New England Felting Supply COLORS MY WORLD!

Check this out!  This past Saturday I taught in Easthampton, MA at the New England Felting Supply.  It was a great environment to teach my Color Theory class in.  We talked about color all day, we played with color chips all day and we sat amongst colored fiber ALL DAY!  This is  how dedicated we all are to our passion of color and fiber...I left my house at 6AM in the snow...down 91 through Vermont in the snow...when I hit the Massachusetts border it stopped snowing...I got there in plenty of time and all 12 students also got there safely, from all points around as well!  Kudos to us all!

 

  

Wow does this look messy!!! and the funny thing is no matter how may thousands of paint chips I bring (this table and another) we seem to not have "just the exact color" you are looking for!

Freya's Storage Box Next Installment

Freya and I have been working at getting the design just right, and now the last bit is to confirm the size of her storage box, below shows the progression of the sketching process.  We reviewed many of my works and we also discussed Kandinsky, so I had a focus to work towards.  The sketch below is the first and from here we discussed likes dislikes color changes and more pattern.

I resubmitted the sketch and Freya and I are VERY happy with the new look, more clear color more pattern ...what do you think?

 

You might be able to recognize some of my patterns, Dots and Ohs and Leaves are the key players, I play with the B&W check and like the "ladder" motif, it has good action movement and leads you up!  This piece is going to be so cool!

Custom Pillows For Via Design

Here's a custom fabric work for a big pillow on each sofa in a very cool colorful space designed By Lee Perault of Via Designs.  Color and the wall, color of the sofa and pop colors in the new rug and the new patterned upholstery tells me where my clients are heading for a look.  They selected a design from my portfolio, (draped on the back of the new sofa) and (at the bottom) now I sketch my design to scale.  The sketchbook page, shows the 24" pillow to scale, and with a couple of fabric back options below.  I will rework the back pattern to make a little more simple dynamic interest.  We have decided to go with the green patterned fronts and the olives with the dashed intersecting or striping line for the backs.  

 

More to follow!!!

 Well, today is April 1st and no fooling, I am finally getting Lee's beautiful pillows finished.  I have 5 pieces of felt fabric, two for the fronts and two for the backs and one for the cording.  The above photo shows all stages side by side.  Hopefully the next photo will be of the beautiful pillows on her customers sofa!

Felt a Flower Valentine

Valentine's is less than a week away and am am doing my Painted Flower workshop Saturday.  The studio and house are getting some sweet decorations.  I picked up a fun paper craft book called Girlagami by Cindy Ng and am having so much fun with this cutie book.  I am still stuck on the Hearts, you' see, I'll post my decorated kitchen in a couple of days. Don't you want those shoes too?  My Valentine's Workshop is so much fun, it is a girly treat - retreat for sure.  This is the third year I am doing it, and it is now tradition, I make a decadent lunch, which I have decided is wintry and yummy, apple and cheddar cheese soup and a chocolaty treat for dessert.  The felt we create are  some sort of flower, some years I do dimensional flowers like pins and such. This year we will do the "Paint a Flower", which is great for felters with a bit of experience, because we play with such interesting techniques, building upon the way we put down fiber.   Think watercolor looks, tight detail, and even some dimensional do-dads.  Here are some of my flower pieces from the past...I'll have to add a new one here after the class!

 

 

 

Claire Murray's Magazine and Inspiration

I have picked up this lovely magazine a couple of times before and this past week I got the most current issue and LOVE IT!!  It is beautiful.  The photos are delicious.  The quotes that used to "wrap" each section are perfect.  And the women who are highlighted in this publication are also inspiring.

Though it seems we never have to look far for inspiration, I am currently reading Three Cups of Tea (one man and many young women).

Our world is filled with inspiring stories about heroes every day helping the thousands in Haiti, so my senses are filled with inspiration.  Sometimes I feel so small, what can I do to help such a big problem?  I know there are lots of things we can do, and in the book by Greg Mortensen, when he meets with a very poor refugee, the older man is saddened that he cannot even offer a cup of tea, the only thing he can offer is a prayer.  So yes, even the smallest gesture can have the biggest effect.   ahhh... 

So back to my newest magazine, and why I love it (and so many other magazines).  We are in the throws of January in New England, and it is cold, and very white and bare.  I find most years I create the best during this seasonal void not being distracted by my gardens and the other beautiful things that surround me.

 

Photo from La Vie Claire, Quote Bloom  "Find your seed at the bottom of your heart and bring forth a beautiful flower" -Shigenori Kameoka

 

Photo from La Vie Claire, Quote: Indulge "Every once in a while, a girl has to indulge herself." -Sarah Jessica Parker

My studio is getting cleared out for a transformation (I am thinking Tuscany, I am going to make my studio into a Tuscan escape!) and am working on a colorful box for a customer and pillow fabric for another.  My paints are out, my notebook open and soon to have fiber in the dye pots! 

2010 Workshops are here!

2010 Festive Fiber Workshops

The following are examples of our workshops

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"Painted Felt Flowers for Valentine's"

February 13th (9:30AM-4:30PM) ALSTEAD, NH
We always have a very fun time in this flower class, it is a treat to be creating felt flowers all day but, add to it, a decadent lunch with chocolaty desserts is included! And I call that a recipe for really treating yourself for Valentine's! This class is a one day class, perfecting the principles of placing shading into your felt images, to create a motif that really pops from your composition. We work on shading, highlighting and color contrast, while using a photo reference of your favorite flower.
BRING WITH YOU: Towel (to wrap your wet pieces in) and shoes/clothing which may get wet/dyed.
TUITION: $135.00 includes materials and lunch.
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"Color Theory at NEFS" February 27 (9:30AM-4:30PM)

As so many of you know already, I love teaching this class. It is a great way to learn about creating beautiful color combinations, and how to use visual inspiration for a color story, which colors work well together and why, and why you like certain colors? The day is full of small and engaging exercises with a critique after each so students can learn more from their fellow students as well! The process is gentle and non scientific and fun. We are hosted by Chris White of New England Felting Supply, in the midst of their grand studio and store. This is a non-felting class, where we work with paint chips. Students build a workbook through out the day for future reference.
BRING WITH YOU: Scissors, pencils, tape and/or glue, a colored pencil or watercolor set (just in case)
TUITION: $TBD (+10.00 Kit Fee for the workbook)
LUNCHES: Are not included. Feel free to Brown Baggit.
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"Shibori Dyed Feather Weight Scarf "
March 27-28 (9:00AM - 5:00PM) ALSTEAD, NH I have spent years dyeing fiber for felting, yarns for knitting and fabrics for hooking, and with each project, though I know what I am going for I find that the surface design element of each comes moslty at the end when each piece is finished. I love all things traditional textiley and shibori, being one tradition I would love to play with, is an age old tradition where-by creating ties, stitches and wrappings, on a piece of fabric, and then dye it, you get the dye and pattern all in one! I like this concept, and of course shibori can be extremely intricate an beyond amazing in the time that it could take to do a complicated design.

I will begin the day with a brief slide show of traditional and contemporary shibori work, students 2-3 make feather weight merino scarves, and then spend the first half of the second day tieing twisting and wrapping their scarves into pattern. The dye process takes about 3 hours and when finished we will have a huge assortment pattern and color. This course has it both, a llittle bit of felting and a little bit of dyeing and of course hand work, think stitching, and tie dyeing.

BRING WITH YOU: Towel (to wrap your wet pieces in) and shoes/clothing which may get wet/dyed.
TUITION: $350.00 includes materials, workbook and instructionals for each technique
LUNCHES: Are not included.There is a deli in the village square, an easy walk to pick up a sandwich, or pizza/sub shop a mile down the road. Feel free to Brown Baggit. Light refreshments and beverages will be served each day.
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"FROGS! at the Nature Museum at Grafton"  April 17 Grafton, VT

Kids and adults will have fun at this workshop! We do wet felting hand formed shapes, and if you are able to handle it, embellish your frogs by using a felting needle (age specific for the needles)

BRING WITH YOU: Towel (to wrap your wet pieces in, or wipe your work space) and shoes/clothing which may get wet.
 







TUITION: TBA includes materials, Register directly with http://www.nature-museum.org
LUNCHES: Are not included. There is a deli in the village square, an easy walk to pick up a sandwich Feel free to Brown Baggit.

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"Felt Ottoman" 
Memorial Day Weekend May 29 - 31
Saturday, Sunday, Monday (Three Day Workshop - 9:30 AM - 4:30PM ) ALSTEAD, NH

This class is awesome where students have the opportunity to design a piece of furniture for their home. Make the felt fabric for and construct and upholster their own ottoman! A fast paced class with lots of different steps on each day, students leave the session very accomplished and in the possession of a brand new beautiful ottoman! Day ONE: Design and lay out fiber for all areas of ottoman. Day TWO: Wet felt all fabrics, (fabrics dry over night) and Day THREE: Students upholster their ottomans. Using furniture quality cardboard cores, student, glue, drill and assemble shape, cover with foams, and then sew their fabric covers, adding trims or embellishments.

***Previous felt making experience necessary, as well as the ability to use power tools, and sewing machines. Student may use prefinished wooden feet, casters or pre paint your feet before arriving to the Festive Fibers studio.

BRING WITH YOU: Shoes/clothing which may get wet/dyed.
TUITION: $625.00 includes all materials (We can ship your ottoman home to you, students pay for shipping)
LUNCHES: Are not included. There is a deli in the village square, an easy walk to pick up a sandwich, or pizza/sub shop a mile down the road. Feel free to Brown Baggit. A light refreshment and beverages will be served.
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"Dye Pots! Acid Dyeing techniques for wool fiber"
June 19 ( 9:30AM-4:30PM) ALSTEAD, NH 
I dye fiber for felting all the time, though the technique I learned many years ago can be applied to yarns as well. I love the ability to not be restricted by someone else's color line. The studio will have dye stations set up, with fiber tagged for each student to use a variety of color baths and dye techniques, from solid batch dyeing to rainbow or casserole dyeing. I use Pro-Chem Wash Fast Acid dyes and Cushing. I do not measure dye stuffs, but dye from premixed concentrates. We will review, set time, temperature, prep and clean up.

BRING WITH YOU: Shoes/clothing which may get wet/dyed, apron, goggles. I will supply face masks (not asperators) & gloves
TUITION: $165.00 includes all materials and color charts from both companies
LUNCHES: Are not included. There is a deli in the village square, an easy walk to pick up a sandwich, or pizza/sub shop a mile down the road. Feel free to Brown Baggit. A light refreshment and beverages will be served.
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"Rug Stomp" July 4th-5th (Two Day Workshop - 9:30AM-4:30PM) ALSTEAD, NH
...a work in progress, about half way through!
By far my most popular workshop. Students lay out and felt a patterned felt rug in two days. Day one the rug is laid out, discussions on technique, design layouts and color balance are how we start a leisurely creative day. Day two is all felting! (using hands, feet - hence the stomp part, lots of energy, and, well heck anything else that might help the process along!) This class is not for the timid, it is very physical and an absolute blast!
BRING WITH YOU: Towel (to wrap your wet pieces in) and shoes/clothing which may get wet/dyed.
TUITION: $425.00 includes materials
LUNCHES: Are not included.There is a deli in the village square, an easy walk to pick up a sandwich, or pizza/sub shop a mile down the road. Feel free to Brown Baggit. Light refreshments and beverages will be served each day.
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"Flat Patterned Felt for Beginners"
July 17 (9:30AM-4:30PM) ALSTEAD, NH

BRING WITH YOU: Shoes/clothing which may get wet/dyed, a towel for keeping your work space dry(ish).
TUITION: $150.00 includes all materials
LUNCHES: Are not included. Feel free to Brown Baggit. A light refreshment and beverages will be served.
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"Felt Sculptures "

August 14 - 16 Saturday, Sunday and Monday (Three Day Workshop - 9:30 AM - 4:30PM ) ALSTEAD, NH

Over the years, I have created many 3-D felts. Some are quite sculptural. In this class, we design an Sculptureal OBJECT (Doll, animal or floral) Using aperatures as the internal structures, students learn how to build up form, and layer the fiber, add on detail using felting needles and shaping techniques will be demonstrated, the final sculpture can be skim felted.

Day One: each student will review their idea, size and how to build is determined, and structures are built and wrapped. Day Two and Day Three, Students create their sculpture




BRING WITH YOU: Ideas and photo references.
TUITION: $450.00 includes materials
LUNCHES: Are not included.There is a deli in the village square, an easy walk to pick up a sandwich, or pizza/sub shop a mile down the road. Feel free to Brown Baggit. A light refreshment and beverages will be served. 

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"Art is...Wickedly Good!"(Art is...You!)

October 8, 9, 10 and 11th CROMWELL, CT This year's theme is The Wizard of Oz in all of it wonderful and wicked forms! If you are looking for a fully immersed creative retreat with lots of new friends and lots of diversity this is the event for you! At the time of writing this I am not able to list the classes I will be teaching, but let's just say I am fully in the spirit of Dorothy and her friends, felting zaniness all the way!