Top Ten Tuesday -- Fantastic Fiber Art

There are many talented fiber artists who light up around wool, linen, felt, yarn and knitting needles. I have to admit, I have that condition. When I was a freshman in high school, I was taken by my sister into a huge fabric shop in San Francisco, and allowed to wander for hours, touching the fabrics and enjoying the colorful textures. I am not ashamed to admit that I got a little weak in the knees as I experienced the bounty of fabrics in that store! It was the beginning of my love affair with textiles.

I have found nine other ladies who also adore fibers and creating their unique designs with them. In fact, you may be on the look-out for inspirational fiber art finds. I hope you enjoy this Top Ten List of fantastic fiber art.

Jannio of France
Merino wool is one of my favorite materials for fiber art design. Jannio presents a lovely example of Nuno-Felting of Merino wool onto cotton fabric in this light, soft and warm Red Spring Hat. This talented Etsy artist felts a hat specifically for you, making sure it fits your fabulous head! I am especially fond of the three hamdemade felt flowers she adds to this charming design. You may want to purchase it in the Spring, but I suspect you could wear it most of the year. You can find out more about Jannio here.

Becka Rahn of Minneapolis

Do you ever get the feeling that sometimes, less is more? When I saw this tiny weaving loom with hand-dyed yarn, I knew that its tiny size is what made me swoon! Made from laser-cut bamboo plywood, Becka has woven a charming "Rhubarb" design in gentle shades of green and red. As she points out in her wonderful Etsy shop, you could hang it from a Christmas tree. My fiber artist friends would LOVE to have one of these little gems placed on their next gift, instead of a paper bow! Hint, hint. You can find out more about Becka here.

Deborah Brackenbury of Fuzzy Logic Felt

After working with felt myself for most of the past five years, it is pretty clear that I am a big fan of the stuff. That said, I have never worked with felt the way Deborah works with felt in Norman, Oklahoma! Her contemporary take and color-blocking are both elegant and modern. I suspect that Deborah is younger and hipper than I am, and I applaud the way she adds life (and shall I say logic) to that fuzzy wool that I love so much! Her color combinations are part of her winning formula, and I hope you will have the chance to look at her Etsy shop to see what I mean. You can find out more about this talented artist here.

Elena Rosenberg of New York

Alright, dear reader, it is time to pick up your knitting needles! Or, maybe if you're like me, it is time to set those needles aside and let the real pro knit your next striking wrap. In my wildest dreams, I would knit like Elena. Her work is feminine and sophisticated. I can imagine that wearing one of her Capelets made with bamboo and silk in a rich color, like this luxurious pumpkin orange, would stop traffic everywhere one went! I would be so demure when folks ask me, "Did you make that?". I would shyly reply that no, I did not, but I know the wonderful artist who did! You, too, can get to know Elena on Etsy as well as on TAFAlist, the welcoming home of Textile And Fiber Artists on the web. Learn more about this lovely confection here.

The Lint Balloon in Ottawa, Canada

If you follow my fiber art, you may know that I love birds. I have just begun incorporating Peacocks into my designs, and I think I waited so long to do this because the majesty of the male's feathers just intimidated me! You will not find any such hesitancy at The Lint Balloon. In this bold necklace design, 36 needle-felted feathers are adorned with glass seed beads and dark blue stone beads. The artist finished it all with a handmade button clasp. I am told it is a little over 3 inches long in the center! You may be just the right person to wear this necklace to a gala, an art show opening, or your own birthday party! And if this jewelry item is as breathtaking to you as it was to me, you will surely want to see what else is in store at The Lint Balloon here.

Celina Mancurti of Tampa, Florida

I am so charmed by the eco-friendly artistry of Celina Mancurti! I originally found her work in magazines and then I looked her up on Etsy to learn more. Celina works with organic linen, which is my favorite foundational fabric, as well. This charming apron is made with fibers from the flax plant, and the pocket has been beautifully hand-screen printed with water-based inks. (Celina even sews the apron together with organic cotton thread!) This apron is all the rage with foodies and home cooks who put energy and time into the conscious sourcing of their food's ingredients. You can machine wash and dry the apron, and it will just get better looking with time (like us!). I invite you to visit Celina's lovely Etsy shop here and see all the charming screen printed fabrics she has for you to choose from.

Susan Carlson of the Felted Button

We have already talked a bit about knitting today, so to honor the other popular needle-work of crochet, I would like to introduce you to my friend, Susan Carlson. This popular Etsy artists adds lots of bright colors to her Utah town, and many places around the country, where crochet is no longer just your Grandmother's relaxing passion. Susan has created this charming Ombre Ruffle Blanket pattern to help beginners as well as a seasoned crocheter succeed! The lovely shades of purples used are but one example of how you could graduate colors in your own piece. How about reds/oranges/yellows for instance? And if you are getting ready to decorate a nursery, you can play with either shades of blue or shades of pinks! I am excited to tell you that there are 35 other delicious patterns at the Felted Button along with ready-made items galore! Susan is brightening up our world with crochet, and I hope you will let her brighten your day here.

Stacy Corday of Sew Stacy on Etsy

The colors and textures of this Calypso Scarf were my first attraction to Stacy, a fiber artist in Charlotte, North Carolina. This photo just makes we want to reach out and feel the soft textures! When I found out that this design, which is ready-made for you, is created using varietal yarns from her stash, I liked her even more! I run an environmentally friendly studio here in Colorado, so I applaud those who also use-up their art supplies, instead of trashing them...even the little bits of leftovers can become works of art! Stacy tells us that this scarf, while highly textured, is not itchy, and she will gift wrap it for you! It is 46" long and 7" wide infinity scarf, and its bright colors mean it will go well with most everything in your wardrobe. There are currently 189 items in Sew Stacy on Etsy, so take a peek and enjoy!

Grace Gerber of Larkspur Funny Farm

I have known Grace for a couple of years now, and I adore every item I have purchased from her shop, the Larkspur Funny Farm! When I saw the listing for this gorgeous handspun yarn, and I heard Grace's story about its creation, I knew I wanted to share that sweet story with you.

"Creating this yarn was truly beyond my control. You'll understand why when I explain it's evolution. I had some of my sweet LFF Sugar's Mohair fleece stored in my fiber room that I was planning to save just for me. The dear Sugar passed last year after living 21 years - 15 of which was with me.. He had buttery soft fiber with such a sheen. Before I realized that it was Sugar's fleece I had carded it up with a very soft pale gray Llama fleece from a local 4H'er and my best silk. When the batts where done I sat at the wheel and just began spinning. A wonderful single was created. When I finished spinning I placed the skeins in a dye pot with my special recipe but since I was sleep deprived I had not noticed that I had not turned on the heat. So after two hours of sitting in a cold dye pot I realized my mistake and turned on the heat. Well, this created a very faint variegated silvery Turquiose Teal.... It is just Amazing!!!. There are 152 yards / 139 meters in the skein. It is 10 wpi or which is considered a heavy sport weight yarn. It is a balanced single yarn with a very even thickness for a handspun single."

Do you see what I mean! Grace and her animals are a beautiful source of handspun, hand dyed, and lovingly prepared soft fibers for every craftsperson! With my whole heart, I recommend Larkspur Funny Farm, where The Spirits are High and the Fiber is Deep! You can learn more about Grace here.

Top Ten Item: Funny Animal of the Week

Thanks for stopping by, Georgianne