So the blog fell by the wayside this past week and a half, but in my defense I was extremely busy in the non-virtual world. I volunteer at our local art gallery, Studio B, and we decided to paint the entire space, including the ceiling, between shows this time. I must say, it looks stunning, but we are all so sore and tired now!
The gallery director also encouraged me to enter a piece in our next juried show, Terra Firma, which opens this Friday (May 29) from 5-7:00 p.m. with a wine and cheese reception. So guess who was up until 4:00 a.m. trying to meet the deadline? Ooh, pick me. And, miraculously, my recycled fiber tree sculpture juried in (barely).
Today we hang the show, then hopefully I will finish up some of these hat projects I've been working on here and there between everything else these past two weeks. I have a sun hat almost finished. Now, if only these clouds would go away and give me a decent day to photograph my work...
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
I got a mention!
Fabulous Tara at handmadeinpa.net gave me a lovely little mention the other day! Check it out here.
Still working on the fedora; I'm at the brim now. Also started a jute sun hat, which will be great for gardening or going to the beach. I really want to finish them both this week, but was just reminded of another deadline rapidly approaching, so... I simply MUST find a way to split myself in two.
Still working on the fedora; I'm at the brim now. Also started a jute sun hat, which will be great for gardening or going to the beach. I really want to finish them both this week, but was just reminded of another deadline rapidly approaching, so... I simply MUST find a way to split myself in two.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Vintage love
The crochet ban has been lifted! Actually, it's been off since Friday evening, when I whimpered and whined until my husband said, "oh go crochet something." I think I might have a problem...
Hello. My name is Carrie and I'm a crochetholic.
During my time not crocheting last week, however, I took the time to troll Etsy for vintage hat patterns. Enter, Baby Dee, a vintage pattern collector after my own heart. Sadly, she does not sell hard copies of her beloved patterns, but she makes fabulous e-copies of them and sells them for a very, very nice price which no one will ever miss from the joint bank account... Ahem. If you like vintage crochet and knit, stop in and say "hi" to Baby Dee.
Anyway, I am now in possesion of several fine hat patterns, one of which is a heavenly little fedora that I have been working on since the ban was lifted. I blame PennDOT for it not yet being finished as I was trying to work on it while travelling down the Turnpike this weekend (not recommended). I also made the mistake of trying to mod the sizing mid-project, which is never a good idea, and had to frog back several rows. It's a little over halfway done, though. Hopefully I can find someone with a small head to wear it. Anyone?
Hello. My name is Carrie and I'm a crochetholic.
During my time not crocheting last week, however, I took the time to troll Etsy for vintage hat patterns. Enter, Baby Dee, a vintage pattern collector after my own heart. Sadly, she does not sell hard copies of her beloved patterns, but she makes fabulous e-copies of them and sells them for a very, very nice price which no one will ever miss from the joint bank account... Ahem. If you like vintage crochet and knit, stop in and say "hi" to Baby Dee.
Anyway, I am now in possesion of several fine hat patterns, one of which is a heavenly little fedora that I have been working on since the ban was lifted. I blame PennDOT for it not yet being finished as I was trying to work on it while travelling down the Turnpike this weekend (not recommended). I also made the mistake of trying to mod the sizing mid-project, which is never a good idea, and had to frog back several rows. It's a little over halfway done, though. Hopefully I can find someone with a small head to wear it. Anyone?
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Apocalypse now?
We may be gone, but my hats will remain: "Felt, Beloved in High End Design..." by Andrea Silenzi. What would you like to see felted?
The fashion show on Saturday went fabulously well: all the seats were sold, the models were lovely, the accessories were vibrant, and the ladies had an enjoyable time. I believe all three of us artisans represented also made some sales and were very encouraged by the evening as a whole. We may stage another event in the fall, just as traditional hat weather is kicking in...
This week my husband is making me take a break from all crocheting and hat making, about which I am both grateful and grumpy. Grateful, because I really do need a break. Grumpy, because I have all these wonderful ideas for hats and I have to wait to make them! I will hopefully have more spring/summer toppers on the way next week, including my new hemp and jute sun hats and cotton buckets, which got good reviews at the show.
The fashion show on Saturday went fabulously well: all the seats were sold, the models were lovely, the accessories were vibrant, and the ladies had an enjoyable time. I believe all three of us artisans represented also made some sales and were very encouraged by the evening as a whole. We may stage another event in the fall, just as traditional hat weather is kicking in...
This week my husband is making me take a break from all crocheting and hat making, about which I am both grateful and grumpy. Grateful, because I really do need a break. Grumpy, because I have all these wonderful ideas for hats and I have to wait to make them! I will hopefully have more spring/summer toppers on the way next week, including my new hemp and jute sun hats and cotton buckets, which got good reviews at the show.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Fashion show! Fashion show! Fashion show at lunch!
Yes, today is finally the fashion show, and I am finally ready! I just put the finishing touches on my last two hats, bringing my grand total up to 14 pieces (you didn't think I had it in me, did you. Well, me neither). I am very pleased with the way everything turned out and will be sure to take as many pictures as I can this afternoon.
After this, I am going to take a real break from crochet and focus on my sewing for a bit. Gotta give the old elbow a rest...
After this, I am going to take a real break from crochet and focus on my sewing for a bit. Gotta give the old elbow a rest...
Friday, May 8, 2009
Photo shoot
A few images from a photo shoot with Laura and Rachel earlier this week:
Also, check out my ad on handmadeinpa.net and see what else the lovely Tara has to offer on her wonderful site!
Also, check out my ad on handmadeinpa.net and see what else the lovely Tara has to offer on her wonderful site!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Hand Felting 101
Felting is a huge part of my hatmaking process, and I thought it would be appropriate to post a tutorial for those of you who are curious as to what goes into it. First of all, let me clearly state that what I do is different from what a milliner or commercial hatmaker might do. Typically, felt (usually from animal fibers) is wetted and stretched over a hat block to shape and allowed to dry. The felt has a basic, very loose hat shape the begin with. When I felt, I start out with wool yarn and a crochet hook, and I give my hats all their shaping during the crochet process, though I make them much larger than their final size because felting shrinks the fibers together. Then I felt them down into the solid, compact forms you see in my shop.
Wool felting can be done by the home crafter in two ways: in the washing machine or by hand in the sink or tub. There are merits to both, but I choose to felt my pieces by hand because I can control the shrinking and felting processes and make sure my edges get the stiffness they need to hold their shape. I also don't own a washing machine in the first place... Hand felting can take anywhere from 15 minutes to over an hour depending on the size of your piece. One hat usually takes me between 30 and 45 minutes. Machine felting can take just as long and may need multiple cycles, but it doesn't require nearly as much elbow grease!
A pink wool cloche just before felting. It has all of its shape already, but it's obviously too large and floppy to be worn at this point. Honestly, I think it looks like something Darth Vadar would wear if, you know, Darth Vadar was a girl.
Step 1: Assemble your tools
In order to felt, all you need are a few simple things: a clean sink, liquid soap (I love Dr. Bronner's all-natural plant oil-based soap), a pair of tongs, heavy rubber gloves, hot water, and your crocheted or knitted wool object.
Step 2: Just add water
Boil a kettle of water. Plug sink and add hottest tap water you can along with boiled water and a dab of soap. Insert wool object into hot water and use your tongs to agitate it: swish it around, rub it against the sides of the sink, etc. At this point I usually agitate off and on for five-minute intervals while I'm cleaning my kitchen or watching television (or crocheting another hat).
Step 3: Insert elbow grease here
In between agitation in step 2, put another kettle of water on to boil. When it's singing away, pour it into the sink and agitate your garment some more. As soon as the water is "cool" enough for you to handle - but still HOT - put on your rubber gloves and get in there and SCRUB that puppy. Don't worry about being gentle! The hot water and the agitation/scrubbing help the wool fibers to open up and wrap around each other, which creates felt.
At this point, depending on how quickly your piece is felting, you may want to "shock" the fibers by running them under cold water (in a seperate sink) and then plunging them back into the hot. If your water is getting too cool or you think the object is going to take longer to felt, boil another kettle, drain a bit of water out of your sink, add the boiled water, and keep scrubbing. Rinse, repeat.
My full process usually looks like this: add water and soap, add hat, agitate, watch some tv, agitate, drink some tea, agitate, add more boiling water, check my e-mail, shock the wool, agitate and SCRUB THE HECK OUT OF IT, add more boiled water, shock the wool, SCRUB THE HECK OUT OF IT until it's done.
Step 4: Drying
When your piece has obtained the degree of felting you desire (I go for no visible stitches, but some people like to see them), drain the sink and wring the water out of your garment. To remove even more water, I then roll my hat twice in a doubled-up towel.
Step 5: Finishing
Newly felted objects are usually a bit mis-shapen from the felting process, so you will need to do something to reshape them for drying. While my hat is still damp, I pull it onto my head to help it get its general shaping back, then I place it on a foam head (or my husband's "Have A Happy Day" cookie jar, as the case may be), make sure the brim is positioned the way I want it, and let it dry overnight. For a purse or garment, you could lay it flat or on a sweater drying rack or stuff it with newspapers or towels to give it shape while it dries. Be creative and find what works for you!
Doesn't it look like a hat now? Vadar would be proud.
More questions about hand felting? Let me know and I'll add the answers to this tutorial!
Wool felting can be done by the home crafter in two ways: in the washing machine or by hand in the sink or tub. There are merits to both, but I choose to felt my pieces by hand because I can control the shrinking and felting processes and make sure my edges get the stiffness they need to hold their shape. I also don't own a washing machine in the first place... Hand felting can take anywhere from 15 minutes to over an hour depending on the size of your piece. One hat usually takes me between 30 and 45 minutes. Machine felting can take just as long and may need multiple cycles, but it doesn't require nearly as much elbow grease!
A pink wool cloche just before felting. It has all of its shape already, but it's obviously too large and floppy to be worn at this point. Honestly, I think it looks like something Darth Vadar would wear if, you know, Darth Vadar was a girl.
Step 1: Assemble your tools
In order to felt, all you need are a few simple things: a clean sink, liquid soap (I love Dr. Bronner's all-natural plant oil-based soap), a pair of tongs, heavy rubber gloves, hot water, and your crocheted or knitted wool object.
Step 2: Just add water
Boil a kettle of water. Plug sink and add hottest tap water you can along with boiled water and a dab of soap. Insert wool object into hot water and use your tongs to agitate it: swish it around, rub it against the sides of the sink, etc. At this point I usually agitate off and on for five-minute intervals while I'm cleaning my kitchen or watching television (or crocheting another hat).
Step 3: Insert elbow grease here
In between agitation in step 2, put another kettle of water on to boil. When it's singing away, pour it into the sink and agitate your garment some more. As soon as the water is "cool" enough for you to handle - but still HOT - put on your rubber gloves and get in there and SCRUB that puppy. Don't worry about being gentle! The hot water and the agitation/scrubbing help the wool fibers to open up and wrap around each other, which creates felt.
At this point, depending on how quickly your piece is felting, you may want to "shock" the fibers by running them under cold water (in a seperate sink) and then plunging them back into the hot. If your water is getting too cool or you think the object is going to take longer to felt, boil another kettle, drain a bit of water out of your sink, add the boiled water, and keep scrubbing. Rinse, repeat.
My full process usually looks like this: add water and soap, add hat, agitate, watch some tv, agitate, drink some tea, agitate, add more boiling water, check my e-mail, shock the wool, agitate and SCRUB THE HECK OUT OF IT, add more boiled water, shock the wool, SCRUB THE HECK OUT OF IT until it's done.
Step 4: Drying
When your piece has obtained the degree of felting you desire (I go for no visible stitches, but some people like to see them), drain the sink and wring the water out of your garment. To remove even more water, I then roll my hat twice in a doubled-up towel.
Step 5: Finishing
Newly felted objects are usually a bit mis-shapen from the felting process, so you will need to do something to reshape them for drying. While my hat is still damp, I pull it onto my head to help it get its general shaping back, then I place it on a foam head (or my husband's "Have A Happy Day" cookie jar, as the case may be), make sure the brim is positioned the way I want it, and let it dry overnight. For a purse or garment, you could lay it flat or on a sweater drying rack or stuff it with newspapers or towels to give it shape while it dries. Be creative and find what works for you!
Doesn't it look like a hat now? Vadar would be proud.
More questions about hand felting? Let me know and I'll add the answers to this tutorial!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Fashion Show hats #5 and 6
Two more hats! And with only two more days until the show, it's a good thing, too.
The Garden Cloche: pink wool cloche with mohair flowers accented with pearly buttons, cashmere/angora leaves, and vintage bird pins. I absolutely love this one - probably my favorite cloche so far.
Feather Cap: black wool hat with upturned rear brim, a luxuriously long ostrich plume, and a vintage circle pin.
The bridal headpiece is finished, and it's going without the veil because I just don't have time to deal with that tiny clear thread I was using. Eventually I will complete a successful crochet veil, but not before Saturday.
Back to work! I'm going to try a bucket hat our of mohair/acrylic yarn and see if it's substantial enough to hold shape. Hand felting tutorial IS coming soon, I'm just trying to organize my thoughts.
The Garden Cloche: pink wool cloche with mohair flowers accented with pearly buttons, cashmere/angora leaves, and vintage bird pins. I absolutely love this one - probably my favorite cloche so far.
Feather Cap: black wool hat with upturned rear brim, a luxuriously long ostrich plume, and a vintage circle pin.
The bridal headpiece is finished, and it's going without the veil because I just don't have time to deal with that tiny clear thread I was using. Eventually I will complete a successful crochet veil, but not before Saturday.
Back to work! I'm going to try a bucket hat our of mohair/acrylic yarn and see if it's substantial enough to hold shape. Hand felting tutorial IS coming soon, I'm just trying to organize my thoughts.
Monday, May 4, 2009
WiP: Fashion Show Hat #4
I've been working all weekend on a bridal-style headpiece for the fashion show, which is now less than a week away. I can't believe it's almost here... Anyway, this piece is a little different from my usual in that it's a headband base instead of a full hat. I covered the band with lacy mohair crochet; a mohair rosette accented with a vintage pin and feather will sit on the side/top. Right now I am working on the veil, which will be quite short, reaching just below the eyes.
I have a few other cloches I will be taking with me to the show, including the one you will see in the next post: a tutorial of how I felt my hats!
I have a few other cloches I will be taking with me to the show, including the one you will see in the next post: a tutorial of how I felt my hats!
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