Tag: art

Felted Hats

Felt Like Making Hats with Alpaca Fiber from Our Spring Harvest! ( see what I did there?)

This spring, we took on the fluffy mission of harvesting alpaca and sheep fiber, transforming our farm into a scene straight out of a Pixar movie. Think Cloudy with a Chance of Woolballs. Now, it’s time to put that fiber to good use: making fabulous, one-of-a-kind felt hats!

Picture this: You’ve just spent a solid hour shearing an alpaca who—let’s be real—is giving you some serious side-eye and yes, some of them do spit.🤢 Their fleece falls in tufts, and you suddenly wonder if there’s enough coffee in the world to get through this. But then, magic happens! You look down at the fiber—soft, luxurious, and you see all the possibilities.

Here’s how we’re turning fluff into fashion, and I promise it’s easier than talking an alpaca into a haircut:

  1. Prep the Fiber – After collecting this year’s fiber, we clean it (this means less hay in your hair), comb it out, and get it all fluffed up. Yes, there’s something so satisfying about fiber prep—like untangling holiday lights, but softer.
  2. Wet Felting – Grab your soapy water and prepare to get messy! Felting is all about coaxing those fibers to shrink and lock together. It’s like giving your wool a spa day, with a little elbow grease. Who knew? Spa days for fiber are a thing.
  3. Shape the Hat – As the fiber turns into felt, we shape it into hats that could rival a royal wedding. Whether you want a classic cloche or something with a bit more flair, you’re only limited by your imagination—and your ability to keep your pets from destroying your project mid-felt. (Don’t ask how I know that.)
  4. The Finishing Touches – Every great hat needs its final flourish. Whether it’s a flower, feather, or something wild like a yarn pompom, you can customize it to fit your style. Need to blend in at the next fiber fest? Or make a statement? I’ve got you covered.
Here’s a short video with a look at the process.

Want to learn how you can create your own felted fun projects with fiber? Join me on Patreon for behind-the-scenes videos, tutorials, and insider access to special deals on all our creations. Plus, keep up with sales and new fiber-related shenanigans by following me on Instagram.

So, whether you’re into DIY fashion or just want to stay cozy this winter, grab your fluff, follow along, and let’s get felting! 🎩

Don’t forget to sign up for updates and exclusive offers on our upcoming sales! You won’t want to miss our next trunk show or fiber drop!

Turquoise Reflections

Turquoise Reflection Timelapse Painting

Watercolor Wednesday

Hello! Hope you are enjoying this wonderful day! I am glad to be sharing this quick view of my latest Patreon tutorial upload.

The scene is a beautiful reflective water near a shore and a distant crop of trees. It feels like just the place I would like to sit and relax for a bit.

I invite you to head on over to my Patreon to see the full tutorial. Whether you are a painter or not, I think the process is really fascinating to watch.

While you’re there, be sure to take a look at the other projects I’m working on. Fiber art, watercolor and pottery are the mediums I focus on but you will also find a variety of added benefits like how to organize a yarn stash, how to use old books to create sketch books and how up to make your own mats and frames. These are all the things that are waiting for you to discover at Patreon.

Old Central School – Art Residency- March 2023

March 2023

I am an Artist

This is a complicated statement to make.  It’s been three months since I started this residency and the feeling that someone else might have been better suited to be here lingers in the back of my mind. Perhaps someone younger or with more talent. 

It could be the lack of formal training that caused my hesitancy to make such a declaration.  It turns out that this problem is rather universal.  I met wonderfully talented, trained, and successful artists in March and found that most share the same sentiment.  They expressed feelings of not quite being full-fledged artists early in their careers.   The gauge was different for most.  For some, it is when they sell a piece, when featured in a magazine, or have their first exhibit.  It was interesting to hear their perspectives on the matter and I concluded that we must decide this for ourselves.  It’s not something external.  I think Robert Henri says it best.  “ The object isn’t to make art, it’s to be in that wonderful state which makes art inevitable.” 

By those standards, I am an Artist.  <deep breath>

Grants and other risky business

I submitted an application for a Grant through the ARROWHEAD REGIONAL ARTS COUNCIL.  It’s part of my “be BOLD” plan.  Well, after much overthinking and worry and doubt. I got the news- I was a recipient of their award! 

I felt my knees get weak and the heat from my body seemed to raise to my head and leave my toes cold. It was the oddest sensation! Then the panic set in. What in the world did I just do?  It was such a shot in the dark that I never really imagined the enormous responsibility.  I had a bold vision and I laid my heart bare in the request. I was dreaming big and likely high on adrenaline and caffeine when I was writing the grant proposal. Now, the time has come to make good on the project.

My First Artist Talk

The Topic is Earth, Water, and Life…seems vague right? The idea came about because I wanted to incorporate Clay, Watercolor, and Fiber arts as part of the Proposal.  I have been working through a difficult situation in my life through clay and art. I have made little figures out of clay just to feel that I could control a part of the situation. The clay is hard and I add a little water to work out the details and get the figure to come to life as it is pulled and twisted and rolled.  I even beat it sometimes with a wooden paddle. 

Wet felting requires the same kind of effort. I have felt the soreness of my arms after felting a large piece. The process is simple, but not always easy.  The fiber is wet with soapy warm water and the fiber is rolled and beat until it finally becomes something recognizable- Art! 

I made the connection that the only thing that makes these works come alive is the agitation mixed with water. That is all I can share here, but the projects will be displayed and the talk is in outline form with revisions being made until the moment I present it. 

Save the Date

For my friends who cannot join in person, I will do the unthinkable and record my talk to be uploaded and shared here. Another “Be BOLD” initiative!