Flash Back to 2014

I started creating these Fibre Art Pendants in 2014. They have been a popular item at the fairs I've attended and the shops in Newfoundland that carry them. Each one is a miniature one-of-a-kind piece of art.

Last October, during the Espanola Fibre Art Festival, Northern Ontario, I taught two classes on making these pendants, at. It was a great experience!

Happy New Year

This has been a very busy year. Not so much with my art and business ventures but with house renovations, packing up the house and moving to Nova Scotia in October. Our house in NL sold in November and closed just before Christmas so that was one of the best gifts we could have received. Since the move, I have visited Espanola, Ontario and taught there at the Fibre Art Festival. Of course, the very best thing, we get to see our family all the time, as they are just a 10 minute car ride away!
 
I managed to get to a few stitch days during the year with friends but not as many as I wished.
Thanks for your friendship as it means a lot. Thank you for following my blog posts and to those who leave comments. I may not respond to all of them but they are read and appreciated.

My main goal for the new year is to have a fully functional studio where I can create new fibre art. I have some new yarns and I'm just itching to try them out! 

I wish you health, happiness, time with family and friends, and lots of fun in 2018!

From my house to yours:

Happy New Year! 

Kopanang Universe Canticle - Part One

The Kopanang Universe Canticle is a traveling exhibit created by women in the Kopanang Community in South Africa. I was fortunate to see this body of work during the Espanola Fibre Arts Festival last month.


This collection of 35 stunning hand embroidered wall hangings depicts the universe's story of evolution but also reveals and strengthens the spirit of the Kopanang community. The intricately embroidered panels tell the story of the universe as interpreted by 17 Kopanang women as a means to celebrate life and creation.

Here's part of the display. Click on photos to enlarge and see the details.

Sunday's Class

Here's a few photos of the pendant making class on Sunday. A felting machine was brought to class by one of the students and everyone got a chance to use it. It certainly makes felting go faster than using the one needle. However, if you are only doing occasional projects, a felting machine isn't necessary. Several of the ladies (from both classes) belong to a fibre arts group. Every month they have a challenge to complete. One member of this group felted a background that she was going to use for this month's challenge. I hope I get to see her finished piece.

Free Motion stitching with Sulky Sliver Metallic thread

supply table

 

This is for the fibre group challenge

 Here are a couple of the finished pendants:

Interesting use of free motion stitching

I enjoyed my stay at Espanola and teaching my Fibre Art Pendant class. The ladies were a great bunch to work with. Thanks for everything!

Friday's Workshop at the Espanola Fibre Arts Festival

It was a busy weekend at the Espanola Fibre Arts Festival! I flew up on Thursday, just in time for supper followed by a very informative lecture by one of the invitees (more on that later). That deserves a post of its own.

One of my Fibre Art Pendant workshops was the next day. It was very difficult to get time to do a post as there were things going on during the evenings too.

I had a bunch of very enthusiastic ladies in both classes. A good friend of mine from Newfoundland  traveled all the way to Espanola to take my Friday class.

There was lots of felt and glitzy yarns provided to make the bases for the pendants. I had lots of samples prepared and demonstrated my method for embellishing the felt, making templates, beading and cutting out the pendant shapes. Everyone had a relaxing day and went away very satisfied with their pendants. A few of the ladies visited me at the Vendor's Market the next day, wearing their piece of original art!

I've hooked up with The Needle & Thread Network.

New Adventure

I'm off to Northern Ontario tomorrow to teach at the Espanola Fibre Arts Festival. I'm looking forward to teaching on Friday and Sunday. Students will be creating their own Fibre Art Pendants.

On Saturday, I will be a vendor at the Vendor's Market. I will have a small selection of Shimmer Ornaments, Wearable Art Pins, Felted Ornaments and Pendants. It will be interesting to visit other vendors. 

A few sites to check:

• Flat Needle Felting Tutorial   
• Felting on Pinterest   HERE,  
• Guide to Felting Needles
• Needle Felting Instructions

Enjoy

  

Pendants & More. . .

These three oval pendants were finally finished. They will be going to the Espanola Fibre Arts Festival this weekend. If you are going to this event, please drop by the vendor's market on Saturday. I'll be there.

These gorgeous colours greeted me today at the post box. Definite possibilities for hand / free motion embroidery or small landscapes. The middle pendant mirrors the autumn colours below.

New Fibre Art Pendants

With all the work associated with moving from one province to another, I did manage to create a few Fibre Art Pendants to take with me to the Espanola Fibre Arts Festival next week. There have been requests for larger pendants so I was able to order the larger format for circles, ovals and rectangles. The circles a have two inch diameter.

These are 1 inch by 2 inches

 

It's easy to see the different sizes below. The photo is a bit fuzzy, but you can see the sizes.

Yarn Bundles!

Ooops! It's been a week since I blogged but that's what happens when you move. Unpacking takes over, as does having my granddaughter close by.  Not only that, I'm getting kits ready for the Espanola Fibre Arts Festival Workshop I'm teaching later in October.

I'm putting together 30 kits, some of these will be for sale at the Vendor's Market

Bundles of decorative yarns that were cut ages ago for the workshop

Here's some of the yarns laid out for the kits! Lots more were added to these.

30 bundles of yarn

One bundle

Now for a few links:

• 19 Best Ever Christmas Sewing Projects  
• HW WoolWorks  - Moving to Mahone Bay in October. I'm looking forward to meeting Heidi We've already been in touch.
• 100 + Scrap Fabric Projects  
• Origami Christmas Tree (Free Pattern)      
• Christmas Tree Ornament Mobile  (interesting)

Enjoy!!

We Have Arrived!

Yesterday afternoon, we officially moved into our new home in Nova Scotia! It's hard to believe that it has finally happened. Lots of unpacking to do . . . I spent today getting the kitchen set up. There are lots of cupboards and lighting in all the right places. All the cupboard doors have pull out drawers which makes them perfect for storage. Tomorrow is another day of unpacking.

I will share photos eventually.

The first job will be setting up my new studio. That won't start until sometime next month. For now, I have to concentrate on preparations for the Needle Felting Workshop at the Espanola Fibre Arts Festival in Ontario.

Gale's purple mittens fit perfectly. She was delighted with them!
I do have a few things to share as soon as I find them in one of the boxes!

Enjoy!

Never a Dull Moment!

My sister just told me I haven't posted in a week! So, for some news!!

We now have a house in Nova Scotia and we are hoping to be moved in by mid September. One large U-Haul truck load of 'stuff' has already reached its destination. Most of my 'crafty' things were included. Our granddaughter has already asked which bedroom is hers - sleepovers in our future!

My plane ticket to the Espanola Fibre Arts Festival in mid October, has been purchased. A couple of years ago, I was invited to teach needle felting, specifically, how to make my Fibre Art Pendants. Now I have to finish up some things for that and prepare a kit of goodies.

The purple mitts I started are almost finished - a thumb and a half left to go. Packing, painting and hanging out with family were priorities this past couple of weeks. Knitting was on the back burner.

I did manage to find a few links to check:

• Packing Cubes are a great idea. My nephew had his things packed in a couple of purchased cubes when he visited last week.
• 50 Favorite Best Free Bag Patterns  
• Best Nanaimo Bars from Rock Recipes   
• Rope Basket Purse DIY  

Enjoy!

Workshop at Espanola

As you may already know, I've been invited to teach at the Espanola Fibre Arts Festival in October. My Felted Fibre Art Pendants were of particular interest. Some of the details for this workshop, can be found HERE.  Registration starts May 1st.

I've driven through Northern Ontario many years ago so I'm looking forward to spending time in Espanola.

Working

I have been working on getting my workshop materials ready for next Monday's deadline. The workshop in Espanola, Ontario, isn't until next October, but all the promotional materials have to be done well in advance. I will keep you posted on the festival.

Shimmers are on the embroidery machine. New orders came in today! Busy times . . .
Here are a few links to check:

• Your Whims Wednesday #302  (My Girlish Whims)
• Embroidery Tutorials (I love the french knots)
• Needle & Thread Network 
• Mini Crochet Easter Eggs Basket (borrowed from a friend's blog)
• Free Bunny Applique 
• Mini Tote Bag (Free PDF)         

 Enjoy!

Here's a applique quilted piece that was made in the late 90's. The light background is Sashiko. The thistles are dimensional.

Linking up with The Needle & Thread Network!