500 Felt Objects and other stuff

I guess I did it again.  I can't believe it's been that long since I posted here!  I've been regularly updating Stan's CaringBridge site and that seems to take up all my computer energy.  He's been in the hospital for a week now with complications from the chemotherapy.  Hopefully he will be able to come home soon. 

Cabled hat, felted cell phone case, Shetland lace scarf and "500 Felt Objects"

Lots of good stuff happening around here though. Four new chicks hatched last week to the old Faverolle hen, the first ripe Brandywine tomatoes of the season - YUMMM!, dill pickles and green beans put up, and best of all -- I got my complimentary copy of 500 Felt Objects!

It's supposed to be released in September, but I got my copy over a week ago. How exciting to see my portrait of Lena included with the work of felters from all over the world!  I hope you all get a chance to see the book, it's full of wonderful pieces, very inspirational and fun.  Lena's on page 227. :-)

Oh and I can't forget to post this photo of our great nephew.  He visited a couple weeks ago and we just HAD to get a sheepskin photo. What a head of hair!

I had to bow out of doing the Minnesota State Fair booth, I hated to do it but with all that Stan's going through, I just couldn't commit to the long hours involved.  I'm still working on my Forecast Public Art project and sending the last of sale sheep off to their new homes. I'm sorry to be so late in getting the registrations sent in, but they will go in the mail today.  I plan to keep 11 sheep for the winter. Sommarang Hansel will be available after breeding season if anyone is interested in a proven, polled, modified, gulmoget ram.  His fleece is really nice, if he doesn't sell I'll gladly keep him.

So much to update!

Sorry for neglecting the blog lately.  I've been so busy with selling the flock, making arrangements for pick up and transport, dealing with all the challenges of my husband's illness while trying to keep up with my grant projects and volunteer commitments. It's just been way too much.

The adult BFLs will be leaving for Missouri tomorrow.  I am so sad to see them go.  Lanora has been here since she was a lamb in 2006.  She's such a character.  And Harwell is so sweet.  I will miss them terribly. But I do plan to keep Harwell's four ewe lambs, two of whom are Lanora's granddaughters.

I don't know if I've posted a photo on the blog yet of this raw felted fleece project I made out of Harwell's fleece on June 20th.  That was the day of Stan's first endoscopy and creating a project like this really helped take my mind off the worries. 

It is so comforting when I can't sleep at night.  I go out on the couch and snuggle up under this soft, luxurious throw and sink my face into those lustrous purly locks.  I'm really going to miss Harwell, but at least I have this reminder. :-)

This photo shows the back of the throw, I added a layer of silk gauze along with the roving.

I've been knitting quite a bit with all the travel and waiting during medical visits.

This is a mobius scarf I did using Cat Bordi's mobius cast on.  The last one I made following her pattern was too small so I cast on an extra 40 stitches - which translates into 80 extra stitches. So this one is really long.  I made sure to work in reversible stitch patterns.  So the inner rounds are k2,p2 rib and then I went with Cat's Paw in garter stitch.  For the edging, I used one I found in Hazel Carter's Shetland Lace Knitting.

At last week's appointment I cast on this cable hat, it's out of  natural colored Shetland Mule combed top and again I worked out my own simple cable design. It's going really fast and that yarn has really nice stitch definition. This was the fiber that got lost at the processor and then was found and shipped to me.  I'm so glad they found it.  I can't wait to try felting with it.

And last but not least, the other day I had a busload of kids here as part of the Mora Schools Comprehensive Art Planning and Programming Summer Art Crawl.  This was part of a grant project* involving 6 artists' studios. First the kids come and make various art projects at each studio, then this fall each artist will have an open studio (for all ages) and the grand finale is a collaborative piece incorporating the art of all six artists and the kids in one installation.  It's a really fun project.

*This activity is funded, in part, by a grant from the East Central Regional Arts Council with funds provided by the Minnesota Art and Cultural Heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.