Twist Collective Fans…

If you’re a fan of the on-line magazine Twist Collective, you’ll be happy to know that two of their best designers are teaching classes this year…and there are still spaces available so sign up before the word spreads!

Mary Jane Mucklestone is teaching a Saturday Class on Color Work Knitting.  If you know how to knit and purl then you’re ready for color work and why would you wait?  MJ is the reigning diva of all things colorful and she makes everything so simple…you may see 32 colors in a hat but remember, you’re only working with two colors at a time…so you too can make something as beautiful as the blue and white hat in September’s Twist Collective.  Afraid of choosing your colors?  MJ makes it easy with pre-assembled kits that she can bring to you at Fiber College…so why are you waiting?

Have you seen the hot blog Shetland Trader?  Fabulous designer Gudrun Johnson is also teaching here this year…the Crofter’s Cowl. It’s an original design that has everything to offer…it uses a small amount of yarn (maybe you could choose something absolutely scrumptious from vendor String Theory), is a great introduction to Lace knitting, will fit everyone on your gift list and is wildly pretty.  Check out her cardigan in Twist Collective…and then sign up for her class here at the College…we very thoughtfully scheduled her for Sunday afternoon so that you could take other knitting classes without a conflict.

Of course, you may recognize other instructors from past Twists…do you remember this?

2009 Schedule of Events

Thursday:

Registration 8:30

Full Day Classes 9-4,

Pizza & Lemonade for Lunch $5/person at the beach

Friday:

Registration opens at 9:00AM

Classes 10-6

Vendors noon to 5:30

Potluck Supper & Fiber Swap:

for attendees, instructors, vendors and spouses 6:00 PM  Searsport Shores Rec Hall

For dinner, we’ll roast two turkeys and provide the plates, utensils and ice water…you bring a side dish or dessert to share and any other beverages you might prefer after a long day in the booth.  For the swap, go through your stash, your studio or under your bed to find treasures that you’ve long moved away from but that will inspire others to new artistic heights.  Don’t forget to look through your bookshelves and your drawers for books and fiber tools you no longer need.  During the swap you’ll be able to barter and trade with everyone present…if there’s nothing you like better than your own stuff, you can always pack your things away for another day or offer them as door prizes at the Saturday night celebration.

Saturday:

Registration opens at 8 AM

Classes 9-6 PM

Vendors 10:00-5:30 PM

Private Viewing at the Penobscot Marine Museum 5:30-7:00PM

Lasagna Dinner and talk by Artist in Residence Tom Cote 7:00PM

at the Searsport 1st Congregational Church, within the Museum grounds

Sunday:

Registration opens at 8:30 AM

Classes 9-3:30 PM

Vendors 10-3 PM

Dessert Goodbye

for vendors, volunteers and instructors 3:30-? in the Rec Hall

Letter to Vendors

Then vendors are a very important part of Fiber College and in case this note didn’t find it’s way to your e-mail box, we wanted you to know:

We hope all is well in your world and that you’re enjoying a perfect summer month…we’ve certainly earned it and look forward to a long, Indian summer.  The planning for Fiber College has been going smoothly and if you haven’t had the opportunity to visit the blog lately, check it out for updated details on all that we’re expecting this year.   Class sign ups have been very encouraging…to date we’re even with last year’s pre-registrations and we have an extra 5 days because of the way Labor Day weekend falls…and general wisdom promises a flurry of last minute sign-ups.  That said, please spread the word in any venue you have because even now, many of the most interesting classes have yet to be filled.

With 14 days to go, this is the final push for media exposure.  You can help.  If you are a member of Ravelry (there are several threads already started that would benefit from your energetic comments) or any fiber related on-line groups, would you give your group a shout about the College?  Send them to the website at www.FiberCollege.org and tell them about the dates (September 10-13).  We’d be happy to handle all the inquiries that are generated if you’d prefer.   If these forums allow you to post more than dates or times, tell them about your booth and/or class because you are what makes the College so different from all of the other great fiber venues through out the year.  Along the same lines, if you haven’t already sent your interview back for the blog, please do it right off so that we can get you more exposure.

This year’s Shopper’s Boulevard Hours have been set for:

Friday – Noon to 5:30

Saturday – 10 – 5:30

Sunday – 10 – 3

Set up will be from 4:00PM- 8:00 PM on Thursday and 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM on Friday…all vehicles must be in the vendors parking area (or campsite) by 11:30 Friday…no exceptions. These hours were chosen to give everyone a chance to enjoy being on the coast and concentrate the shoppers into spending their time on the Boulevard before and after their classes.

When you come to set up, come directly to the information desk with your proper proof of insurance.  To obtain this paper, call your insurance agent for a certificate of liability for the Fiber College on Penobscot Bay and Searsport Shores Ocean Camping September 10-13, 2009.  Farm Family and Countryway Insurance companies provide these.  Many homeowner/business policies will also cover occasional off-premise events.

We will again be hosting a potluck supper on Friday night followed by a Fiber Potluck and craft book Swap.  For dinner, we’ll roast two turkeys and provide the plates, utensils and ice water…you bring a side dish or dessert to share and any other beverages you might prefer after a long day in the booth.  For the swap, go through your stash, your studio or under your bed to find treasures that you’ve long moved away from but that will inspire others to new artistic heights.  Don’t forget to look through your bookshelves and your drawers for books and fiber tools you no longer need.  During the swap you’ll be able to barter and trade with everyone present…if there’s nothing you like better than your own stuff, you can always pack your things away for another day or offer them as door prizes at the Saturday night celebration.

Speaking of Saturday night, this year’s dinner will be held at the First Congregational Church Vestry in the middle of the Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport…the change allows us to work with museum director Niles Parker and offer Fiber College attendees a chance to visit the museum and examine some of the textiles in the vast collection up close to examine the details of these beautiful pieces.  In appreciation of your support as a vendor, you will receive a complimentary dinner ticket and invitation to the private museum tour…if you need additional tickets; they will be available for the reduced dinner cost of $10 for the evening.  Simply let us know by September 7th the number of tickets you’ll need so that we can order the right amount of lasagna from Patty.

In recognition of the economic conditions you’ve been facing this year, we’d also like to offer you some discounted camping.  We have set aside the group tenting area for anyone who would like to pitch a tent for $10/night (hot showers are included!)…you can take care of that reservation when you check in on Thursday or Friday.

We’re so excited about the College!  Thanks for making it wonderful and unique!  You know, this year we’re expecting new people from as far away as Colorado, Florida and NYC…and many of our friends from the past years’ will be returning with their enthusiastic support…thanks for making this such a special event!

See you soon,

Astrig and the Entire Fiber College planning committee

Saturday Night at the Museum

Kimonos from the orient

It’s tradition at Fiber College to gather Saturday night for a Lasagna Dinner (homemade by Patty) and a lecture from this year’s artist-in-residence Tom Cote.  This year we’re thrilled to have the added bonus of the Penobscot Marine Museum “after hours reception” before we sit down to dinner.  Working closely with director Niles Parker, the museum staff will open their buildings and where possible, the textile collections will be available for closer inspection as warrents a gathering of Fiber Artists.  The museum will be open to us from 5:30 until 7:00PM Saturday, September 12th.  Your registration fee covers the dinner and museum entrance fee.

Scheduled Demonstrations (changes and substitutions could be made at any time)

Fiber College is all about learning.  The planning committee spends months soliciting instructors with special talents, invites only vendors who are selling supplies and equipment that will fuel your fires (this is definitely not a craft fair), hosts an international textile exhibit in a genuine Afghan tent and has scheduled demonstrations on a wide range of fiber related topics throughout the weekend.

Yes, the classes are inexpensive but the founding principle of the College and the intent of all the volunteers is to build community and awareness of the vast world of Fiber Arts…both traditional and innovative.  We’re happy if you sign up for a class, but we’re truly satisfied when you sign up for several and just hang out in the Campground for the entire weekend soaking up the atmosphere and making friends during the social events.

Ongoing each day will be the Sub Continent textile collection of traveler Richard Johnson and a smattering of naturally dyed woven and knit textiles from Astrig’s recent trip to Peru

Day	Time Slot	Speaker	Topic
Friday	1:00- 2:00	Gary Kitchen	Turning wood on a lathe for drop spindles, knitting needles & bowls
	2:30- 3:30	Mary Ann Hall	Choosing fabrics for the most vibrant combinations and exciting quilts
	4:00- 5:00	Tom Cote	Sharpening your fiber arts tools
Saturday	10:00-11:00	Susan Perrine	Weaving a Garden Sanctuary
	11:30-12:30	Jackie Fee Laurie Sims	Knitting & Crocheting Clinic
	1:00-2:00	Gary Kitchen	Turning wood on a lathe for drop spindles, knitting needles & bowls
	2:30-3:30	Misty Acres Alpaca Farm	Life with Alpacas
	4:00-5:00	Tom Cote	Sharpening your fiber arts tools, choosing the right wood for the right job
	5:30- 7:00		Reception at the Penobscot Marine Museum
Sunday	10:00-11:00	Gin Randolf	Demonstrating Basket Making- Hands on for all ages
	11:30-12:30	Kelly Corbett	My beginnings, “getting serious”, the focus on breeds, the purpose of my farm, and marketing.
	1:00-2:00	Gary Kitchen	Turning wood on a lathe for drop spindles, knitting needles & bowls
	2:30-?	Panel Discussion Mary Jane Mucklestone Mary Ellen Kranz	Ice Tea and fiber…what directions are the fiber arts headed

Alice Seeger…the artistic friend you wish lived next door

Alice came into our world last year…and when she sensed a need, she was there like magic to help the world move smoothly.  Not only is she an extremely talented artist who makes weaving and spinning come alive with a firm foundation in history, but she is a born organizer, capable of smoothing wrinkles with a quick flick of her wrist.  Coming over to our coast from her home in the Hudson Valley, we’re thrilled to have her teaching three classes…Weaving on Thursday, Beginning Drop Spindling on Friday and Advanced Drop Spindling on Sunday.

In her own words, here’s a little peek into the world of a woman we both love and respect:

1)     Teaching takes courage and experience…and so much extra time.  When you’re not teaching, what else do you like to do?

Gardening, I’m a Master Gardener Volunteer with Cornell Cooperative Extension I’m also a board member for our local Arts Council. I think its important to support the arts community. My new love is Photography. AND my husband Nick and I love to Sail! We keep our boat in the Hudson River but try to get to Penobscot Bay whenever we can! I also love singing and playing blues harmonica with Nick (he plays banjo and guitar)

2)     Fill in the blanks for the following statement:  Inspiration for my work comes from  Nature and from places I’ve visited that are beautiful and moving. The sunset in Taos New Mexico, the Smokey Mountains of West Virginia are so beautiful they make me cry. The fog as it settles in the harbors of Penobscot Bay and they way the early morning sunrise turns the calm water rosy. I just can’t believe my eyes! It makes me so glad to be alive and grateful for such wonderful opportunities ! COLOR is a very important aspect of my life and work something to which I find I am very sensitive.  Whenever I create a piece, I am most pleased when someone is moved  by the colors and can imagine a time or place suggested by the colors.

3)     Describe the perfect class that you’d like to take…

Anything creative I can learn to do with my hands. Best of all in a community at a beautiful place, over several days with time for potlucks and spinning circles and … oh.. this sounds just like Fiber College

4)     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?

It was love at first sight in 1975 when I chanced upon a 200 year old barn loom at a “Bicentennial“ demonstration. I was attending Art School at the time, I’d been making my own clothes for years. I stood for a very long time mesmerized by this loom. Even after leaving the exhibit it just seemed to work it’s way into my dreams, I couldn’t get it out of my mind.  The idea of designing and creating my own fabric soon became an obsession and ultimately my life’s passion.

I took workshops, and found a used loom, then went about weaving some very ugly, rough cloth when one day, more out of curiosity than anything, I answered an ad in the paper for a weaving assistant.   Much to my surprise Handwoven haute-couture designer Martha Zimiles hired me and for 18 years our work sold at luxury department stores, wearable-art galleries and boutiques as well as high-end Craft Shows

During that time,  my local yarn shop began offering classes, I was invited to to teach some beginning classes in weaving and spinning  A few years later  when the yarn store owner retired and moved south, I realized how much I enjoyed teaching and opened my own studio Woodland Ridge Spinning & Weaving! I taught classes and became a dealer of weaving and spinning equipment. Since my children were young at the time, it was hard to travel to take workshops. I would hire the best fiber teachers, most of whom were being published by Interweave Press and invite them to do workshops in my studio. I got the education I wanted and became good friends with many nationally know artists.

It was a great time! Idylic really!  I had a small flock of sheep and a dairy goat (for my son who was allergic to cows milk.) Students would weave or spin and hang out around my kitchen table- eating homemade soup and bread, nourishing our creative souls as well as our bodies and sharing our life’s stories.

My story then took a drastic turn. My marriage broke apart and as lovely and successful as the weaving studio was, it just wasn’t enough to pay the mortgage and raise the boys.

You know how they say “ When God closes a door (S)he opens a window”?  It happened that a            good friend was getting married and leaving the area. She had developed a program for school         children teaching them the significance of spinning and weaving in the Colonial American      Period. It was a perfect fit!  A solution for both of our situations. I bought her business and she         went happily to live her life in Arizona. I was then traveling to more than 40 schools each year        teaching 4^th graders to weave!!

I am very happy to say that in 16 years I have taught weaving to more than 10,000 students!

Now the boys are grown. My travels and teaching have put my oldest through college They are standing on their own and have wonderful girlfriends

Thanks to another loom in my life I met and married to a wonderful guy! Now I find I am trying to pull back to growing a garden, raising animals and sharing weaving and life with a group of like minded souls while searching for what it is that I want to do next.

I look forward to being at Fiber College again this year.

5)     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?

There are many mistakes or problems in weaving that can be either overlooked or solved in a creative fashion during the warping process. Some mistakes, in threading, treadling or tension, MUST be taken out and fixed. ( I wish I had a nickel for every yard of weaving I’ve taken out.) There’s no anxiety, only pride of craftsmanship.

6)     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 let students know the learning curve in weaving is steep with lots of stuff to wrap your mind around.   The terminology is unique to weaving so it seems like  you’ve just landed in another country with a different language. I try to invite students to have faith in themselves and m. Be patient, Don’t worry. You’ll get it. I”ll do whatever it takes to help students succeed. I recognize students’ different learning styles,and present the lesson using auditory, visual, and physical demonstrations.  Students may stop me and ask for clarification at any point in the lesson. There’s no such thing as a stupid question.

7)     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 always want to know what has prompted them to want to learn what-ever-it-is that I’m teaching and what sort of related experience they may or may not already have. With this information I can specifically tailor the lesson to fit their needs, desires and expectations.

8)     I am an avid collector of:

Spinning wheels, including 4 great wheels dating from 1780- early industrial age, and  other various and sundry antique spinning equipment. (I need a bumper sticker that says “Caution I brake for spinning wheels”)

9)     The best advice I have ever been given:

I think I like giving advise better than taking it. My friends call my words of encouragement and advise “Alice-isms”  Here’s a general one I seem to use a lot when life becomes uncertain or frustrating. “Just because you can’t see the top of the mountain, doesn’t mean it’s not there.”

10) What is your favorite color? List three qualities of the color. Consider that these qualities apply to your work.

My favorite color changes pretty frequently. Right now I’d have to say I’m leaning toward Teal Green   it’s cool, deep, verdant, healing, mutable, blends well with other colors.

11) My formal educational background is _

Two years of art school then many years of study with leaders in fiber arts field.  It was a constant struggle to balance raising children, weaving for a designer and creating my own work. I’m not sure where my work is going right now, I want to use my photography and love of color and fiber. What I need is TIME!

12)  What do you do differently from the way you were taught? Why?

I learned from many different teachers, the result is a blend of their various methods that has become uniquely my own. I highly recommend this approach in learning anything.

13)  What’s your favorite tool?  Why?

Tools are cool! I love most of my gadgets but I’d have to say my threading hook is one of my favorites. The wood handle feels great in my hand and using it to thread a large piece is very meditative.

14)  What do you like best about what you do?

The joy of creating and sharing it with my wonderful fiber friends.

15)  What do you mean when you say that a piece has turned out really well?

Colors that evoke a feeling or memory. A pleasing weave structure that creates a pattern which enhances the color. Fabric has good texture and drape. Weaving has been well executed with straight edges and even beat.

Mary Ann Hall, she’ll make your feel like an artist!

When ever we talk with someone who needs a class that nurtures the inner artist and calms the committee of critics that lives in our mind, we always think of Mary Ann Hall first.  She’s the beautiful instructor who makes you feel as though you can accomplish anything.  No problem you encounter will be too big, no mistake you make will be insurmountable…in fact, Mary Ann will soon convince you that you didn’t make a mistake…instead, you were the creator of in incredible stroke of genius.

But Mary Ann doesn’t “computer” very much…so here’s a taste of her interview without pictures…you’ll simply need to know she’s drop-dead gorgeous and her  quilt work embodies motion through the inspired juxtaposition of original color combinations:

1)     Teaching takes courage and experience…and so much extra time.  When you’re not teaching, what else do you like to do?

When ever I have some free time, there is always so much I want to do.  It always involves a new project that I’m excited about and old projects that I need to complete, so many projects so little time, how do I choose.

2)     Fill in the blank s for the following statement:  Inspiration for my work comes from NATURE and from OTHER ART FORMS.  BEING CREATIVE is 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 THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS behind my work.

3)     Describe the perfect class that you’d like to take…is when I am learning something new that I have never done before but the instructor lets me do it in a way that works for me.  In other words, there is wiggly room, there is more than one way a project can be done.

4)     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 lea ding a group through your particular class.  How long have you been practicing?  I have been sewing ever since Junior High School, quilting for over 30 years, and have engaged in all forms of quilting from traditional to art quilts.

5)     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?  Making mistakes…who me?!?!?  It all depends on where I am in the process.  Sometimes I do take it out especially if it’s in the beginning of a project and it will effect everything from there on out.  Otherwise, if it something I can live with, I usually go with it and turn it into something to talk about…as if I NEED more things to talk about:)

6)     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?  Usually it’s to make them feel comfortable, like they can do anything.  No mistake are too big, everything can be fixed or worked around.  Helping them work through it to give them confidence so they are successful and happy.

7)     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 usually like to know where people are coming from.  Where in their life adventure are they, what are they looking for and what secrets have they discovered.

8)     I am an avid collector of:  Blue and White things.  Not only fabric.

9)     The best advice I have ever been given:  Never give up and Never give in.

10) What is your favorite color? BLUE List three qualities of the color. Richness, Peacefulness, Happiness. Consider that these qualities apply to your work.  I can look at a Blue and feel better, more content, and happier.  It brings me to a better place, memories that are priceless. It is what happens when I look at something I’ve created, it’s that part of me that I’ve put in it.

11)  What do you do differently from the way you were taught? I make the principles and concepts and tweak them to make it work for me.

12)  What’s your favorite tool?  My Hands. Why?  I love to touch things and connect with them.

13)  What do you like best about what you do?  I can be me.  I can create something that in not right or wrong…something that simply makes me happy.

14)  What do you mean when you say that a piece has turned out really well?  That I like it.  That it makes me smile.  That I want to share it with others.

James Crampton…could he be more charming?

I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Jim yet…but just look at what was in our mailbox this morning, you’ll see why we love him already!  His casual communication style belies his wonderful professionalism and attention to detail.  We’re thrilled to have him on the Faculty of the College this year.

Hi Fiber College Facilitators!

I must begin by apologizing for my tardiness in responding to your queries.  I should be used to the hectic summer schedule that happens every year at this time, but hey, I’m only 52, I should have it all figured out in a couple more years.  The other problem I have is that I just don’t like talking about myself.  No matter what happens it comes off as pompous and arrogant, or aloof and indifferent, or just plain stupid and apathetic.  I will make an awkward attempt to describe my inspiration and creative need at the risk of looking like an idiot.

I should begin by explaining that I’ll be teaching, or better yet, directing a class on small box making.  The idea is that you, the student, brings in an idea for a box that you want to make, or a piece of wood that that in it’s natural beauty has inspired you to see it’s endless possibilities.  My job is to suggest any number of techniques and approaches to help you meet your end goal, in this case, a small box.

Don’t get caught up in the words, “a small box”.  The one question I’m asked the most is “what is this box for?”   The easy response is “whatever fits in it.” or you can get more specialized and say “it’s a stamp box” or “an earring box”.  The truth is you can put really big things in small boxes, and no, I’m not talking diamonds.  As a young boy I was intrigued by the idea of treasure, and over the years I managed to collect an incredible array that would boggle the mind.  Things I squirreled away into a small box that, lo and behold, I still have today.  You’re probably thinking “Wow!  Let’s check it out!”  The truth is that if you saw it, you would say ” What a ridiculous bunch of junk!”  In my eyes however, each one of those silly trinkets represents a moment of time, plucked from my memory.  So while this small box may only hold a flimsy cracker jack trinket, to me it holds a piece of my life frozen in time.  At my age, that’s a really big thing for such a tiny box!

Don’t call me an artist, I’ve grown to dislike the title.  I’ve spent most of my life involved in one art form or another and for a long time wanted nothing more than to be an artist.  One day I heard someone describe an artist as one who sits in a coffee shop drinking endless cups of coffee and chain smoking cigarettes while trying to convince the world that they’re just so far ahead of their time that no one can understand or appreciate the work they’re doing.  I’m not an artist, I just like to make stuff.  Unfortunately you don’t get a real good reception when you walk into a gallery and say, ” Hi, I’m Jim and I’m a Fidgeter”.

The other thing that I get a lot doing various shows is “You do beautiful work.”  While I love to hear this and find it inspiring and rejuvenating, the fact is I’m only enhancing what was already there.  As a woodworker I can utilize a vast array of techniques and tools, and as an artist( guy who likes to make stuff), I may be able to recognize a beauty within, but the reality is that the beauty was there all along.  You can attribute it to what ever name you want, but the beauty that exists in nature is unparalleled to anything any artist could ever achieve.  I just take what was already there in it’s rough form, polish it up a little, put on a hinge and some magnets and then I have the unmitigated gall to call it something I’ve made.

I don’t know if this is what you were looking for, and the truth is you’re probably sorry you asked by now, but this is basically how I approach what I do.  I hope you’ll find it interesting and inspiring and if you’re also a person who likes to make stuff, grab a gnarly stick, bring it to Fiber College, and we’ll polish “er up!

Thanks for your time!

Jim Crampton

Mary Jane Mucklestone…Trend Setter and Rising Star

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.

Mary Ellen Kranz is Back and that makes us very happy!

"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.

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!