Felting Fun: Mittens and Slippers at SCC

One of the things I love most about working in fibers is how versatile the medium is.  While in most of my work I use it for expressive purposes, it's also very nice to be able to make functional items, especially at this time of year.  When it starts to get chilly and I begin to make holiday gift plans I really enjoy using my skills to make cozy, one of a kind gifts for the people I care about.

This year I'm also excited to share a couple of my favorite projects with a workshop at Contemporary Craft in Pittsburgh.  I'll be teaching a class December 14th called Felting Fun: Mittens and Slippers. I'll be teaching the basics of wet felting and then showing the specific techniques needed to make a custom pair warm and cozy mittens or slippers.  It's a super fun project and easy as well, everyone will leave with a completed project to keep for themselves or give as a gift.

Also, on Friday night I'll be teaching Ugly (Or Not so Ugly) Holiday Sweaters as part of SCC's first Crafts and Drafts.  Participants can bring an old sweater from home or a thrift store find and I will be demonstrating needle felting customization techniques just in time for holiday parties.  Throw in some Local Beer and cheesy music and it should be a fun time for all!

Emergence

I've updated my website with images from Transient Structures.  Besides the woven work I also showed some studies for a new body of work I'm just beginning entitled Emergence, which involves embroidery on paper.  Using the long, chaotic floats and the abstracted natural imagery of my weavings as inspiration, these new pieces are more direct and immediate since they aren't restricted to the grid of the loom.  There is a lightness to this work which makes them seem as ephemeral as my weavings, even though they are constructed out of much stabler materials and will far outlast the rusted work.