Tip Jar

This month’s tips are from the guilds study groups. Enjoy their sharing.

**To make a wool felt ball to use in your dryer to soften clothes roll up a double fist full of clean wool fleece/batting/roving. Put the ball in a nylon stocking and tie a loose knot. You can put several balls in one stocking. Throw then in the washer with your load of towels to be washed in hot water. Then put them in the dryer. Until the knots and you have your wool balls that will now be fist size and you can use when you dry cloths. I saw them 3 for $17 on-line. If you have wool yarn see: http://www.diynatural.com/how-to-make-wool-dryer-balls/

**Don’t struggle along, ask someone for help!

**When peeling boiled eggs. Put the boiled eggs in a glass jar and shake. Take eggs and and peeling is easy. http://athriftymom.com/how-to-peel-an-egg-in-less-than-5-seconds-with-a-glass-jar-kitchenhacks/

**Keep clear notes and if possible take pictures of your projects in various stages from warping to finishing. When weaving a new pattern or using a new yarn, my notes have been quite helpful (especially when I can locate them).

**When working out a new idea make a small sample. But for the tip below you will want the whole batch.

Vicki’s Lemon Drops
1 box lemon cake mix( I use lemon supreme)
1 box instant vanilla pudding
4 lg eggs
11/4 cups sour cream
1/2 cup milk
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat mini muffin tin with cooking oil.
Beat the ingredients in a bowl with electric mixer until smooth.
Fill each tin 1/2 full ( I used a cookie scope)
Bake 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool tray on wire rack 2 minutes and turn the muffin pan over onto the rack.
Wash your muffin tin and respray with cooking spray, cooking next batch. I usually get three trays of muffins
When muffins are cooled completely make glaze.
Glaze
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp grated lemon peel( 1 whole lemon)
2T melted butter
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice(1large lemon)

Place wire rack over waxed paper. Beat the glaze ingredients until smooth.
Dip each muffin in the glaze. Place lemon drops back on wire rack to set.
Make sure you try to eat some be for serving or you may not get to try one.
Enjoy

Study groups are great place to learn and share and we give big thanks to those who host.
If you want more information on these tips who shared them let Gail Trotter know. getrotter@comcast.net

Must see exhibit at Seattle Asian Art Museum

Indigo dyed Yoruba cloth & ritual costume. Part of the Seattle Asian Art Museum exhibit, "Mood Indigo: Textiles From Around the World"

Indigo dyed Yoruba cloth & ritual costume. Part of the Seattle Asian Art Museum exhibit, “Mood Indigo: Textiles From Around the World”

I spent part of the afternoon at the Seattle Asian Art Museum and I will be returning to spend much more time with the stunning exhibit “Mood Indigo: Textiles from Around the World“.

This exhibit has something for everyone to enjoy, including a room with 3 MASSIVE 17th century tapestries from Flanders, and associated items, including a 19th Century American overshot coverlet in the Lee’s Surrender pattern.

19th century American woven coverlet in Lee's Surrender pattern. Part of the Seattle Asian Art Museum exhibit, "Mood Indigo: Textiles From Around the World"

19th century American woven coverlet in Lee’s Surrender pattern. Part of the Seattle Asian Art Museum exhibit, “Mood Indigo: Textiles From Around the World”

Other rooms in the exhibit are filled with 18th century  kimonos, contemporary artworks, African and Southeast Asian and Indian and American traditional garments. I am sure I missed much.

Indigo dyed kimonos, part of the Seattle Asian Art Museum exhibit, "Mood Indigo: Textiles From Around the World"

Indigo dyed kimonos, part of the Seattle Asian Art Museum exhibit, “Mood Indigo: Textiles From Around the World”

Really, there is so much in this show for anyone with an interest in textiles and history, I cannot recommend it highly enough. And there are two other exhibits currently on display which also deserve more than the cursory view, I gave to them!

Silk kimono, part of the Seattle Asian Art Museum exhibit, "Gold: Japanese Art From the Collection:

Silk kimono, part of the Seattle Asian Art Museum exhibit, “Gold: Japanese Art From the Collection:

 

 

Mood Indigo will be on display through October. If you do go, I also recommend you plan a bit of time to enjoy the Conservatory and Volunteer park, where the museum is located.
-Sarah

 

April Program

Program: Felting Wearable Art: Blocking a Felt Hat

Flora Carlilie-Kovacs, felt designer and instructor, lives and works in West Seattle. She feels felt-making is the most versatile craft she knows. Her website at http://www.floranemez.eu/ shows off her wearable art, in the form of clothing, scarves and hats. Please have a look to see the beautiful pieces she has produced. Each season, her studio is part of the West Seattle Art Walk and she has shown her work around the world. Flora loves to share the tricks of the trade and will be doing so this month as she demonstrates how to block a felt hat.

TAPS Call for Entries Extended to May 1, 2016

 (forwarded by Tamie)

Deadline Looming!
May 1,2016 is only a month away!

We hope you are all busy weaving away on your entries for Pacific Time Zone, a tapestry show sponsored by Tapestry Artists of Puget Sound (TAPS) for artists living in the Pacific Time Zone in Canada, the US and Mexico! The Corvallis Art Center in Corvallis Oregon will be the venue for this exhibit juried by University of Washington art professor Layne Goldsmith  opening Aug.18,2016 and running until Sept.20,2016. The deadline for entry is May 1, 2016 and notification to artists is June 1. Follow the link to the TAPS website and entry form information http://tapestryartists.org/pacific-time-zone.

Tips of March

When creating your own color combination for Kumihimo, take a photo of the starting ”setup” so that you can reproduce it later. Attach your samples next to the photo print-out.

Use fusible thread when seaming – weave in a few picks – A Margaret Coe trick that she shared in 4 shaft weaving on Facebook. For more ideas on this tip see: http://joyofweaving.com/articles/weaving-tips-invisible-fusible-thread

image1

…credit to Margaret Coe for the tip, I’m including her picture that she posted to demonstrate.

OWG’s library has a DVD “The Loom Owner’s Companion – Know and Love Your Loom!” by Tom Knisely. It is a excellent resource if you are having problems with your weaving and not sure why. Many problems with loom or other tools are described and how to repair. All parts of the loom, types of looms and tools purpose are described and how to maintain them. When was the last time you did preventive maintenance on your loom? This DVD covers what to do to keep your loom in working order. It is a must see. For a preview see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwu1pgZnXfA

In the basket study group one was observed using small bundles of sea grass and mentioned that when a large bundle is purchased the first thing that was done was to cut up the large roll into the typical length used. This was followed by comments: “Why didn’t I think of that!”. I used that tip recently and was happy with the results. If you are with a study group or with others and your hear a great idea that you want to use, write it down and drop it in the TIP JAR at the next OWG program or mail it to getrotter@comcast.net. It could be about weaving, who to travel with or maybe a great gardening tip. What are we learning?

“Embroidered Spaces” at SPSCC

EMBROIDERED SPACES
APR 4–MAY 6, 2016
The Gallery at the Kenneth J Minnaert Center for the Arts
South Puget Sound Community College

The ethereal hanging installations of Amanda McCavour employ the material of thread as metaphor for memory and how we remember the spaces we call home.

Opening reception: Mon, Apr 4, 6-8 pm
Artist Amanda McCavour will also be leading a workshop at Arbutus Folk School on Sunday, April 4th.

mbroidered Spaces Apr 4–May 6, 2016 The ethereal hanging installations of Amanda McCavour employ the material of thread as metaphor for memory and how we remember the spaces we call home.

Embroidered Spaces
Apr 4–May 6, 2016