining town where my kids have a cabin in the woods, asked me to do a Nuno Felt Workshop while I was hanging out in Hope. The powers that be kindly offered us the use of the chemisty lab at the Hope school, where the counters are perfect felting height and water spigots are plentiful. The day before our workshop, Denise Morrison from Fiber'n'Ice in Big Lake, Alaska, and her friend Myler, brought what looked like their entire merino and silk inventory for the shopping pleasure of my students and myself. They placed big soft containers, filled with beautifully, hand dyed wool roving in a colorful line across the grass. It had been rainy for days, but that morning the sun was out, the grass was dry, and the shopping was choice. Thanks so much Denise!

Believe it or not, Alaska is my go to place for fiber.

Denise has a way with dye that can't be beat!

Our classroom was full of light with a view of lush lawn and evergreen forest.

I was delighted to have my daughter join in the fun.

Happy participants make teaching a joy!

Little Nuno Clutch Bags

2010-07-03T10:29:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy experimenting with all sorts of materials when I make my nuno felt. Doing small pieces gives me the opportunity to play with lots of different materials, yarns and fabrics of all kinds. I have even used pieces of those soft plastic mesh bags that onions and potatoes come in! You never know if a fabric or other element will work in nuno felting until you try. That's what I tell my students, and that's how I was taught.

I got into making these clutch bags in preparation for a workshop I am teaching with Jeannette Cook next January. It is her annual San Diego Beach House Bead Retreat. I will teach the nuno felt clutch the first day of the retreat, and over the next several days participants will do free form beading on their purses under Jeannette's expert tutelage. All this while staying at a beautiful beach house on Mission Bay, steps away from the surf! I think there are still spaces left. Just go to this San Diego Beach House Bead Retreat link for more information.

I dipped into my husbands leather stash for the front of this bag.

All it needs now is a felted rope strap,

and it's ready to go!

The felted rope makes a strong and handsome purse strap.

Off to the studio now

to make a felted rope strap for this one too.

Cookie's Shawl

2010-05-14T09:30:00.000-07:00

I had a delightful, fiber filled day yesterday. My students from the "best friends" workshops, and I, met at the Quilt Visions Gallery in Liberty Station. Liberty Station was a huge Naval Training Station, dedicated in 1923, that today is being revived with unique and interesting art related shops and organizations , restaurants, and lovely areas to stroll and enjoy our great weather. The quilts in the gallery are well worth a visit. Best of all there are shopping opportunities. In the gallery gift shop, Quilt Visions members sell such things as hand dyed silk hankie and gauze, both perfect for nuno felting. Needless to say we all bought some of these goodies to add to our felting stash.

On my way home I stopped into The Shepherdess, a wonderful bead and fiber shop, to pick up some findings for earrings I'm making. Cookie , as you can see, took one look at the Sevilla Nuno Felt Shawl I was wearing, and bought it on the spot. Good taste, Cookie, and don't you look terrific wearing it. The interesting side mark is that Cookie's family come from Sevilla, Spain, the inspiration and namesake for the shawl. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Paras News

2010-05-13T07:47:00.001-07:00

Here is a tip for locals. I have lived in San Diego for the past 10 years, but only discovered the best magazine store in the city, yesterday. In the North Park area, corner of 30th and University is Paras News. What a store! The racks of magazines go on forever. The section pictured below confirms that they might just have every, sewing, knitting, crochet, beading, and fiber related magazine published. As you can see the selection is huge.

I picked up the latest FiberArts mag, a favorite publication of mine.

Ever the foodie....I recommend you enjoy the great Mexican food at Ranchos,

directly across the street from Paras News, before you browse the magazines.

More Gauze Shawls

2010-05-09T18:55:00.000-07:00

I seem to have found my present niche........nuno felt shawls.

I love making them and I enjoy wearing them.

Big and colorful, yet light in weight. Perfect for summer!

Spring Talmadge Show

2010-05-04T07:33:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have been doing the Talmadge Art Show, twice a year, for the past five years. This time instead of individual displays we decided to mix it up. With our felt and leather pieces complimenting one another, we created our own little wearable art boutique!

You can click on the picture below, for a closer look.

This was the debut show for my new gauze shawls. It was wonderful to see people wearing and draping them in so many creative ways.

I think Susan looks smashing in this shawl with the big medallions.

Parque de Maria Luisa

2010-05-01T09:09:00.000-07:00

As promised, more pictures of Spain. In Sevilla we enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the Parque de Maria Luisa. I found these gardens to be elegant in a wonderfully understated way. If I lived in Sevilla I know I would return often to this tranquil spot.

Barcelona Shawls

2010-04-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

The colors and patterns that I saw in Barcleona

inspired me to make these two nuno felt shawls within days of my return.

Barri Gotic

2010-04-11T11:49:00.000-07:00

There are several reasons why I want to go back to Barcelona, not the least of which is to roam through the narrow, stone paved streets of The Barri Gotic again. This part of the city, my favorite, dates back to the 14th and 15th centuries, when it was built inside the old Roman walls. Today, trendy restaurants, tapas bars and unique shops are creatively housed in these old buildings, and sit side by side of Roman ruins and the remnants of ancient churches.

An arched passageway leads to the courtyard of an old church.

Some of the streets are so narrow, and the buildings so old that

you can almost shake your neighbors hand across the street........from your balcony.

one street leads into the next.....

Perfect for a stroll day or evening.

Each passageway is an invitation of discovery.

Little cafes in small squares bring light into the dense streets, and

provide a place to meet friends and neighbors,

and stay connected to the life of the neighborhood.

I think I could enjoy living for a while in this kind of urban area. The fascinating streets, the old and older buildings, the lively plazas, interesting shops, restaurants and cafes, museums, and history everywhere. So, maybe not to live in Barcelona, but certainly worth another visit.

Sunny Barcelona

2010-04-07T12:47:00.001-07:00

We returned last week from a holiday in Spain. We visited Madrid, Granada, Sevilla, and Barcelona, my personal favorite. Gorgeous, and classy, with the unique charm of Gaudi and his fanciful structures to add spice to the mix, Barcelona has it all. A meeting place for us, was The Arc de Triomf, a beautiful arch at one end of a wide pedestrian walkway. From there it was a short stroll into the medieval part of the city, the Bari Gotic, and the lovely Picasso Museum. I couldn't get enough of those narrow streets, architecturally rich with wonderful restaurants and unique shops, and history.

We walked by the arch many times and the fellow below was always there, playing his trumpet

On this sunny Sunday, after a long stretch of rainy weather, people were out walking and visiting. This group of children were drawn to the music. As their parents visited with friends, they were more than happy to sit and listen
I have lots of wonderful pictures of Spain, from the narrow ancient streets of the big cities, to the countryside with it's endless hills of olive trees. I'll post them in bits and pieces for all to enjoy.

The "Friends" Workshop

2010-03-09T18:27:00.000-08:00

I want to thank four lovely women, all new to Nuno Felting, for a wonderful two days in our studio. Participating were two sets of best friends, each best friends for over 40 years,

who love to do things and make things together.

They were learning the seeming magic of Nuno Felt,

and letting their creativity flow.

I know they had a great time and so did I.

I'm always delighted to see the pieces made in our workshops.

Below are a few examples.

From the Studio.....

2010-03-03T22:46:00.000-08:00

For me, the best part of teaching nuno felt, is watching my students work. Especially those who are new to felt. It's fascinating to observe where each of them take the process.

Experimenting with color and shape

Yarn and wool and cotton create a rich collage

Yet Another Table Runner

2010-02-08T13:27:00.001-08:00

As promised, another nuno felt table runner.

This one is really long and looks great on the table.

I especially like the effect of all the chunky stuff I used to embellish it.

It had been raining and finally a sunny day.

So I took my newly finished piece out and about

in the yard to photograph it.

I hung it from the rose trellis.

I laid it in the dry river bed.

I let it flap gently in the breeze.

Another Table Runner

2010-02-01T17:19:00.000-08:00

The table runner idea has taken off in my head. Here is the second one. I have almost finished a third one, and have plans for several others. This design is an abstract exploration of nuno felting with a variety of different materials, such as cloth, yarn, and fiber, to see how they work together.

Layering bulky yarn, and textured yarn under the sheerest gauze,

As colors blend in this piece of felt, it takes on the feeling of a watercolor study.

The elements are strong, and the colors rich in the final result,

a runner for our buffet.

Chilly weather

2010-01-24T13:42:00.000-08:00

True, the weather here has been cold and damp. Evidenced by this sudden hail storm with round chunks of ice, some almost the size of golf balls, pummeling the ground. But when I get pictures like the one below, from my son in law, pictures of true winter in Anchorage, I am very glad to be back in "Cally", my grandson Jack's favorite word for Sunny California.

This is the frozen mouth of Ressurection Creek, around 50 miles south of Anchorage, Alaska.

Table Runner

2010-01-20T10:08:00.000-08:00

I was pleased with the way my daughters table runner turned out. I made it while I was in Anchorage for the holidays. Zaynab opened her studio space for us to felt, and we had the pleasure of working together. It was a great day, enhanced even further with a break in the middle for lunch at Sacks.

Snowy New Year

2010-01-07T21:51:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful white Christmas in Alaska. In fact, I'm still here. My daughter and her family have a sweet cabin in the woods of Hope, Alaska, population about 120, and it is there that we welcomed in the new year. Monty loves to visit because he can run and play with his little nephew, Duncan. Here is my brave husband taking the boys out for a bit of fresh air.

Monty and Duncan stand watch at the window and alert us to holiday visitors and that includes of course the local moose contingent. Seeing them in the window totally cracks us up. One little white poodle is cute enough, but two are a humorous site to behold!

I have been knitting away and hope to get some felting in before I leave in a week. I'll post pictures of my efforts and more of this beautiful landscape. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and wish for us all a peaceful, healthy, and joyful new year.

Seasons Greetings

2009-12-19T00:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was haircut day for us at Salon Bella in Mission Hills. Kathy has been cutting our hair for years. She is the best! The crew there really know how to dress the salon up for the holidays. Monty loves to come along and get in the spirit of the season.

Salon Bella is on Lewis Street which is a charming spot any time of

year, but it is especially festive now.

Jimmy and Valerie Ferrari are the artistic force on Lewis Street. And their stores are wonderful expressions of their creativity.

Their shops include Salon Bella,

Le Bel-Age, Valerie's exciting Boutique,

and With Love, Jimmy's paperie, gift treasure trove,

and the best card shop in town.

I had a wonderful time with my new camera taking it all in.

Christmas in Fallbrook

2009-12-16T06:51:00.000-08:00

We really appreciate being a part of the Art Of The Holiday show at the Fallbrook Art Center

for this our 4th year. Being able to show and sell our work for a whole month gives lots of people the opportunity to see it and learn a bit about us and all the other talented artists in the show. Every artist presents, along with the work, information about themselves and their process.

With lots of space in the gallery my scarf display is visible from all sides

Gauze Nuno Felt shawl

Burt's beaded and hand stitched leather bags and pillows

Studio Storage

2009-12-14T21:21:00.000-08:00

The mess under my work tables reached crisis proportions last week. I had fabric and wool stashed under there in a totally disorganized assortment of plastic tubs and bags, all stacked atop each other. The confusion was unsettling, made things hard to get to, and didn't exactly inspire creativity. I bought 6 of these lovely 3 drawer plastic units on wheels. I need to be able to move them around, so when I teach a workshop, or want a particular sized surface for a project, both of which require a different configuration of the tables, I can neatly and easily rearrange them. Two of these nifty units fit perfectly under each of my three work tables, with room to spare. Every drawer is labeled with it's contents. Imagine that! I had a great time going through all my fabrics and fibers. I became reacquainted with what I have, and discovered to my delight that I have a lot of wonderful stuff which I can now lay my hands on in a flash!

Talented Friends

2009-12-13T11:18:00.001-08:00

These past few days were filled with creativity and inspiration, when our friends Mimi and Allen came to visit. A few years ago I taught Mimi Nuno Felt, and she has been hooked ever since. You can see Mimi's Scarves, Vessels, and Wall Panels on the web site she shares with her husband Allen. Allen creates clever and intriguing Photomontage Prints. This one hangs in our bedroom. Being a master at PhotoShop, Allen does amazing Restoration Of Old Photos. He claims to be "changing the world one photo at a time". See for your self!

Mimi laying out a scarf in shades of soft lavender

It was a dark rainy day so I felt the urge to use lots of color

I also worked on this little cashmere sweater.

Originally a woman's garment

which my washing machine felted down to little girl size.

To give it an heirloom look,

I stitched a flowered ribbon along the neck, hem and sleeve edges

Mimi has two darling granddaughters who

will take turns growing into it.

Can't wait to see pictures of them enveloped in it's cashmere softness.

New Camera

2009-12-08T22:48:00.000-08:00

I am in love. The object of my delight is

my new camera, the Canon Rebel.

Our first outing together was, where else?... out to lunch.

My favorite place to eat lunch these days is Saffron Thai Restaurant .

In the Mission Hills area of San Diego.

The food is clean and fresh and delicious.

Su Mei Yu is the owner of Saffron and writes a great blog

where she posts videos of her making some of her most famous dishes.

I especially enjoy her food for health wisdom.

A warm and soothing bowl of Healthful Soup is one of my favorites,

And the fresh rolls can't be beat.

Everything was perfect today, as always, right down to the flowers on the table.

Thanksgiving Weekend Nuno Felt Workshop

2009-12-05T23:48:00.000-08:00

What a terrific time my students and I had at the Nuno Felt Workshop in my studio last weekend. I'm always so proud of the wonderful work my students produce, and as you can see they are rightly proud of their efforts too. I have both the basic Nuno Felt Workshop, and the Nuno Felt Scarf workshop for those who have taken the basic class, scheduled for January, February and March. I look forward to each one!

Carole's Spectacular Felt Rope

Eating and Knitting

2009-12-03T17:32:00.001-08:00

I had the yummiest lunch today at Ranchos in North Park I love authentic Mexican food, and this place is good! It also has a very charming ambiance. Usually when I eat alone I bring a book, but since its close to the holidays I'm grabbing all the gift knitting time I can. So, as I waited for my chicken sope and blue corn avocado enchilada, I knitted away.

I carry my knitting in a little bag I made from an up-cycled felted wool argyle sweater. I always get comments on this little bag, and today was no exception. A well felted wool sweater can be cut and sewn in so many ways. When I go to Anchorage, Alaska to visit my kids I love to prowl through the thrift stores in search of old wool sweaters. Southern California is not the place to find such things, but the wool ground is fertile in Anchorage.

The Art of the Holiday

2009-11-26T08:21:00.000-08:00

For the 4th year, Burt and I are participating in The Art of the Holiday, at the Fallbrook Art Center gallery.
Fallbrook is a charming village about 60 miles north of San Diego, and a delightful place to explore at any time of year. Main Street gets all dressed up for the holidays, reminiscent of Currier and Ives, with planned festivities, tailor made for kids of all ages.
Who wouldn't love to take a horse drawn carriage or wagon ride down Main Street, and of course see Santa! This is a quality art show, not to be missed if you are in the area from now until Christmas. There is also a great cafe behind the gallery that serves yummy food, coffee and delicious desserts!

Great Show!

2009-11-23T23:53:00.000-08:00

The Talmadge Art Show was a huge success! Lots of friends and past customers came out and I was so busy I totally forgot, and didn't have time, would you believe, to take any pictures. The room was packed with people almost the whole day. So no pictures of the show.....sorry, but here are a couple of my Mini Nuno Felt Pillows that made their debut yesterday. They are small, all under 10" square. Each one has a unique detail on the back to make that interesting too. I had a great time making these little treasures.

Marsh Grass at Sunset, front and back

X's and O's, Front and back

Talmadge Art Show this Sunday

2009-11-18T11:46:00.000-08:00

The Talmadge Art Show is almost here! I really enjoy the show. So much excitement and so many wonderful artists. Space design is always a challenge. This was my space last year. I used to put everything on a table with risers and racks, and I would stand or sit behind the table. But with so many more scarves I had to rethink my set-up. It's so much more inviting like this, and I am able to really interact with my customers. If you are in San Diego this Sunday November 22, please stop by the Talmadge Art Show, at the San Diego Women's Club and say hello. The event runs from 10:00 to 4:00.

Talmadge Art Show

2009-11-14T00:11:00.000-08:00

Next weekend I will be showing and selling my work at the fall Talmadge Art Show . It's a wonderful show, I think it's the best in San Diego. I have been doing this show for the past five years, in the spring and in the fall. This show will be the biggest yet with 56 artists from many mediums. In addition to my scarves, and pillows, I will be showing these gauzy shawls. They are large and dramatic, making them suitable for draping over baby grand pianos or the foot of your bed, when not being worn. The fabric I used for the first two below is hand dyed from Australia. They are soft and light weight. Perfect for Southern California.

Purse Hangers

2009-11-06T10:35:00.000-08:00

My friend Maria has cautioned me against putting my purse on the floor, either at home or when I go out. She says it's bad luck. Besides, the floor , especially in a restaurant is rife with germs, and you don't want to carry a bunch of those away with you. So my daughter and I went in search of nifty purse hangers, and found them with dichroic glass cabochons. Very slick, but I'm a felter and I got to thinking I should really have one with a felt cabochon. Voila! My latest felt accessory, a purse hanger with a needle felted center, and a little felt pouch to keep it in.

Along The Way

2009-11-01T16:32:00.000-08:00

The road out of Taos that leads to the Millicent Rogers Museum

makes one understand how a big city girl choose this

rustic corner of the country to find peace and tranquility.

The museum is small, but packed with wonderful

Southwest art and artifacts. Millicent Rogers impressive turquoise

jewelry collection alone, as well as her own elegant jewelry designs

was well worth the drive.

The last leg of our road trip took us through the

soft and sensual desert dunes along Interstate 8,

where Arizona meets the border of California.

We really enjoyed our road trip.

The question now is where to drive next?

We're thinking , up the West Coast to Eugene, Oregon for

the Black Sheep Gathering next June.

If we can wait that long!

Sedona

2009-10-21T11:32:00.001-07:00

The art and galleries in Sedona don't begin to compare with the caliber of art we feasted our eyes on in Santa Fe, but the scenery, oh the scenery is another story. The beauty of nature is alive and vibrant in Sedona. That rich orangey red is everywhere from the breathtaking natural monuments, to the earth along the edge of the road. We had a wonderful view of it all from our room. Passing through the door gave way to a dazzling vista of the red rock that Sedona is famous for.

Santa Fe Salvage

2009-10-18T15:15:00.000-07:00

In Santa Fe we found the most incredible salvage outlet with doors, gates, columns, you name it. Imported bits of buildings from all over the world. Places like India, Morocco, and Asia were all represented with richly patinated pieces of iron, wood, pottery, marble, and more. We strolled through isle after isle of gates, windows and architectural adornments each with a story to tell. Santa Fe buildings and homes are so organic in nature, and all of these lovely details provide a perfect compliment to Southwest structures.

Santa Fe

2009-10-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

I would have to say that one of my favorite towns that we visited on our road trip was Santa Fe. From paintings to sculpture, we found wonderful art in Santa Fe.

The weather obliged us with a beautiful fall day for our stroll along Canyon Road, home to one great gallery after the next. The soft lines and colors of the adobe architecture are pleasing to the eye and are the essence of the Southwest.

I also paid a visit to one of my favorite knit shops,Miriam's Well , where I bought yarn for a side to side knitted vest. Miriam's knit patterns consist of simple stitches using luscious yarn.

That's my kind of knitting!

The style I am knitting is as shown below, but the yarn I chose is a soft alpaca in my favorite earth tones with a touch of heathered purple. The pattern is free with the yarn purchase.

Wonderful Wool Festival

2009-10-12T15:06:00.000-07:00

The Taos Wool Festival was such fun. No rain or soggy grass this year, the weather was perfect. I love the size of the event and the mix of producers who proudly present unique wool offerings. My husband snapped this shot of me with the first of my booty. Driving rather than flying gave me the luxury of buying as much as I wanted without concern for suitcase space. I'm inspired by all the lovely fibers I brought home, and have been busy in my studio putting them to use for the upcoming holiday sales. Below are a few of my finds.

A good start, don't you think?

Among the many treasures I found

are these soft and silky hand painted Wensleydale rovings.

Lots of ideas for how to use these beauties.

Ruth Walker offered up these richly dyed rovings of

merino blended with cashmere, or silk.

I got back to the hotel and decided

I didn't have enough of them,

so, went back for more, and a couple of her pre-felts as well!

Check back with me soon, for more photos of our scenic road trip.

2009-10-12T15:05:00.001-07:00

Off to Taos!

2009-09-28T13:39:00.001-07:00

Last year I went to the Taos Wool Festival, in Taos New Mexico, with my friend Zaynab from Anchorage. She had been there before but it was my first time and I loved it! This year I am taking my husband Burt, and we are going on a road trip. I'm so excited! Taos is wool heaven during the festival. The actual event is held on the grass at Kit Carson Park in the center of this charming Southwestern town. Here is a video from a past wool festival. There are workshops and the vendors are mostly small producers offering unique roving, yarn, and finished work as well. I must confess that the New Mexico food is as enticing to me as the wool offerings. It is delicious. Can't wait to have a big bowl of pezole!

On the way back home to San Diego we will wend our way through Gallup, New Mexico, Sedona, Prescott, and Jerome Arizona. Gallup is the best place to buy Native American art and handcrafts. The artists bring their work there to sell in the pawn shops. Being in Gallup is like going back in time to the 1950's. Jerome is an old mining town that clings to the edge of rocky hills. The big Jerome attraction for me is a store called Knit One Bead Two, where I have found great bead and fiber treasures on past visits. I will have lots to blog about when I return in mid October.

Marcia's Scarf

2009-09-24T14:09:00.000-07:00

My friend Marcia is one talented girl. In addition to being a fabulous beader, published in fact, she is a knitter extraordinaire. I love to knit, but sweat and fret when it comes to sewing the thing together. So Marcia and I struck a deal. She agreed, bless her, to assemble the sweater I made for my daughter in exchange for a nuno felt scarf. You might notice by the date of the sweater post, the exchange was long overdue, so today Marcia came over to choose her scarf. As she perused my rack of scarves, she was, by her own admission, love struck by one of my "Chunky Monkeys" . Our 83 degree weather was no issue for Marcia who left with the scarf artistically arranged around her neck, pausing just long enough for me to snap this photo. And wouldn't you know the Gail Crossman Moore earrings she had on matched perfectly!

Felted Soap

2009-09-14T14:53:00.001-07:00

I felted bars of soap for my husband and myself, using our favorite pachouli soap. They work so well in the shower because they are not slippery like regular bars of soap. I decided to make some to sell. I found it a good way to play with color combinations. Don't they look delicious drying in the sun?

Scented with Jasmine, Lavender, lemon and other delightful aromas, each soap has a jewel like quality and so needed a special presentation. After wrapping each one like a gift with yarn or ribbon I put it in it's own gift/trinket box. On the lid of the box I attached a piece of nuno felt to match the colors of the gift inside. The soap and box are two gifts in one. Well, three really. The wool wrapped soap is a wash cloth and soap in one, and the nuno topped gift/trinket box can be re-used and recycled.

Felted soaps drying in the sun

Felt Without Borders

2009-09-06T19:45:00.000-07:00

There's not much of a nuno felt community where I live. Not like painting or pottery where you can check out local galleries that show and sell those pieces. But good fiber art galleries are hard to find locally, which is why I so appreciate Etsy and the opportunity it offers me, as a nuno felt artist, to see what others are doing with the medium, as well as building friendships and sharing ideas with like minded felters. For me, this all goes under the heading, "Can't get enough felt!"

So a couple of months ago on a visit to other "Etsyans", that is Felt making Etsyans, I came across Joni Cornell, and her Etsy shop. I love the way Joni blends the colors on her scarves, the simple details and spikey fringe. In particular I fell in love with an avocado green, brown and black number. I had already sent Joni an email telling her how much I liked her work and in the course of our back and forth art chat , we hit on the idea of an exchange, the scarf I had fallen in love with in her Etsy Shop for one from my Etsy shop .

Kirstin models the scarf that Joni chose.

I love holding Joni's piece in my hand and knowing it came all the way to me from Melbourne, Austrailia, where I have a friend in felt.

I have used Joni's scarf as a runner so I can spread it out and enjoy all the beautiful colors

From one end to the other.

The Beauty's In The Details

2009-08-25T17:40:00.001-07:00

I finally got all of my new nuno felt pillows listed on My Etsy Site . The new pieces are nuno felt on the front and recycled knitting on the reverse. I've used details such as unique yarns to join the two sides and cutting fringe into the backings. I want my pillows to be as much soft sculpture as cozy accents for a sofa, chair or bed. The pictures below offer you a glimpse of these details that make each one, not just a pillow, but a one of a kind art piece. You can see them in their entirety by clicking on the link below, and under the individual detail images.

Arlene's Etsy Shop

Don't they look yummy all stacked together?

Spring Flowers Nuno Felt Pillow detail

Butterfly Nuno Felt Pillow (detail)

Northern Lights Collage Nuno Felt Pillow (detail)

Peppermint Creame Nuno Felt Pillow (detail)

August Nuno Felt Workshop

2009-08-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

We spent a productive two days learning and having fun making nuno felt. Other exciting felt processes that were explored included making pieces of pre-felt and silk paper to add to our designs, plus embelished felt ropes and beads.

Love those beautiful colors!

Nuno Felt pillows are the best!

Best Tool For Wetting Felt

2009-07-27T15:27:00.000-07:00

I must admit that I especially love the fact that I can felt anywhere, anytime, without needing special tools. I tell my workshop students that the method of nuno felting that I teach can be done in hotel rooms which, coincidently, are equipped with everything you need. I know, because I've done it! Not only in a hotel room, but on a recent Scandinavian cruise I found some beautiful wool in Helsinki and that night in the tiny bathroom of our cabin I made felt.

However........I have always, in the many art forms I have explored, gravitated towards the best tools I could find. So hotel rooms and shipboard cabins aside, I hereby offer up:

The Rubber Sprayer Sprinkler Bulb

With it I can wet down my work without disturbing the design, and use the hottest water possible without burning my hands. I've shared this nifty tool with my students and it's always love at first squeeze. You can find one of your very own at:

The Fiber Studio's Shop on Etsy

New Nuno Felt Scarves

2009-07-18T19:01:00.000-07:00

I guess my fabric dyeing adventures have been occupying a lot of my recent attention, and as a result I have been a bit lax in listing my new scarves on Etsy, but I more than made up for it this week by listing over a dozen new ones! You can see them all here. Now I can turn my efforts to making more nuno felt with the fabrics I have been dying.

Learning to Dye Silk and Cotton

2009-07-12T22:50:00.000-07:00

It seems like I am in constant pursuit of just the right color of silk and cotton fabric for my nuno felt pieces. So, it was just a matter of time before I finally learned some easy ways to dye my own cloth, just the way I need and want it to be. Karen Dietz, a student of mine taught an intro to dying class this past week and I've been off and running ever since. For practice I am dying and painting white flour sack cotton dish towels, and cotton napkins. I'm excited, both with the fun pieces I am making and how much I am learning.

A Burt Watson Original

2009-06-14T22:14:00.000-07:00

My husband Burt makes the most beautiful beaded leather handbags. We went to an art show and he found these faux bakelite handles. I couldn't wait to see what he was going to create with them. The handles are so outstanding that he decided he didn't want to compete with them by adding beads, instead he put his creative efforts into the stitching.

You can see more of this unique work in Burt's Etsy Shop.

Shopping with Monty

2009-06-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

I like to shop for bits of lace and fabric to use in my Nuno Felt projects. A favorite place to look is The Attic in Coronado. I took my Monty boy with me this time and we discovered this really cute little vintage poodle. At first Monty was a bit leery of his new friend, but as you can see they discovered that they had much in common and were more alike than different.

Group Effort Mosaics

2009-05-24T19:03:00.000-07:00

My friend Kirstin Green is a fabulous mosaic artist, and beyond. This week she took me on a tour of the large wall mosaics at Coronado High School, each permanent installation a class project taught by Kirstin and executed, with her help, by the students. Coronado High has changed dramatically since Kirstin was a student there. She can be proud of her contribution to her alma mater which will be enjoyed for generations to come. You can go on Kirstin's web site and see these pieces in entirety, but this mosaic of the mosaics offers a sneak peek of the fine quality of this work.

At Home With Purple

2009-05-21T23:02:00.000-07:00

Having indulged my wanderlust all week, I'm representing purple Friday with samplings of my own, close to home, purple endeavors, including a look at Burt's beaded leather. I did toss another Turkey picture in the mix, the purple plates, because everyone liked the blue ones so much. I have had lots of fun with color week, especially, for me, remembering so many wonderful sights, and tastes, and beautiful people in the colorful places I have been fortunate enough to visit. Lisa, thank you so much for offering up this opportunity to contribute to a beautiful effort, and connect with other like minded bloggers.

Reds and Pinks in China

2009-05-20T23:47:00.000-07:00

Strong and beautiful, red is the color I most associate with China.

Here are images that represent the color of China as I saw it.

China, Old and New. I like taking pictures of people, especially babies.

All over China we saw Americans and Europeans with their

new Chinese baby girls, just like the sweet little one in the picture above.

Pinks in china

Shanghai Pagoda

Africa Orange and Gold

2009-05-20T07:58:00.000-07:00

Color week has me revisiting all the wonderfully colorful places I have been fortunate enough to travel to. For Orange and Yellows I went to my pictures of Africa. Our first big exciting trip was to South Africa with Beadventures

That trip was magical and I came home with a suitcase full of great finds. I don't bead much anymore, having become obsessed with FELTING, but I treasure all the beautiful beads and handcrafts we brought home from Cape Town, and Quazulu Natal, and I find pleasure in remembering our exciting adventure. I look forward some day to exploring more of this fascinating continent.

Green Tuesday in Ireland

2009-05-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

This mosaic is really a nostalgic picture story. Burt and I spent a delightful week of artistic community in the lush country side that is Mulranny, County Mayo, Ireland. We comprised a like minded bunch eager to share ideas and learn. A small group, but multinational,the United States, Canada, Ireland, England, and South Africa were all well represented. We had a lot of laughs, made and saw a lot of art, and ate a lot of really good food. I can't help but smile when I think of that trip.

The Blues of Turkey

2009-05-18T17:26:00.000-07:00

Thinking of blue , blue like the sky, blue like the ocean, sent me browsing through my photos of Turkey, where I found great inspiration for Color Week Blue Monday and for my first attempt at a mosaic made in PhotoShop.

Felt is NOT a food group

2009-05-14T09:58:00.000-07:00

Try telling that to my boy Monty. Yesterday he got into the studio while I was gone and ate a piece of magenta pre felt. While I admire his color choice, things did not go well. I will spare you the details, but he did seem to be getting rid of the excess fiber and I thought all was well until 1:00 am when I woke to the sounds of one very distressed pup. So of course we wound up in the doggie emergency hospital. They fixed him up, I paid the bill, and this morning he is a more subdued version of himself, but recovering nicely. Do dogs, at least smart little poodles, get cause and effect? His breeder thinks he should, but I wouldn't bet a $$$$$$ trip to the emergency hospital on it!