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Mary Jane is just plain fun. She knows what’s cool, what’s trendy, and how to make life a celebration dance. Want a quick sense of her aesthetic? Just look through her blog and see the list of friends that she has on Ravelry (her screen name is MaryJane) to see how cool she is! She’s currently building a website for the complete knitting kits her fans having been pleading for every time her work appears in a magazine.
I’m pleased to call Mary Jane a friend and share her effervescence with you…because her star is on track for serious recognition in the International Knitting World. Already a veteran of Interweave Press’ Knits, her designs have been featured in Twist Collective and soon to be on the newsstands, Veronik Avery’s St. Denis Magazine . MJM’s color style is instantly recognizable for those who enjoy stranded color knitting work … but her teaching style is even more remarkable~ she possesses that rare gift of making others feel that their work is better than anything she would have thought of…and like the genius she is, she means it!
When asked to give us a glimpse into her world and her creative mind, she responded this way to our questions:
I’m big on daydreaming, I constantly think about the next design, sketching ideas on whatever is at hand. I love looking at books, some knitting books, but an awful lot of historic textile books, architecture books, books about different cultures, and strange and unusual books I happen upon. No matter what I’m reading, I always look to see what people are wearing, how they are wearing it and the colors and patterns of the garments. I look at the backgrounds of images a lot, what do the people in the picture have in their house? Watching movies I’m always studying the background too, and I’m often rewarded with some interesting textile, or great color combination.
I find inspiration everywhere I turn, the pale yellow, palest pink and juicy pink of my morning grapefruit, a thrifted potholder with crocheted violets, the makers stamp on the bottom of a dish. I think attention to detail is important in my work, choosing the right beginning…garter stitch? ribbing? corrugated ribbing? For me the process of making something is as important as the finished product, being mindful of the moment, taking time to be present…a challenge with a lot of my work which involves impossible deadlines!
I like a leisurely class with a lot of student interaction. I like to know about the teacher, what makes them tick where they get their inspiration, and I also want to get a feel for my classmates. I love to learn new techniques and find even if I think I ‘know it all’ I always get something from a class. To tell the truth, I’m kind of a class junkie, I love taking classes, I’m planning to take at least two here at Fiber College.
Hmmm lets see. I was the handwork teacher for the local Waldorf school, I taught first second and third graders knitting and crochet, so I am verrry patient and very aware of individual learning styles. I’m always looking for the key to unlock understanding for a student. I also worked at a yarn shop for many years fielding every manner of knitting emergency and encountering a wild array of “knitter personalities”.
I’ve got a strong background in color and fashion, earning a BFA in Printmaking from Pratt Institute, taking fashion courses at Parson’s School of Design, studying Textiles and Historic Costume at the University of Washington.
I was the photostylist for Interweave Knits Magazine for a couple of years, a great job which gave me personal access to the work of many, many talented hand knitting designers. This job required a very careful inspection of every garment so that we could show them off to their best advantage and also include all the subtle “knitterly” details.
I’ve been knitting stranded colorwork for about 20 years now. I started with top down sweaters for my kids and their cousins when they were babies, mostly out of worsted weight…crazy mixed up sweaters, no two ever alike. I also made a lot of mittens, the kids were always losing them (no pie!) and hats.
I always dreamed of tackling traditional fair isle knitting, being especially inspired by Alice Starmore and also the work of Patricia Johnston, mother of fellow fiber college teacher Gudrun Johnston, who had a company called the Shetland Trader. I loved both these women’s take on the traditional, and I really wanted to try it myself, but I just didn’t have the courage. One day while reading Sheila McGregor’s book The Complete Book of Traditional Fair Isle Knitting, she wrote “ why not start with a hat”? I thought…sensible idea…I put down the book and off I went, knitting away, mixing colors as I went. That’s where the idea for my Stranded Colorwork Sampler Hat class really originated, the beauty of a sampler, meant for practice.
I go both ways on mistakes, really depending on my mood and who the item is for. I have had major miscalculations become the best part of a design, pushing me beyond my original expectations, but I’m also not afraid to rip out hours of work, in fact I kind of find it liberating!
As far as “tricks” go, I think the single most important thing is to look at your work. Really look at the work in your hands and see what you are doing. It sounds almost too simple, but there you go, try it!
Read the directions through before you ever begin. Highlight areas that seem confusing. Chances are when you get to the “scary part” in the actual pattern, it will by that time make sense. Reading through will also alert you to things you might overlook if you’re really going gang-busters on a project and start making assumptions….there might be some instructions you haven’t anticipated.
Keep calm, focus on what you like about the project, you will be able to do what seems to be impossible.
If you still find you are having trouble. let it rest. go back to it when you are relaxed and if it is still no go…take it to your LYS for help.
I’m very curious about my students, which is one reason why I like a longer class time. I really want to know all about everyone, where they live, what they like to do, what they like to make, what they like to eat, if they like to travel, if they’ve been to any good museums lately, if they hoola hoop. I think student participation and interaction are important elements in the classroom.
I collect…..Yarn! and vintage mugs, I always need new ones since they’re always breaking.
The best advice I have ever been given: Choose a group of light colors and a group of dark colors.
Green is my favorite color, I don’t know, maybe since I grew up in Seattle and it is always green there. I find it energizing but at the same time calming. But to be honest, I like just about every color, you know, you put a color you think you hate next to another color and all of a sudden the ugly one becomes your new favorite.
With knitting I’m self taught, actually I was shown the basics a couple of times, but I crossed over to Continental on my own, after my friend returned from Sweden, and I thought it looked so much cooler. It is cooler, and much more efficient, but I’m comfortable teaching both styles.
What do you like best about what you do? Making things up, mixing new colors, the unexpected “wow” that comes from a happy accident.
"And this is how I..."
Mary Ellen has all of the qualities of a fairy god mother; her laughter is quick and engaging, her eyes and gestures are profoundly benevolent, she’s hard to catch and when you find her being creative, she turns the ordinary into extraordinary without seeming to use a speck of effort. If someone could wave a magic wand and make everything “all better”, Mary Ellen is the one you want holding the stick;)
As artist in residence last year, MEK inspired quilters to use their digital cameras to create fabric for quilts that were unique in the world. In a process that has resulted in two sell-out books, Blending Photos with Fabric: A Beautiful New Way to Combine Photography, Printing and Quiltmaking (2004) and Blending Photos with Fabric2 (2008) she walks you through the process with anecdotes, suggestions plenty of encouragement to explore and hear you inner muses.
There aren’t many places to study with this award winning artist. Last time I checked you could catch a class with her in Italy during a Seven Day Specialty Tour, occasionally find a class during the winter in North Carolina or…find her at Fiber College…an honor we are very proud of indeed. This year, Mary Ellen will be teaching a full day class on Thursday entitled Larger than Life Quilt: Photo Printing. When we asked her to share a little bit about herself, this is what she had to say:
1) Teaching takes courage and experience…and so much extra time. When you’re not teaching, what else do you like to do?
Besides quilting, knitting and most other fiber arts, I love to kayak, ride my bike, and hang out with my family and friends.
2) Fill in the blanks for the following statement: Inspiration for my work comes from the Maine coast and from the mountains. The patterns and colors of nature are a very important aspect of my work and something to which I find I am very sensitive. Whenever I create a piece, I am most pleased when someone understands the heart or the humor behind my work.
3) We’d like a sense of your expertise and ability to teach the class you’re offering…so tell us how you came to feel confident about leading a group through your particular class. How long have you been practicing? I’ve been teaching the blend of quiltmaking and technology for fifteen years. Before that I taught computer technologies to corporate managers for twenty years. And before that I taught high school math. (I must be really old!!) Teaching is about helping another person reach their goals, expand their horizons and rise up to their full potential. What could be more rewarding? I have found that I am happiest when I teach.
4) If you make a quilting error do you jump right in and frog it (rip it out) or do you call it a design feature and keep right on going? Does the mistake cause you anxiety or do you feel like it’s just one more opportunity to make the project your own? When I mess up, I always think of those beautiful ice skaters who fall, pick themselves up and continue to try with all their heart to make their performance beautiful. This is now my approach. But, in my younger days, I was a perfectionist and would go back and start over if necessary. I must admit I have the urge to this at times even now but I usually move on and in the scheme of the larger effort, mistakes are not as visible as we think.
5) What techniques are in your bag of tricks for motivating a student to struggle through a difficult step…maybe something that’s just a bit out of his/her range…and come out the other side feeling successful? I think that remembering what it was like when I was learning the particular element is helpful. I am very patient; willing to try different approaches, and also believe that the process of doing what we do should be just as enjoyable as the product. I try to make it that way for my students.
6) If you could ask your students questions and class time wasn’t an issue, what sort of things would you like to know about the people sitting in front of you? I actually often do ask my students what kinds of things would make them stop for a moment in their busy day, pause and observe, and even reach for their camera.
7) I am an avid collector of: fabric! All kinds - cottons, batiks, hand dyes, silks, wools and more.
8) My formal educational background is computer technology. It took me several years to meld quiltmaking and computers. My most recent work straddles the line between realism and the abstract, and incorporates photography and altered images.
9) What’s your favorite tool? Why? Odd as this may sound, I find the computer to be a wonderful tool for fiber artists. And it is just a tool because, after all, what we want to do is get to the fiber, fabric, sewing, knitting, etc. But nowadays, there are some great software packages that can save us so much time in the designing, planning or mundane aspects of our work and then we can get to what we love faster and with better outcomes.
10) What do you like best about what you do? I love everything about what I do – the people I get to meet, the joy of teaching, and the rhythm of the sewing machine, the click of the knitting needles, and even the smell of fabric being ironed!
Jackie is a role model for those of us aspiring to grow up and fill the room with elegance…and she knits 
. Best known for her classic book, The Sweater Workshop, she appeals to fans because of her enthusiasm, practicality, quick smile and well earned knowledge in sweater design. Jackie spends her summers across the Bay from Fiber College on picturesque Deer Isle surrounded by pink granite, pointy firs, idyllic villages and wide spans of pebbly beaches. When she’s not knitting, she’s spinning and we are so happy that she’ll be coming to us on Friday to teach Designing Sweaters from Handspun a repeat offering of last year’s popular class. 
We asked Jackie to answer our interview questions and this is what she sent:
1. Inspiration for my work comes from a passion to share w/knitters easier, simpler methods of achieving knitting techniques and from what I conceive to be a need to correct common, but misguided instructions. This forceful urge is the result of having knit one sweater in pieces as a college freshman and the culmination of the 30-year search that ensued to perfect the method of achieving seamless garments – a technique that dates back to the 17th century. Piecemeal construction came to be the norm in the late 1800’s when close-fitting clothing was the custom and consequently most all written knitting patterns to this day separate the sweater parts – front, back, sleeves, and, in some instances, even collars, pockets and trims – a method which can be disappointing, discouraging and disillusioning for would-be knitters.
The other motivating factor was the need to successfully work with my own handspun yarns that were not creating “happy” fabrics working to anothers prescribed gauge. Discovering Elizabeth Zimmermann’s book, Knitting Without Tears, and obtaining her very kind permission to adapt her EPS (Elizabeth’s Percentage System) to my Gauge Page was liberating and offers knitters the choice of deciding their own gauge to achieve their own desired fabrics. My mantra to them is, “You are not knitting a sweater – you are knitting a fabric in the shape of a sweater!” And that sweater can be of any size in a variety of styles.
2. I feel very confident leading a class as I have been doing so for some 30 years conducting workshops, giving lectures, and teaching classes, including at the Rhode Island School of Design Continuing Education, both before and after the book’s publication – the 1st edition with Interweave Press from 1983 to 2000 and the 2nd edition with DownEast Books from 2002 til the present - has provided me the opportunity to encounter knitter’s stumbling blocks both with oral and printed directions and therefore I have been able to foresee problem areas and to be very specific in my wording. Working alone by the book, many knitters have written me to remark, “I can hear you talking to me. I feel that you are standing over my shoulder.” And so I feel by fully and carefully explaining techniques that it has been very definitely worth the time to do so.
3. If I do encounter a problem and the sweater sample is not working up as envisioned, I do start again with a better understanding of how and why the glitch occurred and rethink it through to a plan b solution, or sometimes even a plan c.
4. My advice to knitters is to take a project step-by-step – to not read ahead – and especially for The Sweater Workshop Book. If a passage creates doubt, to reread the section slowly and calmly and most always whatever one needs to know is right there on the page. This approach usually brings a ‘Eureka” moment when the words make sense and the knitter has a great feeling of accomplishment!
5. The questions I would like to ask my students, and many times I do not have to ask as they readily volunteer the information is: what in knitting directions do you find puzzling?; can you suggest wording that would help to clarify the situation?; do you prefer to follow charts/graphs or the written word?; what items do you most like to knit?; do you knit for yourself, for others, for charity?; when did you start knitting?; when/where do you knit?; and lastly, WHY do you knit??? Can you imagine NOT knitting?
6. I’m an avid collector of old knitting books, needles, and knittings – these articles that find their way to antique shows, flea market tables and into auction box lots as their original owners have long since gone and left them behind for others to study and admire. I have a small trunk full of needles in all their forms and some that tell a story – the red/white/blue needles that were produced for wartime Red Cross knitting for the troops, old circular metal needles w/impossible rough connectors, early plastic needles from creamy white Balene to dark tortoise shell looks and those very, very fine double-points for working stockings at 8 to 10 stitches to the inch. And the finished products themselves, many of those old, and mended cotton stockings, some everyday plain, some lacy for Sunday best; to lace trimmed bodices, bloomers, petticoats, hats, caps, bonnets, mittens, wristers, and very special items, pin cushions, doilies – all cherished for their workmanship. One of the little hats is to be featured in my article in the 2010 issue of Pieceworks Magazine. In addition, Pieceworks featured my interpretation of How to Knit Two Socks at Once – One Inside the Other in the Jan/Feb 2009 issue based on an article in a 1918 Needlecraft magazine and in the upcoming November issue will be my instructions for a replication of The Brewster Stocking from the collection at the Pilgrim Museum.
7. My favorite color is lavender – to me it has the same remarkable attributes as the herb – it imparts a sense of calmness, serenity, and peacefulness. Thus, working with yarns of lavender shadings is relaxingan d the sweaters become successful favorites to be worn and shared as examples in classes. I do have to mention also an affinity for the natural shades of creams, browns and grays that I select for my handspun projects.
A peek in my closet, or sweater chests, would reveal a definite love of the colors in the tail end of a rainbow.
8. I feel I have to answer this question, but in reverse. I was taught to knit in Girl Scouts, age 12, by a leader who started me in on Spiral Socks on 4 double-pointed needles. Whether by design or happenstance, this beginning was to portend my knitting future. To me, it was a brilliant move to start on double-points and from then until the age of 18 it was socks and more socks until those needles became an extension of my fingers. The Spiral design of Knit 4, Purl 4, was a very important aspect of the project as the PURL stitch was given EQUAL billing, IMMEDIATELY, with the Knit Stitch – it was not something that was mentioned and taught 3 weeks down the road by saying, “Oh, by the way, in this craft called knitting, there is another stitch, the purl stitch “ and some knitters hate it forever, as they do double-points.
So, I feel I was taught the correct way and spent years trying to find a way to produce seamless, instantly wearable sweaters to imitate the construction of those seamless socks.
9. My favorite tool is essentially a non-tool as I prefer to use my hands and knees in place of a swift and ballwinder. I tend to avoid millspun yarns that are packaged in balls. Since I began spinning my own yarns, I found I enjoyed handling fleece in all its stages as it becomes a two-ply yarn, and therefore I favor commercial yarn in skeins so that it can easily be washed and balled before use – if it is going to shrink, it will shrink; if it is going to bleed, it will bleed and thus losing its spinning oils, it will fluff to its proper diameter. Inspiration for a garment often comes from this handling of the yarn itself. As I wind it into soft balls from its circle around my knees,, it gets to talk to me as it passes through my hands and I follow its lead as to appropriate needle size and can visualize the fabric/garment it wants to become.
10. What I like best about what I do is the knitters response to my effort to make knitting enjoyable, satisfying and FUN. As a graduate of Bridgewater
State College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, I have been trained to simplify explanations and this trait has followed with me as I switched from teaching youngsters to teaching adults. I enjoy thinking of the very best, and clearest, way to present a subject which was my purpose in designing The Sweater Sampler, the first section of the Sweater Workshop Book. Rather than have knitters work and practice techniques in separate blocks of work, The Sweater Sampler connects the various stitch combinations and thus knitters can see/feel how they relate to one another and gain a better understanding of the knitted fabric. To hear knitters tell me, “I have learned so much working the Sweater Sampler” is proof that I accomplished my goal. And after they have worked their first sweater on their own, without following a pattern, and I hear the words, “For the first time I have knit a sweater that fits me”, I am truly heartened and gratified.
11. When I say that a sample garment has turned out really well, I mean that it has proved the point I was trying to make – that my objective, be it the overall construction, the pattern detail, the application of a Sampler technique, is clearly visible and can be explained at a future lecture or workshop for knitters to add to their own design ideas.
What a great idea…a room can only have so many quilts (you decide the number) but what if those quilt blocks are still whispering your name? Christine figured out how to have more…locker hook a rug to match your quilt…why hadn’t I thought of that? Christine is new to the College this year and I for one hope that she’ll be with us for many years to come. She is clearly a mistress of written communication and her sense of color is lovely. Her projects elegantly combine practicality with artistry…isn’t that one of the definitions of craft? This year you can take two of Christine’s classes, Lap Weave Your Bits and Pieces on Saturday and Lap Weave Your Bits and Pieces on Friday.
We all wanted to know more about this beautiful woman, so here’s the beginning of a new relationship…in her own words:
Dear World…here’s “more than a little bit about me, Christine Fraga Thornton.” It’s a good thing I don’t have a blog; I’d never get back to my creations.
When I’m not teaching textile-related classes, I’m a freelance court reporter which allows me to work from my home office only steps away from my sewing and art studio. When our house burned (on Valentine’s Day) several years ago, my husband and I were living and working in Nigeria. I had been home visiting family when it happened, so I returned to Africa until we were able to rebuild.
In Nigeria, my husband bought me a brand new treadle machine in the open market. I used it to make clothing for the local “Motherless Babies” home, as well as drapes, quilts, and decor for our living quarters. While there, I taught two young women to sew, and we purchased a treadle machine for one. Our Nigerian friends were surprised that American women were so versatile – using the laptop and satellite phone to run the office, painting the apartment, fixing locksets, sewing drapes, knitting dishcloths, making rugs, cooking, cleaning, and hand-washing laundry. When I first baked bread at home, they were amazed – they previously thought it could only come from bakeries.
I returned to the States the spring following the fire. (9/11 delayed my planned return in September.) My first replacement purchases were a laptop and steno machine to make money, and a sewing machine to make clothes. While living with my mother-in-law, I began gutting the only structure that remained on our property, a two-car garage. Over the course of that spring and summer, with the help of a couple friends, we turned the garage into a cottage for two with wonderful natural light. I personally installed all the insulation, painted every inch of trim, and otherwise was the “go-fer” when I wasn’t taking depositions or sewing clothes and draperies.
Now, I am back at full creative strength, and my loft studio is outfitted with eight sewing machines (including two sergers, two antique treadles, a mid-arm quilter, and a child’s machine), a knitting machine, spinning wheel, tapestry loom, rigid heddle loom, several lap looms, a large cutting table and more totes of fabric and yarn than I’d care to itemize. (The easel and painting supplies are kept in my office downstairs.)
As president of the Bangor Chapter of the American Sewing Guild, I have been busy the past two years helping teach classes in garment sewing and other related arts, including hand quilting, locker-hooked rugs, Russian punch needle embroidery, and weaving using lap-sized portable looms.
In addition to our guild members, I am teaching my two granddaughters to sew. The four-year-old has just sewn her first dress, while the 10-year-old loves to make totes and purses. I started sewing before the age of five and my mother’s machine was always available. My mother was very artistic and loved to learn new techniques. We were always tackling something creative, be it home décor or fashion. From Mom, among other things, I learned to embroider, knit, crochet, sew, and draw. Most of all, I learned to appreciate the beauty in my surroundings and correct my mistakes when I found them, so they wouldn’t haunt me later on. (From the fire I learned that life is unpredictable, so sometimes projects are better done than perfect.)
Attending Trinity College in Vermont, I earned my bachelor’s degree in English and Fine Arts, especially enjoying one professor’s interest in textiles borne out of her father’s woolen factory in England. I bought my first rigid heddle loom in college and used it for many projects. It wasn’t until I had lived in Maine for many years that I bought my first spinning wheel and taught myself to spin. (My husband was astonished at the language that came out of my mouth during those first ill-fated attempts.) Throughout this time, I continued to design and sew, taking classes whenever I could, joining the American Quilter’s Society, Maine’s Pine Tree Quilters, and the American Sewing Guild.
My favorite creative endeavors are when I use my own drawings to design a quilt, a wall-hanging hooked with wool strips, or a cotton locker-hooked rug that matches my one-of-a-kind quilt. I especially love to design an entire room, beginning with painting, re-upholstering, designing and sewing custom draperies, and finishing with wall-hangings, pillows and throw rugs.
I’ve gotten off track from the questions asked, but I’ll try to meander back to the path. One question was “What’s your favorite tool?” That is a really difficult choice. The one tool I knew I couldn’t live without and brought to Africa was a rotary cutter. I also lugged along a 33 x 60 inch cutting mat – that wasn’t easy, let me tell you! I first learned about rotary cutters and acrylic rulers in quilt guild. Later, I started using a small rotary cutter for garment sewing and have never looked back. I can lay out and cut an elaborate suit with no pins in less than 15 minutes! Then I can get to the fun part, putting all those pieces into something recognizable.
I guess when it comes right down to it, that’s my favorite thing – taking a simple everyday thing and turning it into something beautiful, whether a pile of yarn and ribbon that becomes the focal point of a pillow/purse/pocket, or an assortment of cotton fabrics cut into strips that become a beautiful or playful rug/hotpad/mat. These are the things I will be sharing at Fiber College this year.
In 2004, I started locker-hooking rugs to match my quilts. I’ve used cotton fabric and Polarfleece, first following published patterns and then designing my own. Along the way, I’ve incorporated techniques learned from rug hooking with wool to make a more satisfying finished piece – front and back. Also, I’ve learned to calculate the yardage I’ll need for a design, varying calculations by the materials used.
For “Hook Rugs to Match your Quilt or Decor,” we’ll be making 9” locker-hooked mats. To prepare the kits, I’ve drawn four different designs and am cutting all the cotton strips for each mat. I’ve pre-sewn the edges of 12 canvasses and am whip-stitching three edges with coordinating strips. In addition, each student will receive a locker hook, yarn needle and cotton yarn for “locking” the fabric strips. From teaching previous classes, I’ve learned to eliminate some time-consuming preparation so students can get right to locker-hooking. While students are “hooking,” we will discuss design techniques and finishing tips that are also contained on the handouts students can take home. Using large pieces of graph paper, colored pencils, and markers, students can practice designing custom rugs.
The other class I’ll be teaching is “Lap Weave Your Bits & Pieces.” I’ve started making 12 very portable looms from recycled cardboard, which will be covered with batting and neutral fabric. Each loom will be pre-warped with two colors of cotton yarn, and every kit contains a wonderful assortment of various weights yarn, ribbon, a weaving needle and yarn needle. My yarn stash is sorted by colorways, and it’s been great fun making 12 kits of coordinating fibers with vibrant accents. While students are weaving, we’ll discuss uses for the small woven projects, with examples of pillows, totes, and mats. In addition to discussing weaving design, use of texture, and color choices, students are encouraged to share their personal fiber-interest stories. My students find this freeform weaving a very relaxing and addictive process, and it’s a great way to use those little bits and pieces of wonderful yarns you have left over from larger projects.
Faith is a woman who lights up a room with her enthusiasm and willingness to jump in anytime there’s an opportunity to make things better. And she’s the best kind of sparkle because her wisdom and demeanor allows her to find a joke in the midst of controversy and lead a town meeting in the most contentious of times…it seems logical to me that she’d be a wonderful quilter too because I’ve seen her “quilt” personalities together into a work of art no one would ever have expected!
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Faith for a long time, she’s attended Fiber College since it’s inception and we’ve long awaited the opportunity to host one of her classes…this year she will teach Bay Windows Quilt Blocks…and her technique is better than anyone elses because no stitches show through the back of the quilt. If you enjoy a class who’s instructor is unquestionably competent in her field, sign up for this one before it’s completely filled.
When we sent her the interview questions, this is what she had to say:
1. When I am not teaching or thinking about teaching- and sometimes I think about teaching while I gardening, volunteering at the Marine Museum and as a Master Gardener- I enjoy history especially local history and I love being out of doors! Gardening is the best excuse for avoiding housework I have ever found- next to quilting of course!!!
2. The inspiration for my work comes from many places. Sometimes from my other interests- sometimes from the published work of others. When I create a new piece I often don’t realize the amount of work that goes into it until someone else comments!
3. A perfect class for me is one where the instructor has a passion for what they are teaching -but is also willing to let me head off in my own direction if the works takes me there.
4. I am a lifelong educator- started working with younger children at a one room school house in Montville! I have taught every grade level from K-12, adult basic education, college classes, teacher workshops, Girl and Boy Scouts and my own and other youngsters over the years. I believe that I have a deep understanding of the importance of learning styles- we all have one that is stronger than the others! No matter the content area I am teaching I make every effort to plan lessons that will offer an avenue for every learner as they draw on their own strongest learning style. Although 2 of my 3 UMO degrees are in Admin/Leadership my practical life experience teaching has given me the knowledge I need to be successful in the “classroom”- whatever or where ever that may be!!! One of my most challenging classes was teaching a Girl Scout troop how to make 3 arm-hole dresses!! Remember those?
5. If I make a mistake I tend to keep going and work it in or find a way to hide it!!! I do rip out but only if the mistake will really interfere with my finished design/product.
6. If students are struggling with a step or concept I have found that SLOWING down and shifting the approach usually works!
7. I am very interested in the lives my students lead outside of my classroom. There has to be time to get to know the student!
8. I am not an avid collector of anything. Things are just things- its the people in my life that I cherish most.
9. The best advice I was ever given was by an instructor at UMO. Speaking of who we would become as educational leaders he urged us to “define yourself- or someone else will do it for you”! I believe this holds true in all aspects of our lives.
10. I actually have two- blue and green. All the colors of nature would clash terribly if we did not have the moderating forces of these two colors. In my work I have found the same rule holds. I can work almost any other colors together if I have some blue and green in there too. I prefer soft shades of most colors and tend to get on a roll with seasonal colors as the year unfolds.
11. As stated above- my formal education/career and my passions for fabric have always been melded!!
12. As a ten year old making my first dress in a 4-H club, I think I ripped out more than I sewed! My leaders were perfectionists and did not settle for anything less. There I LEARNED rules that I do not always follow! ( See #5) The training was excellent- I won a blue ribbon in the Style Dress Revue at the Colonial Theater in Belfast!!! Today I do not fret about mistakes so much- but I did learn how to do things right!
13. My favorite tool is a # 8 needle. I am PASSIONATE about hand sewing- very seldom do much on a machine if I can avoid it! I enjoy the challenge of working a pattern so it can be hand pieced and stitched. If I had to go to a desert island I would buy a new package of needles first!
14. I named my consulting work and my studio “Peace by Piece” because I enjoy starting a challenge and seeing it done! Whether helping to write a grant, complete an application for college or constructing a whole quilt I need to see progress and results! I often tell people that my fabric work is my therapy!
15. In all aspects of my life I feel that things have turned out well if I am satisfied with the results! I do not create for profit- although I have sold some work- but rather for the sheer joy of creating. I have taken on some production work for a friend but do not really enjoy doing 20 of the same thing!! When I tackle a new design or follow someone else’s pattern project if I am happy with the way it turns out- that is most important to me!
Warm and Wonderful
Jan is a wonderful spirit who knows all is as it should be and that art is an expression of joy…not an act of egotistical accomplishment. She and her husband Al have been Fiber College’s strongest supporters with both vending, teaching and cheerleading…words can’t express the warmth that the thought of them brings to mind. Jan is an accomplished quilter, embroider, knitter and well balanced fiber artist. This year she’ll be teaching Crazy Patch Embroidery on Sunday afternoon from 1:30-3:30…come with questions and expect a relaxing, educational class.
We asked Jan to respond to our interview questions and this is what she wrote:
1) Teaching takes courage and experience…and so much extra time. When you’re not teaching, what else do you like to do?
• When I am not teaching I am running my yarn shop in Harrison Maine. It sits beside my home deep in the woods. Our motto is ”Your little yarn shop in the woods.” Al and I love nature and we’re set beside a stream that plays sweet music to my ears while I’m knitting away or hand quilting. I love the peaceful moments I can relax with just the sounds of running water and some gentle breezes.
2) Describe the perfect class that you’d like to take.
• I want a friendly instructor filled with excitement for teaching something he/she loves to teach and/or do. I want information that walks me through every step of what I’m here to learn. I want handouts with the patterns that show me what to do, so when I get home, if I forgot something a quick moment of weeding out the folder tells me everything I want to know. I want hands-on time to try it all. I want a way to reach the teacher if I have a question later on.
3) We’d like a sense of your expertise and ability to teach the class you’re offering…so tell us how you came to feel confident about leading a group through your particular class. How long have you been practicing?
• You have to love what you teach, and you have to reach the folks where they live, and how they feel, it needs to reach their soul to create something they fall in love with for a lifetime. I’ve been teaching for 29 years now. I teach classes all the time in my shop, and at guilds or fiber events. I love all-natural fibers. I go out of my way to learn everything I can, and give out all the helpful hints, and a full folder of information, and always leave them wanting more. I want them to feel that at the end of the class, I have reached the need they came to learn, and I want to know deep in my heart that I have started someone on their way to doing something wonderful, and fun, and fulfilling. I want them to get high on every class with the feeling of excitement they came with, as this washes back to me and gives me a boost to make more things myself and learn all I can of my craft. I fell in love with teaching the very first class. It gives me more joy then I can tell you. It’s so gratifying!
4) If you make a knitting error (substitute your art form here) do you jump right in and frog it (rip it out) or do you call it a design feature and keep right on going? Does the mistake cause you anxiety or do you feel like it’s just one more opportunity to make the project your own?
• I usually pull it out and try again. I want to know I tried the best I could, and I feel so good when I get it right!
5) What techniques are in your bag of tricks for motivating a student to struggle through a difficult step…maybe something that’s just a bit out of his/her range…and come out the other side feeling successful?
• I think beginners should be happy with all the stitching they do. This is their first piece and I never ask them to take it out if I see they are stressing over it and they want to learn how to pull it out and begin again. I walk them through it at their own pace; Or at times after class. I make sure they leave feeling that it’s a work of art, and as they grow they always have this piece to look back on. I start my beginners on a piece I call their knitting sampler. Every new stitch is added until they feel it is done right and this is their practice piece for a lifetime. After it’s done, they roll it up in a ribbon. As they learn new things, they pull out the sampler and keep going. In time they also see “Wow! Look how great I’m doing now!”
6) If you could ask your students questions and class time wasn’t an issue, what sort of things would you like to know about the people sitting in front of you?
• I’d like to know something about where they live, and what they love to do on a rainy night. What kinds of things make them happy? What do they collect? What does fiber mean to them?
7) I am an avid collector of:
Old knitting & sewing notions. I just love them so much. I have an awesome sewing collection and I’m working on the knitting one now, but both excite me. I’m still looking for the perfect sewing box. It must be natural maybe a special basket shape. Something different.
8) The best advice I have ever been given:
• Be yourself; like yourself; love yourself, & live your bestest life.
What will you do with your patch?
9) What is your favorite color? List three qualities of the color. Consider that these qualities apply to your work.
• Turquoise…it’s soothing; reminds me of the ocean; doesn’t really apply to my work though.
10) What do you do differently from the way you were taught? Why?
• I like to knit slowly and peacefully. My grandmother always knitted so fast. I find I rush through life to fast all day long. Now knitting seems to settle my spirit and bring me to a home-centered feeling of quiet and rest. I used to knit very tightly and my stitches looked awful. Now I have taught myself to relax and breathe, my stitches are relaxed, and my knitted items make me feel so peaceful now.
11) What’s your favorite tool? Why?
• Wooden knitting needles. I learned on wood when I was eight years old. The metal ones seemed so cold and slipped all over the place. Wood feels calm and knits quietly.
12) What do you like best about what you do?
• I work at home now and my shop is in the yard. I can create and work more peacefully here. The colors of the nature call out to me here. I love what I do with all my heart. The best part is that Al, my husband, supports me completely in all I do. He does our web site and all the advertising, even the books. He helps me pick colors and he likes bright and wild colors. I tend to stay more serene. It all balances out just awesome. He is kind and always ready to take me to other yarn shops everywhere. And he even comes in to pick out colors and watch our budget. : ). He is a partner in every way and it works so well for us. That what makes it awesome!
13) What do you mean when you say that a piece has turned out really well?
• I mean it looks great, and it is done well. I see things others don’t always see, like the feeling of disappointment on their faces if they feel it’s not perfectly done, and I like to make folks feel delighted with their projects. I like everyone to walk away with a piece of happiness, and isn’t that all they came for? For some it’s a pattern; for others it’s an original.
Rudy is something of a celebrity in Maine and the US spinning world at large. I’ve read articles he’s written in two of the more recent editions of Spin-Off magazine: Spinning Worsted and Woolen and Choosing your First Wheel…both full of useful information clearly gleaned through years of study. I admit to being a bit intimidated by the thought of spinning in the same room with him at SPA, let alone talking with him about teaching classes at Fiber College; But instructor Linda Whiting insisted that all would be fine and with her pushing me ahead, I introduced myself and voila…
Rudy is teaching 3 classes this year…Saturday morning he’ll be teaching “Woolen, Worsted and In Between“, Saturday afternoon he’ll teach “What Fiber to Spin” and Sunday morning he is offering “Breed of Wool Makes a Difference.” Since some people may know little about him, we asked Rudy to respond to our interview questions, this is what he had to say:
1) Teaching takes courage and experience…and so much extra time. When you’re not teaching, what else do you like to do?
In addition to spinning, and also teach nalbinding. Nalbinding is an ancient technique of creating a fabric by stitching loops of hide, cloth, or yarn. When I am not teaching, I am often planning future workshops, developing new workshop projects, revising or creating new handouts, and making new samples of techniques and different fibers. This past spring I also started learning how to use a circular sock knitting machine. My machine was made by Harmony Knitters, Inc., Harmony, Maine, in 1982.
When I am not doing something with fibers or yarn, I like to work in our garden and yard, cook, read, or listen to both classical music and jazz. Also, I walk with our yellow lab every day and take him swimming when the bay is not frozen.
2) We’d like a sense of your expertise and ability to teach the class you’re offering…so tell us how you came to feel confident about leading a group through your particular class. How long have you been practicing?
My first teaching experience was at a summer camp in Vermont where I taught weaving when I was in high school and college. The weaving studio had three 4-harness looms for the older campers, and a half dozen potholder looms for the younger campers. After graduating college, I taught high school mathematics for 20 years. Then for 15 years I was a high school administrator, and one of my responsibilities was observing and evaluating teachers. When I was approaching retirement, I learned how to spin and also learned nalbinding. For about fourteen years I have been teaching both spinning and nalbinding.
3) If you make a knitting error (substitute your art form here) do you jump right in and frog it (rip it out) your spinning project does not turn out as you expected, do you abandon it, or do you call it a design feature and keep right on going? Does the mistake cause you anxiety or do you feel like it’s just one more opportunity to make the project your own?
When I start spinning with a new fiber or technique, I usually first make a sample. If the sample does not turn out as I expected, I try to figure out why or what happened. Why did the yarn turn out as it did? Then, if the yarn I created is not appropriate for the use I intended, I try to determine if there is some other appropriate use for it.
4) What techniques are in your bag of tricks for motivating a student to struggle through a difficult step…maybe something that’s just a bit out of his/her range…and come out the other side feeling successful?
I have long been aware that each person has a unique learning style, and the challenge to a teacher is to make it possible for each learner to succeed by presenting new information in many different ways. I try to break down the thing to be learned into small steps, gradually leading to accomplishment.
5) If you could ask your students questions and class time wasn’t an issue, what sort of things would you like to know about the people sitting in front of you?
Where are they from? When and how did they become involved with fiber arts? What fiber arts do they know? What is their favorite fiber? Do they have any fiber animals or pets? What else do they like to do beside spinning or nalbinding?
6) I am an avid collector of:
. . . many things: handcrafted things of fiber, wood, and ceramics; books about spinning, nalbinding, fiber, and other crafts; cd’s of music.
7) The best advice I have ever been given:
To learn most things involving muscles and coordination, it takes patience and practice.
8) What is your favorite color? List three qualities of the color. Consider that these qualities apply to your work.
My favorite color is yellow. Although I have classic red-green color blindness, I do see colors. But yellow is the color I can always see.
9) My formal educational background is _____________. It took me several years to meld ________ and _________. My most recent work straddles the line between _____ and ________, and incorporates _________.
In college I was an economics major, with a minor in mathematics and secondary education. In graduate school, I earned additional certification in elementary school education and secondary school administration.
My spinning mentor was Priscilla Gibson-Roberts and I learned nalbinding from Kate Martinson. Although I do high whorl spindle spinning and teach spindle spinning, I much prefer wheel spinning. If I want to take a portable project with me, I take nalbinding.
10) What do you like best about what you do?
It is fun! And, teaching is a very rewarding experience.
Tah Dah!
Laurie is the woman you’d like to have living next door to you. She’s quick with a hug, generous with her boundless knowledge and as easy going as the summer breezes…and that’s not telling you a thing about her beautiful crochet work. Laurie is one of those wonderful artists who can push herself to the limit of creativity (check out her coat photograph) and yet will spend the hours necessary to teach a beginner how to create a simple edging on a wash cloth. Last year, along with her classes, she offered to be available for crochet workshops and those lucky enough to find her in the celebration tent were treated to one-on-one sessions addressing the tiny problems that can ruin the enjoyment of any project.
This year Laurie is offering two classes during Fiber College weekend: Crochet Edgings for Knitters on Saturday from 4:00 to 6:00 and returning by popular demand, her sell out class, Recycled Rag Rugs on Sunday from 12:30-2:30. We sent her our list of interview questions last week, and this is what she had to say:
Teaching takes courage and experience…and so much extra time. When you’re not teaching, what else do you like to do?
Besides the J.O.B. that pays the mortgage? My brain is always designing crochet, clothing and embroidery. I have hundreds more ideas than will ever make it into physical being. I stoke my brain with art and see art in almost everything around me. I love art exhibits and craft shows (and computer browsing when the real thing isn’t handy) and I also note patterns in nature and buildings and the way words move on the pages of a book, or the endless emails I type on that J.O.B. I mentioned.
Fill in the blanks for the following statement:
Inspiration for my work comes from other fiber artists, the spinners and dyers and designers that make the threads and yarns and fabrics that allow my mind to create. Materials are very important aspect of my work and something to which I find I am very sensitive. Whenever I create a piece, I am most pleased when someone understands the choices or the work that has gone into the materials I used to create my work.
We’d like a sense of your expertise and ability to teach the class you’re offering…so tell us how you came to feel confident about leading a group through your particular class. How long have you been practicing?
I have been a teacher since playing ‘School’ as a child. I’ve always wanted everyone to know what I know and I’m ready to teach anytime, anywhere. I have a degree in Art and Education. I learned sewing, knitting and embroidery as a child from my mom and taught myself crochet as a teenager.
If you make a knitting error (substitute your art form here) do you jump right in and frog it (rip it out) or do you call it a design feature and keep right on going? Does the mistake cause you anxiety or do you feel like it’s just one more opportunity to make the project your own?
I think I rip more than I skip. I go back (it’s really easy to undo crochet) if I’m following a pattern, even one of my own. And I often rework swatches when I’m designing as the swatches progress to become a fixed plan. And I have been know to ravel entire garments that failed in some way so I can use the yarn to better purpose. But … when I notice a mistake waaay back, and it’s not something the average non-fiber worker would catch, I let it stay. I love a quote of my mom’s about her own knitting “If you keep moving no one will notice.”
What techniques are in your bag of tricks for motivating a student to struggle through a difficult step…maybe something that’s just a bit out of his/her range…and come out the other side feeling successful?
A main secret of mine is that I have never bought into any claim that there is one perfect, absolute way of doing anything. There is always at least two or three, and probably about sixteen. Something I feel is vital to a good teacher is being able to explain and demonstrate the umpteen different angles of solving a problem.
I am an avid collector of:
Stars! Stars are my favorite motif. Whenever I get stuck for an idea, I find a star is always a good starting point. Stars can be neat and tidy or loosy goosy, elegant and refined or wonderfully uncivilized. No matter the color the size or the medium, one or one million, stars make me happy.
What is your favorite color? List three qualities of the color. Consider that these qualities apply to your work.
Every color! And the ones in between, too. The threads and yarns that first draw my eye are varigated either a little or a lot, hand painted or over-dyed, plied with another color or randomly spun. I love COLOR!!!
What do you do differently from the way you were taught? Why?
Probably most everything because I keep learning new ways and getting new tools to play with.
What’s your favorite tool? Why?
Right now my favorite tool is my swift. It is so much easier than draping a skein over my knees or the back of a chair. I still hand wind my yarn, though. I need to touch it and feel it move through my hand. Ball winders are so impersonal.
What do you like best about what you do?
Making beautiful objects and designs that make people smile. If I wasn’t working with fiber I’d be doing the same thing with glass or wood or paint.
What do you mean when you say that a piece has turned out really well?
There is an inner satisfaction that is hard to explain but I am sure most other artist must know well.
If you design knitware, aspire to publish your own work, have a love of beautiful photography or just want to become a better knitter, then you will look forward to meeting Gudrun Johnson as much as I am. Visiting Gudrun’s website is like peeking through a keyhole into a beautiful “other” world where laughter rings clear and lovely people knit beautiful garments. Perusing her knit designs is like wandering through a beautiful fiber store where moods are brought to life by clicking needles. If you’re on ravelry, you’ll find her by searching Gudrun…she even has her own group!
I’ll stop gushing now because it sounds like I’m in love, but check out the links for yourself and then you’ll see why we’re so excited to have Gudrun teaching her Crofter’s Cowl pattern this year on Sunday from 9:00-12:00. This class will be the perfect place to learn simple lace patterns and the kitchner stitch.
The Crofter's Cowl to be taught at Fiber College
We wanted to understand more about what makes Gudrun “tick” so here’s how she answered our questions:
1) Teaching takes courage and experience…and so much extra time. When you’re not teaching, what else do you like to do?
I spend most of my time working on my own designs and trying to squeeze in the odd personal knit when I can!
2) Describe the perfect class that you’d like to take…
When I was in Shetland last year I was taking a class on Fair Isle knitting. It was taught by a lovely local woman in her 70’s, who was happy to share her incredible fountain of knowledge. She even told us we could drop by her house anytime if we needed help! There was tea and biscuits (cookies to you Americans) and a warm and cozy atmosphere! That’s the perfect kind of class!
3) We’d like a sense of your expertise and ability to teach the class you’re offering…so tell us how you came to feel confident about leading a group through your particular class. How long have you been practicing?
Ever since I started designing I’ve been very inspired by the knitting of my origins, Shetland, and have spent a lot of time playing with Shetland Lace in particular. The class I’ll be teaching at Fiber College, the Crofter’s Cowl, will involve the use of a well known Shetland Lace pattern. It’s a great pattern for those new to lace and shows off well in this cowl pattern.
4) If you make a knitting error (substitute your art form here) do you jump right in and frog it (rip it out) or do you call it a design feature and keep right on going? Does the mistake cause you anxiety or do you feel like it’s just one more opportunity to make the project your own?
I don’t have one particular technique but I would encourage them to find several different sources of how to achieve their goal as it’s likely one of them will be the golden ticket. I also think knitters often underestimate their capabilities so mostly I’d just tell them to go for it, what’s the worst that could happen?
I’m most definitely not scared to rip out hours and hours of work if I think it’s a flaw to the design I envisioned. I may be a bit grumpy about it and usually my husband will look on horrified at what I’m doing but I’d rather not have it sit there and niggle at me forever after!
5) What techniques are in your bag of tricks for motivating a student to struggle through a difficult step…maybe something that’s just a bit out of his/her range…and come out the other side feeling successful?
I don’t have one particular technique but I would encourage them to find several different sources of how to achieve their goal as it’s likely one of them will be the golden ticket. I also think knitters often underestimate their capabilities so mostly I’d just tell them to go for it, what’s the worst that could happen?
6) I am an avid collector of:
Yarn, books and memories!
7) What do you do differently from the way you were taught? Why?
I’m mostly a self-taught knitter, gleaning techniques from all sources. It’s entirely possible I’m not executing them all perfectly but if it gets the job done then that’s fine with me!
8) What’s your favorite tool? Why?
I couldn’t imagine my knitting life without circular needles! I love that I can knit straight on them, in the round, on two circulars or use the magic loop method. The fact that they don’t get stuck up my sleeves is also a bonus!
9) What do you like best about what you do?
That I can take it with me wherever I go!
10) What do you mean when you say that a piece has turned out really well?
For me this would mean it has met or exceeded my expectations from design idea to actual garment.
Touching the wheel
Linda has the mind of a scientist and the eye of a talented artist…blend this with an easy smile and a calm, wonderful demeanor and you have a pretty fair picture of why Linda has been a be-loved member of the Maine Fiber Art’s community for more than three decades. Personally, when I need to feel better about the challenges life keeps tossing my way, I know that I can count on Linda to put things in perspective and before very long I’m happily skipping along my path once again.
Linda has been on the Fiber College faculty since the first year and repeatedly pleases her students by the width and depth of her knowledge. When it comes to color, not only does she understand the blending from a physics level, she understands the chemistry and then mixes it all together with an artists appreciation that can’t be simply printed in a book. This year she’ll be teaching a full day class on Thursday, Red and Blue Don’t Make Purple…or Do They? on Friday there’s Creative Stitchery~ Painting with Stitches from 2:00PM to 6:00PM and on Sunday she’ll be teaching Kumihimo Braiding…a repeat offering by popular demand. Visit her website for a peek into her Denmark Maine world.
Here are Linda’s responses to our interview questions:
1) Teaching takes courage and experience…and so much extra time. When you’re not teaching, what else do you like to do?
I like reading history, especially historical biography. I like being outside doing almost anything, especially around the water. As color is so important to what I do I enjoy seeing it large in the landscape as will as observing minute natural constructions and coloration. When at events I especially enjoy meeting people and sharing fiber experience.
2) Describe the perfect class that you’d like to take…
The idea of working with color in any way would be an important element – setting up like a mad scientist to develop color samples along several guidelines would be intriguing. Sharing the results and creating more avenues to explore would be great fun! Working with others who are passionate about color would make it a fantastic experience.
3) We’d like a sense of your expertise and ability to teach the class you’re offering…so tell us how you came to feel confident about leading a group through your particular class. How long have you been practicing?
Color has always been an integral part of my life. One of my early recollections is picking out clothes for my mother! That may sound bizarre but my eyes would scan the racks like a computer seeking what would look best on her. She came to trust those choices. My training in college was in art and theater but most of my color sense is intuitive. There are ‘rules’ but they are just a place to start. Whether in clothing, quilting, painting, weaving or dyeing – my effort has been directed more toward expanding people’s comfort with and understanding of color so that they feel more confident making color choices rather than staying within ‘safe’ parameters. Color is something I have worked with and shared all my life but I have only been teaching formal and informal classes for 30 years.
4) If you make a knitting error (substitute your art form here) do you jump right in and frog it (rip it out) or do you call it a design feature and keep right on going? Does the mistake cause you anxiety or do you feel like it’s just one more opportunity to make the project your own?
Ready to spin or felt
If I am knitting lace I will always make right an error. In some knitting I have made creative corrections when they would not show but mostly I would want something to be done right because I would always know what was not right and it might “bug” me. When weaving (tapestry) I have been known to unweave a particular color if I found one that I liked better for that area or detail, but in dyeing there are no mistakes. If a color or combination doesn’t work for me I always have the option of over-dyeing until the result is pleasing to me. It all depends on the project and the medium – for finite things I will always correct an error but for color work – there is always the opportunity to be creative – to readjust the combination – be it a piece of fabric in a quilt or a dye in the pan – my eye will tell me when it works.
5) What techniques are in your bag of tricks for motivating a student to struggle through a difficult step…maybe something that’s just a bit out of his/her range…and come out the other side feeling successful?
Having samples and instructional handouts that may include pictures, diagrams, and hints are important. Not everyone can take notes or remember all that an instructor has said in a class. It is also important to let students know that I have made my own mistakes and still do, but that that is how one learns. It is through doing something that we learn and we all had to start some place. Stories that include warmth and humor regarding the learning process help put students at ease. It is more important give students the time to master single steps along the way than to expect perfection or finished products. I like to ask questions that get the students to make the decisions about something rather than tell them what they should do. I might make suggestions to shift the decisions one way or another but want the students to trust their own instincts as they work along stated guidelines of the class.
6) I am an avid collector of:
Books and natural objects. There are never enough bookshelves. My books cover many subjects from art, history and color to children’s books and sailing…and much more. I pick up stones and feathers, press flowers and leaves, gather shells and colored glass. One of my favorite indoor places is a natural history museum. I don’t collect pollywogs but I love to watch their growth in the spring, to experience all kinds of natural phenomena in a variety of places and seasons. What I can’t collect I photograph. How else can you collect colors and textures?
7) The best advice I have ever been given:
Don’t be afraid to follow what feels right to you. It is okay to ‘know the rules’, to follow guidelines, but you have to let go and trust what is inside you so that your creativity can flow.
Tapestry in Progress
8) What do you like best about what you do?
The opportunity to use color in many ways is the most gratifying to me. I can teach a dye class miles the farm and be blown away on the drive home seeing colors that we created in that class in the sky, trees, flowers and rocks. I can be inspired by the smallest thing and use it in my work.
My books and photographs provide a wealth of inspiration for me. The tactile experiences of working with fiber and wood are so much a part of what I do. Creating color combinations in the dye pans, in fabric, and in yarn creations fills me up, gives me joy, and so much more. Sharing the joy of working with color in my classes and with others who enjoy working with color is really fulfilling. It is also very rewarding to have my color work appreciated by others.
9) What do you mean when you say that a piece has turned out really well?
Many of the things I do involve a challenge. The success of a tapestry may be how well that challenge was answered – did the colors work to complete the image I had in mind? Did I learn from creating the piece? Has doing this work inspired another piece? Each medium has its own challenges and I look forward to finding out just what they may be. If I am working on a piece in public, whether it is spinning a certain fiber, or weaving, demonstrating a method of dyeing, or woodworking, or stitching – am I able to give people a good idea of the process or inspire them to learn more? If people show an interest can I engage them? Do people walk past my booth at an event or through it? Do they stop to see my colors or finished work and speak to each other about it and/or to me? If a piece is satisfying to work on and has engaged me throughout the process and is something I do not tire of looking at, is something I want to use myself, or is something appreciated by others – that is testament that ‘it turned out well’.
10) If you could ask your students questions and class time wasn’t an issue, what sort of things would you like to know about the people sitting in front of you?
I like to know what inspires people, and to hear what they might do if they had the chance to follow their dreams – where would their creativity lead them?
