There is a better way to do this thing I'm doing, but I'm going to go ahead and do it this other way anyway. This sounds crazy and yet with almost every design I undertake, I find myself thinking this kind of thought. It's different from second-guessing or some sort of crisis of confidence, but rather my brain telling me that there is another way of doing the thing I'm doing that would be even better. I will ignore this intelligence and continue on, very often wasting some of my own precious time as well as yarn which I would argue is also precious.
Case in point, my current project is a baby blanket for my nephew's first. My idea is to take a classic doily pattern and make it up in a soft, baby yarn, modifying it just a little to take out some of the larger spacing in the design so that it would serve well as a blanket. The idea is sound, even kind of fun and appropriate for my vintage loving nephew and his wife, but as I work up the blanket, I know it would represent better in a solid yarn and better still in one with a less fluffy texture. Yet here I am, ignoring my own reasoning and working through with my initial yarn purchase. The best thing you can say about this variegated, furry yarn is that the colors will be appealing to the indented recipients and it has an impressionist air which will probably even present the suggestion of lace when complete. Even so, I know deep down that I will end up crocheting the whole piece over again and this will become something taking up space in my studio or at best, donated to a charity which will have no idea what it is supposed to be.
Why do I do this?
Do I want to prove myself wrong?
Is it because I can't abandon a project once I've begun?
Will writing this phenomena down create personal change?
Honestly, I think this is just a shout into the void, an existential "why?" and one of many I have about myself and my creative brain. Perhaps I'm just wondering if anyone can relate.
I'll come back and share my finished baby blanket, both of them.
I wore myself out writing a pattern yesterday, so today I'm having a little fun with show and tell. A few weeks ago I made the mistake of clicking on an ad in the right margin of my Facebook profile. Not only was I breaking one of my personal rules about ignoring such ads, but I also ended up stumbling upon a site that has become a major weakness. That website is Fab.com and I think I'm addicted.
Fab is like an ever changing, international bazaar of eclectic and fun stuff. They feature items ranging from handmade to techy, from jewelry to housewares and even furniture. I can't resist taking a daily peek at the sales and one day I just had to buy these amazing earrings by Amira Jewelry. These are macrame, but as you can see from her website, Amira also creates canvas and assemblage jewelry. You can find her work in her store on Etsy as well. I'm particularly drawn to her macrame pieces. I love the colors she chooses and the clean, yet interesting designs. The quality of work in my earrings depicts an attention to detail that you only find when someone takes true pride in their craft.
I know it's uncool to draw others into your addictions, so beware of me today! I'll let you decide whether or not to explore the enticements at Fab.com. On the other hand, I would encourage you to check out this wonderful artist, Amira Mednick. I notice she sells her work at the Portland Saturday Market. I love the Portland Market and it makes me wonder if I've seen her work before. This is just the sort of thing that would typically catch my eye. Of course the Saturday Market is huge, so I guess I could have missed Amira's jewelry. I'm glad I've found it now!
Once a year I pack up my trunk and head down to the Chandler Multicultural Festival. I attend with my guild, the Telaraña Weavers and Spinners. This year I brought along a special guest, my son Wes. Wes does one service oriented project each month as part of his education. The festival provided a great opportunity to be out in the community, spending time with others and sharing our love of the arts, in this case fiber arts!
I should refer to Wes not as my guest, but my secret weapon. You see, I always take a bunch of wool and drop spindles to this event. I spread a blanket out on the ground and sit at kid level. I want them to know it's okay to touch and play. After all, there's no better way to pass on the joy of your craft than by teaching the next generation. When other kids saw my son sitting with a lap loom weaving, it really got their attention. I think it made them feel like it was okay to ask questions and try out the loom and spindles for themselves.
I spent a wonderful afternoon, surrounded by boys and girls and their parents. At one point I had two brothers and a sister all learning how to work drop spindles together. Whenever it was time for the kids to leave, I would unwind the yarn they had spun and give it to them as a little keepsake. So many people asked me if I teach classes. I don't have any official classes that I teach, but I gave them my card. If someone really wants to learn, I can't say no to that! There aren't many yarn shops or community centers that offer classes just for kids. It's a shame especially when you seen how interested they are.
It has been a fulfilling day of teaching and sharing. Days like this are rare treasures. Why can't every day be multicultural day?
I am very excited to share a new store on Etsy called Snowfall Studio. The owner of this shop, Kristen, is a good friend. We met when our oldest sons were both toddlers. Each week our little playgroup would come together and we'd spend a couple hours trying to keep the kids happy while we also tried to have adult conversation. Of course most of these conversations ended up being about our kids.
When Kristen joined the group, I admired her right from the start. She was quiet, but I could tell that she was tuned in to everything. The rug rat chaos often made me crazy, but if it bothered Kristen, her face revealed nothing. At coffee time with my husband, I would recount the previous play date and tell him that the wise woman of the group was certainly Kristen.
Over the years we've stayed in touch even though we have both moved away from the neighborhood where we first met. Kristen is the mother of four beautiful kids. The youngest is now in school, so for the first time in 14 years, she has a little free time. She is devoting some of these precious hours to making original, crocheted designs for children.
I love her mermaids with their Waldorf inspired simplicity and their whimsical details. The one to the left is my favorite because I like the colors. I guess I have a thing for brunettes. I didn't mean to saw her in half, but I want you to be able to click on the picture and see the details for yourself. I love the shape of the mermaid's tail and Kristen's stitches are so flawless. The starfish accents are the perfect touch to bring your imagination to life as you picture this mermaid in her magical home.
Kristen also makes kitties, turtles and birds. Quality is very important to her as she knows these will become beloved toys. They are made for play and though I may be getting a little old for dolls, I'm getting ready to place an order at Snowfall Studio. I can just see my mermaid, perched on a rock by the swimming pool or maybe on the chaise with a good book!
I've been doing my best to get back into regular blogging this year. That's why it's killing me that I don't have a little more free time today to post the pattern for January's ornament. Instead I have a sneak peak for you. I made these last night while writing pattern notes. I played around with sizes and also made the attached ones on the left. I've always liked ornaments that drape over a tree branch. Give me another day or two and I should have the pattern posted.
I also have a teaser for the crochet fans out there. I just found out that a good friend of mine has opened a new Etsy shop. She is making the cutest crochet plushies. I can't wait to share her work with you!
That's what's coming up this week and I'm sure there will be more. My local multicultural festival is coming up, so I'll be getting ready for that too!
Over the last couple years, my family has developed a ritual. When we get to the point where we need a nice night out, we head over to Brio's for an Italian dinner. Brio's, besides being a tasty treat, has the added attraction of being just down the sidewalk from a Barnes & Noble. In essence, once every six to eight weeks, we spend too much on dinner and then walk down the street and spend too much on books. It's a lot of fun!
When we hit the bookstore, tummies full, we fan out in four directions. The men head upstairs for Sci-Fi, the children's section and general fiction while I head to the back corner downstairs where they hide the craft books. The first thing I always look for is a book on tatting. I never find anything, but I figure someday, someone's just got to publish and excellent book full of innovative tatting projects. Then I pass a little time looking through the different crochet motif collections. I might pick up a volume on scrapbooking or jewelry making and lament that I don't have more hours to deeply explore all of the things I love. On this particular visit, I was heading out of the craft corner empty handed when something caught my eye. If I were a shorter woman, I might have missed it altogether, for up on the highest shelf sat The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook. Of course I stopped dead in my tracks and grabbed the one and only copy like securing the last new release at the video store, back when we all went to video stores. My inner voice told me I should wait and see if they have it for less on Amazon, but I just couldn't put it down. Brio's and Barnes & Noble night is a dangerous thing.
Just as the slip cover indicates, the Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook details over 200 fiber producing animals and is full of amazing photographs both of the animals and of their fiber in various stages of preparation. To give you some idea of the depth that the authors, Deborah Robson and Carol Ekarius, went into, the book has a six page bibliography. The body of the publication includes four hundred and nineteen pages covering everything from Alpaca to Zwartbles. There are maps showing the regions or points of origin for each species. It's the most comprehensive encyclopedia of fleece and fiber that I've ever come across. It's gorgeous!
I can't wait to seriously explore my new favorite book. I get a lot of questions at Wind Rose Fiber Studio and with this on my bookshelf, I feel prepared for even the most obscure inquiry. Ask me anything, fiber lovers, I'm ready!
The last day of my European travels was spent in Munich. I had already spent a few days in Munich earlier on this vacation. This last day was a day of rest after spending time in Italy and before heading back to the United States.
I had kind of accepted that the closest thing to fiber art I was going to find in Munich was this sheep I bought at the Viktualienmarkt, a farmer's market. He's cute, but he isn't even covered in real wool.
It was Sunday and the square in front of the Glockenspiel at Marienplatz was being set up for a performance. There was a stage, lots of tables and the local brew houses were setting up tents. My family and I were just out for a walk, stretching our legs. The day was overcast and occasionally a rain cloud would treat us to some sprinkles.
I saw a few craft tents set up on a side street. Drawn to crafts of any kind, I headed in their direction. I walked by the first couple tents as they held nothing of interest. I craned my neck to see if it was even worth walking to the end of the street when something caught my eye. I felt certain that I saw something spin. I quickened my pace, my spidey senses tingling. Sure enough, in the very last tent, sat a little band of handspinners. They had baskets of wool and samples of yarn. Some sat at wheels while others used drop spindles. My people! 
I took out one of my business cards which have a picture of a spinning wheel and sheep on them. I pointed to my name and in my best German said, "Dies ist mir." Which I'm sure you can guess means "this is me". Their faces lit up and we all smiled at each other. They each held up their projects for me to admire. One gentleman who was working a Turkish drop spindle, pulled out a stick and demonstrated spinning using nothing but a twig. I managed to share how Native American spinners sometimes use a long stick and spin it against their thigh. His response to this was to spin a little length of wool with his bare hands and present it to me as a gift.
Rain started to fall in earnest and I left to rejoin my family. My few minutes with the Handspinngilde of Munich left me feeling warm and fuzzy. It's heartwarming to know that there are others out there preserving and passing on this heritage. Even more, it's wonderful when a mutual love of spinning is enough to transcend language barriers and make you feel as though you are among friends!
These fabulous felted wrist warmers were created by Berta Knab of the EigenArt collective in Uberlingen, Germany. I have seen a lot of nuno felt and I think that these are particularly well made. I love the crackling effect she's achieved with the colors. Also, I haven't seen this sort of "wrinkled look" for lack of better words. It takes the texture to another level and looks really cute the way it gathers around your wrist.
They're soft and very lightweight, just as you would expect nuno felt to be. They are also completely seamless which shows a real attention to detail. As a matter of fact, they are even reversible. The inside is a nice smooth slate grey. 
I'm not the best hand model and it's challenging to take a pic of your own arm, but I wanted you to see how cute they look on.
You could also turn them around and have the cuff on the other end or no cuff at all. I love it when handmade items are versatile!
She had another pair where she had felted wild, curly locks on one end. I was so tempted, but in the end, these seemed a little more practical. Maybe next time I'm in Uberlingen I'll go wild!
Berta Knab's Website
When I travel, I'm always on the lookout for fiber art. Not just fiber art to tell the truth, any art. More specifically, I'm always hoping to find evidence of local artisans. It's like locating the heartbeat of a place and it makes me feel at home.
On this particular holiday, I was coming up dry until a day trip to Regensburg, Germany. Regensburg is a beautiful little town on the Danube River. It's first settlements date back to the Stone Age. Today it's a thriving city and home to the University of Regensburg.
As I and my family wandered up and down the streets, I came across a cute little shop with hand crafted items in the window. *Happy Dance* I turned to my husband and informed him that I would need a few minutes. He gave me a knowing look and headed off with the boys. What a good husband!
I headed into the shop named Kuss which a visit to Google Translate tells me means "Kiss". Cute! The full name is Kuss- Künstlerhaus or Kiss-House Artists, a collective of local artisans. I found myself surrounded by beautiful nuno felt, paper art, knit and crochet, glass and wire. It was awesome! It was like an energy boost to be around so much creativity and it's so what I needed halfway through my long European journey.
I was fully prepared to treat myself to a few pieces, but it was hard to choose. There were these really cool felted wrist warmers and handbags and jewelry. I couldn't pick. "I'll take one of everything!" I shouted. No, just kidding, but their stuff was really that wonderful. Instead, I selected this nuno felted scarf. Nuno felt is lightweight enough for me to wear even in the desert where I live. Plus, we were having some nippy days in Germany and I was envying the other women and their cozy scarves. I love the bold poppies against the black. I wear a lot of white and black and a splash of red is always a good thing.
Next, in keeping with my poppy theme, I chose this felted necklace. The artist behind these works in felt is Anita Auer. She happened to be working in the shop that day and we exchanged cards. You can see more of her creations on the store's website.
The other art that kept grabbing my attention was the paper work of Ina Zeller-Bleil. Here's a link to a gallery of her art. She makes jewelry and sculputres and they are just so striking. I picked out this bracelet as a keepsake. The bells are sculpted paper attached to a crocheted wire base. I love her style which seems to range from whimsical to truly captivating.
I was so thrilled to discover the Kiss-House Artisans. What a wonderful collective and collection of extraordinary crafts!
Well, hello! I'm sorry to have disappeared for so long. I'm in Europe right now and though I have plenty to blog about, I haven't been very good about blogging. Part of the reason for this is that I go through periods without internet access. The other, more common reason is that I'm so drained by the end of each day, I just can't string words together. I'm going to try to make up for this a little tonight before I head south to Uberlingen, Germany where again, I may not be able to hook up to the internet.
I have tons of pictures to share, but I'm warming myself back up with a little post about this Van Gogh exhibit I saw in the works in downtown London. 'A Wheatfield, with Cypresses', painted by Van Gogh in 1889, is being brought to life. 8,000 potted plants in 26 varieties are being used to create this work of art on the west wall of the National Gallery facing Trafalgar Square. All of the plants were carefully chosen to match the colors in the painting.
They will be planting throughout the summer to complete the piece and then it will be on display until the end of October. What they have completed so far is striking. I wish I could be there to see it when it's finished. I love how the different heights of the plants add depth and texture. I keep looking back and forth between the painting and the plants. It's so impressive. I think this exhibition will be a wonderful, living tribute to an amazing artist.
I've been showing my mother a few crochet stitches while she's been teaching me to knit. Today, with her new understanding of crochet, she said she wished she could show me how to knit continental style because it would probably be so much more natural for me as a crocheter. So I jumped on YouTube and found this demo. I'm definitely going to try this style of knitting on my next project.
Saturday, April 16th, I had the opportunity to experience a piece of history. For over 100 years, bands of 2,000 sheep have walked the Heber-Reno Sheep Trail here in Arizona. The Dobson Sheep are the last two bands that make this 220 mile journey each year. Someday, perhaps in the not so distant future, this trail will see it's last herd and then this piece of Arizona's heritage will change forever. I could not pass up my chance to see a real sheep drive.
The sun was just coming over the mountains when I, along with my husband and two sons, arrived at the corner of Signal Butte and Brown roads in Mesa, Arizona. It was six in the morning and I was surprised to see that quite a few cars already lined the street corner. I knew that members from my spinning and weaving guild would be there, but I didn't expect so many others. It made me smile to see such a large group coming together to see the sheep. 
We didn't know exactly when to expect the sheep. Our gathering continued to grow as the minutes ticked by. We milled about and gazed southward, impatient to see our woolly friends. Finally, off in the distance, we could make out the flashing lights of the police cars that were clearing the path ahead of the flock. Then, slowly at first, the band of sheep came into view. As they rounded the corner, with a sea of dust in their wake, we could begin to see just how many there were. 
Before we knew it, they were upon us. The crowd cheered and the cameras went crazy as Felipe, the foreman, lead the sheep north. I was surprised by how quickly they moved. I knew it would not take long for them to pass. I alternated between trying to capture the moment with my camera and attempting to take everything in with all of my senses.
The motion of so many sheep trotting at once, the sound of their baaing and the smell of their general sheepiness was all around me. My kids, who a few moments earlier were getting tired of waiting, were now animated and calling things out to me. "Look at the black one! Did you get a picture of it?" The air seemed full of energy. It was exhilarating!
I don't know how long it took for the band to pass. It was just a few minutes and it went by so fast. I found myself wishing there were even more sheep so that the moment could last just a little longer. Some members of the crowd chased after the herd in the hopes of getting just one more picture or one more look, but the sheep disappeared into that cloud of dust made by so many hooves. Though we squinted and craned, we found ourselves just a group of people again.
It took me a few seconds to regain my focus. There were my kids, my husband, my friends. There were the smiles of the kindred folk with whom I had just shared this experience. There were the roads, Signal Butte and Brown, now filling with cars, car noises and car smells. If it were not for the adrenalin I still felt, it might have seemed unreal. I giggled as I walked to the car. What a wonderful way to start the day!
As for the sheep, they will continue north. Over the next 45 days they will travel into Usery Mountain Park, through Bulldog Canyon to the Salt River. From there they will cross the Blue Point Bridge and on towards Sugarloaf Mountain. They'll travel over Reno Pass and cross Tonto Creek heading on to the Sierra Anchas Mountains. They will proceed through Pleasant Valley and climb to the top of the Mogollon Rim and finally on to the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.
They will spend about six weeks in the cool mountains before they return home in October. This is all to avoid the soaring summer temperatures of southern Arizona, but the mild fall and winter will be the perfect climate for mother ewes to graze and to give birth to their young.
You can learn more about the story of the historic Heber-Reno Sheep Trail by reading Emily Walks the Sheep Trail by Cindy Shanks. In her book, Cindy gives a charming and educational account of this journey from the point of view of Emily, a young lamb. Emily will tell you all about life on the farm and her first trip up and down the trail.
Good morning! Here's the rust color I was talking about yesterday. I still need to tweak it just a little, but I think I have a good recipe now.
It's a pretty color don't you think? It will be a nice addition to my oranges. It does seem like an essential fall color. It's also a color that you often see in the landscape here in the southwest.
I'm excited about this new shade. I have a customer to thank for it actually. I've been developing this rust for an artist who makes the most adorable little felt animals. You can see her work at the Morning Glory Workshop on Etsy.
I'm always tickled when one of my customers returns to share their creations with me. This sweet Waldorf doll by Regan of Barking Dog Creations is so adorable that I had to share her with you too.
When Regan bought some Thick & Thin wool yarn from my shop, I would never have guessed that it would become Valentina's Hair! Regan shares, "She is most definitely a girly-girl. She loves her flowing pink chiffon skirt and her red and pink shirt- pink is her favorite color after all!"
"Valentina is made of 100% organic cotton knit fabric stuffed with clean wool. Her hair is wool, some of which was hand dyed by me using food coloring. There are also some strands of baby alpaca/silk blend yarn in her hair as well. Her hair can be styled in different ways; ponytail, pigtail, buns, half up half 
down, braids, or just worn long, but be careful she doesn't trip- her hair reaches just past her toes! Valentina is 14" tall and has green eyes that have been embroidered on with cotton embroidery thread."I think any girl would be lucky to receive Valentina as a valentine this year!Visit Barking Dog Creations on Etsy to see more pictures of Valentina. There are also two more little cuties in the shop.
I didn't take my camera, so I have a rare pictureless post tonight. I just thought I'd sit here for a few minutes and share my day.
Once a year, my town of Chandler hosts a multicultural festival. It always feels like a breath of fresh air. For one day, people come together to celebrate diversity and culture with food, music, dancing, art and education. Why oh why can't events like this be headline news?
I had my husband drop me off. I headed down the sidewalk with a blanket roll slung over one shoulder along with my messenger style purse. The other shoulder supported my tote bag full of yarn and samples of my craft. My hands were busy carrying a big African basket with display materials, a handful of drop spindles, roving and other goodies. As I walked into the center of downtown, I passed a grandstand where a new group of American citizens were being sworn in. There were big smiles in the crowd and plenty of cameras too. The pride on their faces was almost palpable. I walked on to have my senses livened by tasty aromas. I knew the food tents were near. I kept on until my own little culture came into view. Finally, the spinning wheels of my fellow Telaraña Guild members greeted me. The sun shone on this sweet little group of casually dressed women, expertly feeding roving to hungry wheels while chatting in happy tones. I felt a flush of warmth as I joined them, my people.
I rolled out my striped blanket and sat cross legged in the middle of it like the happy bohemian I am. On one side, I set out a display of my oversized tatted necklaces and bracelets. On the other, I allowed a large cloud of Blue Faced Leicester to billow out of a hat box surrounded by drop spindles. I like teaching, so I sort of come to these events prepared to interact with anyone who looks interested. I especially like working with kids. Every so often you see that sparkle, and you know you've got a real creative mind in front of you. It's exciting to think that you may be witnessing the beginning of a lifelong passion.
Anyone reading my blog post is probably already a fiber enthusiast, but if you're not, you may be surprised to learn that spinning, even with a simple drop spindle, can be a real crowd pleaser. I would even go as far as to say that people experience the "wow factor" the first time they witness wool becoming yarn. It's always the moment that tickles me the most as a teacher. I'll be instructing a young girl as her parents look on. She'll be holding the wool in an anxious pinch with one hand as she spins the spindle for the first time with the other. I like to keep my beginners in the moment so I'll say, "Can you see the twist getting tighter and tighter as you spin? Can you feel it starting to put pressure against your pinch?" Their focus will shift from their hands to the fiber. Their eyes will get a little wider as the see the twist for themselves. Then I'll have them park the spindle and slowly pull back on their pinch. "Watch the twist travel up the wool." I'll say. My student's eyes will get even larger and they'll suck in a breath as they see the twist climb up towards their fingers. One of the parents will usually exclaim, "Well, will you look at that? That's something!" I'll smile at my delighted young student and inform her, "You just made your first piece of yarn!"
Before my students leave me, I always unwrap the yarn they spun and give it to them as a keepsake along with a little roving. Spinning is all about the connection you feel with the wool and I want them to take that connection away with them. I know that with this souvenir in hand, they will be much more likely to seek it out again in the future. After all, the only way to keep your culture alive is to pass it on to the next generation. There are always a couple students that stand out in my mind at the end of the day. They are the ones that I know will spin again. There was one woman, Alyssa, who was about my age. As she spun yarn for the first time, she became so excited. "I have to do this!" She told me more than once. I just giggled and nodded. I know exactly how she feels!
Happy New Year's Eve! I'm enjoying a quite, relaxing end to 2010. In fact, I'm sort of making a point of it. It feels good to spend a couple days without creating my mental lists of things I want to accomplish. Of course my mind goes there anyway out of habit, but then I tell it to hush!
I have another Christmas show and tell for you. This adorable crocheted cactus was one of my presents. I was tickled because I had just been admiring some patterns for these little guys. They're so cute and I totally love the fuzzy yarn she used to represent the thorns.
The talented crafter who made my new saguaro plant can be found on Etsy at Catzilla Crafts. She taking a few days off right now, but she'll be back and then you can check out all of her designs.
This year my mom and sister sent me some really cute earrings for Christmas.
These fiber earrings are so cool. They look great on and in spite of their deconstructed appearance, they seem to be sturdy and well fashioned.
I love their funky look and wanted to be able to promote the artist, but my search came up dry. All I have is the name Ma Su Ke. The best lead I can give you, is that if you live in the northern Virginia area, look for her at your local craft venues!
My next show and tell are these cute little Peace Crane Earrings. My photo doesn't really do them justice. It's hard photographing birds! I should have hung them, but now I'm digressing...
I'm happy to report the the creator of these little cuties is on Etsy. You can find your own pair of Peace Crane Earrings and other origami art at Origami Crafts.
Prepare to be inspired! Here's the Christmas present one of my customers created for her parents this year. She put her felting talents to work and made two incredible felted photographs. The one I have pictured here is her mom. I think she did an amazing job capturing her likeness.
It started a few weeks before Christmas when Angela contacted me in search of natural, black and gray roving. I was delighted when she came back to share her finished art. If you're wondering how she was able to reproduce the pictures in such detail, I'll let Angela explain:
"...I altered photos of my parents using a graphics program to give them a "mosaic look" (3 colors only). I then drew a grid on the printed pictures and copied that grid (with the mosaic shapes) onto a piece of flat felt. I then needle felted using the 3 colors you sent me. As a final step, I added tiny details (like the white around Mom's eyes) and those details are what really brought out the likeness. I then cut the image away from the felt (but, of course, left the felt on the back of the fiber) because there were still pen marks on the felt from my grid pattern. I then felted the mosaics onto a clean felt background, cut around the edges, and framed in shadow boxes."
I think framing the finished felted photos in shadow boxes was a nice touch. What an amazing gift and what a sensational idea! A big thanks to Angela for generously detailing her project and allowing me to share it with you!
I must have been a pretty good girl this year because I received an awesome present from my friend Peg of Sweetgrass Farm. Peg is a breeder of Jacob sheep. I first discovered her and her farm when I went on the hunt for beautiful Jacob roving. She was the only one I could find selling wool that had been processed to showcase all of the gorgeous colors of this breed. It's appropriately named Jacob Swirl and is my favorite among the roving I carry.
Before I talk about the buttons, let me just say that any Jacob sheep who finds a home on Sweetgrass Farm lives a good life and is well cared for and loved. Sometimes they break off a piece of their horns, or as with all living things, life comes to and end. As their horns are so magnificent, they are saved and now Peg is looking into possible applications for them. Right now, with the help of a friend, she is making some Jacob horn buttons. 
The horns seem to contain the same gorgeous range of colors as does the fleece. Still, it's incredible to me to find so much color in the cross section of a horn. The inside is hard as stone and perfectly smooth. The outside edge is textured as it is the outside of the horn.
They're so striking and the overall shape of the buttons is so appealing. I am going to have to search for the perfect garment on which to showcase these very special accessories!
Right now, Peg is not sure how many buttons she'll produce. If she decides to sell them, I'll be the first in line so I can carry some at Wind Rose. For now, I'm just enjoying the look and feel of my unexpected Christmas present. I thought you might enjoy seeing them too!
This little fiber star is from one of my own nuno felting projects, but I'm actually writing today with a blog recommendation. If you love felt, there is a blog that I think you'll enjoy. It's name is Wool love-functional fiber art.
I've been following this blog for a little while now, and I always enjoy seeing what this fiber artist will post next. She is nothing short of prolific in her devotion to felt.
In her latest post, she's creating a Christmas stocking, but don't stop there. Take a minute and scroll through some of her work. She makes gorgeous pillows and purses. She is simply always up to something!
For a long time now I've been thinking that I should share this blog with others. I have so many people come to my blog to see some of the nuno felt artists I have featured, so now I'm promoting a whole blog full of fabulous felt. Enjoy!
