Dip, dip, dip - dry....

By the way... this is the first puppet I ever made. I was maybe 5 or so...

Lock Washing

I started washing fleece for my hand-spinning programe.  There are several different kinds and the students have to decide, based on the end use of the wool, how to wash and prepare the wool.  Some of it, I washed in a bag in the sink and some I lock washed.  


Lock washing is my new favorite way of washing fleece.  It's very time consuming but also very meditative for me...  basically, you separate the greasy fleece into individual locks then dip each lock into very hot, soapy water, rinse in hot water and lay flat to dry... 

The Set Up

At first, I kept burning my finger tips in the water, then Boomer gave me her surgical forceps. They sound scary but are really just small, tightly locking tweezer-y things.  I could grab onto the wool and tightly lock it and dip away without burning my fingies or having the lock fall apart. The whole purpose of lock washing the fleece is to keep it all organized as far as the tip of the lock vs. the end that was attached to the sheep. 

Washed and Drying!

Now I have a whole pile of different fleeces all washed and ready to go! Romney, Lincoln, Corriedale and some Merino - maybe some other stuff too!

Bags-o-Wool!

I'm getting ready for my Hodge Podge Farm Residency too!  Lots of natural dyeing will take place as well as some weaving. This will kick off a new body of work for me!  Well, actually, I'm hoping a class I'm starting tomorrow will kick it off!  It's an Abstract Quilt class.  I'm going to get all surface design on that quilt!  I just can't decide on a theme....  hmmmm.....


I have a Granny Square Class coming up at Greenwood Quiltery that will be a blast!  Get in touch with them to register!


OH!  The Donkey Sanctuary of Canada is amazing and everyone should sponsor a donkey there!

A Sheep Friend for the Donkeys

Boomer Brushin' a Donkey

OHS Second Time and More!

Haliburton School of the Arts - Red Door!

I have just completed my second year for my OHS Hand-spinning certificate, well the actual school part at least...  many hours of homework await me.

View from our cabin.

This year, up at the beautiful Haliburton School of the Arts, we focused on worsted spinning, wool and nature dyeing.  All of it was way up my alley.

Colour Blending:

The weather was wonderful, my cabin mates were fantastic and my fibre nerd classification went up ten points!

Nature Dyeing with Marigolds:

Trying out various wheels and combing wool - my new favorite thing:

 This summer is shaping up to be a good one - I'll be teaching a Granny Square class on July 21st at Greewood Quiltery, a total revamp of THIS blog, a few Surface Design and hand-spinning classes that I will be attending AND, the best of all, a residency at HODGEPODGE FARM! (I will be writing about that one very soon)....

Testing a lock for soundness and a bag-o-homework fleece:

Hodgepodge, Vendor Call Out and Various Fun!

This past week was such a fun week because my wonder-buddy Cal Patch came for a visit!  I was fortunate enough to be able to sit in on F-I-V-E of her classes!  I now have enough patterns drafted to make a wardrobe!  She is an amazing teacher and the classes were held at The Workroom in Toronto - an amazing space.  One of her students - an extreamly crafty lady herself - Austen Gilliland even wrote about her adventures in Cal's T-Shirt Making Class!

Of course we did a lot of the usual - eating cake, drinking tea and shopping for matching yarn to make matching cowls.  We had a fun time at Shall We Knit? in Kitchener and both purchased some lovely yarn by Indigodragonfly to make a crocheted cowl.  I also picked up some yarn to finally make the Coquille!  It's turning out beautifully.

I also want to make a call out to you!  Crafts people and artisans - I'm part of an amazing team that is organizing a craft/art sale for Saturday July 14th!  It's the first annual Sparkworks Craft and Art Sale benefiting the wonderful organization Spark of Brilliance.  Check out the info on the poster and sign up:

I've also become involved with another amazing team!  Farmer Fern and Friends!  Farmer Fern and his friends are puppets that teach children about the importance of gardens and plants and loving healing powers that growing stuff offers!  Please check out the Farmer Fern Blog for upcoming performances and more information....


Lastly, I'm gearing up for year two of my OHS handspinning course.  Year two of six!  I'm very excited to see all the students that I met last year and I'm geared up to get to work.  I'm very happy to be bunking with the Crafty Gardener - Andie L.  Here I am working on a (last minute) assignment on my Babe Espinner!

Skirts Are For Everyone! (and puppets)...

Last week I was fortunate enough to be invited to give a talk to the Kitchener Waterloo Knitter's Guild about knitted skirts and garment care. It was a wonderful evening! I felt a little lost at first without my cohort - Tamaralda.  She and I gave a similar talk at the Downtown Knit Collective last year. I changed the talk to include more about fibre choice in knitted garments (because I'm a fibre nerd and can talk about that kind of stuff until the sheep come home). Here are some pictures of myself in action as well as a table of "goodies" that consist mostly of wonderfully crafted garments belonging to Tamaralda. 


I also completed "Luna"! My first puppet in a series that is dedicated to the animals of the lunar astrological chart. I started with a rabbit because that is my lunar animal. I think I'm going to do a rat next, not because I have any significant "rats" in my life but, because I have a good idea for a rat puppet!  

Puppets have become very important in my life lately. I completed a three session workshop with Spark of Brilliance in puppet making and I have a few more workshops "on the books". I'm looking forward to teaching more puppet making and also making more puppets!  PUPPETS! These are some creations from the Spark of Brilliance workshop...

Lastly, Ms. Cal Patch of Hodgepodge Farms is coming here! In a few weeks she will be here, in my house! Crafting with me and teaching some amazing classes at The Workroom in Toronto! I can't wait!

Are knitted skirts for you? And some!

Next Tuesday April 12th, I will be speaking at the Kitchener Waterloo Knitter's Guild about hand-knit skirts! This talk will be similar to the one that myself and Tamaralda offered last year through the Downtown Knit Collective.  Sadly, I will be flying solo this time but, Tamaralda was kind enough to lend me her samples so gentle touching and viewing will happen. I will be talking about body types and what type of skirt flatters what type of figure, I will also be talking about garment care and choosing the right fibre for creating your skirt! The meeting starts at 7:30pm and the fee for non-members is $5.  Please click here for directions.

The Puppet Making Workshop has finished its second week and tonight will be the last session.  Last week, the class got down and dirty with papier maché!  We all fumbled through smashing the material onto our "puppet skeletons" and had a lot of fun!  Tonight we paint and assemble - I'll post pics next post.

I've been taking a dress making class with Alison Ellett and I love it! I have really wanted to make the wrap around dress in this beautiful Japanese pattern book called, "Simple Modern Sewing".  I'm so happy Alison is there for guidance! I have been making MAJOR adjustments to the original pattern, which is great because I'm learning a lot but boy, is it time consuming! I'm already planning on making loads of these dresses in different lengths and with different sleeves - once I figure out the pattern, it will be so worth it.  My muslin is finally fitting properly and so now - I have been given permission to go a head and cut my fabric out! I'm scared...  and excited!

Puppets!

A pile of Rod Puppets

I've always been obsessed with puppets of all kinds. When I was a kid my father would bring home giant boxes that my brother and I would make into puppet theatres. Being a shy person, it also allowed me to have something else speak for me.

I use masks and puppets as a method for storytelling and also as a reflection of myself. They appeal to my need to create a personal mythology and are magical in the way that, most people disregard the presence of the puppeteer when watching a performance.  Also, they allow me to utilize all the different mediums that I love in one shebang (sculpture, textiles, painting, etc.)!

I recently started teaching a puppet making class through Spark of Brilliance and it's a great success so far!  In fact, once the word got out that I was facilitating a puppet making class, I've been asked to facilitate several more over the summer to children, youth and adults! I just love the broad appeal!

My personal project is to create puppet for each animal sign of the Lunar Zodiac - starting with The Rabbit, since that's me.

In class we started by making a framework/skeleton out of paper, masking tape and balloons.  Everyone seemed to have a fantastic time and I was so pleased.  In week two, we're going to apply the papier maché (which I'll show on my next post).

Check out the pictures:

 The group hard a work!

 Two boxes of puppet skeletons! Ready for the fun stuff!

Grab-bag!

I've been working on some fun things but it's all a real grab-bag of stuff!


First - I'm going to be teaching Banner/Wall Hanging making through Spark of Brilliance the next two Tuesdays!  I'm super excited!  Here's the poster and a picture of my yet unfinished "banner".  It's a bit of a ugly photo (I'll give you a hint...  it's a squid)...








Coming up in a few weeks is Puppet making!  That's going to be a fun one, I'll be posting about that soon.


Secondly - I FINALLY made a Schoolhouse Tunic! I took a class at Greenwood Quiltery with the lovely Alison Ellett.  Taking a workshop was the perfect thing to kick my butt into action!  I finished the tunic using a very beautiful fabric by one of my fave designers, Lotta Jansdotter. As soon as the last stitch was done, I got fabric to make another one so that I don't forget all the tips and tricks that Alison taught us.  This time I chose a great fabric from Jay McCarroll!  I then signed up for Alison's "Dress Bee" that she facilitates at a local sewing machine shop.   A four week sewing bee guided by Alison with patterns chosen by me!  I can't wait!












Thirdly - I made these really ugly crocheted cuffs that were just ridiculous and flouncy! I couldn't sit at my desk and write notes or anything!  So, I played around with them and discovered I could button them together and make a really cool collar!  I was so happy because the yarn was stuff I had purchased at Verb for Keeping Warm when I was visiting last year.  I would never want to flub a project with yarn that amazing!

Fourthly - I registered for my second year of the Ontario Handweavers and Spinner's Handspinning Certification Course!  (mouthful)  It's at the Haliburton School for the Arts and is in May. I still have to do a paper on my crazy eSpinner.  I have NOT been practicing enough because of my sore arms and wrists..... it's time to suck it up!

Fifthly (and kind of bestest) - Cal Patch is coming a the end of April and we're going to get to hang out for a week! She'll be teaching classes at the Workroom and it's all very exciting. Also, it's finally time for us to plan my residency at Hodgepodge Farm!  It's really happening in August for two whole weeks!  BLISS!!

Sixthly - I started working on my crochet EPS sweater made out of my gorgeous Jill Draper Empire yarn.  I'm so happy because the gauge swatch worked out perfectly on my magical wand crochet hook that I got from Willette's at Sheep and Wool last October! Now I have to grill Cal on some hows and get started on this sweater!