Studio Tour This Weekend, Dec 4 & 5, 2010

"Fritillary" handpainted, handspun, knitted and crocheted cowl, by Lynne Vogel

This coming weekend is a big deal here in Sewanee. People come by the busloads this Sunday to take part in the Festival of Lessons and Carols at University of the South's All Saint's Chapel. What better weekend to hold TACA's CAST Studio Tour in Sewanee and Monteagle. Local Tennessee craft artisans open their studios to visitors who come to enjoy and purchase beautiful arts and crafts. This is my first year to open my studio to this tour. Sharon Bandy and Jan Quarles will be joining me in welcoming all and sundry to see our fiber art, including knitted, crocheted, handspun, felted, and handdyed pieces, both large and small, decorative and wearable. My studio at 456 Tennessee Ave in Sewanee will be open Sat, Dec 4th from 10 AM-5 PM and Sunday, Dec 6, from noon-5 PM. The studio is in the garage, so please go there directly. If you knock on the front door you'll only incur (no pun intended) the wrath of Monk. You'll find a downloadable pdf map of the tour here. You can also find a map of the tour this Thursday via the Sewanee Mountain Messenger.

Also, don't miss the Full Cast Exhibit at St. Andrews Sewanee Gallery in Simmons Hall on the SAS Campus. All these pieces shown here are offered for sale in the gallery.
These are just a small sample of the items we'll have available in my studio. Jan will be showing an array of colorful nuno felted scarves. Sharon will have all sorts of felted items, including flower rings and flower keychains for stocking stuffers, plus felted scarves and bags. My collection includes wristers, scarves and mobius wraps knit and crocheted from handspun yarns. My favorite piece is a moebius wrap knit entirely from handspun art yarns in colors reminiscent of fresh rose petals strewn amongst winter leaves and twigs (photo forthcoming).

Nuno Felted Scarf by Sharon Bandy

So we hope you'll join us this weekend. After all, we'll have cookies!

Felt Hat by Jan Quarles

You can find more of Sharon's work in her Etsy shop "Feltware". Jan is know also as "Daily Fibers" handdyed yarns and fibers, available at Haus of Yarn in Nashville, TN and also on Etsy. I'll be listing finished items on Etsy after the tour, so check it out next week.

"Fritillary" back detail by Lynne Vogel

Soap and Vogue

As I was lathering up with Three Waters Farm Handmade True Soap this morning, I realized I've never sung it's praises. What took me so long? This is the most marvelous stuff. I don't know about you, but I have very sensitive skin and this lovely traditionally made goat milk soap is always kind and effective. Mary Ann has been tucking bars into fiber and yarn shipments ever since I've known her, keeping me well supplied. And at SAFF last month she brought me the bestest of the best bonus...a bag of soap ends! In all sorts of flavors as well. A felter's dream come true, since I can leave My hands in these suds for ages without ill effects. I LOVE it. If you haven't experienced this perfect, practical, minimalist artisan bar, go here and check it out.  It's made from purest goatmilk, milked by hand. The fragrances are delightful, but never overbearing. My personal faves are Oatmeal Lavender, Palmarosa Rosewood and Bay Rum (which is like root beer and spice...yummy) and of course unscented. Very few soapmakers these days even offer and unscented bar.
There's nothing off the wall about this soap. It's a sensible rectangular shape. I like this because when the bar gets really thin, I can stick it to a new bar and make it go longer. That isn't so easy to do with fancy shapes. It has no dyes either...a real plus for those of us who have enough dye in our lives already. And the fragrance is mild, just enough to enjoy but not enough to follow you around for hours.

Before I get off the soapbox I just have to mention how flattered I was to receive totally unsolicited mention in the Holiday Vogue Knitting. Kelly Wills writes a column about web knit offerings called "Give a Knit" in which she gave the Justify Spinning Kit a lovely plug. Thanks, Kelly!