Thursday, May 8, 2014

European "Feltmaker to Feltmaker Hand-Off"- Part 1 of ?

My cozy fleece coverlet at Elis's.


                                     Dawn and I enjoying wine and chocolates.

                    (For Dawn, more chocolate and less wine...for me, the reverse!) Grin!



                       On our first day there, we took a trip to a local vocational college...



                       ...where Elis endeavored to assist mechanically-inclined young men...

                                 ...with an art assignment (designing a kinetic sculpture).



                                                       Elis's wonderful studio...

                                       

                                                   ...where felt magic happens!



                      This massive resist was used to make some of the felt pieces...

                            ...that will be displayed in Elis's latest exhibit, Confluence.

                             (Make plans to go, if you're able...it's going to be spectacular!!)



                                                          Our 'family photo'...

                                           ...in the style of the Addams Family...



                                            ...and a portrait of the artist at home!


                                                  Eating fries the 'Dutch' way...

                                           ...with satay- and curry-mayonnaise!



                                    Dawn and I rode bikes to the pub one evening...

                      ...and yes...we even managed to ride them safely home, afterwards!! :)



                                                A yummy cappuccino confection.



                                                       Visiting Veere, NL...



                                     ...and viewing this interesting light installation...


                                                         ...beautiful local homes...

                                  


                                                               ...shops...
       

                                                                   ...and ships.


                 We were joined for the day by another Dutch feltmaker and good friend,  Kim.



                                      Happily, an art show was being held that day...


                                                   ...in this beautiful space...


                           

                              

                                      
          
                                      ...featuring super sculptures by Aris Roskam...




                                                                  ...lovely music...


                                ...and wonderful, individualistic portraits by Wilma Geerts.



                                      At  Feltfull last summer...

                    ...I made friends with several wonderful feltmakers who reside in the UK...

                                  ...and a plan was 'hatched' for a visit there, this spring!

                         When the Edinburgh portion of my plans fell through quite suddenly...

                     ...I decided to begin my journey with friends in The Netherlands, instead!

                                     Next time: I take a train to the Dutch 'Bible Belt'...

                                        ...and make a surprising (and tiny) new friend! :)

                                 

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Wonderwool Wales 2014-Booth Photos- Part 2 of 2

More glorious yarns...

                 
                                        ...and a stylish fiber-use 'show and tell'!



                          A happy reunion with another 'Feltfull' friend, Pat Johnson...

                             ...(shown here with Pearl Taylor in front of the IFA booth).



                                                           Luscious silk dupioni cuts...



                                  ...eye-catching scrims and finished felt squares...



                                           ...gauzy, hand-dyed fabrics for nuno felting...

                                     

                                             ...and shimmery threads and velvets...



                                                ...plus truly wonderful displays...

                     ...all filled the booth of the charmingly named 'Oliver Twists' fiber company!



                                   Jenny Barnett's adorable miniature garments...

                                           ...really brought out the little girl in me...





             ...and the IFA booth was chock-full of felted goods to admire...



                                                          ...and to desire!! :)



                             Delicious organic "nibbles" were tasted (then rapidly purchased!)...

                                                ...from Wil's Smokehouse...



                       ...and as we left the festival at the end of a long and very special day...

                                        ...we bid a fond 'farewell' to this beauty!



Sunday, May 4, 2014

Wonderwool Wales 2014- Booth Photos- Part 1 of 2

                                                     
                                           We saw Alison Murray's Giant Textile Dragon...



                                   ...and True Style Lab's shockingly lifelike needle-felted creatures...



                                                      ...angora bunnies...



                                  ...and Guto the Whippet's up-cycled dog wear.



                                  There were gorgeous linen threads and boucle yarns from Namolio...



                                            ...adorable sheep (of course!)...



                                 ...and luscious merino rovings from Nunoco.



               We met lovely Welsh men from the National Wool Museum...



              ...and 'oohed and aahed' over ceramic bowls made expressly for knitters by Wendy Fowler.



                                     I attended the event with my darling friend, Pearl...

                           ...(shown, here, chatting with fiber artist, Jenny Pepper).



                               There were oh-so-many booths featuring gorgeous yarn...



...and I absolutely drooled over Mr. Groovi's super sleek and functional felting tables!

                                  (Good thing they come with built-in drains!) ;)



                              I also was quite 'taken' with Jackie Lunn's lovely booth...



                             ...and with the intricately screen-printed felt of Lindsey Tyson.



                                      As with all good sheep and wool festivals...

                               ...fiber textures and colors were the event highlights!



                                      Next time: more booth (and animal) photos!

Friday, May 2, 2014

Wonderwool Wales 2014

Hand-spun yarn, dyed roving and a tote...


                         ...gloriously-colored variegated merino and new knitting needles...



                                    ...pencil roving, notecards and pre-felt snippets...

                 ...a shawl pin, commercial pre-felt and a sweet linen needle case...


                       ...variegated and 'tweedy' linen yarns and a huge sheet of mulberry silk...                      


                                     ...spools of luscious silk thread and buttons...     
         

                                           ...dyed cocoons and silk carrier rods...



                                       ...and some lovely grey BFL/silk blend roving.

                              (Can you believe that all of these festival 'acquisitions'...

                                           ...fit into my already stuffed luggage?) :)




Wonderwool Wales...

                                       ...is a 'festival of Welsh wool and natural fibres'.

                                             I was lucky enough to attend this year...

                                      ...with great friends, Pearl and Deborah...


                                               ...and it was truly spectacular!!

                                                     Next time: booth photos!