A Gleam in the Eye

Finished blanket

Blanket detail

Undyed Locks

Dyed locks

In 2004 I began attending classes in textile arts and handcrafts. After eight years I am still in love with the meaning and delight such gatherings offer to participants.

Creating and experimenting are easiest when one has an abundant stash; i.e., lots of colors and textures to play with. Fiber and fabric can be expensive, so I have added a "harvesting and reclaiming" hobby that continues to offer surprises and opportunities for invention. By visiting Goodwill bins, as well as "flock and fiber" festivals, I can obtain textile raw materials for $1.50 - $2.50 per pound. Add a pot of dye, plus carding and blending, and one can acquire an exciting stash.

This blog is about making beautiful and useful items from materials that might otherwise have gone to waste. I invite you to travel with me from "the gleam in an artist's eye" through the procuring, weaving, and stitching of materials. We shall finish by seeing a colorful blanket ready to warm someone's night. Other, similar, stories will end with a quilt on a gallery wall, or a dramatic, original rug gracing a kitchen floor.

Drop spindles and carded wool

Dyed, spun, and ready to knit