Just a few short months ago I was enjoying a plain air painting session at an apple orchard north of Anoka. I belong to the Plain Air Club through the Rumriver Art Center. It is the same group that painted outdoors last winter when it was 16-degrees Fahrenheit. We have a nice time together. If the weather is inclement, we will paint in the studio. I have my photos from painting sessions and travels for reference when I work inside. On this day I was using the water soluble oils, although since that time I have been giving acrylics another try. The quick drying time works well for layering color, although I still prefer the buttery texture and feel of painting with oils.
 |
| A beautiful, early fall day for painting outdoors! |
Between painting sessions, I planned a project for Jim. Using colors of the Grey Wolf (NYLT) patch, I designed a scarf, and wove it on the Cricket loom. The super wash wool is warm, soft, and easy care. I like the design and want to try other color combinations. The length is perfect for going around the neck twice with plenty of scarf to keep the chest warm.
 |
| Fall progressed quickly. It was very rainy and the leaves took longer to turn, but there were pockets of beautiful fall color to enjoy. |
A finished project (just last week) is the handwoven tunic. It began as a jumper, but after fulling the fabric, I could not place the pattern pieces for the short length. After sleeping on other ideas for a few days, I decided to make a tunic. My inspiration came from the recent exhibit of
Gudrun Sjödén's clothing at the Swedish Institute in Minneapolis.
The wool tunic is a great alternative to wearing a sweater. I shortened the short version of the pattern by about 3-inches and then added a piece on the side to smooth out the flare to the hem. I was able to lay the pattern, cut out the four pieces, and have leftover fabric. The facings are lightweight linen and I used a Hong Kong finish on the inside. The buttons are decorative, as I did not want to fiddle with buttonholes. For ease of wearing, I added a snap and sewed the top button to the top layer, and then sewed the bottom buttons through all the layers. The buttons came from a vendor at Shepherd's Harvest Festival and were waiting for the perfect project. I believe this was the perfect project. At this time there is no pocket as originally planned, but I can add it later.
 |
| McCall's pattern from the 1990s, Harrisville Designs Shetland wool for warp and weft. |
Winter is fast approaching. The leaves are down, the geese are flying south, and the neighborhood turkeys are everywhere. It was very cold recently and I bundled up for my daily walks. The turkey prints were on the sidewalk beside the field and it looks as though they were deciding which way to go.
