Feltmaking with the Bag Lady

I am going mobile

2012-02-16T07:22:00.001-08:00

Technology moves so quickly and feltmaking is such an ancient art - hardly compatible you might think but not so. With my trusty mobile I can capture art and felt and life! Just have to make sure it doesn't take my life over ...
Another aspect of technology - roll on, no excuse now!

Classes at Craigton

2011-10-15T14:41:00.000-07:00

Hand dyed silk and merino shoulder bag.

Friday the 14th October is a red letter day for feltmaking at Craigton. June and Chris found their way from Perth into the rather muddy yard to sample the benefits of my first small group bag making class. My stocks of hand dyed tops were plundered to make some lovely bags and some to take away. The decorating is not complete, but the atmosphere is very positive and my studio is such a well lit and welcoming space. The bags were absolutely lovely and we managed to get them completed and even made some of my signature lilies which can be used to decorate the bag or to co-ordinate with an outfit as a corsage.

Let there be stairs!

2011-10-02T14:01:00.000-07:00

I have tiles, I have stairs - life is good!
I'm now taking bookings for small group classes at my studio. (That will make everyone get their skates on with the decorating)

It's an exciting prospect to be able to have tailor made workshops and be able to spend time and share my enthusiasms in my new surroundings! I've put a list of the classes I'm offering on my website at:
http://www.irresistiblefelt.co.uk/ (click on Workshops in the menu bar)
The Perthshire Open Studios event was a good place to start publicising them and at the Victoria Hall Craft fair today I booked in another two friends who are coming together - to make bags!
I enjoy working in this way with all my favourite things at hand and the felt rolling machine will be in use on the two day tunic/jacket class - yea!
Get in touch if there's something else that you want to do or make.

In a positive frame of mind

2011-09-17T07:29:00.001-07:00

The tiler has been getting on great style! The link is tiled and so is my studio and the front hall (stairs to come on Monday)!! I'm recruiting volunteers for the painting spree in the studio for next weekend. City and Guilders I know you won't make it though perhaps you'd like to....
I've sold most of my stock at Open Studios and Makkers (last month was the best one I've had there!!) and I have one or two requests to be getting on with - what am I doing here then? To the table ---->>>>

Perthshire Open Studios Event

2011-08-16T13:08:00.001-07:00

3rd to 11th September 2011

Not long to go now. We have all been busy getting venues and logistics in place for the annual opening of artists studios in Perthshire.
I show my work at Blackford, with Evelyn Ramsay at Sunart Studio. This is the third year we have done this and each year has brought new visitors and opportunities for us both.
As usual I am not as organised as I would like to be but, then, that is me - my brother would say 'You can't change the habits of a lifetime' but my work is definitely evolving. So much to do and so little time and so many options I just love it!

Craigton Classes

2011-07-30T03:48:00.000-07:00

With my house alterations activated once more I am getting all geared up to having classes at the Farm. Once the floor tiling is complete, what was once our lovely sitting room will be my permanent studio. The light is lovely and the space is great with plenty of space for my felt rolling machine. The floor will be tiled and so water won't be an issue. Craigton is somewhat overgrown at this time of year but the surroundings are great with the river and with a rub down with a Jungle Formula max strength cloth (free with every class :))the bugs keep their distance.
This is one of the hundreds of orchids growing at Craigton this year called a Common Spotted Orchid. Common or not they have made a brilliant display - just one of the thousand reasons I love Craigton.

Hands up for Nuno Hats!

2011-05-22T03:07:00.000-07:00

I had a great day yesterday with the Edinburgh Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers who meet regularly at Craiglockhart Church. Originally I had been booked in to teach a nuno felt scarf class but then the subject was changed to hats. I love making nuno felt hats, well, lets be honest I like making all kinds of hats, in fact all kinds of felt!!
It was great to have a mix of abilities though everyone had made some felt at some time and so knew the basics.
Playing with the pattern and the different kinds of silk to create different effects brought out an array of styles and colours. My hand dyed fabrics and fibres went down a treat and the end results were not only eyecatching but most satisfying as everyone finished in good time and seemed happy with the results.
I'll photograph mine once it's dry and share it here.

The year gets into gear

2011-02-18T16:15:00.000-08:00

It has been a slow start to the year, what with the snow and of course my broken ankle, but the year is getting into gear now, starting with the first craft fair of the year at Victoria Halls, Dunblane. It's on the 6th March from 11am to 4pm. Evelyn and I are keen to get started and are looking forward to seeing all our friends again.

Well, well, well here we are in the New Year

2011-01-12T05:03:00.000-08:00

The heating is finished and working - yee ha!! It's really great with a lovely, gentle heat and warm floors. The comissioning of the boiler took place only two days before the snow at the end of November and so the final finishing is a bit delayed but it's easy to say that Craigton is definitely a winner!
What a dork am I? I broke by ankle in the snow on Saturday and so my activities are a little constrained until I can put some weight on the leg. Still it will give me loads of time for feltmaking and the website once I am more mobile and of course my art work for the City and Guilds course which is progressing well.
The new year is going to be a good one and with the help and support of all my great friends and relatives I am looking forward to it, even with the shaky start.
At present there is still snow everywhere beautiful but rather treacherous. Roll on spring!

Forth Valley Open Studio 2010

2010-06-06T14:09:00.000-07:00

Kate Sankey, who owns and runs West Moss-side Organic Farm at Thornhill has made space available for some of the tutors who work there with her to exhibit their work, and I am one of the lucky ones. My work will be on show there from the 12th to the 20th June. I am taking a selection of hats, bags, scarves and flowers - I'm even doing a flower workshop on the afternoon of Thursday the 17th. The Forth Valley Open Studio is based on the same idea as the Perthshire Open Studio event which I am also involved in which takes place in Septermber this year. Forth Valley is a new venture but judging by the enthusiasm demonstrated so far it will be a tremendous event and hopefully attract many visitors to venues all over Striling, Falkirk and Alloa. Visit Forth Valley Open Studios for more information

City and Guilds Level 3

2010-04-12T11:57:00.000-07:00

We are well into the course now held at Dowangill Outwardbound Centre near Ripon. Jenny Compton takes the class and Em has done all the arranging. I travel down with Jennie from Edinburgh and the journey just flies by! We've decided to make a felt map of our journey with all the detours we've made (both by design and by accident..)as well as some of the stranger sights and people we have seen and met on the way! Samples are progressing though the biggest challenge at the moment is how to present them. There seems to be a great emphasis on the size of the samples and that they should all be the exact same size. It is exercising our brains most prodigiously at the moment. As my picture shows I am into puddles in a big way at the moment as well as muck heaps - there is great romance in a muck heap if you know where to look! (I'm working on it...)

Craigton has windows!

2010-03-23T03:42:00.000-07:00

At last the windows are in - only two years after the hole in the wall was made for them. The very bad winter did delay them somehwat - they had been stored since before Christmas but they are now very proudly where they should be along with the larch lap cladding - all a major step forward.
Now I can feltmake at last - that's not wholely reliant on the windows - just that the weather has been so very dreadful and going down to the workroom has been a trial of endurance.
I have already taught four classes this year and had to dye fibres for all of them but it has been on a purely 'must do' basis.
I've also started the City and Guilds level 3 course down in Yorkshire again which is challenging and stimulating - although I think I am the only participant who has so far thought that the 'Outward Bound' venue is the height of luxury. By comparison with the howling gulag of Craigton it is true paradise!! The place itself is great and the facilities very satisfactory and the surrounding countryside is beautiful and rugged as you would expect the Yorkshire moors to be. I am looking forward to the seasons unfolding there - comparing them to Craigton which has become the subject and the inspiration for my Level 3 themes - The Edges of Craigton.

Just when you think it's time to relax....

2009-12-11T09:15:00.000-08:00

Craft shows are now finished until the new year and I had been looking forward to a lazy couple of weeks with just the Cabin Collective and a bit of tidying up - here's the 'but' yesterday I delivered my sculptured torso and a couple of wall hangings to an art space that is like a guerrilla gallery. A group in Alloa have taken over an empty shop and set up a gallery featuring local artists. Angela Beardsley is the artist in residence and is heading up this ambitious project. I think she has lots of drive and last time I spoke with her she was doing battle with Health and Safety issues. However when I delivered my stuff there was a lot of very interesting artwork being collated and hung to showcase the wealth of artistic talent in the area. The opening is today but I have a prior commitment with all the horsey people at the livery (they keep horses with me at Craigton), we are going out for our Christmas do.... But I shall be dropping in over the weekend.

Bita Ghezelayagh's Exhibition and Masterclass

2009-11-18T07:39:00.000-08:00

Bita's exhibition at the Collins Gallery was a bit of an eye opener for me, and I was quite astonished to learn that, although she is a feltmaker she had neither made the tunics she exhibited, nor had she done the embroidery.
The work, none the less, was very striking and evokative. I like the Collins Gallery because it is a blank canvas space where each exhibition brings its own atmosphere and I felt the work created an intense emotional presence. At the symposium on Saturday Bita talked with Laura Hamilton about her work and of her Iranian homeland. She called herself 'a gatherer' and the documentary of her shepherds' cloak exhibition highlighted the fragile nature of the feltmakers' status in Iran and how through supporting it with her art works the tradition could still be found. She spoke at length both in the documentary and at the Collins about the conflicting pulls of modern post war Iran with its sophisticated dynamic urban culture threatening the rich cultural heritage through ridicule and rejection of the ancient ways.
The exhibition has now finished at the Collins but is still touring to the Quilt Museum in Yorkshire and Hawick.

An Exhausting Week - Cabin Collective has moved

2009-11-01T10:29:00.000-08:00

What an exhausting week we have had. The Cabin Collective has moved! An opportunity came up on the main street in Aberfoyle - a super little shop next door to the Post Office and on Friday in all the wind and rain we moved the fittings and all the stock from the site at the back of the Woollen Mill into the new main street shop.
The week gathered momentum as it progressed! I had a visitor up from England on Wednesday and on Thursday Evelyn and I had been to Diverse Fibres in Hamiltond and so I had been hoping for a nice quiet day on Friday - nothing of the sort! Evelyn, Neil, Alicia and I were up to our ankles in the over enthusiastic rain water rushing back and forth making sure everything got moved safely. We did it and on Saturday I was back into the house modifications which are now at the critical stage of all floors up and most concrete down! Today I have had quite a restful day at the Craft Market at Victoria Hall in Dunblane. This is held on the first Sunday of every month and this month it seemed quite relaxed in comparison to the rest of the week!! Katrina Stewart was also there this week. We meet up from time to time in Edinburgh and I had told her about the market at Dunblane. The quality of the work there is improving all the time. There is too much jewellery, and I just don't get jewellery .... but other craft workers including a brilliant (though rather loud) metal worker, glass makers, a very stylish childrens' dress designer and a couple of artists all in once place - and such a great atmosphere.
Next week I am expecting another visitor midweek - one from the USA this time - think it might be a bit of a culture shock for her to arrive here when the mud is at its best...... and I will have to remember to bring stuff back from the Cabin on Tuesday - that's my day there otherwise there will not be much here to show her.
The Cabin Collective welcomes everyone! Now we are in the main street with a kitchen and a toilet pop in for a cup of coffee and a chat!

The Female Gaze

2009-10-21T14:12:00.000-07:00

Delta Studios is an interesting venue. It's situated in an industrial estate near Falkirk and that sounds a bit off putting in some ways, but the place itself is a very creative environment. The top floor is a large open space which can be sub-divided at will to make a customised gallery with plinths and dividers creating the exact ambiance required. The rest of the studio complex is made up of artist studios, a huge teaching area and an artists' materials shop. The opening of The Female Gaze was very well attended and 'the body' caused quite a stir. I was very pleased with it as a first attempt at stiffening and moulding wet felt to create a semi rigid structure. The multiple layers of coloured pre-felt under the overal white give the impression of subcutaneous blood vessels and bruising which give the torso the illusion of recent life. The exhibition was predecated on the perceptions of 'the female' by a group of five women artists working in felt, screen printing, video, photographic manipulation and body adornment and explored the relationship between the external and internal, the perfect and the imperfect, conditioning, states of mind and composure. It was a thought provoking and stimulating experience for us all.

Christmas is a coming in....

2009-10-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

What a brilliant weekend I have had at Match a Patch. My bag class was busy with people who had been to the Open Studio Event, a friend who has wanted to do the class for ages and people who had booked in the normal way through Stacey. She is such a fun person and her shop is a total treasure trove for quilting and textile bits and bobs. We had a great laugh and drank lots of tea but everyone made a stunning bag in the colour way they wanted - simple in construction but so beautiful! It was only when I got home that I felt as though I had overdone it a little. I have developed a cold which everyone keeps telling me is the dreaded swine flu but I'm not buying that! I have been very busy lately: I was through in Guthrie, near Forfar with Evelyn for two consecutive Thursdays whilst she did a Poppy class - even got the chance to start a poppy picture myself which will appear here once it's finished....!

Coming up, this week, though is the exhibition. My main piece 'As You See Me/As I Am' (pictured here) was delivered yesterday and hopefully hanging in glory ready for the Preview on Friday. The piece is part of an exhibition called The Female Gaze which is a collaborative project coordinated by Lesley McDermott. It's on at Delta Studios, Lochlands Business Park, Larbert, Falkirk, FK5 3NS from the 10th to 18th October 2009. The preview is on Friday 7.30 - 9.00 if you've time we'd love to see you there.

The End of an Exciting Event

2009-09-15T06:19:00.000-07:00

What a week Evelyn and I have had. It has been the Perthshire Open Studio event from the 5th to the 13th September and within the week there have also been two craft fairs in Dunblane - one at the Victoria Hall, as usual on the first Sunday of the month and then one at the re-opening of the prestigious Dunblane Hydro Hotel which has been refurbished at tremendous expense.

The Open Studio was busy every day except Tuesday which was the day that everything was flooded out in our area. We weren't but I think one or two of the roads were closed and people just stayed home... It was a wonderful week with many interesting people to talk to and share with. It was rather hard on Evelyn, though, as it was in her home and studio and so she was under pressure to have everything tidy and her inimitable hospitality is so generous but obviously takes a toll on her over such a protracted period.

I gave a flower making class on Wednesday afternoon, fully intending to photograph the various stages of the process because the ambiance in Evelyn' studio is so nice I thought it would go down well on my website... We were so busy that I didn't get the chance - but I will!

We are now getting chance to get back into our studios - I have so little stock left though I have put a couple of things on Etsy today but my next challenge is the Exhibition - The Feminine Gaze at Delta Studios in Larbert in October - details to follow!

If you want to get ahead get a hat....

2009-09-07T13:02:00.000-07:00

The hat I sent to the Royal Highland Show this year did not win any prizes with the judges but I put it on Etsy last week and sold it immediately. I called it Flights of Facy and here's the picture of it. It is made in the traditional 3 layer manner over a resist with a couple of tricky moves to fold back the 'feathers/leaves' for added dramatic effect. It's gone to the USA now, where people are apparently more inclined to wear hats that are something of a statement....!

An interesting flower embelishment or brooch

2009-08-14T01:31:00.000-07:00

The flower on the bag on the post on Tuesday is an embelishment that was shown to me by Beth Connors last year when I was down in Rippon. It's one of the flowers I am showing at the class on the 9th September at the Open Studio Event, at Evelyn's - at the class I am going to ask Evelyn to take some pictures so that I can put them on the blog to show how it's done. Watch this space.

Back in business on Etsy

2009-08-11T14:10:00.000-07:00

I've put a couple of things up in Etsy tonight. Just feel I have to get busy for all the up and coming things. We've Perthshire Open Studio, as well as the ongoing Cabin Collective, which appears to be picking up business as we persevere and then on the 22nd of this month the Giraffe Cafe opens up and both Evelyn and I have work in that, too.

The Battleby Gathering

2009-08-11T12:02:00.000-07:00

The Battleby Gathering for spinners, weavers, dyers and feltmakers is held at the Scottish Natural Heritage Centre at Battleby on Sunday 27th September 2009. Tickets are going rather more slowly than last year for the Gathering. There is still time to get tickets if you've a mind. Contact me by email for further information or if you've got a form get it off as quick as you can. Email me at lynn@irresistiblefelt.co.uk and I'll get back to you right away.

Perthshire Open Studio Event

2009-08-05T02:49:00.000-07:00

Evelyn Ramsay and I are now making preparations for the Perthshire Open Studio event which takes place from the 5th to 13th September this year. The brochures arrived for circulation and display and we are making lots of things to promote and sell our work. We have organised a couple of short workshops and Evelyn's Friday one is already full. I only have a couple of places left on mine so we are quite hopefull that we will be busy through the week. Feltish are visiting on Monday morning and our workshops are Wednesday and Friday afternoons. I guess the time will pass quickly but we want to try to see some of the other studios - it's a really great opportunity to visit other professional artists in the area and the brochure and website publicising it are excellent. Here is the link: http://www.perthshireopenstudios.com/

The Cabin Collective

2009-07-26T04:41:00.000-07:00

I am at the Cabin at the Aberfoyle Woollen Mill most Tuesdays now. We are hoping to see friends as well as tourists there and Neil and Alicia are organising a 'Meet the Makers' day. There's lots to see and do in the area so who knows we may see you there sometime.... This isn't the woollen mill - but the scenery round Aberfoyle is truly spectacular.

Internation Feltmakers Associatio AGM

2009-07-25T13:33:00.001-07:00

Loch Lomond Exciting and energetic gathering of feltmakers from all over the world. Workshops, lectures and demonstrations for everyone.The International Feltmakers Association celebrates it's 25th birthday this year and commemorated with an Exhibition of some of Mary Burkett's collection at the Collins Gallery in Glasgow at the same time as the touring exhibition Crowning Glory - Architecture for the Head.

Edinburgh WSD Bagmaking Workshop

2009-07-25T13:29:00.000-07:00

February 2009 The Edinburgh group of the Weavers, Spinners and Dyers meet at Craiglockhart Church Hall regularly and on the 21st invited me to give my bag making class. A busy and creative day was particularly satisfying because everyone more or less finished their bag and the results were stunning! Thanks to Laura for inviting me I really enjoyed meeting such a friendly and talented group.
For details of all my workshops go to the workshop page.

My New Etsy Site - January 2009

2009-07-25T13:26:00.000-07:00

Friends and other feltmakers had been telling me about Etsy and how good it was for truly unique and handmade items. So I've opened a shop there. Visit it anytime and let me know what you think.

Disperse Dying - January 2009

2009-07-25T13:23:00.000-07:00

I have been experimenting with Evelyn Ramsay who is a genius at this method of dying/printing. I helped at a class she did at the Smith Art Gallery in Stirling where she has some of her work exhibited with a group called Turning Point. The class was exciting and very productive and the results were breath taking!Have a quick look at Evelyn's website here.

City and Guilds Level 2 in Yorkshire - Sept 08/March09

2009-07-25T13:20:00.000-07:00

Emma Fountain-Hewitt has organised the truly fun and exciting course at the Primary School in Grewelthorpe in Yorkshire where an interesting and interactive group of us are led by Jenny Compton to achieve levels of work certainly beyond my wildest expectations.The group meets for a weekend once a month and at the end we are going to gather the work for an exhibition to be held in Masham in June.

Royal Highland Show Handcrafts Competition 2008

2009-07-25T13:15:00.000-07:00

The Mask for the Green Man was the title for the 3d item this year and I made a silk and merino complete head piece using some pre-embroidered and beaded fabric and hand dyed merino - it won 3rd in the judging behind a spectacular mask made by Jenny Loudon. My wall hanging - The Road to the Isles won 2nd place and featured some thistles needle felted with pieces of nuno and disperse dye panels.

Hats and Scarves

2009-07-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

At one time virtually 100% of my output was in the making of bags and my other site is http://www.askthebaglady.com/ I'm a member of a Yahoo Group called A Girl Can Never Have Too Many Handbags and I love making bags but I developed this site because as my skills have broadened I have started to incorporate more silk and to dye my own tops and fibres and this lends itself to other garments, accessories, hats and stuff.

One thing at a time....!

2009-07-13T13:21:00.000-07:00

My most pressing news, that some will already know, is that I have bought a felt rolling machine! Off eBay, no less - it's a big piece of news for me and a big piece of kit - 5 ft rollers! I only wish I could get time to use it, but at the moment I seem to be pulled in all directions at the same time. The house alterations are progressing very slowly and the disruption to my computer system (resolved now that I have taken the plunge and got a new laptop!) has meant that my labelling and web work have suffered greatly.

Tickets have to be sent out for Battleby and if anyone reading this is wanting to come better get your application in quick as the ticket requests have flown in - will be getting those out this week!

Evelyn's exhibition at Kilgraston School that I mentioned in my last post has been and gone and was a great success - beautiful surroundings, a marvelous ambiance with lovely music and delicious food and truly amazing work from the Lime T-arts!! Well done I was happy to be a small part of it.

However.... the same weekend that Kilgrston was on the Cabin Collective opened at Aberfoyle, round the side of the woollen mill there. Neil Ramsay is the driving force behind an initiative to bring together several jewellery makers, including Alicia McInnes; Evelyn, a knitter/feltmaker and me on the textile side; and a ceramics specialist to create a retail outlet for high end art/craft makers. I was there today manning the shop (though my usual day will be Tuesday) and the project is so exciting - we just have to hope that sufficient visitors appreciate the quality and uniqueness of our work.

I was supposed to be meeting up with a feltmaking friend tomorrow and she was coming from England to 'inspect' the machine - unfortunately her travel plans have been disrupted and so I will be on my own tomorrow to play with the machine all by myself - sad that Jenny won't make it up tomorrow but rather pleased that I'll have time to play!

A Busy Bag Lady

2009-06-14T12:25:00.000-07:00

I have a couple of workshops lined up for the summer and have been busy dying tops for those. One of the classes is my silk scarf class and so lengths of silk have gone into the dye bath too. My friend Evelyn has an exhibition at Kilgraston School starting on the 3rd July and has asked me if I will help out a bit and also asked John's jazz group to play at the preview evening on the 3rd. The setting is very suave and the group she is exhibiting with, called the Lime Tarts have circulated invitations for what is shaping up to be a great weekend. I met Evelyn way back in 2002 when we were doing the City and Guilds feltmaking course together but her main activity is as a textile artist designing, painting and machine embroidering the most amazing wall hangings, pictures and quilts. Go to her website at www.evelynramsay.co.uk and see some of her work - it's well worth a visit. We are also having an open studio in September at Evelyn's studio in Blackford - more details later or on my website www.IrresistibleFelt.co.uk

This bag is one I made the other day using a pre-felt cut and added to the body of the bag and at the first craft show I took it to - without even having time to photograph it properly to put on Etsy it was sold. This is encouraging, because I think where I am going is proving most successful. I only just had time to sew my new label into it.

Royal Highland Show

2009-05-23T10:30:00.000-07:00

The closing date for submissions to the Royal Highland Show competitions is approaching. I have finished my hat though I am a bit at a loss to know what kind of hat the judges are looking for. It says on the schedule "A Hat" which is not much use when trying to decide whether to make a wearable or a fantasy hat. Full steam ahead though with the wall hanging. Summer suns are glowing is the title and according to a friend that is what we will be getting a lot of in the next few weeks.

City and Guilds Level 2 - Feltmaking

2009-05-08T02:34:00.000-07:00

The course in Yorkshire organised by Emma Fountain-Hewitt and taught by Jenny Compton has been great! The work was split into six intensive weekends and a final exhibition which was at Old Slenningford Hall last weekend. The group dynamic was really good with some very experienced feltmakers and some who had not done much feltmaking at all. Some of us are better feltmakers than artists, some vice versa and one or two had that great combination of fantastic felt and great art work. A pat on the back to us all though for meeting up even on a couple of bad weather/snowy weekends and thanks to Jenny Compton for being inspirational, Emma and her whole crew for the organisation which was brilliant, Sheila Smith for her input and encouragement and for Britt, the friend who travelled with me from Dunblane to Grewelthorpe each weekend making the journey lively and short.

Working away on the website

2008-09-03T06:53:00.001-07:00

How about strutting out in a top/frock like this? The texture is great and the look fantastic! Just wish I had the figure to wear it.

I rolled the merino and silk on my friend's felt rolling machine and the finished item is absolutely fantastic! See my other stuff at www.IrresistibleFelt.co.uk bear with me - I do the website myself and have just got my new pics so it's taking a while.

Colour and Texture

2008-08-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

As the weather is drab and rather wet, store room tidying and rearrangement is at leasst bearable. I'm looking forward to being able to move in my studio and to using the resources I so constantly and enthusiastically collect!

Well - a bit of good weather and a mission...

2008-06-07T07:49:00.000-07:00

After a slow start to the year I am making felt for my submission to the Royal Highland Show and the weather cheers me up. I can't show what I'm making yet but I can say I am quite happy with my Mask and am busy with a wall hanging in a lovely soft superfine merino.
Recently our friends from Mongolia came over to Scotland for a protracted visit to coincide with an exhibition of Mongolian felt art at the Collins Gallery in Glasgow. On the first day the exhibition was open there was a gathering at the gallery and our Mongolian friends met many of the Scottish felt makers who had not been lucky enough to be part of the first expedition.
The exhibition has gone down to North East England before going off to Sweden and demonstrates the diversity and universality of hand made felt making techniques.

Dying to Felt

2008-02-04T07:05:00.000-08:00

My range of hand dyed bags with matching scarves and hats have been a really successful development this year and so the Bag Lady has expanded into the new areas of hand dyed and felted ensembles. My new website at http://www.irresistiblefelt.co.uk/ is reflecting the development of the textures and colours I am enjoying as well as showing the new and interesting things I am doing and learning.

I was at Moral Fibres last week for a three day course and that was great! Textures and colours to make your mouth water.

Major upheavals

2007-07-26T01:53:00.000-07:00

Craigton is a beatiful place and John and I are so happy to live here although our house alterations have been going on since we got here! Always so many other things to do and spend money on - but now the upgrading is going on with a vengeance! Last Thursday a friend came round to help John put lintels into the house wall to allow the room extension from the Link (our fancy name for the serially upgraded corridor link from the main house round to the enhanced bedroom/office and downstairs bathroom. What a job - Jimmy and John had to get a couple of friends in when it came to the time to lift the lintels into place - I'd no idea it would be such a big job but now that it's done it really feels as though the Link is progressing. Jimmy also knew of a contact in Perth who sold reclaimed slates and so we bought some of them and they were delivered this week.

Another day - Another dollar

2007-07-25T10:11:00.000-07:00

I've been dying!
A friend who is doing some rather drastic alterations to her house invited me to take advantage of a soon to be gutted kitchen wherein we could make as much mess as possible to catch up with big batches of dying. It is a rather messy opperation and so setting to with a will we spent the day weighing, measuring and dunking lengths of wool, silk, cotton and any oddments of nepps and string, cord and lace that were hanging around. We spent the day alternating between procion cold water dyes and acid hot water dyes using a Baby Burco boiler originally bought by my husband to 'mash' malt for his home brewed beer (it will never be able to be used for that again....). It's a very satisfying activity for although you never quite know what you will get the results are always exciting stunning and truly unique.
So lots of fabrics and embelishments to be going on with!!
See some of the results at www.askthebaglady.com

Just felt like it.....

2007-07-07T05:46:00.000-07:00

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

Crowning Glory - Architecture for the head

2007-07-07T05:01:00.000-07:00

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

More snow

2007-01-18T03:59:00.000-08:00

Since writing yesterday the snow has continued and this morning it has blocked the lane. A good excuse to get on with the bag I didn't finish yesterday. Here's one I made earlier though.
When I made this bag the surface decoration had the look of Rennie MacIntosh style and I really liked it. I make many of my bags to sell but this one I liked so much I kept it, and use it almost every day.

Feltmaking with the Bag Lady

2007-01-17T04:53:00.000-08:00

It's justs started snowing, thank goodness - it's just not the same in winter with all this rain, rain, rain. I don't feel as though it really is winter unless I've been stuck in a snow drift with a horse or slid off the track with the ice.

I'm finishing a bag today - it's one I started just after Christmas - in my light colour mood with a bit of lime green and lemon. I dyed enough merino, a silk cap and some rovings so that they all toned together and decided to make this a slim bag with a shoulder length strap and a button toggle at the front all in the same wool. I'll post a picture when it's done. For my other felt things you can go to my website at www.askthebaglady.com

I was visiting a lady yesterday who keeps Alpacas and she has a lovely flock of all kinds of colours way out on the west coast. Alpaca fleece is not something I've had much success with, in fact I gave a lot of Alpaca fleece away recently because I was rather disappointed with the finish on my bags - after speaking with Pam and looking at how she clips the fleece and having gained more knowledge of the fibre I think I will try again because some of the stuff she has made is so soft and lustrous that I may be missing out.