To OFFF in well-worn shoes

Yesterday, Deb and I braved typhoon-like weather to visit OFFF (Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival) in Canby, an annual 3-day event.  In addition to vendors' booths, OFFF features fiber art workshops (dyeing, felting, spinning, weaving, knitting, etc.), as well as animal husbandry classes (such as Using Herbs For Deworming Sheep And Goats and Managing The Angora Wool Rabbitry).

We weren't there for classes, though -- just on the lookout for some beautiful wool.  We both want to do some nuno-felting on the loosely-woven blue-green fabrics we painted a few days ago.  As soon as we saw this selection of wool, dyed in a gradation of golds, greens, and blues, both of us said "That's the one!"

Wool roving, dyed gold-green-blue.

Once I got home and placed it with my painted fabric, I knew it was perfect!

Wool and cloth for nuno-felting.

But the day wasn't all wet and dreary; a mishap provided some humor.  In such stormy weather, I couldn't wear sandals, so I pulled out a comfy old pair of navy clogs (circa 1995-ish).  They were made by Clarks, and I used to have a brown pair that I wore til they fell apart.   As we entered the show, I noticed that the right shoe suddenly felt really loose.  I looked down and saw that the stitching (connecting the top to the sole) was undone from the toe along the entire right side.  That meant navigating the vendor's booths with a slow shuffle, hoping the shoe would hold up til I got home.

Only it didn't.  We left the show as the rain and wind started up again, ferociously.  We had to step over downed tree limbs and watch for others that were falling.  Deb slowed down for me as I shuffled through the cold, stinging rain, and at one point I actually walked out of the shoe!  Once we were back in my car, we had a good laugh over that poor shoe, which, by then, was also coming undone along its left side.

I photographed those old Clarks when I got home, then the next place they went was the trash. 

Goodbye, Clarks.

I'm way overdue for a new pair, don't you think?  Do you have any recommendations for comfy, casual, everyday shoes?

Fabric Painting with Deb

Deb and I got together yesterday afternoon to do some fabric painting.  We used a variety of textile paints, blended and mixed colors, then brushed, dabbed, and dribbled them onto fabric. 

Deb's first piece, nearly dry.

My first piece, still wet.

I rolled up my first piece so the colors would soften and blend, then put it in a plastic bag to take home.

Once I got home and ironed it, this is how it looked:

Sunset colors.

On our next pieces, we mostly used Setacolor paints and diluted them about 50/50 with water; the colors flowed nicely over dampened cloth.   This time we painted on some mystery fabric of Deb's -- a very soft, loosely woven blend.  We agreed these would make lovely scarves, especially with the addition of some nuno-felting!

The loosely-woven fabric, freshly painted.

I'd brought along my painting boards for us to use.  They're foam core, covered front & back with clear Contac paper to keep moisture from seeping in, and I've used them for years.  When we finished painting for the day, I noticed how they were stained with layers and layers of paint, a testament to many sessions of fabric painting.

My colorful painting boards!

Here are my two painted pieces after I ironed them to set the colors:

Painted fabrics, ready to use.

The sunset-color piece on the right might work in my next challenge project, and the green-blue piece is still insisting on being nuno-felted!

What do you think?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit: Exploring Fiber Art

I can't believe I forgot to mention this earlier in the summer!  The Cannon Beach (OR) History Center & Museum is featuring our quilts in a summer exhibit titled Exploring Fiber Art.   The postcard announcing the 10-piece exhibit featured Kathleen's Confetti Aspens, as you'll see below:

Exhibit postcard from the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum

The back of the postcard included a short description of the exhibit and a list of members whose work was included:

Back of the postcard.

"From tree-swept landscapes to abstract patterns, Fiberexplorations will astound you with their style and passion."  (source: 5th Annual Plein Air & More Art Festival supplement to the Cannon Beach Gazette)


Exploring Fiber Art will be on display for a few more weeks, through Sept. 30.  The museum is located at 1287 S. Spruce St. in Cannon Beach; summer hours are 11am-5pm, Wed. thru Mon. (closed Tues.)  Admission is donation-based.  For more on the museum and its exhibits, see www.cbhistory.org.

PC Challenge Quilt Accepted into Two Shows!

Our Painted Canvas challenge quilt has been accepted into two regional juried shows!

 

 

 

 

Fiberexplorations' PAINTED CANVAS Challenge Quilt

The shows are
 2013 NW Quilting Expo in Portland, Sept. 19-21.
                 and
MQX Quilt Festival PNW 2013, also in Portland, Oct. 9-13.


We've come a long way, baby!