Wednesday, September 30, 2015

September Spinning

September has been a very creative month.  I started out the month making quilt tops from my hand crafted fabric and making felted beads and turning them into jewelry.  All along knitted cross body bags and a sweater.  I finished off the month spinning yarn  on my spinning wheel and creating art yarn on my hand spindle.  Then dyeing and stamping silk scarves while waiting on hurricane Joaquin to disappear from the radar.  I guess I've been channeling the creative and Upleveling spinning energy of the Universe this month.




Sunday, September 27, 2015

Crafting Yarn to Art

I've been in a crafting vortex this week.  Ideas has been flying around my head like crazy.  I've also had the stamina to craft my ideas.  It all starting with wool.  Felting balls to spinning fiber.   Oh, what a glorious couple of weeks.

Here I am crafting art yarn for a one-of-a kind artful accessory.



Friday, September 25, 2015

Fall is in the air

Happy Fall to my blog friends.  I began my artistry in basketweaving 20 years ago.   After years of not crafting due to the fact I was crafting a very successful corporate enterprise and having babies.  I needed a quick creative outlet.  Weaving baskets was the beginning. 


Thursday, September 24, 2015

Spinning Art Yarn

Yesterday a wonderful lady named Beth helped me get my spinning wheel back in working order.  It had been in storage for awhile and needed repair.  I've been feeling the urge to spin for months.  Last fall I did some drop spinning but it didn't hold me for long.  I stayed up last night spinning on my wheel and getting used to it again.


This is the yarn I spun last night.


I had planned on making art yarn and creating it on the wheel.  When I woke up this morning I had a great 'A ha!'  I could make art yarn on the drop spindle.  Why didn't I think about this before.  It was perfection.  I loved making the art yarn on the drop spindle.  It was so much fun and easy.  I'm definitely going to teach this technique in a workshop.  The ladies will love it.!



Then I attached the bulky flyer and plyed this yarn.  It will take a little while to get used to the bulky, but I loved it after I was done.


Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Felted Statement Necklace

I finally finished it.  There are so many possibilities.  I'm sure I'm going to try to exhaust them.  Check back to see my progress.



Sunday, September 20, 2015

Felted beads

Things are coming along nicely.  Still not finished though.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Lesson: Struggle into Success!

 Success:  today was a success!  I started over using my friend  Dalis' handpainted wool @dancingleaffarms.  Within  5 minutes I had a felted ball and I finished these in less than an hour.  So glad I didn't let yesterday's struggle get me down.  If I hadn't experienced yesterday's disappointment, I would  not have experienced today 's 'Joy!'





For my students:  Yesterday, I had a project fail .  I was trying to make felted beads for a necklace.  Felting is not my expertise, but I'm always up for something new.  My friend and Gallery owner Jenn @obxbluepelican braved her wool allergy to help me out.  We tried for over an hour and it didn't work.  These balls just wouldn't felt!!  When I got home I saw I had been using super wash wool which is designed not to felt!  Oh, well there really are no mistakes.  I'll just repurpose them into another project.  The lesson? When crafting there are successes and struggles.  The key is to turn the struggles into successes.


Final Update!  What a difference a day makes.



Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Craft book

I've begun work on my latest version of my Crafty Diva collection fabrics, books and craft kits.  I'm making it current and shifting some of the designs and layouts to put a new spin on things.  I've also given myself a deadline for completion.  It takes many a year to produce, write, design and publish work.  It's not overnight as we have been led to believe.  This is round three for me.  The third time is the charm.


Thursday, September 10, 2015

Improv Quilting with Hand painted fabric

Twelve years ago I started painting on fabric.  I wanted to design my colorful collection of fabric to use in home decor.  One of  the projects I wanted to make was quilting with hand painted fabric.  I'm not a precise sewer.  My finishing skills suck to say the least.  I'm also a perfectionist so I never let myself be totally free in my improv attempts.  This all changed this week.  I finally got that 'aha' moment yesterday when I was playing with scraps from a patchwork quilt top I made last week.  I'm not finished with this mini quilt or the patchwork one.  I still gave to do the backing and I think that I will paint more fabric for that.  But, I'm in love with this little scrappy quilt.


My process in crafting this quilt.


The patchwork quilt I made last week.


My first stack of handpainted quilts from 2003.


Monday, September 7, 2015

End of Summer

It's been a great summer at Camp Crafty Diva!  Thank you all so much for participating in our summer program.  I enjoyed meeting all of you!  It was such a pleasure teaching you and seeing your finished projects.  Thanks to Jennifer Johnson, Avery Johnson and the staff at Blue Pelican Gallery Gifts & Yarn for their support and assistance this summer.  Have a great school year and fall!  See you next summer.


We've also had a very fun and productive summer at the Crafty Diva Fiber Arts Workshop at Blue Pelican Gallery Gifts & Yarn.  The ladies have made some very creative and colorful hand crafted art-to-wear and home accessories.  I'm so proud of you all and look forward to more knitted projects this fall.  Next week we launch our fall schedule of classes.  Stay tuned and enjoy this last week of summer.  Happy Knitting!


Sunday, September 6, 2015

Crafting while traveling

Part of my traveling adventures is checking out art galleries and working studios.  I love making arts & crafts and trying new techniques while on a trip.  I learn so much when I do this and I get so inspired.  While in Asheville last month I stopped at a paint your pottery studio that also had fused glass. I love making fused glass pendants and was ready for the next level of making plates.  I wanted my plate to have a neon outer space feel.   Random pops of color with not a lot of definition spiraling through the universe.  I definitely achieved my goal and I love the results.  My collection of fused glass plates is beginning.





Saturday, September 5, 2015

Scarf to Quilt

Remembering the process.  I started this last February.  After I washed them the fabric frayed on a few of them.  So, then I couldn't sell them as planned.  Next I put them in a bag in the back of the closet.  Next I made space in my studio had my machine repaired.  I was frustrated and confused about what to create next.  I picked up my neon knitting (which is pure meditation for me) and voila the idea came to dig in my closet and see what would resurface.  I got this brilliant idea, but it was too hot in my studio yesterday.  I was frustrated , crabby and zen all day.  I wanted to start stitching but couldn't make myself go in there.  I let it go.  Woke up this morning and boom started stitching.  Love it!!



The process.




My batik scarves stitched together. Now, the question is do I hand quilt it? Machine quilt it? Or both? First though the backing fabric. I'm loving it and I don't want to ruin it by over thinking.


Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Camp Crafty Diva

We had fun crafting on Blue Pelican Gallery Gifts & Yarn porch this morning.  Two sister-in-law's Pamme and Joyce stopped by to make and create their own art-to-wear scarves.  It always amazes me to see the gorgeous fashions my students create.  I enjoyed working with these two ladies today and so happy that they left with big smiles.  Aren't their scarves beautiful?


Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Jane's Reveal

This morning Jane completed her summer t-shirt.   It turned out so lovely.  The colors and fabric are brilliant and rich.  It fits her very well and is a great beginners project.  She's worked hard on it the past few weeks and will be 'sporting it around town'.  We also started planning her new project , a Knitted Throw for her couch.  I coached her on color theory and adding different textures in designing this project.  I can't wait to see how she knits up these different fibers and colors.  I'm very proud of her.  Stay tuned...