Thursday, May 22, 2014

Spring happenings, adventures, and fiber fun from HeartFelt Silks

We have had a busy few weeks at the HeartFelt Silks Studio! From felting classes, to felting kit prep, to creating new garment and wall art designs, to participating in two major fiber festivals, here are some highlights from spring 2014 with HeartFelt Silks, Robbin and Harry Firth.

In April, we took a long road trip to South Dakota for the Black Hills Fiber Arts Fair, where Robbin was an invited teacher, and Harry manned the HeartFelt Silks marketplace booth and entertained fair fiber fans with Palm Washboard demonstrations. The Dahl Arts Center in Rapid City, SD, was a great venue for this exciting weekend of workshops, connections, and lots of beautiful fiber. Many Palm Washboard felting tools went home to happy owners. And Robbin didn't come back empty-handed either -- she brought home an arm-load of bison fiber from Chinook Winds Bison Yarn and Fiber and Icelandic sheep fiber from The Creeks Edge. Below are just a few photos from Robbin's felting classes and demos at Black Hills Fiber Arts Fair 2014.

Robbin Firth's felting classes at Black Hills Fiber Arts Fair 2014

Robbin Firth demonstrating felting with Palm Washboard felting tools at Black Hills Fiber Arts Fair 2014

Earlier in April, The Textile Center again invited Robbin to demonstrate her felting techniques at the American Craft Council Show in St. Paul, MN. While at the show, Robbin stopped by for a visit and a photo op with feltmaker Barbara Poole.

Felt Artists Robbin Firth and Barbara Poole in Barbara's booth at ACC St. Paul show 2014
In early May, we were on the road once again, for a very short trip to the Shepherd's Harvest Sheep & Wool Festival in nearby Lake Elmo, MN. There were demos, chats, and lots of giggles with Robbin, Harry, the entire line of HeartFelt Silks felting tools, supplies, good times, and, of course, Robbin's newest Wool Lock Shawls, which were a big hit with the visitors.

Robbin Firth demonstrating felting with Palm Washboards at Shepherd's Harvest 2014

Happy visitors to the HeartFelt Silks booth modeling Robbin Firth's wool lock shawls

Between travels, Robbin has been busy in the studio making lightweight summer scarves for her retail space at the SEASONS on St. Croix Gallery.

Lightweight summer scarves by felt artist Robbin Firth
Lightweight summer scarves by felt artist Robbin Firth
One of Robbin's side (or pet) projects this spring included this plaid-patterned pet bed made out of different color fleeces Robbin has collected over a period of 20+ years. Not surprisingly, the bed was too small for Mick (just about everything is a little too small for Mick!), but it was the perfect size for sweet Tinker.




Join us again soon for more felting adventures with HeartFelt Silks!

Harry Firth, Robbin's husband and Palm Washboard maker-extraordinaire, in his woodshop