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!

Overgrowth Final Installation Shots

I've been back in Savannah for a week now and it has taken this long just to get back into the swing of things and go through my final images of Overgrowth.  The project was designed to take 3 months and when that time was done so was the piece.  I'm sure I could have spent another 3 months making felt and covering the space, but it was nice to have that cut off date to force me to some creative decisions for engaging the space.  A few little sections of my felted "mold" on the outside of the glass case ended up being my favorite parts, like new spores breaking off and beginning to spread. The piece will remain on display in Contemporary Craft's lobby until the end of the month!

Since I won't be on hand to talk to visitors about the project and the dyes I used I left this little display with some swatches of my naturally dyed wool and a vase with some of the dried plant materials.

 

I'll be getting back into my studio this week and the next 2 months will be busy busy busy with finishing my thesis exhibition, which opens November 1st at Ashmore Gallery here in Savannah.

The Home Stretch

I've only got a little over a week left here at Contemporary Craft, and the installation is coming along. 

It started to grow over and inside of the old refrigerated case. Bending sideways and backwards to felt inside the case wasn't so great on my back, but I'm pretty excited about how its looking.

Besides working feverishly on the installation I've been teaching a couple workshops.  On tuesday I taught a bundle dying workshop, which Contemporary Craft blogged about here. Yesterday I taught Introduction to Felt-making with a really great group, we made lots of felt and had a lot of fun!

Workshop Postcard

Information on my workshops at Contemporary Craft

July 14th

 Sometimes it seems like I don't get very far in a day, but looking between my last post and today's images is reassuring.  I spent over a week making all the little fiddly bits in the center of the side counter, and I will probably still add a bit more.  For the time being however I've moved onto bigger (and better?) areas.  I'm starting to work my way across the front of the space.

I'm getting especially excited about the way its beginning to drip over the front side here.

June 25th

Just a quick update on the progress of the installation at SCC.  I've been making lots of felt and dyeing lots of wool.  The bright yellows and oranges are coming from turmeric, and I've gotten a pale minty green from spinach and a blue/grey from black beans, all sourced from the markets just around the corner from SCC in the Strip District of Pittsburgh.  Its been a lot of fun exploring the city and my to-do list just keeps getting longer.

June 10 2013

I've just finished the first week of my residency at Contemporary Craft here in Pittsburgh.  I'm working on a fiber installation that's inspired by natural processes of decay. The installation will grow over time to completely engulf the space by the end of August, and is made up of a couple different components. One component is made up of these felted cup forms inspired by moss, lichen, and mold, shown here at the end of day two:

There just so happens to be this lovely tree outside my workspace, which provided me with my color palette. I'm doing a bit of natural dying using locally foraged plants to get some of my colors.  Shown below are samples dyed with a mixture of Queen Anne's lace and Golden Alexander, using Iron and Copper Mordants. 

This yarn is going to be used for another component of the installation, a large vine that will grow across the back wall and into the space, which just got started today.

 I'm hoping to make weekly updates on the installation as it grows, so check back often, or follow the Contemporary Craft Tumblr which will also be posting updates.