Beads & Fibers ~ What a Combo!!!

Hello Everyone ~ Sorry about the lapse in posting. Preparations for three back-to-back teaching gigs take soooo much time.


I just returned from teaching at the first of these gigs, a wonderful conference in Visalia, CA (new place for me... one of the gateway cities to Death Valley, Yosemite, and the Giant Sequoias). Sponsored by the Association of Southern California Handweavers, the conference included an amazing showcase, a lively fashion show, many classes, and an inspirational presentation by Margaret Roach Wheeler of some of her most loved contemporary woven garments based on traditional Native American costumes. These were awesome. At a later time I want to show some pictures of them. A couple of them brought tears to my eyes... a spiritual, almost mystical element about them.

Unfortunately I arrived at the conference with no checks in my checkbook and a nearly dead camera battery. So, I only have a few pictures to share.


This is a detail shot (shoulder) of my favorite garment in the fashion show. It is a hand-dyed silk chiffon coat with added woven texture by Brecia. Lovely!

Awesome colors - yarns, fibers, beads were everywhere! I loved everything, but most of all, I loved two felted vessels made by Una and Janel in a three-day pre-conference workshop taught by Sharon Costello.


Here is Una's vessel. She's just beginning to embellish it with beads, as you can see in the detail shot below. These pictures are click-to-enlarge, and worth it (in my opinion)!




Here's another detail of Una's vessel. I love her use of color and the flow of the design.


And here is one side of Janel's vessel. If you go to her website, you'll get a hint of why she has chosen the figure of a chameleon for her piece.


The other side of Janel's vessel is a graceful tree. Like Una, she's just beginning to get the beads on it.


This is a felted purse made by Una, who took my beaded button class and made a closure button for it. The other three buttons were made by other students in my class.


Finally, I want to show you this fabulous bead. I'm in love with it. I don't know who made it as yet, but D'Elin, who made the necklace (sorry that's when my camera battery konked out, so you don't get to see the whole necklace) is going to get the name of the lampworker for me. I'll post it when she does.

I could write pages about all the things I saw and people I met... but I only have one day before I leave again to teach at the Bellingham Bead Festival, and the "to do" list is very long.

Please don't give up on me during this busy teaching time... I check your blogs when I can, but don't always have time to comment.