There’s a story behind my latest freehand ribbon embroidery design. But, my big brother is visiting, so I’ll save the whole story for next week.
Until then, here’s a sneak peek at Katie’s custom dragonfly embroidery:
My 1st-ever dragonfly embroidery with turquoise and jade beads.
I’m tickled with how it finally turned out… What do you think?
This embroidered felt beauty is a Valentine's gift for a lucky lady in Hanover, NH.
Detail of freehand ribbon embroidery on CCM Felt Hat #1 of 2012.
Embroidered felt hat, Jungle Flower!
My felted knit hat, "Jungle Flower" won this year's Dorr Mill Award at the Sunapee Fair.
Each August, visitors to the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s Sunapee Fair can visit CraftWear, a glorious collection of fine, handmade art-to-wear.
The LNHC CraftWear boutique offers one-of-a-kind jewelry, clothing and accessories.
The CraftWear Exhibit at the League of NH Craftsmen's Annual Fair, 2011.
Many thanks to Dorr Mill, for the award. I’m delighted by the recognition, especially considering the talent of my fiber artist peers.
New Freehand Embroidery: Red-hot Blues French-knot Mandala
The 78th Annual League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s Fair begins in less than two weeks, so I’m in embroidery overdrive.
Icy-hot french-knots (more than 150!) make up the bulk of this freehand embroidery.
I love the nubbly texture of this french-knot mandala design… it feels amazing to the touch! If you come by my booth in Tent 7, you can feel for yourself.
Silk & cotton hand-dyed yarns are doubled then knotted to form this freehand embroidery.
This is my newest design, and I’m planning on stitching a few more before the Fair opens on Saturday, August 6, 2011. It’s very meditative to build up the embroidery, knot by knot.
Each art-to-wear hat is signed, dated and numbered. "Red-hot Blues" is #65 in 2011.
There are so many amazingly talented craftsmen at this fair: from glass-blowers, to raku potters, to printmakers, to rug-braiders, and more. Not only can you meet these artists, you can also enjoy free daily craft demonstrations, and learn their secrets.
I hope you’ll be able to visit!
Tiny glass seed beads embellish this freehand ribbon embroidery on felt.
The 77th Annual League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s Fair runs August 7-15, 2010. That means I have 2 more months to embroider the 100+ felt hats I’ve made this winter.
One of my latest designs is this lovely pink flower embroidery, featuring a hand-cut caribou antler button with glass seed beads.
Simple & sweet. I can’t wait to see who scoops up this one…
Just in time for hat season: New Hampshire Public Television is hosting its first ever Holiday Online Auction, for which I’m pleased to have donated this freehand embroidered felt hat:
Bidding on this fine felt beauty ends Sunday, December 6, 2009, at 7:09pm EST, so don’t wait… you could get a great deal on a great hat, all the while supporting a great public service.
Brrrr… winter’s coming! Don’t delay… bid today!
Felt Hat Demonstration at Sandwich Home Industries, October 2008.
For the past several years, I’ve had the pleasure of demonstrating how to make embroidered felt hats from oversized hand knits at one of the oldest craft galleries in the country.
Located in bucolic Center Sandwich, New Hampshire, Sandwich Home Industries is a flagship gallery of one of the country’s oldest crafts organizations, the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen.
Peak Fall Colors Along the Middle Sister Trail, Mt. Chocorua, NH, October 2008.
This year, as last, we timed my visit to coincide with the Sandwich Fair, and possibly a nice hike up nearby Mount Chocorua.
Unfortunately, this year I was diagnosed my first-ever case of pneumonia just days before the demonstration.
So, I apologize for the last-minute cancellation.
Embroidery Demonstration on Llama & Wool Felt Hats, Center Sandwich, NH, 2007.
But I hope to see you for a felt hat embroidery demonstration in Center Sandwich next year!
(If you can’t wait that long, consider a visit to my home studio in Canaan, NH during the Veteran’s Day NH Open Doors Event 2009.)
New freehand embroidery, with variegated french knots in wool on felt.
If you didn’t get a chance to visit me at this year’s League of NH Craftsmen’s Fair, you missed seeing my latest design: Mandala of French Knots.
According to Wikipedia:
“Mandala [...] translates as ‘circle-circumference’ or ‘completion’ [...]
a concentric diagram having spiritual and ritual significance in both Buddhism and Hinduism.”
That makes sense to me. I’ve been thinking a lot about Mom. And the circle of one year of grieving was completing just as this design was born.
Cool tones on black was the first incarnation of the new Mandala embroidery.
Plus, it’s summer, my garden is booming and broccoli reminds me of french knots!
On Monday, I head back to my day job, checking id’s at Dartmouth’s Alumni Gym.
Checking id's at Dartmouth's Alumni Gym while Embroidering Hats
I love my job! Not only do I get to enjoy all the energy of a vibrant, Ivy League campus, but I get to make my warm, felt hats at the same time.
And for the next 4 weeks, I’ll be part of the online Blog Triage Class led by art business guru, Alyson Stanfield and creativity coach, Cynthia Morris.
My first assignment: determine who reads this blog.
I hope that this site is useful for my friends, family and hat collectors, who want to know more about my hats, how they are made, and what inspires me.
I also imagine that other fiber artists stop by on their search for embroidery inspiration and tips.
And I hope that the occasional hockey nut (who gets here looking for CCM brand hockey gear) is amused at the intersection of my passions for fiber art and hockey.
Knitting hats between hockey games, Healy, Alaska, 2003.
Am I close? Who are you, really, Gentle Reader?
Feel free to introduce yourself by leaving a comment. I’d love to get to know you better!
With just 5 days until the start of the 76th Annual League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s Fair at Mt. Sunapee, I’ve been embroidering felt hats as fast as I can.
Hand-cut caribou antler button, seed beads and ribbon embroidery on felt.
I love the over-sized caribou antler buttons on this hat (2008 #124)…
I’ll be in Tent 7, Booth 713 for all nine days of the Fair, with as much new work as I can muster!
