What Skills Are You Sharing

Fiber Arts Pieces
 To get us through the long winters, #2 daughter and I have done fiber arts - she's a weaver and we both crochet. We both have done some sewing and I occasionally do some spinning. One of my 13 Skills goals for this year is to set up part of our large outbuilding as a "studio" to do fiber arts and my other crafts as where to do it in the house has always been a problem. When I get going on a project, I want to leave it out until I finish it, and not having a dedicated place leaves us living around it until it's completed.  




Currently, I have all my yarn, raw wool, fabric and some of my equipment stored in the outbuilding. When spring finally rolls around I plan to move the knitting machines, large Tri Loom as well as all the smaller looms, the two spinning wheels, the large standing quilting hoop and smaller standing quilting frames, my sewing machine, and all the jewelry making parts and pieces and set up the building. It amazes me when I think of all the equipment I currently have stashed away in closets and under beds.

It must seem like I have a lot invested in my stash of stuff, but I collected all of the pieces years ago.  I had this thought that it would be good to start gathering as I found the different pieces while thrifting and at yard sales. As time has passed I've gotten the feeling all this equipment and the knowledge to go with it will come in handy.And even so, in the future I have plans to spend some "quality time" with my grandchildren. (Wink, wink!)

At one time, I was the fiber arts leader for our local Junior Grange and 4-H clubs. I have always felt passing along this knowledge was important. It was so satisfying to teach children how to crochet, watching them struggling at first, then "getting it", and finally their pride in finishing a project. 

I hope you enjoy this peek at a few of the projects #2 daughter and I have done. I also hope you have a fiber arts craft you enjoy, and that you have the inclination to pass it along to a young person. It would seem so sad if one day these "fiber arts" become "lost arts".

Stay tuned for the photos to come of the "studio" when it is a reality! Until then, here are a few projects my daughter and I have created.


This is the Christening Gown my daughter made her last year in high school. It was her final fiber arts project after entering many crocheted pieces over the years at our county fair. She wanted it to look vintage and so she chose "antiqued" fabric and trims. The buttons are real vintage mother of pearl. It is a work of art - and one of the first sewing pieces she ever attempted! It hangs in a wardrobe bag in the spare room waiting for the first grandchild to wear it!

 "Vintage" Baby Christening Gown


                                                                                                                             
Quilted Throw From Pillow Shams
This is a cheat quilt project I did!  I love pieced quilts, but have never attempted one. I kept seeing "made in china" pieced pillow shams while thrifting and a use popped into my head. This particular pattern had four shams, each was a dollar. I took the four and made them into one throw. I sewed the top sham pieces together by machine, but the back was all done by hand. It was a fun project, and some day I will really do a pieced quilt just so I can say I did!








Tri Loom Woven Jacket w/Pockets

I mentioned that my daughter is a weaver. She and my hubby actually made a Tri Loom for her to weave on. This jacket was one of her first projects and it turned out so beautifully. A Tri Loom is an interesting way to create woven fabric as it uses the continuous weaving technique. The pieces made on this loom are - surprise - triangular in shape and are mostly used as shawls. We found a pattern for this jacket by Carol Leigh called "Celtic Mist", altered it a bit, and it turned out so snug and warm. The front fastener is one from my stash that I had gotten many years ago and is just perfect.





Tri Loom Woven Jacket - Small Triangles




Here's another jacket my daughter made from woven pieces off her Tri Loom. This loom was designed to be adjustable so she is able to create just the size woven piece she needs. This jacket was made of several small triangles all sewn together. She used three different colors of yarn so the triangles would be obvious. The jacket edges were all crocheted and wooden buttons added to finish the piece off.











Romantic Pineapple Edged Crocheted Throw


These next three pieces are ones I created from crochet patterns I found in books. My mother taught me to crochet when I was a teenager. She mostly made colorful granny squares trimmed in black and sewn together. She did make several vests for my sisters and me as that was a popular garment among the teenaged girls. My first crocheted projects were all single color pieces, mostly in ecru. I did a big "throw" in the months leading up to my marriage. It was multiple strands in fall colors, and to be honest, was quite awful! But, I worked on it quite diligently in the break lounge at the school where I taught. Early in my marriage I made my husband a big ecru afghan in a fisherman's pattern. We still have it and it turned out so nicely my best friend asked me to make her one. I also did one for my mother. Honestly, I have given away more pieces than I have kept. I think that is true for most of us. The piece pictured here is out of a book of romantic patterns. Usually, I only find one or two patterns per book that appeal to me. I liked all the patterns in this particular book!






Dresden Plate Pastel Afghan



I mentioned that I love pieced quilts, and not believing I have the patience, or heart, to cut up the fabric only to sew it all back together, I've found patterns that simulate traditional quilt blocks, only they're crocheted. This wonderful crochet throw is patterned after the Dresden Plate blocks. It was simple to make and I really love how it turned out! It hangs over the back of my antique rocking chair that my father restored and gave to me - a sentimental way to display it!















Pieced Flower Afghan



This is perhaps the piece I am most proud. I don't know about you, but I connect each piece with the events going on in my life when I created them. This one takes me back to the days of George and Ruth and a hot summer! I was trying to finish up as I had entered it in our county fair. I don't usually crochet big projects like this in the summer as it is just too dang hot to hold in my lap. I thought this one would be okay as it was a series of blocks that were pretty small - that is until I sewed them together. I was at George and Ruth's house with each block spread out on their floor when knowing I was up against a deadline George cried out, "Ruth, isn't there something you can do to help her?" I did get finished in time and it was the big winner at our county fair that year and went on to place second at the California State Fair the following year!



Thanks so much for making it this far. Kind of like suffering through someone else's vacation photos! Feel free to skip on over to my Facebook page and post a picture of a craft project that you'd like to share. Be sure to tell the story that goes with it! I have an album I'll put it in for all to enjoy!


http://www.theurgetopreserve.com
We were there March 6, 2013!
http://www.theurgetopreserve.com
We were there March 6, 2013!



Comments

  1. I completely agree with you about the need to pass on and share fiber arts crafts! It's part of the reason I've been "collecting" fiber arts hobbies. It's fun to share, and sometimes you can even find venues to teach and be paid for it. I'll share my crafts with any who want to learn!

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    Replies
    1. I feel exactly the same - as do most fiber arts folks, I suspect! And, you are right, one of the best things about fiber crafting is there are so many different ones to learn, and so like you I have been "collecting" them, too! =)

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  2. So lovely. I hope you don't mind if I add this blog to my Counted Crafts Blog Page. Please let me know if you don't want me too and I will remove it immediately. Other bloggers are able to hop to this site from the link.

    Marie
    http://123craftcafe.com

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    Replies
    1. Thanks you so much for your visit and note. I appreciate you adding me to your page. I've just started submitting to blog hops after having enjoyed blog hopping myself! =)

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  3. Hi Nancy! I featured your post today on The Creative HomeAcre Hop! I hope you'll stop by and share some more posts today!

    ReplyDelete

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