Soft detours

My pile of second-hand sweaters now lies in my grandmother's mending basket, in pieces. The book is Colorful Stitchery by Krisiten Nichols, a talented woman I had the good fortune to know, when we were both members of Dunstable Artisans almost 15 years ago.

Here is my first felted throw:This one was cut with a rotary cutter and pieced by machine. Then it looked dull, so my daughter and I have been adding bits by hand: A fun and cozy project, since the quilt now is big enough to stretch across two laps. Also, if felt thin, so I am adding a second layer on one side.

The first throw was such a hit I am making a second to give away. This one I am piecing by hand, and keeping more color-coordinated:

It looks raggedy and is coming along slower but I enjoy the friendly process. They are both too cozy to be believed. All this from a few junk sweaters.

Winter brake

Brake, and break. The business is in neutral. I have a mental lock on the studio door. Yummy projects still follow me down the stairs:This pile comes from the Salvation Army Store. On Wednesdays you can hunt for $1 bargains. The sweaters are all 100% wool. I brought home 3 bags full and threw them in the wash. Now they are slightly felted, super soft, and so warm. This afternoon my daughter and I cut and piece. The idea was to make gifts, but I'm sure something will get made for us too, maybe a throw, to ward off the chills after the heat goes down at 9PM.

At Open Studios this month, I also fell for some hand-made yarn:

I don't knit well, but this looks so beautiful it should surmount my efforts.


Link of the day: The Little Red Blog of Revolutionary Knitting. Scroll down to see her political knits on display. On the light side, I love the rubric: the "Martha Stewart of Mess." Some of her poliltical art gives me shivers. Check out the body-count mittens. Last spring, when Lowell Fiber Studio sponsored an exhibit of scrolls, I wrestled with the idea of a piece about the inexorably growing body-count. I backed off. Here one knitter's done it with a pair of mittens, and time.

WIP ideas

Noodling with the computer. Here is one version:
I could be at this all day, especially if I can figure out how to rotate a fragment once I "cut" it on the computer. I like the more vertical orientation, and the dark green works an diagonal to offset the one made by the trees. Just a thought.

wip

Piles of paperwork to do. But I'm thinking about the Next Piece, which has been in the queue since the fall: I'm wondering whether to cut and rearrange it, or just stitch it up as is. I took photos so I can cut and paste on my computer first.

Drove up past the mountains of snow to Lowell for the weekly gathering of Lowell Fiber Studio. Even with the holidays at hand, half of us made it. Lots of ideas about next year and beyond. Lovely to pull in the harness together towards new goals.

Snowed In

No surprise to anyone with the Weather Channel. No complaints. The weather was fine for our home show. Many people came. Now I'm ensconced in my sister's home. Funny how washing dishes in someone's else's kitchen is a holiday. We are going to watch "Away from Me" together, and I get another night off before the drive home.

Tiny things

Worked on key bags yesterday, to take to Poughkeepsie.

It seemed a shame to throw away all the tiny trimmings, so I made my first artist trading cards. The satisfaction of the designs on such a scale surprised me.
Now I must go shovel out my car.

Running around

I have figured out how to make notebooks and am totally tickled with the process. All the satisfaction of assembling an image, and then, poof, it becomes functional. Inside one I put the auxiliary pocket on upside down, so I get to keep that one. Now it holds my check book AND a calendar AND a notepad, so behold: no more lost ideas, dates, ideas. A miracle.

But my studio is dark because it is time to go stand in line at the post office and then on to GoodWill to hunt for sweaters to felt for gift-making. If the sun comes out, I hope to take some pictures, too.

Thanks

Lovely words in my email today from folks who stumbled onto my work on-line. Plus a woman in Hawaii posted about one of my bags, which she ordered sight unseen. Such trust. Such compliments. They make my day shine. Thanks to all.

Portable Art

Say Yes (on Etsy)

Photographed a few 5x7" pieces before Open Studios began in earnest yesterday. They are posted on Etsy now.

No Recipe (on Etsy)

Much traffic, which is good for the soul, and a few serious buyers, which was good for the kitty.
With four-plus floors of artists, there is more now in one building that you can see in a day.

Not Afraid (on Etsy)

I like this last one a lot, almost enough to hold on to it. But letting go clears the way for more to come.

More birds

Another set of images mounted AND photographed.

Sunlight (sold)

I am trying to become better friends with my camera. I'm also interested what happens when I use fabrics from different print runs. They inform and enrich each other:

Departure (sold)

These birds are for sale as individual prints, but I hope the photos prove good enough to use for cards.

Moments (sold)

The sky is full of potential snow. The light is almost pink. This piece has a lot of pink in it, but I have my doubts about all those sharp angles.


Wonderful poem by Anne Sexton about snow on Writer's Almanac today, in which "every branch wears the sock of God."

DREAM

Noodling through my bloglinks led me to Joannie San Chiro, who pointed out the blog of a wonderful Seattle-based artist, Bridgette Guerzon Mills. Dream-like imagery. Birds. Trees. I am in love.

Speaking of dreams:

Dream (sold)

Made while dreaming of Cape Cod. Warm thoughts for a cold day. Posted on Etsy today.

Have been running around alternately delivering work, making it, photographing it, and trying to beat back the tumbleweeds of dog fur in the house. O yes, and getting ready for Christmas. I think I made my last run to the post office and UPS this week. Two more shows to go.

Holiday shows

If you are near Lowell Massachusetts next weekend, come support the arts ! Lowell Fiber Studios will be open, along with the studios of over 100 other artists at Western Avenue Studios Saturday December 8, 10-6.

If you live near Poughkeepsie, NY, you are invited to the home show at my sister's house on Saturday December 15, 1-5. I will be there along with Beldan K. Radcliffe, a print-maker from Martha's Vineyard. You'll find lampshades, scarves, jewelry, journals, along with lovely art for the walls.

Buy local. Buy art.

Winter

First, my "office" on a typical day. It's "to-do" piles, all the way down:
The snow arrived yesterday, with ice in tow: weather only dogs and kids could love. My girl,up at 5:30 AM, was delighted to wake to the sound of shoveling. I, who once shoveled an entire driveway not six weeks after surgery, was hard-pressed to clear the sidewalk. Soon I will be one of those old people the neighbors send their kids over to help. It's true.

I remember my grandmother, weeks before she died, saying "I don't know how I became 80. Inside, I'm still 21." Well, 50's in the review mirror, and I still sing the Mr. Ed theme song. Go figure.