Congrats! My Friends!

I'm so excited for my friends afar!  They have achieved  success in the fiber field with these exhibits!  
Here is information on East Texas Fiber Exhibit:  

The East Texas Art League will be hosting the opening of Fiber Fabrications, showcasing the work of Beaumont Area Fiber Artists,Elizabeth Ann Broussard, Dot Collins, Susan Cornell, Jerry Lynne Domingue,  Connie Marie Fahrion, Kathy Risinger, Christine Schmelebeck, Sherry Walker, and Sylvia Weir, from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., Saturday, September 26, 2015, at the East Texas Regional Art Center in Jasper, Tx.  .  The show will run through October 31, 2015.  Congrats--Dot, Connie, Sylvia!  You were always an inspiration!


If you are on the East Coast, drop in to see Antje Goldflam's work.  Antje Goldflam is originally from Germany and soon after her geology degree started to roam the world with her husband. She has lived in 8 countries-mainly in South East Asia. She sees herself as a global citizen and wherever she lived she enjoyed learning about new cultures, people and arts. She was a Chinese brush painting student of Master Lim Eow in Bangkok in 1989 and preferably paints landscapes, birds and lotus. - 

Wednesday, September 30, 2015 - 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm  

International Center (IC) See map

421 Temple Street

Event description: 

The Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) is proud to host a reception for the opening of the Yale Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Group's 2015 painting exhibition. It will be held at the OISS from September 16th to October 28th, 2015.

- See more at: OISS--Yale Education  So happy to see Antje's work!  

Horsehair Fabric

Many moons ago, I worked at a French Colonial Plantation in Baton Rouge.  Sitting up on the ridge was this plain but elegant late 1700's-early 1800's home.

You wonder why I bring this up now--well, the other day, I was browsing the Internet--you always come across some interesting and astounding facts and fiction there!--anyway, back to the subject at hand.

My browser took me to this website about horsehair----I was reminded of my past history with this plantation.

In the parlor in this lovely little home was several pieces of horsehair upholstered pieces:

--A set of five American mahogany Classical style side chairs: Ca. 1820. New York. Each with a curving tablet crest between molded stiles which become the seatrails; horizontal back support with a central roundel flanked by foliate brackets; having a black pattern horsehair seat raised on saber legs
--An American Classical mahogany swivel piano stool: Ca. 1820-1830. Having a curving figured tablet crest and carved back support, the stiles sweep downward to form the seatrails; having a ring-turned support and three hipped and leaf-carved splayed legs ending with paw feet; the seat upholstered in black patterned horsehair

Since this was not one of those 'fancy' antebellum house of Civil War era,  docents spoke of the lifestyle and furnishings of the period.  Each room had a display piece and the one in the parlor was a horsetail so all could touch and feel.  Horsehair was a popular upholstery in that time period and for several years thereafter.  But, today, we don't see much of this elegant furniture.  In fact, I didn't know it was still being woven until I came across this video.

Have a look at this video: Horse Tales Vimeo Video by Nick Wilcox-Brown

A Pause For Remembrance

Today is the anniversary of that dreadful day September 11, 2001.  You will always remember where you were when you heard that news--the twin towers had fallen and many lives had been lost.

Today, let's take a moment..................................................................................Reflect!

The photos are embedded in your memories!

Linsey-woolsey!

I've always been interested in how spinners and weavers of Colonial America made their clothing.

Since I have spun all types of fibers and know how long it takes to spin just one bobbin of any fiber--I'm completely overwhelmed thinking about their daily tasks and how they accomplished clothing their family as well as keeping food on the table!

The above quilt is an example of at least one textile that survived the test of time.

According to family tradition, the quilt is made of pieces of shirts worn by boys in the Lowrie/Knox family, several of whom died in the Confederate Army. The cloth, according to the family story, was homespun and dyed with walnuts and china berries.

Some of these textiles use 'linsey-woolsey', which means there is a linen warp and wool weft--all hand spun.  In later years, especially in the South, it would be a cotton warp.  Now, stop, think--how long would you take to spin and weave fabric for your family?!

check out Linsey-woolsey and Civil War Quilts 

One Skein of Yarn--What To Do?

There is a Knit Along on Ravelry (of course! my favorite go to website!)

Yelp!  It's that time again--time to start think about winter wear--let's begin with 

One Skein of Yarn and knit one of these delightful hats.  Most of these patterns use Worsted

weight yarn, but I'm thinking why not use two or three strands of my sock yarn to get the

gauge I need?  Another way to use up the stash!!  

Andre Sue Knits has this cute and simple hat.

Purl Bee always has fashionable patterns available

Balls to the Wall Knits has this cute Wickerwork cap designed by Gretchen Tracy.

Copyrights for Artists

Copyrights for artists has always been a big topic of conversation.  What does copyright include when you have created a piece, written an article, taught a workshop?  Is it original?  Many people think that copyright is a method of preventing people from making anything that’s similar to their work. That’s actually not true. Copyright is nothing more than the right of the creator to control the copying and distribution of his work. But it is an important and powerful concept that you really do need to understand as an artist.

Here is a chart that explains copyrights the best way I've ever seen.

Decisions! Decisions! Decisions!

You see I have this hand spun yarn--and in order to meet a challenge deadline, I need to make a decision.....soon!  Every January we have our spinners gathering and each year there is a theme.  The theme for 2016 is "Cotton Candy".  WEll, I have the handspun cotton--but, what to knit from this lofty soft stuff??

I did have this pattern picked out at first:

Here Be Water Dragons by Quinton Lime  but then I looked again at the pattern (after I'd printed it off, of course!) and found there was an error--so glad I didn't begin this one.  Now, Houston We Have a Problem!

The problem--there are so many interesting patterns to choose from, like:

Falling Leaves Scarf

Pattern by Robin DeWeese

Shetland Shell Lace Scarf

by Frances Goodman

Tiger Eyes Lace Scarf

by Toni M. Maddox

Dayflower Scarf

by Toni M. Maddox

Foreign Correspondent's Scarf

by Lexy Lu

One Row Handspun Scarf

by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

Spiral Staircase Shawl

by LizAnn Petch

3S Shawl

by Amy Meade

 Decisions, Decisions, Decisions--I'm thinking I'll put the patterns in a hat and pull one out!  that could be a solution for sure..............................................