where does the time go????

It has been how many days since my last blog entry????? I can't believe it...sigh... but the good news is x-mas was great and we gota NEW HOUSE.

Well ,not NEW really but NEWLY PAINTED so that it feels like NEW. HAHA

It was a very mundane off white color (body) with a spruce green door and shutters. Not bad but....boring..... for a dyer,color is everything, ya know? So Mr M and I decided it was time for a change :>) (maybe the peeling paint was a prompt too) and we got the ole homestead painted. I am including a couple of pics. The body is now Duron "livable green" and the shutters and door are "oak moss". I think it is beautiful and the painter said he liked it even though he normally did not like green on a house. The two neighbors on either side of us, both with very conservative shades of ecru on thier houses, also gave a seal of approval after it was finished. I guess I have better taste then everyone thinks :>)

Now,New Years is just two days away! I am still working on my resolution list. I'll post on Jan 1, 2009. Stay tuned... gale

look at that face!

Things are really getting hectic for the christmas holidays now. I am going to make this entry short as - I HAVE TO DO X-MAS CARDS TONIGHT! "no excuses are exceptable" says Mr. M.- but I still want to show you what made me laugh today. Look at this pin, my friend Ruth R, gave me a few years ago. He was hiding out in my jewlery box just chilling until I re-found him while hunting for my mother's pearl necklace. Isn't he sweet? what a face! It looks like he just asked a question and is waiting on the answer......I think the question must be..."why am I just hanging out in this dumb jewlery box, when I could be out and about on your coat?" So I put him on my coat lapel and laughed.....

Knitty.com like me!

I wanted to share the exciting news that my lovely Blue face fiber has been reviewed by KNITTY.COM!! You can see the review if you go here:

http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter08/FEATwin08FF.php

They gave me a wonderful gift for the holiday season by saying nice things about “Iris” in both my blue face and my over dyed black blue face. These are pictures of my roving, the first one is of the color way “ Proud Peacock” dyed on white Blue face (and the yarn it makes when it is spun) and the second is of the exact same colors dyed on a dark brown Blue face roving ( and the yarn it makes). Can you believe it? I really like the cool way the natural browns and tans take the color.

What made me laugh today......
Well for the first time in a long time, Gale dyed herself. Yes sports fans, this is what happens when there is the tiny, tiniest whole in the rubber gloves that I did not notice before I started dyeing. It really was funny to see the clerk’s reaction when I hand over change at the supermarket. HAHA.

a thought and a smile

Wanted to share a picture that made me happy today. I was cleaning out my picture files in the computer and found this This is a group of my quilting buds in “Off the Wall” quilting guild. Sometimes you it is good just to find the one thing in the day that makes you smile. Today it was this picture and yesterday it was the smell of an orange that I had for my mid day snack. I would like to advise everyone to take a minute (when you find that one thing in your day) and just sit back, relax for a moment and smile. I know that your day will be better for it and so will the world.

Turkey day was GOOD!

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving (as I hope all of you did) with my sister, Jennifer and her lovely family who drove many long miles to come eat a good Turkey dinner with me and Mr. M. As always, I give thanks for having a loving and supportive sis who thinks I am the creative one even though she is an Interior Designer! Ha-ha.... Thanks as well for great hubby, lovely nephews and bro in law as well as a big, fluffy, 95 lb love muffin named Hobbs ( my dog) .

Before they arrived on Wednesday, I completed a set of adult sized slippers that are modeled here by yours truly. Aren’t they sweet? The flower design on the slipper was put on as I was felting using cut out pre-felts that were placed on the green base of the slipper and then felted on. This is what we will be doing in my “slippers/baby bootie” 3D felting class. So look on my class schedule and email me if you want to sign up for a class. I am offering many and various time slots on Fridays and Saturdays to give everyone a chance to take a class. My class size is small (only 4 students at a time) so sign up now rather then later.

The other picture is of my sis, Jen, working on a felted flower. We did get a day to “play” so after she made some felt, she created to flowers for Christmas gifts. And she says she is not creative?

Class offerings for Jan,Feb,March,April 2009

Felted Mosaic Scarf class
A class that takes raw, dyed wool and shows you how to create a wonderful, felted scarf. It looks complicated but it isn’t. Instruction and the creation of one scarf should take about 3 to 4 hours with the free option of after class “play” time should you wish to stay in the studio and create a second or possibly third scarf. Wool and felting supplies for the first scarf are included in class price of $60. 4 students per class


Inlay Purse / Knitting Needle Case
This class is devoted to the design development of a large piece of decorative flat felt. Students will learn how to make pre-felt sheets for felt inlay as well as adding interesting artistic details with silk and nylon fibers. The finished, colorful flat felt is suitable for a small purse, a knitting needle case, a book cover or many other things. The first flat felt should be completed in the time allotted but students are encouraged to stay for “play” time to create additional gift items. Class price of $60. 4 students per class


Slippers/Baby Booties
Felting wool goes to a higher level in this class, as students work with a cardboard “form” that they felt around to create slippers and/or baby booties. Although it is preferable that you first take the Inlay class first, it is not mandatory. Again, there will the additional time for you to stay after class to explore and create. Class price is $60 with a 4 student limit.




Inlay Felt Purse 10:30 am to 3:00 pm (playtime until 6 pm)
Jan 3 (Friday) Jan 9 (Saturday)
Feb 20 (Friday) Feb 7 (Saturday)
March 6 (Friday) March 21 (Sat)
April 17 (Friday)


Mosaic Scarf 10:30 am to 3:00 pm (playtime until 6 pm)
Jan 30 (Fri)
Feb 27 (Fri) Feb 14 (Sat) and Feb 21 (Sat)
March 13 (Fri) March 7 (Sat)
April 3(Fri) April 18 (Sat)

Slipper/ Baby Bootie 10:30 am to 3:00 pm (playtime until 6 pm)
Jan (no classes in this subject)
Feb 6 (Fri) Feb 28 (Sat) class full
March 20 (Fri) March 14 (Sat)
April 4 (Sat)


Gale’s Art provides equipment and materials for the classes. Please wear casual, comfortable cloths and non-skid shoes as the floor in the studio often gets wet. Also, please bring a lunch with you as there are no really close eating places to the Studio. Gale’s Art Studio is located in Stone Mountain GA. To register or for additional information please contact Gale Evans (404) 457- 4015 or email gales art@mindspring.com

Felted Baby Booties (say it 10X fast)

Hey look what I did over the weekend!! Felted baby booties. Aren’t they sweet? I have really been having a wonderful time with wet felting these last few weeks. As you know, I am offering a two classes on felting and have many requests for more. So I “thunk” that felted slippers would be the perfect class. Who doesn’t wanted to curl up in front of the fire with cocoa and slippers? Making baby booties is an easy first step to doing larger adult size slippers. They were so quick and fun! I decided to share pictures of my first “born” baby booties. I haven’t gotten to the slippers yet as today was a running around day (grocery, library etc....) but tomorrow is all studio time, baby! So I’ll post pics of the slippers when they are done and look for my upcoming schedule of felting classes too! I will be posting Jan/Feb and March in the next few days.

Hey All, thanks for the many emails about my sickness. I am happy to report that I am now hail and hearty. What a relief to be back in the swing of things and to enjoy the season. The Autumn color here in Atlanta is still outrageously lovely although the leaves are falling fast and furious. Ruth R and I played hookie from life and house cleaning last Sunday and spent the day in the park spinning and drinking coffee. Here is a picture of Ruth R and wheels with the fall backdrop. I am not in the pic ‘cause no squirrels volunteered to take it so I had to. If you have not had a chance to run away somewhere fun this season, I say “DO IT! DO IT NOW!” . Before you know it the holidays will start claiming all your free time for shopping and cooking, so I think now it the perfect time for a breather before they begin.
I have been in the studio today trying to fill some wholesale orders but I did take a minute to clean and dye some of the Cotswold locks. It was easier then I thought and the curls are sweet! Here is a picture of them drying. I didn’t consciously dye them red and green but there they are.....maybe I have Christmas on my brain :>)

My first INLAY FELTING class last Sat. was excellent due mostly to my three great students, Christy, Gayle and Jean! thanks guys and I look forward to teaching you again!

The Good news is......

The Good news is- I lost 10 lbs! The Bad news is - you never want to go on this diet. I have been very sick for the past week sports fans! Extremely rare for me but I was down for the count. But I am getting a head of myself. Let me fill you in......
When last I wrote, I was Soaring in PA with many spinning gurus and friends and what a fun time we had! After returning home, I was in a rush to get all ready for my next show SAFF in Ashville NC. Having only a week and a half between these two shows proved to be a bit of a dyer’s challenge but I got my behind in gear and “got her done“. The show was great, I had Sassy Nancy as a booth mate which is always a hoot. I even bought a wonderful Cotswold fleece out of the Fleece show. Look at those curls!
SAFF is always the last weekend in October and is well worth a visit for knitting, spinning and felting fans. It is the best show (in my opinion) south of the Mason-Dixon line. If you didn’t make it this year, make the effort for next year :>).
So after the show, I was ran away to a small mountain cabin to be with the marvelous Mr. M. Very exciting it actually SNOWED and I have pics to prove it. Here is the snow with my footprints and look at the temperature!

It was completely wonderful for about 2 days. Then I got a soar throat, then I got a fever, then I got a cough...yada yada yada. I was sooooo sick that I was crying when I swallowed. Mr. M was wonderful, as always, and fixed me tons of peppermint tea and soup. He even got me a birthday cake which I was too sick to eat (yes, it was my birthday!) Finally I had to be dragged (kicking and screaming) to the Doctor’s office.
TOTAL SIDEBAR----I really don’t know why I resist going to the Doctor’s office. I mean, I always feel better after they give me medicine but I guess it is the child in me thinking that if I don’t go, then I can’t really be sick. I feel the same way about hair dressers and always wait until my hair is way outta control before getting it cut. But I digress.....
We got many cool drugs and I dragged myself and Kermit (my faithful Honda Element) home the next day. That was Saturday. Finally today, Thursday, I feel recovered enough to make a blog entry. October seems like it is a blur to me. I can’t believe it is already gone. Oh well, on to the holidays and my first felting class at GA’s studio this weekend. It is the Inlay Felt Class. I’ll let you know how it all comes out. Hope you all stay healthy and happy :>) gale

I am SOAR-ing

Hey all, well it has been a month of Sundays since I last posted but I aM SOAR-ing right now at the Pocono Manor here in Pennsylvania. SOAR is this killer week long event filled with great classes and people who are just as crazy about fiber as I am! Interweave Press puts it together and they did a wonderful job this year. I am taking a nuno felting class with Sharon Costello until wend and then vending in the market for the rest of the week. Just looking out my room window right now at the great autumn colors against the hill. ......sigh......Fall is such a super time of year.
I have a few pictures of the proceedings but they aren't really great ones so I'll skip them. However, this is well worth the 13 hour drive from Atlanta. My next big show is at SAFF www.saffsite.org and I am really hoping to see ya there! gale

Shop Hopping Atlanta Style

Hello my blog readers! I apologize for the delay in bringing you the news from the Planet Gale but I have been busy, busy, busy. I had 2 classes full of wonderful students over the weekend and we dyed our little brains out. I am happy to say that a few of them have emailed me to say the roving and yarn looks great- makes a teacher proud. I have also been getting wholesale orders for Knitch, Whole Nine yarns and Loopy Ewe too so my plate runnith over!
But everyone needs a day off so I went out yesterday and did the Shop Hop.
If you haven’t heard of it, here is the web site. http://www.shophopatlanta.blogspot.com/ Kermit (my green Honda Element) cruised down the road to the first shop with myself, Sassy Nancy and Eve B. In fact, Kermit was sooooooo excited to go to a yarn store that we got pulled over by Officer P on Highway 78. Bad Kermit, going 67 in a 55 mph zone, bad Kermit!!! But nice Officer P let me off with a warning when I explained about the shop hop and all. Who wouldda thunk, a police man with yarn sympathy? Thanks Officer P! Of course after that we went all around Atlanta and environs in a frantic dash (but still in the speed limit) for all 8 shops and we did it! We started at 9am and finished at 7pm. A total 10 hour blast with lots of laughter, a few junk food stops and many cups of star bucks coffee (for GALE!).
I came home with some sweet stuff, including the new Noro “catwalk” Book 1 which has many neat patterns. Unfortunately, the sweater I really want to try (Matilda) is made in a yarn that Noro has discontinued. Why do they do that? -sigh- The other interesting thing was a yarn from Rowan called Colourscape. (color is spelled funny ’cause it’s furin yarn from England) Cool yarn that appealed to the dyer in me as it was designed by the king of color, Kaffe Fassett. Let me take a moment here to say that here in Atlanta, we do have some awesome LYS and LYS owners! And I am not just saying that in a shameless brown nosing effort to influence them in that $800 prize drawing ..........really............. Gale

Ruby,my sweet

Guess what I got over the weekend? That is right, sports fans, Gale got a BICYCLE!!! I have wanted one forever. It all started last year with those insipid Regions Bank commercials on TV. Do you know the ones I mean?
Well, if you didn’t see them, then let me explain that it is all about these people riding around on these green bicycles. I am thinking the green is supposed to represent money(?). Of course the wind is blowing in their hair (even though they are wearing politically correct helmets) and they are smiling in the sun shine as they ride down streets with names like “RETIREMENT” or “ FINANCIAL SECURITY”. In the back ground, most insidious of it all, is this really catchy little tune that, once you hear it, stays in you head and does not go away for HOURS!!! Anyway, the commercial failed to have the desired effect on me as I didn’t want to rush out and get an account with Regions Bank, but rather I really wanted to get a bicycle.
So after much hemming and hawing, (9 months is not too long to procrastinate, is it?) I got Ruby on Sunday . Did I mention the extra motivation of stepping on the scales on Sat? Below are pics of her and she is sweet!

My good friend, Laura T, helped me out by dragging me to the local sporting goods store and just as we walked in they announced “we have a special this week on Youth and Adult bicycles.....” I kid you not! So not only did I get a cooooooweeellll bike but I got a killer deal too. I think Laura T has good shopping Karma as I always seem to find real deals when I go out with her.

I did stop to wonder ,though, that if the green bike represented money, what would a red bicycle represent? Well, if I see streets named “FIRE” or “BRIMSTONE” I’ll be sure to ride the other way. Don't want to go there...:>) gale

Potluck

Oh, I had fun last weekend. I got a “pot luck” Day! As a professional dyer, I pride myself on being able to reproduce most of the colors that are in my hand painted roving. I have a recipe card for all of the colors I use so I can create them over and over. I spent about 3 years perfecting my dye technique and recipes before I ever started selling them. It makes me happy to be able to predict, with confidence, what will happen when I mix this red with that blue. Having said that, sometimes I have to go CRAZY and slap on what ever is at hand in the studio. I often have a leftover color from a color run and I just can not bear to throw it away. So it all goes on to “pot luck”. It is a fun day for me with lots of color surprises. Sometimes I guess we all need a day to be outta control! up top is a picture......

class offerings sept - dec 2008

Hello, everyone! I wanted to put up class information from Gale's Art studio so if you are NOT interested in my FABULOUS classes....stick your fingers in you ear and go "LALALALA" for this entry :>)

email is galesart@mindspring.com or 404-457-4015 . I am in ATLANTA area.

Sept 12 , 13, 25, 26 "Acid Dye without Tears" 10:30 to 4 pm $85 4 students

(last chance this year to take this class)
In this class you learn the basics of color mixing and you will take home ½ a pound of your own original hand painted fibers when done. You can choose to dye 8 oz Blueface roving OR 8 oz of wool yarn OR a 4 oz/4 oz combination of roving and yarn. Also included with the class fee are 6 bottles of premixed Acid dyes solutions in primary colors for you to play with at home, along with instructions for small batch color graduations and Gale’s down and dirty color test system. Many of my students have time to dye extra materials that they bring from home as well as the fiber provided.

Felted Mosaic Scarf class $60 (4 student per class)
Friday Nov. 7, 2008 10:30-2:30pm playtime till 6
Saturday Nov.15, 2008 10:30-2:30pm playtime till 6
Saturday Dec. 6, 2008 10:30-2:30pm playtime till 6
A one day class takes raw, dyed wool and shows you how to create a wonderful, felted scarf. It looks complicated but it isn’t. Best of all, it will make a wonderful gift during the holiday season. Instruction and the creation of one scarf should take about 3 to 4 hours with the free option of after class “play” time should you wish to stay in the studio and create a second or possibly third scarf. Wool and felting supplies for the first scarf are included in class fee.

Inlay Purse / Knitting Needle Case $60 (4 students each class)
Saturday Nov. 8, 2008 10:30 to 3:00 playtime till 6
Friday Nov. 21, 2008 10:30 to 3:00 playtime till 6
Friday Dec. 5, 2008 10:30 to 3:00 playtime till 6
This one day class is devoted to the design development of a large piece of decorative flat felt. Students will learn how to make pre-felt sheets for felt inlay as well as adding interesting artistic details with silk and nylon fibers. The finished, colorful flat felt is suitable for a small purse, a knitting needle case, a book cover or many other things. The first flat felt should be completed in the time allotted but students are encouraged to stay for “play” time to create additional gift items.

cable guy...er....girl

Well, I have a secret confession to make.....I can dye, I can quilt, I can felt and I can spin but I CAN’T KNIT WORTH A HOOT! There I have said it and I feel sooooooo much better. Maybe I should join KA (Knitters Anonymous) but that is probably for people who are hopelessly addicted to knitting. I am more like a special Olympics knitter .... Sigh......I know it sounds a little odd but although I love to spin, my knitting skills leave something to be desired. Someday I might be brave enough to show you all the Quasimodo Sweater, or maybe not. But “never give up and never surrender” is a motto I try to live up to so I vowed to improve my knitting this year. That is why I am happy to show you what I did yesterday..... CABLES!




I found this really neat book at the library called Tweed by Nancy J Thomas last Wednesday on my “art day” and I thunk it was neat! I even learned how to create a tweed yarn on my wheel (but that is for another blog entry). So I came up with the great idea of Spinning some of my own tweed to knit into something. I thought this scarf was just about my style but I have never cabled before.
Enter knitter extraordinaire, Eve B, who came by last Tuesday and showed me how to make a CABLE. Thanks Eve ! (by the way, that Spice cake you accidentally left behind...you will never see it again. Sorry but it was very yummy)
You might notice, gentle reader, that I have placed a smiley face over the model. I would like to say it was to preserve his modesty but really he looked a little creepy on that park bench.... “Hey little girl-want some YARN?” gale

To the Batt cave!

Hey all, on Friday I was a little restless so it was “to the Batt cave!” I got out my drum carder, hauled out a big pile of fiber and settled into a serious afternoon of batt making! Really it is so much fun to do this stuff.... I bought my lovely drum carder from a fellow PHG guild member on Distaff day 2006. I was thinking to my self- “Self what have you done?! That was $350 that could have gone to your holiday credit card bill?!” but Self never listens to me if it means passing up a cooooweeelll fiber related item. So I brought it home and smuggled it into the studio before Mr. M saw it. That was not easy as it weighs like a gazillion pounds. Don’t ask me where I hid it....

With my lovely drum carder, I can make some great batts. Just in case you are not familiar with the term, let me explain that a batt is how wool is blended either with itself or with other fibers in preparation for spinning. Spinners take the batt and create yarn out of it. You can also take batt and felt it but most of mine goes to spinning. I usually create 4 to 8 oz of batts before I want to change the color. Being a dyer allows me the rare joy of combining practically any colors under the sun. When my fiber cup runith over, I head for the batt cave!

Above is a picture of some of the fibers that I could choose from. On the table are wools, mohair, silks and nylon fire star in various colors. In the background is my drum carder with a batt in the in tray. Next you can see a fibers eye view of the fiber going into the drum carder...OH NO MR DRUM CARDER PLEASE DON’T EAT ME !!! (ok gale have a sick sense of humor)


The next picture is of a particularly wonderful combo of fibers I put together. Starting from the left there is a soft merino grey wool, a sapphire blue nylon fire star, a multicolored tussah silk and then a little sapphire blue mohair.. And then the final product of a grey blend with shadows of green and that wonderful sapphire blue....YUMMY.... I named this one “Misty”




There are no hard and fast rules to drum carding but here are a couple of insights that a novice might find helpful-
The more you blend, the more blended your fiber- I like to send my fibers through the Drum carder only once or twice as I am interested in keeping the yarn chunky and full of texture. You can clearly see the silk and nylon against the wool. If you Card it more, your fiber mixture becomes more and more blended and your yarn is a finer mix. This is a spinner’s personal preference.

Some fibers are harder to blend then others- I find bombyx silk and mohair to be very resistant to blending. I often have to work longer with these fibers.

Don’t put too much fiber in at one time. If you are finding the cranking difficult, back off the amount of fiber in the tray. Your drum carder will thank you.

I really enjoyed my batt day! Next time I do it, I’ll try to include more before and after pictures. I just got so excited that I didn’t spot and take too many shots. Soooooorrrrryyyyy my bad. GALE

Yesterday I dyed.......

I am still in awe about this blogging thing. Just think 'lil ole me on the wide wide net! cooooooweeeeelllll! I have updated my profile and included a pic of me and my dear hubby,"the mysterious Mr. M", at a beautiful national park near by our home. whatta guy :>)
After 3 months of officially being a "professional dyer", I am still having a great time. I especially enjoy walking into my studio in my jammies with coffee in hand first time in the am and thinking "what will I dye today?" what a hoot!
(Of course, I don't' dye in my jammies......)
Yesterday was spent dyeing up some black blue face roving in "Fruit Salad". I also did some merino in this great solid color that I call "Winter Berry". It is just this wonderful holly berry red that I discovered a few months ago.
My wonderful friend and knitter extraordinaire, Eve B, was scheduled to see me yesterday but she was "a fountain of mucus" (her words not mine) so we had to reschedule. I am hoping she gets better soon. So I dyed instead.
Today, I am running away from home with my sketch book and a brown bag lunch for an "art day" out. A girl has got to get her inspiration for somewhere...more later if it gets interesting.....

hey hey look at me!!

I am Blogging and I didn't think that I could...ha ha. I am not going to make a long entry today as I was not prepared to do anything but I will say that I think this is way cool! gale