Please Meet Art, We've Been Spending Time Together

Finally my camera (recently found in my very own car after being missing for several months) is talking to my new computer!!

So, voilà! Photo blog! (Now with gratuitous exclamation points!!)

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Last weekend I took my first workshop at Oregon College of Art and Craft. I've wanted to take a class or workshop there ever since I moved to Portland in 2003. But the classes are expensive. So when better to take an expensive class, then when one is totally unemployed?!

I looked for a book arts class, but nothing fit my schedule, so I signed myself up for Handfelted Fingerless Gloves. I had some concern since there was not a photo of the project in the catalog. I'm fairly experienced in the ways of sewing and other fiber arts and didn't want to take a class that I could just do on my own. But no worries. In addition to getting instruction in wet felting and glove construction, I also met some very nice women.

On Saturday morning we made our felted yardage. We were instructed to bring lace or another thin fabric to incorporate into the felt. I brought a red and black organza. Therefore I chose a deep red wool for the gloves. I also incorporated some lacy trim that I used in 2004 to trim the bridesmaid dress I wore at Gretchen's wedding.

That evening, after my felt had dried, I quilted the yardage with a repeating heart pattern using a metallic red thread in the bobbin.

Sunday was construction day. We made learned how to insert a proper thumb into the glove. This was very challenging, but mine went much better than some of the others. I finished with a few flat circular beads on the back of the wrist. I bought these beads in Duncan, BC when we lived in nearby Mill Bay. I also used them in my Ilmatar art quilt.

Here's a photo of all the gloves from the class. I like mine the best.

I then went out and bought a book about felt. I've got a few more ideas that I'd like to explore.

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I've also completed several crafty projects in the last few weeks.

Here are pillows that I made for the new couch from fabrics that were already in my stash. The gold strip hides a zipper. The green is vintage wool from the 1960s that was once part of a kit for making a sewn skirt and knitted sweater. Many years ago I used the yarn to knit myself a vest that I still wear.

I also made curtains for our front window, also a stash buster. However I made the rookie mistake of melting a hole in the synthetic fibers. So I appliqued a cute bluebird over the hole. WIN!