News Jan 2016

Posted on January 7, 2016 by Tasha

Arizona Fiber Arts Retreat, Things I Forgot to Mention, and More

Lately I haven’t been doing as good a job as I’d like keeping you all, lovely readers, updated when I have something going on outside of this blog. I haven’t wanted to stick random announcements into tutorials or thoughts that will (hopefully) be read long after the news is relevant, but I also don’t want to pepper you with little posts for each bit of “look at this!” type news. So I’ve decided to do a periodic news round-up when warranted. Because this is the first one, there’s some overdue stuff as well as some newer items.

Old News

I wrote a few more articles that came out in Seamwork magazine this fall, and the latest one in the December issue. Although I mentioned some of them in passing, I didn’t really point them out. There’s one on how fabric is woven, and how to use your knowledge about that to improve your sewing. It draws on what I learned when my grandma taught me how to weave, and uses a toy loom that belonged to my mom as an example. The latest article is about five essential hand stitches, and it’s just what it sounds like, a tutorial on my most-used stitches. I’ve been inspired by all the hand sewing and visible mending going on lately, and I’m happy to add to it! Maybe my favorite article so far is the one on wool. It was a total blast to research it, and I’m really happy with how it came out. It covers some of the history and science of wool, and how to use that knowledge when you’re sewing with it. It also features my favorite (super easy) hand-wash method for all your lovely woolens.

As always, you can read any of the articles in Seamwork for free online. I’ve also added links to the ones I’ve written in my category page (you can also get there by clicking “Sew” under “Tutorials + Inspiration” at the top of my site) so they’re included with the rest of the sewing info I’ve shared.

To wrap up the older news, I joined Instagram this fall, and also never mentioned it here outright. My inclination at this point is to avoid anything that involves more “screen time”, but there was so much going on there, especially in the fiber arts world, that I decided to try it out. And I think I like it. It’s nice to have a place to share quicker projects, things in progress, and thoughts that won’t become their own blog posts. And there was some surprisingly deep conversation going on there during #slowfashionoctober! Still I’m determined to use it sparingly. If you too are on this exciting/elitist/beautiful/frustrating/inspiring platform, do come say hi, I’m @frenchtoasttasha.

New News

The winter gathering at Arcosanti has a new name: Arizona Fiber Arts Retreat, and I’m teaching there again this year. It’s coming up January 22 and 23, and as of this writing there are still spaces in both my classes. One is on 3D wet felting, and one is making felt cuffs and beads (pictured below) while learning to use attachments, prefelts, and shaping in your felt making. Click over to their new website for details and to sign up. Observant readers of this blog may notice my digital fingerprints on the AFAR site, and indeed I’ve been spending a fair amount of time working on that lately. It’s a bit surreal to be the one in our group with the most web skills, but there you have it!

Knitting classes are also starting up again at Purl in the Pines in Flagstaff. The first session of my beginning knitting series is this Saturday (complete beginners welcome), along with a “knitting skills lab” where you can get all your questions answered and learn some new techniques. If you’re interested, head on over to their class page for details. It’s still snowing like crazy as I type this, but if the forecast holds, the roads should be clear by the time classes start.

I have a more contemplative post for the new year in the works too, but (appropriately enough) it’s taking a while to distill my “Slow” thoughts for that one. In the meantime, if there’s anything you’d like to see in this space, or for classes etc. in 2016 feel free to let me know!

Winter/Spring 2015 Workshops & Announcements

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Tasha

Hello everybody! I’ve got some fun opportunities for hanging out with fiber folks and in-person learning coming up that I wanted to share.

I’m teaching felting again this year at the Fiber Retreat at Arcosanti, AZ, coming up this weekend (Jan 23 and 24)! My class is full, but there are still spots in other classes, and overall it should be a good time, with vendors, a speaker, and lots of opportunities to just hang out and knit or spin. If you’re in the area and you’d like a little more info, contact me and I’ll send you some. (Their website is a little sparse.)

And, if you’d still like to take a felting class with me in AZ you may be in luck, because I’m also teaching at the newly revamped Flag Wool and Fiber festival this spring, May 30 & 31st! I’ll be teaching felted flowers and 3D wet felting. Details about the workshops should be up on their site soon.

A new year also means new classes at Purl in the Pines. Beginning Knitting and Sweet Tomato Heel Socks start the last Saturday of January. Coming February 21st is a class I’m quite excited about, because we’re knitting a pattern of my own design, which I put together just for beginning lace knitters! It’s called the Lupine Cowl (pictured above). Please contact the store for more info and to sign up.

I’m also talking with the folks at LocalWorks (Flagstaff’s maker space) about running some beginner sewing classes there, and hopefully I’ll have more info on that soon.

While we’re on announcements, I keep meaning to mention (for those of you reading via email) that I’ve been working on the site slowly, starting this summer, and it this point I think it looks about as good as it’s going to unless I break down and pay someone to help with it (what—people do that?). There are now category pages which hopefully make it a lot easier to find what you’re looking for, and a bunch of hand-carved stamps and typewritten words which have found their way into the digital world, so if you haven’t been in a while, check it out!

I’m going back to preparing for Arcosanti now, but I hope to see you all soon, either in person or out here on the interwebs!

Knitting Fall Projects

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Tasha

I started knitting a lot when I started traveling a lot with Bryan. Probably my favorite thing about knitting is still its versatility and portability – how one little bag of supplies can become a garment, and maybe more importantly, provide me with my “make something” fix anytime, anywhere.

On this trip so far I’ve been working on samples for two new classes I’m teaching at my local yarn shop this fall; a cable cowl based on the way my friend Birgitta taught me to knit cables, and lace fingerless gloves from a Churchmouse pattern.

Morning light on my hotel room blocking. I neglected to bring pins, so steaming and stretching had to do for the lace. If I wet & pin it at home, I’m pretty sure I can get a little more openness in the leaf lace pattern.

I’m definitely indulging my romantic side with these mitts. A student asked me, “But would you wear that?” “Yes,” I responded, “but I do agree that ‘would you wear it?’ is an important question to ask before you start knitting!” What I’ll wear them with is another question . . . This yarn is Jojoland Melody.

The yarn for the cowl is Manos del Uruguay Maxima. I love Manos, and this one is dreamy soft with subtle color variations – a sure way to get my attention!

I’m also pretty excited about teaching this class, since Birgitta’s design is set up to make it easy to customize, meaning I can talk about how to play with size, gauge & placement as well as how to make cables!

Very special thanks to Mellon Park in Pittsburgh for the backgrounds in this post, as well as being a really lovely spot!

Join a Colorwork Class

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Tasha

There’s still room in my colorwork knitting class tomorrow! We’ll learn fair isle and intarsia techniques, or two ways to use two or more colors as you knit. If you’re near Flagstaff, come out and knit with us!

To sign up, call Purl in the Pines (our lovely local yarn shop) at 928 – 774 – 9334.

Cat Bordhi – her Enthusiasm is Inspiring!

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Tasha

Ok, so I admit this is not the greatest picture, but this is me with the amazing Cat Bordhi! I was lucky enough to take a workshop with her just yesterday.

She’s so open and generous in person! To her, knitting is an ever-expanding horizon of both fascinating possibility and endless beauty. And the enthusiasm this creates shines through in everything she does. I am inspired not only by the myriad super-clever tips and tricks she has, but by her attitude, it reminds me to find the passion in what I do and let it show. Thank you so much Cat!

If you knit and you have not checked out Cat’s ideas, you are cheating yourself!

Also special thanks to Michele, the owner of my lovely local yarn shop for hosting!