Happy spring to all of you!
As you are reading this, I am at JC Campbell Folk School with a happy group of students enjoying our Crochet Design Secrets week. We have a full agenda about label wisdom, adaptation of other patterns to reduce or enlarge with confidence, we will design our own patterns from the hip up and side by side vertically, and we will work easy sleeves directly into the design.
We will also create designs in the round and with squares and then top it off with finishing details: Fringes, tassels, cords, buttons, flowers and other embellishments. I will also talk about blocking and have lots of surprises for the group. Can’t wait to see their ideas and design suggestions! Lots to learn from each other.
JC Campbell is a special place to gather, it’s a quiet mountain retreat with wonderful meals served family style, no TV but great evening entertainment with Appalachian music, country dancing, square dancing and other fun gatherings. I am also taking some of my favorite books to read during quiet time.
Be sure to check out JC Campbell Folk School at: www.folkschool.org for their 2023 schedule. There are hundreds of classes from building musical instruments to bread making. It is the experience of a lifetime to treat yourself to time at the Folk School!
When I left this past weekend we had already received more rain in the previous 2 weeks than all of March together. My irises and azaleas were beautiful! April showers truly bring May flowers!
We also had record heat for a few days, but the temperatures promptly went down to freezing at night and low daytime temperatures towards the end of the month. I brought an extra blanket, warm jacket and wool socks, just to be on the safe side! Sandals are on the bottom of my bag; one must be prepared!
I enjoyed a lovely Easter celebration with close friends and was happy to see so many old friends at our Southern Highland Guild annual meeting at the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway. This happened on a sunny day, and we were even able to have lunch outside. We always celebrate outgoing and incoming board members for their service and dedication. After serving 2 terms on the Education Committee a few years back, I am still an active mentor for fiber category applicants and volunteer at the Craft Fairs downtown Asheville. That is another great opportunity to see many of our members and their current work. I am already looking forward to our Summer Craft Fair in July at the Harrah’s Convention Center downtown Asheville.
The second half of April I spent lots of time going through the house and gathering stuff in the garage to get ready for our neighborhood sale, a tradition that had been ignored during Covid, but is now enjoyed again by many in the neighborhood. We also invited the rest of the world to participate; we got rid of treasures and then bought more! So much fun!
We had a great turn-out the first day due to wonderful weather and a large disappointment on the second day when I woke up to thunder and lightning. That, of course, kept customers away. We had a few brave souls show up, but when it turned bitter cold and windy, we consolidated our leftovers, closed the garage doors, and picked up all the signs in the neighborhood. Still a good time was had by all!
This last week I received one request for a restoration and one for an alteration of a very special pair of bellbottom pants. I will keep you posted! Can’t wait to share those images. The pants will be waiting for me when I get back home.
Last week I spent most of my time getting ready for this trip. For the workshop I usually bring lots of samples in different weights (embroidery cotton to heavy wool) and very detailed hand-outs. I distribute the hand-outs at the end of each day to keep their imagination going and not to direct them towards where I am going! With such a creative workshop that works best. The participants will have a lovely folder when they get back home.
Of course I always work on new projects despite whatever else is going on. I finished the Irish lace headbands for my 2 ladies; they will be displayed at the Embellishment Exhibit at the Folk Art Center this summer. Two smaller, fun projects also happened. See my images below.
Even if you are super busy, take some time to dream up, design and work on a new, unusual project! Maybe my above agenda will give you some ideas! As always, feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.
Happy May, happy Crochet!
New in the Studio:
2 Irish Lace headbands for the Embellishment Exhibition this summer. They will have nicer, long-neck black on white and white on black display heads. Our curator is a master display artist.
Purple Passion Lace, made from Chilean super wash wool, silk and bamboo.
It is 80” long and 11” wide and drapes beautifully!
Inspired by my youth, I called this Blue Jean Ball!
It is made from Plymouth Diversity Acrylic sock yarn and embellished with Paillette polyester sequences.
It is a 60” by 12” graduated triangle, the tip can be worn front or back.
If you have any questions about these pieces, feel free to get in touch!
“I do what I love and I love what I do.”