Wendy's first collage....and a new addict created!

I had a "play weekend" here at the shop last week. My sister Wendy came to join us. She's a felter, but has a bad history with sewing machines, so I was a bit nervous about showing her the felt collage technique!
But Jules was here too, so there were two of us who do felt collage and so I figured we could help Wendy thru it. And those of you who know Jules know that she can make anything light and fun!
So Wendy made it thru those initial frustrations of hitting pins, breaking needles, the bobbin jamming and made a beautiful piece of collage. She hasn't cut it up and felted in into anything yet, but she's ruminating about what it will become as we speak.
I also did a piece, but I can't find that photo on this computer, so I'll have to share that another day!
I do have a photo of one of Jule's collages, but will let her post that.
What we thought was particularly effective in Wendy's collage were the pieces of lace that added texture (which you probably can't see from the photo) and the stark motifs from a piece of indigo batik fabric I did (white flowers and swirls).  And I love the combination of the gold/orange with the blue. Wendy put a lot of "glitzy" stuff in it which I didn't realize while it was still wet but she said yesterday on the phone that she is recommending people wear sunglasses when they look at it because she thinks she went a little overboard!
I reminded her that once she cuts the collage up and felts it into a bag or wrap or whatever she is going to do with it, the "glitz" will be toned down. Not sure she believes me.....

Susan's latest....

Susan sent a photo of this shawl she did in another workshop with Melissa - the White on White technique which I hope to have Melissa here for next year along with teaching Indigo Shibori. 
That attests to how great Melissa was - after her wonderful workshops here in April, Susan has gone on to take 2 more with her!

Anyway, Susan asked me to post it for her. Like Susan's last show & tell, she is doing some lovely work with negative space - it is so effective for a lacy border.

Wish you lived closer, Susan - you'd have fun at our "Play Days"!

A couple more hats....

Sorry that there is no collaging or shibori to share yet! It's been too rainy to dye and I just HAVE to finish these hats before I can collage the bag I have in mind! You know....too many works in progress to be able to start something else!

But I didn't want anyone to think I had forgotten the blog - so here are a few pics of completed hats (many of which you saw in various states while here last week for Maria's classes!)
I have 3 more hats almost done and I WILL do another collage before I head to Maine for vacation next week!

Crazed, as always, but having fun....Jen

A collage Ode to Jen

Jen gave me some wonderful fabrics to try when I was at her shop last week.  I decided I should use them all and make something remarkable!  I love the colors and the textures and can't wait to put them into a finished piece! The first picture is of the layout and then next two after it has been sewn....stay tuned for the finished piece!  Thank you Jen!

Maria Friese Class on Vessels

I had so much fun at Maria Friese's class on vessels last week hosted by Jen Hoag at her wonderful store, Northeast Fiber Arts Center in Williston Vermont.  I learned so much and as always meeting people who love to work with fiber as much as I do is always a hoot!  Thanks Jen for offering such wonderful classes and thank you Maria for your incredible talent!  Love you!

Jule's vessel....

So Jules and I have been pre-occupied this week with Maria Friese....so just a quick photo of Jules working on her Symmetrical Vessel.
We're both still inspired and will post next week. And I've got a few more recruits from the latest workshop to participate - so hopefully Martine and Victoria will be joining the group for show and tell!
And hopefully I can recruit a few more over the weekend's Poetic Surface Design to start contributing too!

Jen's hat....

Here is my "finished" piece for the month....

I took one of the first week's samples, cut it up, and felted 3 pieces ( a brim, a crown and a side band) to sew the bucket hat shown below.

At first I loved the hat (actually, it isn't quite done, but I had the camera out to post something on the store's facebook page so I figured this was close enough - I still have to stitch on the brim edging, which will be black). Then I thought it looked like a couch (upholstery fabric and all!). Now, I'm not sure. But it doesn't really even matter - I learned a lot working thru the process! And I enjoyed the process. And it offers me another hat to show the felters taking my 3 day hat making workshop in August, another way to approach felt hats!

So still having fun with this felt collage technique. As soon as this rainy weather passes, I look forward to doing some shibori dyeing on the white piece I felted last week.

And I hope to see some photos from Susan, who is taking another workshop with Melissa next week! Retirement must be nice!