Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Aspen Choker Tutorial


The tutorial for the Aspen Choker featured on the cover of Micro-Macramé: 30 Beaded Designs for Jewelry Using Crystals and Cords is now available online. It features a supply list, step-by-step instructions and lots of color photographs to help you learn how to create this modular choker. Let me know what you think of this lesson; I am actively seeking feedback!

Monday, July 20, 2009

Super Bob

Last Monday at around 7 p.m. I heard a crash on my front porch so I went out to investigate and there was Super Bob the local bobcat. Lest you think he's quite the cutie, be aware that he is three times larger than my biggest house cat, Gato












(Oh, I didn't name Gato Gato, which I think is a dumb name for a cat; he came to me with that monicker thanks to his previous owner who wanted him put down because she had to move. I call him "Otto" and sometimes "Gelato" and yet other times "Gateau" because he does look a bit like a cake to me...}
Anyhoo, Super Bob is a menace to suburbia. He had just treed my cat Jynx and was about to climb up that tree to get her when I chased him off with a broom. Yes, bobcats will eat domestic cats, the little cannibals!
The very next day I called the state wildlife folks and they referred me to a trapper in Snohomish - don't worry - the trap he brought out is a catch and release trap and that's exactly what will happen to Super Bob - he'll be caught and released out in the true wild somewhere far far away. Having seen Super Bob up close and in person, I think the trap is a tad too tiny for his giant hulking frame. So the trapper has ordered a bigger cage from Minnesota. In the meantime, Zena, the neighbor's-dog-who-thinks-she-lives-at-my-house rolled the trap over and ate all the sardines that were meant for Super Bob. So the trapper moved the cage to a different locale and staked it to the ground.

Sunday, July 05, 2009

Chirimen Hoard


The chirimen from Fabric Tales in Japan arrived the other day. For poly chirimen it is very very nice! I couldn't help myself - I had to get some chirimen piping, bias tape and extra fabric for perhaps another Hong Kong vest or Joplin Pullover...

Now all I have to do is create a pattern by doing a rub off of the chirimen jacket and grading it up to my size.

Saturday, July 04, 2009

Flying Fox Bat Babies Video

I am a big fan of Bat Conservation and Merlin Tuttle.
The name of the video sounds like they're into eating baby bats, but it's just a bad title, so ignore it. This is really a short video of how a dedicated group of folks Down Under are caring for baby flying foxes. The flying fox is a fruit bat found in Australia, Indonesia and that part of the tropical world.

Lacemakers of Puget Sound

Last week I went down to Kent to attend a meeting of the Lacemakers of Puget Sound. Lacemakers of Puget Sound is a charter chapter of the International Old Lacers. Amazing work and amazing ladies! There were some ladies working on tatted pieces, but I was blown away by the intricacy of the bobbin laces being produced and how many fancy bobbins everyone owned!

Here are several yards of delicate black silk bobbin lace in creation.



Another lady was working on a two-color piece; you can see the pattern she's using on the right side of the photo.


Here is a lovely lady with a handmade lace neckpiece.

Thursday, July 02, 2009

Author! Author!

Bead&Button Magazine has published a short review of my Micro-Macrame book in their August 2009 edition.










Me so happy! To quote their esteemed reviewer, "Under the influence of a handful of talented fiber artists such as Annika deGroot, macrame has come a long way since the '60s..."

Ahhh, I used to dream of being a talented fiber artist and now I am one!