Little Wren, Big City..

Yesterday I had the honor of teaching a companion class at the

David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh during the 

American Association of Woodturners convention.

The companion classes were hosted by the lovely 

Society for Contemporary Craft for folks who were attending

the convention that were 'non-turners' of wood.

I ended up taking the long way around to the craft room

and stumbled on some beautiful roof top green spaces.

We had a wonderful time weaving some mug-rugs

with my  'Found Object Kits'.

Thank you ladies for a most wonderful afternoon!

Safe travels to all who were visiting from out of town!

Wishing you many more happy 

weaving projects..

~

Infinite Nature

 "I thank you God for this most amazing day, 

for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, 

and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, 

which is infinite, which is yes." 

~e.e. Cummings

Yesterday I had the honor of teaching a natural dye class

 at the beautiful Winnie Palmer Nature Center.

The display table of natural dyed samples for the students.

Lots of mixing, dipping, stirring, rinsing..

more rinsing...

and 

we did it..

.. a rainbow of colors..

There were rockets.

Literally.

It was the airshow and the Blue Angels flew over head.

Thank you ladies for a most amazing day.

May your spirits leap and soar as you continue to find rainbows.

xo

~

Weave all the things...

This past weekend I spent two days at the Society for Contemporary Craft 

teaching a DIY weaving workshop.

We made picture frame looms and created a custom wall hanging.

Students learned some basic tapestry stitches and how to 

source and use reclaimed fibers.

So. Much. Fun!!!

A few samples of their gorgeous weaving..

(top: Lauren, left: Amy, right: Finn)

Thanks to the amazing students who joined me for 

a fun and inspiring weekend!

Keep on weaving...!!

~

Yarn Along...

Collecting.

Winding..

Reclaimed fiber makes me happy.

Vintage yarns, yarn from sweaters, vintage cones..

This collection is for a DIY weaving class I am teaching

at the end of the month.

Dyeing the colors of spring..

'Printemps'

Brilliant green leaves, redbud blooms, peachy maple tree tips 

ready to pop..

Library love:

Reading 'The Mockingbird Next Door: Life with Harper Lee" ..

Just cast on the "Ardent" by Kallio knits.

So much for those UFO's..

~

Joining Ginny

Yarn Along..

Slowly chipping away at the unfinished object pile 

of knitting projects (UFOs)

Adore this scarf pattern by Janina Kallio

~ Terrain~

Knit with some of my naturally dyed yarn:

Golden rod over-dyed with Indigo.

I find myself impatient for the Queen Anne's Lace

and Golden Rod to come this year...

Reading some lovely natural dye books from the library.

Trying hard to finish the UFOs before casting on something new.  

Knitting on a 3 year old wrap from hand spun now, but 

couldn't resist casting on the Moto Vest by Shelli Westcott.

So simple and chunky yarn..

Looking wonderful from all the 

Woolful podcast chatter...

I said trying right?

~

Joining Ginny

(PS - Ellen .. If you are out there.. can you please send me an email? I can't seem to email you with the address I have  xoxo)

Color study

"I love to study the many things that grow below the corn stalks and bring them back to the studio to study the color. 

If one could only catch that true color of nature - the very thought of it drives me mad."

~Andrew Wyeth~

I've been wanting to try natural dyeing with daffodils since last spring.

So this year, I gathered...dyed some super soft

merino/silk (non-SW) and..

well..

off white.

Re-gathered, gave the yarn a second trip through

the dye bath and ended up with the above.

A creamy yellow beige.

Not what I was expecting, but then that's 

what I love about natural dyeing.  You never

really know what will come from the dye pot.

~

Yarn Along..

"...Now in those times, bits of sky could be eaten.  

It was different from other foods.  

Rice fills the belly, but sky fills the heart.  

The woman reached for the sky and broke off a piece, 

But eating the sky could be dangerous business.  

One could become selfish in their desire, intoxicated, and this was a terrible taboo.

The woman's hunger was stronger than her fear of what she knew had been forbidden, 

and she devoured more and more, until she was drink with it.

As punishment, God pulled the sky higher.

With the heavens now so far above, and God even farther, the people of the land and their children, and their children for generations to come, each filled with their own great hunger, were set out on a trail of infinite desire.

Their longing was made material in the bluest of God's 

blues - in garments dyed in indigo.'

-Adapted by the author from West African folklore, various provenances

Partial except by Catherine McKinley's book above:

Indigo: in search of the color that seduced the world.

~

Joining Ginny..