A new Journey!

This month I start on a new journey. I closed my retail store in Pittsfield and will move to selling online. It is something very new to me. In the store will be yarns, fiber, and my one of a kind felted art. The new website is being created and I will provide updates soon! In the mean time I am packing and organizing all my product. WOW! what a job. With every ball of yarn I pick up I see a new projects. Color combinations I never thought of spring to mind! I can't wait to get into my newly remodeled studio and play. Many of my customers have asked about the studio and if I would sell or have classes there. Yes, I will hold classes and they will be updated as I know them. I hope to have an open house for those interested in the new studio in October. That seems like a long way off but there is much work to yet be done!!!

For now here are a few of my favorite pieces I have made in the past. I hope to have new work soon!

Happy Creating!

Anita



A felting makeover

A couple of months ago I started this felted picture with the idea I wanted to create a forsythia bush. I got started and then got busy doing other things. Yesterday I got it out and I was no longer inspired by it. So I did some research on landscapes in my books and other tutorials and got out my wools....Not the best day yesterday to work with wool! It was hot and sticky and I felt I was wet felting it as I went instead of just needle felting. Had to take several breaks just to let my hands dry out! LOL....

                                                         This is what it was before:



                   This is what it was by 9pm last night. I think I am happy with it :-)

 

That's the beauty of working with wool. If you don't like it, just pull it off before you felt it real good and change what you don't like. This still needs some more felting but I like how it looks now.

 

Happy Creating!

Anita

The feeling of creating!

I love the thrill of creating something new. The adrenaline starts when the idea comes. Then the thrill of gathering all the materials and sitting down for that first creative session. One of the things I really like doing is spinning yarn. I don't get much time to do that so it is always exciting when I finish something. This yarn was inspired from some Cotswold locks I had dyed bright green. I have been wanting to try core spinning again and using locks would make the yarn look really cool, if I was successful! So I consulted a video about it...again...and sat down at my lovely spinning wheel. As with anything, it was slow going at first. The thing is with core spinning, you have to take it slow. That was good for me as I tend to be going all the time. It was a great chance to just sit and enjoy the moment. Soon I was getting it. YEAH! What a thrill it was. I filled that bobbin and still had locks left over. So I did another one. Now I have enough yarn to actually make something....sometime...that's another adventure. Do you think I was successful??

 

 

Happy Creating!

Anita

At least I have my fiber!

Will this cold ever stop? I am sure I am not the only one asking that question. I know it is not helping my healing process for my knee. So warm weather come on. In the mean time I have my fiber and my yarn...YEAH! Knitting keeps me sane. I can sit by the fireplace and cuddle with my bright colors.

The pantone color of the year is Radiant orchid. I love it so I bought some fiber colors in that family and did some felting.

 



So I did some playing and made a picture and a flower. Lots of fun!

 

I Thought my first attempt at the flower turned out ok. The stem is too thin but I could put a wire around it. I can also secure a pin to the back and wear it as a brooch. Dyed some purple silk and am now going to try one in purple. I'll let you know.

Happy Creating!!!





Another frigid day!

Another chilly day although the sun has just come out. I have been grounded today as my car won't start. I could put the battery charger on but can't get the hood of my car open because it is frozen shut. The vehicle has been sitting outside since I had my knee replacement. So I guess that means I am to stay home and be creative! What to do??? That is the question. So many projects I could do but overwhelmed with ideas! I think this cold weather has frozen my creativity. Everything I have started I do not like or don't know where to go next. So here we are....sitting at the computer. Not always the most productive place to be. There is lots of inspiration and you would think that would be a good thing! However, it too can be overwhelming because you see so many things you want to do and yet don't have time to. Well maybe I will finish a shawl I started on the 5 ft loom. Or maybe I will finish putting together a hat from some felt I made. Or...maybe I will finish my snowman quilt! Stay tuned to find out. Keep safe and warm!

Happy Creating :-)
Anita

2013 almost over!

Hard to believe that 2013 is almost over. The year has gone by really fast. A lot has happened...some good and some not so good. Right now I am recovering from a knee replacement. I have been pulling out yarn and patterns trying to come up with some new ideas for the shop. Of course I had big plans for projects while I am off but you know how that goes. I did make a few Christmas gifts. Have not done that in a while. I need to get back to that. It makes me feel good to give something I have made with my own hands. I am also taking time to update by blog and website as well as research how I can make the shop presence more apparent on Ravelry. I will be placing ads on there in the future that list the types of yarns and other items that we sell in the shop. We have so many beautiful yarns with gorgeous colors that it makes me dizzy sometimes when I walk in!!
I have been doing more crocheting recently. It has been a nice change of pace. Here is a scarf that I did in many different types of yarns. It was very easy to make.

 
 

 

 

August already!

Hello Fiber Friends!

Can it be that August is here already? Where has this summer gone? It seems like only yesterday we were in Gettysburg for the 150th Anniversary re-enactment. I went with my husband and his family. We were the re-enactors. What an awesome experience. It was something to talk about for a long time. Here we are in our outfits at the 154th NY volunteer Inf. memorial

We aren't really grumpy...it was very hot!!!
So what else have I been up to? Well I have been knitting a lot. I got hooked on Noro yarn and have quite a bit of it in the shop! Here is a project I just finished using Taiyo.

I also started Nuno Felting. I really love it. Of course I love anything related to fiber :-) I did a class at the shop and it was a good time. The ladies all made their own scarves. They did an awesome job. I plan on making more smaller art pieces for an upcoming show. Here is a scarf I really love:

School is just around the corner. I don't know yet what this year will bring. I need to have a knee replacement so will have to fit that in somewhere. Life sure does take some unusual turns. But for now I will just keep on making ART and enjoying the process!