Felting Tools (Or - how to be a teacher's pet)

As I think about my workshops this year, some reoccurring themes float to mind.  And even though I give handouts, I always get calls and e-mails looking for some specific things.  Fiber Supplies, The Fabulous Felt-O-Matic and other needle tools, so this post is for your quick reference.

I have New England Felting Supply listed as a link to the right of the blog here.  I have been getting much of my fiber this past year from Chris White for teaching. 

The Fabulous-Felt-O-Matic, which I try to show in classes, because well, heck, it is great!  Small enough for the hobby felter and not a huge chunk of money for this cool tool.  Diane Stott is great for bringing it to us!  And here is a video of it's spectacularness.

Felting Needles, either New England or Sharon Costello of Black Sheep Designs

And lastly I have a small multi-needler which I brought with me to Vancouver,(Can't remember where I bought it) pulled it out of my box to show and let people try...it was a sad 6 needle hand-held needler, which used to have a top that screwed into it to keep the needles in place, and at that moment just red duct tape!  One of my students Ty Schultz, who apparently is a master of molding (moulding?), he and his wife Marcia do these very cool cast mold journal covers (It's a workshop!), and whom I think never sleeps, but sits in his casting studio all night trying to figure out how things work, and then makes them!  He very gently asked if I mended if he took it home over night to fix it for me.  Embarrased, I agreed.  He brought it in the next morning with a new fastener atop and in a traveling case!  (Pill bottle with foam inside for it to sit nicely snug into) He then made a mold of it and will be selling them!!!  You go Ty!!!

 

So as a souviner of my time in Canada he added a couple of coins to hold the wing nut into place...So Cool...

Vancouver is a very COOL City

While we stayed in Vancouver, our first two days were in a hotel in downtown, where we of course walked around, went to Granville Island and ate at fun restaurants.  Check out what I spied in downtown and at farmers markets!

 These little ferries take you over to Granville Island, where we checked out both Locations shops of Maiwa Handprints, the shop and the dyeshop, and of course the huge farmers market.

 

  Some store fronts and yummy treats,  I spent a lot of colorful time in the Marimekko shop,

 

 

 

 

 

I had to include these lovely waffles, they were the dessert of our brunch on Sunday.  They were a bit different than the waffles I have had, they taste almost like they have a yeast base to them, so they and a bit on the savory side, and quite delicious.  our main dish was simplicity in an iron pan, a braised beef stew, with roasted potatoes, chuncks of cheese, with baby arugula greens all the lovely base for a pair of perfect eggs, and a Belgian Beer on the side.

We left full and happy, off to find the Dr Sun Yat Sen Chinese Gardens, which I will have a a seperate post as they were so removed from the city life and so beautiful.

Felt for Interiors in British Columbia

My trip to Maiwa in Vancouver BC is over, we have returned home from a great class and a stunning trip through the Canadian Rockies, and I now have a moment to think about how great this class was.  Firstly, the folks at Maiwa are spectacular.  The founder, Charllotte Kwon has quite a vision, and her textile connections around the world not only are creative and rich but her vision and partnerships are uniquely sustainable for those communities involved.  I would like to thank Anne Babchuk who moved and grooved everything so my being at Maiwa was seamless and perfection, Charllotte's daughter and son who were my video tech gurus and Tim, the master of ceremonies, who spins words like a chef stirs a pot.


I turned this Felt for Interiors class, which I had done once before for Felter's Fling, (in three days) into a four day class and with 15 students (Yes 15!)  There were folks from Vancouver, the Yukon, New Brunswick, and other parts of Canada and the States.  We used correidale fiber from roving so laying out our backgrounds was definitely more time consuming than in my classes where I use my dyed batting.  But the colors were great and the fiber makes for great heavy use fabrics.


The way I structure this class is so gently progressive.  Day One is Color Theory.  My style of Color Theory is approachable and intuitive, rather than scientific, and based on my many years in the textile industry as a colorist, designer and design director.  It builds from ones personal style and helps in identifying why certain colors work well together and others less so.  With six specific exercises and individual critiques (Think 6 x 15) everyone sees so many interpretations of color use.

Day two is pattern design, a little bit of the history of the use of pattern through the ages, and then getting into the nitty gritty of what it is to stylize and create stylized motifs as well as creating a dynamic and well balanced design or composition.  

 

We did a fun coloring exercise that played with the effects of making a design look different by changing the colors in each position, and then stepped into day three by designing 3 coordinated fabric designs.  The student's designs were rendered on paper for me to see and guide them in the best way to achieve their concept in felt, and the rest of the day was spent laying out their trio of fabrics.  

 

Day four was a frenzy of felting and a HUGE group critique at the end, where everyone enjoyed not only seeing their accomplishments but everyone elses.  I feel so proud to do this class, and can see even more time spent of each days' element! 

The final critique!  FABULOUS!! And also thanks to my Maiwa Angel, Jenny, you were a great right hand through the four days, and to Tom who came in on day four to make sure 15 students all had hands on attention for the critical felting day.
(For more photos of students pieces and day shots check out the Flikr slide show)

New Camera

I am so excited to finally have a new digital camer that is not almost obsolete!  I have been playing with the crazy functions on it and the one that sold me was the super close up option.  And heck, well it is the size of a cell phone, the new ones!

So check out my fall garden, hopefully today I will do some leaf raking and put some of the garden to bed, but the seed pods are what I love to see and so do the birdies.

 

our stone wall

 

japanese maple

 

blackberry lily

 

 

liatris

 

cone flower

 

obedience

 

love how this shot looks!

 

barberry and perennial primrose

 

 

beauty berries...love this shocking purple in my garden!

C2Paint and Lee Perault of Via-Design

 




I have been chatting with a very talented colorist interior designer in recent months, and like all colorists we talk about our color references.  I have always loved my Benjamin Moore, but Lee Perault turned me on to a new resource.  I haven't gotten 
myself a paint deck yet for the studio, but just looking at the web site for C2Paint one is immediately inspired.  They have a Look Book that is fun to boot!    Lee does business in Rye, NH and her business Via-Design is colorfully exciting.   These room shots are her designs from her web site, thank you Lee for sharing.

We are presently working together on a pair of art pillows for her client, in a space she designed for them with chocolate brown and lavenders, the wall opposite this seating area is the most incredible chocolate color.  My pillows will be on each of the sofas.  I am looking forward to this project and wondering what I will be designing?   hmmm