It's All Here in Black and White

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!

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

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

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?

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

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

Wenslydale

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.