Toy Show at Meet Your Maker Gallery

Ten of my Animal Icons are currently in a show at Meet Your Maker Gallery and Gift Shop in Stratford. It's called, Show and Tell and will be up until the end of March. 
Gallery owner, Leigh Cooney wrote a lovely description of my work:

"Alisa McRonald is a fibre artist living and working in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. She has a certificate in jewelry design and has studied tapestry weaving under Ixchel Suarez, but it's her line of mixed media anthropomorphic art dolls that will be featured in this exhibition. Anyone who understand the nuances of neo-folk will fully appreciate the subtle genius conatined within each figure."

The opening was this past Saturday and I had a great time! Here is an article about the show and opening.

Toronto Knitter's Frolic 2017

I'm super excited to be teaching at the Toronto Knitter's Frolic again this year!
The workshop registrations open on March 1st! Come register for Weaving on a Cardboard Loom!

Framing Little Woven Things

I've been making these mini woven things and they are a lot of fun! I've been scouring thrift shops for old frames to mount them in and I think these two turned out very nice. I'm using wool felt as the background and sewing the panel right on. I was originally going to hang them unframed, but they are only about five inches across and was afraid they would get lost hanging on a wall. I like the solution!

Animals

I'm getting ready for a big art sale called Art on the Street. It's in mid-July and I've been making lots of things for it. One of the things that I'm really enjoying is making animal dolls. I'm using paper clay, yarn and fabric. I'm using all sorts of fibre arts techniques in making them. These are the current ones - a porcupine, a woodpecker and a badger.

Hoop-La

It's time for the second annual Hoop-La show and sale! Cynthia and Frances - the founders of Necessary Arts Company came up with this fun show, not only to showcase artists work, but also as a fundraiser and studio grant! Participants were given a wooden circle to create a piece of artwork with. The finished pieces are on display and can be purchased online. I created a circular weaving on mine. I wanted to use lots of texture and different weaving and surface techniques to create my piece. I'm very pleased with the outcome.

Earth Loom Project!

I'm so excited to be a part of this project at the Guelph Enabling Garden! Building an earth loom with the community for use in the garden is something that I have wanted to do for a very long time. This is a wonderful opportunity to work with some fabulous people! Please come out and participate or visit the garden after September 24th to see the woven creation.

Saori in Santa Cruz

Someone LOVES Saori weaving.

A small collection at an amazing studio.

Wow! I just got back from an amazing visit to the bay area. It was so super so visit with my amazing friend Jenne and her family. We did so many amazing things, there will be several posts to reflect my adventures…

Tea, inspiring stones and magical bobbins all ready for our workshop.

The first thing I would like to share is our Saori weaving workshop. We met Jill of Saori Santa Cruz and got to try out Saori weaving in her beautiful studio surrounded by redwood trees.

Getting down to business…

Saori weaving is a way of weaving that allows the creator to be completely free and open to what they are creating. It took me a while to "get into" it. I tried really hard to enter the studio with no expectations or ideas of what I wanted to produce and just let myself be inspired by the materials, atmosphere and my lovely friend - and of course Jill!

Weaving away.

Weaving away on another loom.

Up close.

Pleased with the results!

 We also got to try out this new amazing spinning wheel from National Custom Spinning Works. The man who makes them used to do custom cars and you can really tell by the aesthetic and materials!

Jenne trying out a cool new wheel while Jill looks on.

Tea Break...

Jill was nice enough to write her own blog entry about our day, please take the time to read it too. 

Jenne inspects one of Jill's amazing creations.

A New Studio!

Fibreperson HQ

Well! It's been awhile... the Holidays are over and Winter has set in and it's very, very cold!

To keep from freezing and get me out of (my new!) studio, I've been trying out some different activities. I have taken up Tap Dancing, which I'm finding just a joyful way to get the blood flowing. I've also been going to a weekly Ukulele sing and play time, it's great! I'm learning a lot and having lots of fun. 

I've also completed and organized my new studio! I'm so excited about it... it's a nice cozy space and it's very organized and full of inspiring things and tools I've collected over the years. I just can sit in here and feel inspired. I have a lot of windows and a nice view and a door I can open when the weather is warm.

I'm raring to go and I've started experimenting on weaving by creating my own small looms. I started by using a cylindrical pressing ham that I just inserted pins into to warp on to. I am hoping I can create a seamless tube to use as the body for a puppet. Instead of just weaving around and around, which I think would make the tube on a bias and a little too droopy, I wove different colour blocks to make it more stable. I guess I'll see later today when I finish and remove it!

A cozy place to sit and spin.

Come Learn to Weave on a Cardboard Loom!

This is a fun class!  All you need is a piece of cardboard and some extra yarn! 

Thursday, May 9th 6:30-9pm.
Weaving on a Cardboard Loom - This is a beginner class that will use very simple techniques to get you weaving creatively! No weaving experience necessary - all you need is a piece of cardboard and some yarn... away you go!  
$30 click here for more info or to register.

Cool Things Coming Up!

I just wanted to point out some cool things that are coming up!  

Firstly, I'll be teaching "Making and Weaving on a Cardboard Loom" through Spark of Brilliance! It's going to be a blast! Check out the poster for details...

Secondly, I'm really gearing up for the launch of Make Your Mark Studio! Here's a lovely poster for that event too! Don't forget to visit Make Your Mark Studio and sign up for our mailing list to be on top of all the events coming up!