Cake~Tin Hats: 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!