The Bath House Cultural Center announces a call for applications for its 2008 Spring Art Mart. This special event will feature an eclectic variety of art, including: painting, sculpture, photography, ceramics, pottery, mixed media art, jewelry, mosaics, glass and much more. Here is the link if you want to know more. http://www.bathhousecultural.com/08springsalecfe.html

The Texas Museum of Fiber Arts is having a call for entries. The showing will be in Austin at the State Capital . The deadline is April 5th. Here is the link for seeing all information.

I have joined Ralvery.

 I am  acrochetcatalyst 

I am just getting set up so not much there now. Please let me know if you are out there by stopping and signing my guest book here or saying hi on my Ralvery.

I made this bag for myself. It is made with ivory tapestry fabric and crochet felted together. The flap is my signature crochet felted freestyle design. The strap is satin cording and has a snap closure.

There is beading through out the flap. It is very roomy and not heavy when things are put in it.

I have posted a new set of photos of a second series of my crochet felted flower study. Additional photos are in the "Diamond in the Wool" section.

The opening is a on an amature so it would not collapse. Petals fold inside the flower and outside. Leaves fall between the outside petals. The stand is wire.

 

I might embellish it more so will update if I decide I want to.

OK, OK, Ok! I took a moment and let spring take over me and do a little frivolity felting.

 

Here is the background on how I fel(t) into these little charmers.

 

   Over the fall last year my husband found an acorn and put it in my car. Well it has brought back childhood memories all winter long. I used to paint faces on them and I even crocheted acorn Christmas ornaments. My M-I-L still hangs hers on her tree every year.

 

   Now should I tell you the other part of this felting frivolity? OK, well here goes…as a child I liked-no loved (NO! I do not collect) the Trolls from the 60’s.

 

   So, as most childhood things get jumbled together, here is my two childhood memories, spring, and felting merged together.

 

I call them “I’m a Little Nut(s)”.

I have a new piece that I titled "EGGPLANT". As I was walking out of a store a few weeks ago I noticed a wire piece that I presume fell off of a cars rim. I thought it would make a great opening for a purse or something.

 

I took it home and looked at the design I was working on and tore it all apart and started it over on the frame.

 

I am please with the way it turned out even though it is not a purse it is a good hanging piece. I have embellished this with beads and leaves.

 

The design is made with Noro Kureyon-Tarns Ewenique.  Lion Brand wool-lime green. and Patons wool-purple. THe Noro did not felt as I liked but both of the other wools did just fine. (picture updated 040107)

Here is another finished felted project. I called it THE BRUISE but then it started a discussion with friends about the colors of a bruise, so now it is untitled. If you have a suggestion let me know.

It is embellished with black raffia, peach satin ribbon, black plastic netting, and unfelted wool. I still need to frame it. Go to the photo section to see close ups of it.

You can see close-ups in the I-Object album to the right.

03/09/07

I finished this piece and here it shows it framed. It has a black netting backing.

I visited the musuem during the VanGogh "Sheaves of Wheat" showing and it inspired me to do my own vision of "Sheaves of Wheat".

It is a dimensional piece with the sheaves made from raffia. The red is, rows of poppies showing up in the fields. Sun shining is playing with the fields of color and light.

 

I have framed out the "Sheaves of Wheat" piece.

 

Well I have been inspired to try an Artist card.  A fellow fiber artist is in the hospital and so I made a crochet/felted postcard for him to wish a speedy recovery.

 

 I called it "Starry Night".

 

It is made in Wool threads of navy blue, dusty blue, and ivory. I felted the main piece and then puched holes around the card and stitched it down. Added a sc trim around the card to have a finished look To give it dimension I added three brass stars and brass twisted wire shooting out from the back of the stars. It gives movement to the design.

 

I have filled in the post card on the back but will put it into a padded envelope for delivery.

 

You can see other views of it in my I Object- "Diamonds in the Wool" album.

I have looked and looked for a group where persons that crochet without patterns and are wanting to take their crocheting to a fiber art level and have not found one so  I decided it was time for me to take the plunge and started a Yahoo group for the crocheter that is on the edge. It is for those of you that are wishing to take your crocheting past the pattern and trust your inner crocheting self.

  

This will not be a lurker place  to hang out, so if that is your thing, please don't ask to join and expect to just hide in the background absorbing others energy and not giving back.  

 

Expect to be asked probing questions about the type of work you are doing. When I started to go in a different direction with my crocheting I was asked alot of wierd questions. I had the answers inside me but could not put them into words. I have now found it very important to learn the language of my designing and convey it to others. I still have much to learn and really could use your insight and advice.

 

****Consider the group like a light bulb and you are the watts. I can supply the switch and electricity but YOU are how brightly the group shines.

 

Also I hope it becomes a place for entering call for submissions and selling of art crocheting and much more. 

 

 

 I do not expect to have the masses joining (but not worried if it does) so if you are the type of person that wants to push yourselfand help others  to learn more and experiment in crocheting then please join. I also need to be pushed and could use some people to help me continue taking my crocheitng to a higher level.

 

I have begun to set up the group to have challenges and discussions  to begin the crochet juices flowing. The challenges do not start until Feb. and joining you will be expected to be involved in them.

 

As with all groups it is necessary to stay on topic so I have the 98/2 in place. This means 98% about crochet and 2% personal. I do also have a "Off Topic Tuesday" for once a month but no spamming. You will also have to sign your messages with your real first name. It is a closed board and if you think you need to hide then you are not going to be comfortable there. I want to keep the rules simple and basic so push your inner designing self not others buttons.

 

Now that I have explained the group a little and think you can live with it here is the button to join. It is a moderated board.

Are you a type of crocheter that looks at the world around you and say things like;

·       What would that look like crocheted?

·       I can make that in crochet. No matter if it is clothing, furniture, nature or animal.

·       I do not need a pattern to crochet that.

Do you look at yarns and fibers and see particular animate and inanimate items crocheted with it?

 

Do you just pick up fiber and just start crocheting?

 

Are you willing to crochet a pattern that you have no idea what it is to be?

 

Are you challenged by crochet patterns to change them?

 

Do you see the type of stitches it would take to make tree bark or a mushroom or every day item like tables and chairs?

 

Do you think crochet self expression is a “duh!” statement?

 

When someone asks you “think out side the box” to do;

1.     Go and crochet boxes.

2.    You start rambling about crochet and how it needs to be everywhere?

 

Is your problem when looking at yarn; not what to make BUT what not to crochet with that?

Are you crochet hooks you paint brushes?

Is your yarn your paint?

 

Welcome to my world!

I am looking for others like me.

·       Are you just starting out but know that pattern work is not your passion?

·       Do you want to be challenged by creating without a net (pattern)?

·       Do you want to do challenges that inspire and stretch you?

·       Are you able to crochet something just because?

·       If it is not working can you tear it out without fear?

·       Can you change in the middle of the stream? Such as; your design is not working out can you take it in a different direction and make it something else?

 

I am considering starting an online group for others like the above. If you are interested please send me a note or add a comment to this blog.

It has been whispered for several years, a slow low reverberation, of “crocheters” taking their hooks to task, to the forbidden fibers.

 Challenging the yarn shop owners to “teach me” to put your fibers on hooks. Crocheters saying to yarn shop owners, “I will teach you” an art form I not only love but am obsessed with - and will spend at your emporium.

Infiltrating the fiber artist’s community with hooks, yarns, beads, and baubles believing they are doing souls work too.

Taxing the designers to unravel the knitted shroud and reconstructing it in crochet stitches.

Seek out to emulate fashion designers styles that are found in fashion magazines such as, Vogue, Elle, and W.

They are learning to use the illicit fibers and are questioning manufacturers.

 Crocheters are now voicing to the yarn manufactures - do not make us change. They contend; modify the yarns to suit my hook. Articulating to them to become skilled at dying their fibers to make crochet stitches have pleasing color flow.

 Crochet and color has always been a challenge because yarn manufactures have chosen not acknowledged that crochet stitches work differently and a saddening undercurrent of belief that crocheters will “just use” what is available. Local yarn shop owners can help by asking their yarn companies to bring about this change.

 As crocheters educate or re-educate themselves with the crochet tools, like broomstick lace, hairpin lace, afghan hooks, amazing needles, locker hooks, and ShiRReT™ needle they are mixing and matching different crochet techniques to make wildly fabulous and fashionable garments. In addition, through the varied crochet stitch combinations now being used provide interest and dispel the “old” crochet look.

 Software is now also beginning to listen to the new fiber culturists by working up computer design tools to include crocheting. Self-expression through crochet software will allow better designing.

 A great fiber equalizer in crocheting is – felting (which is in fact called fulling). Making stitch definition disappear between the two forms, one has to ask; was it crocheted or knitted? Even though felting/fulling, so I have heard, from knitters is passé. Crocheters have taken it to their hearts and now knitters are reawakening their “passé” knitted felting/fulling. It seems crocheting is now thrusting knitters into an uncomfortable position. It brings to mind the singsong, “Anything you can do, and I can do better. I can do anything better than you”.

 So crocheters, continue to challenge yourselves, explore your local yarn shops, educate yourself and all that want to learn, and most of all expect the best from yourself because you are; the new fiber culturists.

Crochet on!

 Copyrighted. Absolutley no copying or reprinting without  my written consent. 2006 

 

 

 

I went out to my mail and found a box from Australia. Jenny King designs http://www.jennykingdesigns.com/ sent me the beautiful wool I fell in love with. It is called TeAwa wools. It is an eight ply, semi worsted weight.

The sades I fell in love with are:

I just received a ball of yarn from Freddie at http://www.phootsy.com/index.htm telling me I need to try it for my felting. It is Loft by Zitron made in Germany. It is lovely shade of brown taupe and ice green with the addition of cream.

 

I am seeing an earthy or looking up to the sky through a leafy tree or through a forest just as the you are a few feet from emerging into a glen where the sun is just burning off the mist.

I also see spring, where the sun has burned off all the snow and spouts of new grass or the  budding of jonquils pushing through the moist earth.

 

I cant wait to get started on using it. I am in the rough draft mode with it currently sketching and selecting more yarns to mix with it. 

I have been thinking about my site and that I have not been out here in a while. I have been focusing on inspiration and a dear friend of mine asked me to take a jaunt up to Mount Rushmore and onto The Brown Sheep Company. So I have been as Rita said T-Raveling. As I took my crocheting along and crocheted while she drove. I was working on "suprise" a non-felted creation. I had a dress that the skirting came apart at the seams after each washing so I cut the skirt away from the top and crocheted a new skirt on it. It is made from a Chardony colored cone cotton. It was crocheted with three different sized hooks. I first I took  black Cebelia and wet through the bottom of the shirt with a steele hook. Then took my favorite double ended (different sizes on each end) Japanese hook; size 7 and 8 and did the skirting. Working in size 7 until just below the hip area and the size 8 for the rest. Just skimming below my knees.  I did accomplish all but two inches before I returned and have since finished it. I can not wait to wear it. I was going to wear it at a meeting I attended but realized at the last minute that I did not have the correct color of shoes to wear. Oh well I have lots of places to wear it later on. P.S. I will get pictures of it and post even though it is not felted.