December 30, 2013

STILL LOVING FELTING





Stephanie...so Pretty at 'Busy Hands'























Beautiful Naomi in her new hat at 'Busy Hands'!























Lovely Dana at 'Maker's Hand'

















 







It has been a busy two months since 'The Maker's Hand' show and sale which took place at the beginning of November.  I took another felting workshop for three days in November, this time with world-renowned master felter Marjolein Dallinga from St. Sauveur, Quebec.  You can learn more about Marjolein [Mar-yo-line] and see her beautiful work here at  www.bloomfelt.com


Marjolein is a Dutch / Canadian felter who makes felt so delicate and thin that you can almost see your breath through it.  Her ability to sculpt felt objects in the most exquisite colours using minute amounts of fibre is uncanny.  She focuses on the process rather than the end result which is why learning from her is more of a story book journey than a step by step instructional in felt making. This was an experimental workshop called  'From The Mud Springs a Flower'  which was also taught by Marjolein in September at  'felt :: feutre 2013'  on Salt Spring Island in B.C. ~  an event held in celebration of contemporary felt making in Canada where we have so many talented felters.  www.felt-feutre.org


























My very first inspiration to felt came from watching Marjolein teach a workshop two years ago at Rosehaven Yarn Shop in Picton, Ontario, where I work part time.  At that time I had never even seen the process of wet felting and had no idea what it entailed.  As I watched I was captivated by the wool fibres, the process and the stunning results of felt making.  I began to teach myself from books and have taken a number of other workshops over the past two years from other gifted felters, but, I have been hoping for the opportunity to learn from Marjolein ever since I first encountered her.  This year's workshop was hosted once again by Rosehaven Yarn Shop and was packed with participants.  Having two years of felting experience behind me was very helpful in this instance and I was able to learn (without taking copious notes) some interesting new sculptural techniques from Marjolein which I am looking forward to using in the new year when I have time to get back into my felting routine. 






Rosehaven has had a face lift!























 




Just in case you haven't heard, Rosehaven Yarn Shop has recently changed hands and Lesley Snyder is the proud new owner as of November 17th. Have a look at  www.rosehavenyarn.com. Linda, who sold to Lesley, has retired to Ecuador and luckily she made a great arrangement with Lesley which means we get to keep our LYS!  This is really good news for Picton and for fibreholics from far and wide.  If you have visited the shop in the past you will find it looks very different now, both inside and out.  In addition to all the wonderful yarns Rosehaven is known for, Lesley is carrying a complimentary line of funky women's clothing.  Perfect to show off the beautiful new shawl or sweater you are knitting.  She is also carrying a line of my felted hats.  I'll post some pictures of the inside of the shop in the new year.  In the mean time here are some shots of my new hat labels designed and made for me by my fantastically creative and generous friend Mags Kandis.






CakeTin Hats new labels






















This hat went to Norway!






















Love the labels!






















Ava's knitted headband...adorable!























Right after all that excitement was the 'Busy Hands' Christmas show and sale December 14th and 15th which, despite the frightful, early, winter weather, was a warm and wonderful event just as it is every year.  There were lots of smiles trying on hats again this year and lots of buying too!   I shared a corner with Carol King and Sandra Emlaw again this year and still managed to do most of my Christmas shopping at the sale.  I buy everything locally and it makes me feel very happy to support local artisans creating beautiful handmade goods and goodies.  I was glad to have all my shopping finished because we were walloped by a terrible ice storm in Eastern Ontario just after 'Busy Hands'.  We had no power at our house for four days. Trees and branches came down and the driving has been treacherous. We were lucky because the lights at Twig Hollow came back on in time for Christmas Eve and we have a big wood fire place.  There are still many people in Toronto without power over a week later. 

 In January I begin all over again with the goal of hand making forty more felted hats by next October.  No pressure...I'll see how it goes...one day at a time!  I wish you a happy, healthy new year and thanks for reading the Blog!







Lovely Laurel






Lovely Lil
























Kids love trying on hats!























Even the little ones!
























Delightful Amelia
























Love these rusty hat stands!









Noro fingerless gloves ~ pink, blue & green
























Noro fingerless gloves ~ terra-cotta, blue & orange





















 


Elizabeth's wrist warmers
























Angie's wrist warmers
























Sylvia's wrist warmers






Tish's wrist warmers
























Wristlets for Mags















 










This lucky hat also went to Norway!







Twig Hollow (our lane way) after the ice storm

November 10, 2013

WOOL WORKED





Ah...to be young and exquisite...and look divine in every single hat!   
Dana in 'Checkers' ~ wet felted by CakeTin Hats 
Photo by Trevor Harris of Dialogue Productions ~Toronto




















'Wool Worked' had a wonderfully successful three day show and sale at The Maker's Hand last weekend in Picton.  CakeTin Hats and C.K. Woolies is a good combination and if you missed seeing us there, please stop by our booth at Busy Hands, December 14th and 15th, upstairs at Books and Co. in Picton.  Carol and I have many special friends to thank for all their help over the weekend. 

Thank you Mags www.ravelry.com/designers/mags-kandis for your advice, booth design, shelves, CakeTin Hats business card and label designs.  Thank you Goldie (and Jay) for organizing and setting up on Thursday.  Thank you Karen for being there all of Friday so we could relax and manage the crowds.  Thank you Kato www.katowake.com for Saturday and for your fantastic merchandizing expertise.  Thank you Dana for Sunday and for being a happy, willing and beautiful hat model. 

Thank you Trevor www.dialogueproductions.ca for your great photos.  Thank you Steve and Dave (our husbands) for your support, encouragement, assistance (always at the drop of a hat...) and for understanding that living with us means living with fibre!  Thanks also to the Prince Edward Arts Council for organizing such a terrific show and for all the wonderful and spportive volunteers who participate.  We feel very loved and very lucky.






Dana in 'Rhubarb' ~ wet felted by CakeTin Hats
Photo by Trevor Harris





















Pink cloche ~  hand knit and felted
(boiled wool) by C.K. Woolies



















The finished needle felted sign...  we were booth
number 13... must be our lucky number!
   

























It was a challenge to keep the hats organized on the shelves with so many shoppers but so enjoyable to see the smiles on peoples faces as they tried a variety of hat styles.  Everything from eccentric fashion statements to classic utilitarian warmth.  I make the wet felted hats while Carol uses a hand knitting and felting process called boiled wool.  Carol also makes boiled wool mittens and the most exquisite little needle felted mice with handmade clothing and beautiful detail.  I make wet felted flowers, felted soaps and hand knit wrist warmers, fingerless gloves, wristlets and headbands. 




CakeTin Soap ~ wet felted and all tied up!





















Carol King and her famous mice!























Chris at the Wool Worked booth





















 'Grape Crush' ~ wet felted by CakeTin Hats























 Bobbles and stripes ~ hand knit and felted
(boiled wool) by C.K. Woolies
Photo by Trevor Harris



















'Silver Star' ~ wet felted by CakeTin Hats























The 'Frida Kahlo' headband ~ felted flower on
a hand knit band























'Silk Leaves' ~ wet felted by CakeTin Hats























Just peachy ~ hand knit and felted
(boiled wool) by C.K. Woolies
Photo by Trevor Harris

















'Cow Hide Wedge' ~ wet felted by CakeTin Hats
























'Tree Spirit' ~ wet felted by CakeTin Hat

























'Chili Pepper' ~ wet felted by CakeTin Hats

























'Cerries' ~ wet felted by CakeTin Hats



  
'Pastille' ~ wet felted by CakeTin Hats






'Smash Box' ~ wet felted by CakeTin Hats

  




'Raspberry Ripple' ~ wet felted by CakeTin Hats
























'Butter Rose' ~ wet felted by CakeTin Hats





'Plum Cloche' ~ wet felted by CakeTin Hats




Jenny looking amazing in her 'Melon Cloche'
~ wet felted by CakeTin Hats























Pretty in pink ~ hand knit and felted by CakeTin Hats























A fantastic creative statement! 
~ hand knit and felted by CakeTin Hats























How cute is that? ~  hand knit and felted
(boiled wool) by C.K. Woolies
























A perfect choice ~ hand knit and felted
(boiled wool) by C.K. Woolies























The jacket is a great match for 'Checkers'
~ wet felted by CakeTin Hats


  

Pat made a warm choice in 'Celtic basket
weave'~ hand knit by Chris























Kato in orange! ~ hand knit and felted hat
(boiled wool) by C.K. Woolies &
hand knit wristlets by CakeTin Hats



Karen looking perfectly flapper in 'Clara Bow'
~ wet felted by CakeTin Hats




Frank getting theatrical in 'Shakespeare' ~ wet felted
by CakeTin Hats



Dana in 'Balloon Beret' ~ wet felted
by CakeTin Hats





C.K. Woolies needle felted mouse in sailor's
watch cap with pipe!
Photo by Trevor Harris





























C.K. Woolies needle felted mouse in haute couture!
Photo by Trevor Harris

















Kato's colours























Kato's colours