No, I have not fallen off the face of the earth… even if I have not been very active on this site lately. My main focus has been my photo blog and I have kept at “it” on a daily basis for well over 3 months. That is not to say that I have been idle in the textile arts department. Things are moving along and sometimes I wonder where the hours of the day are disappearing to.
I wanted to share a couple of my projects today. I am so happy to report that Colin’s Fair Isle Sweater was completed, just in time for his birthday about two hours before midnight. I met my own deadline just under the wire, part of the reason for running short on time was that I had to find just the “right” buttons. Following are a couple of images before I washed and blocked the sweater… and then there is an image of some luscious German sock yarn (with a Hunderwasser inspired colour scheme) that I am working with during the evenings now.
Much has happened since I connected with you last time. I have met up with other like-minded fibre artists right here in town and we are in the process of preparing for a special free event at the Fundy Geological Museum on October 2nd.
Exciting times are ahead and fingers crossed: Provided our Covid19 numbers don’t rise further, we will have an opportunity to connect with like-minded people in our community. Regular planning sessions over the past month have demanded some attention on my part but things are well under control. We just printed the poster and are in the process of distributing them widely.
Somehow I also got roped into participating in a fundraiser theater play for the Ottawa House Museum. Our small group of amateur actors meet once a week to practice and since we needed to augment the costumes I am busy with contributing my sewing skills in creating a couple of Victorian vests. But, you know how that goes… you think it will be an easy and quick project but… the fabric is slippery, my good sewing scissors dropped of the table and wouldn’t function anymore, so many things that can make a well intended offer suddenly go sideways. I have one vest finished and approved and I am just cutting out the second vest which I had to substantially alter the original pattern for. But, I think I have a good handle on it now. It’s always a learning process which makes life way more interesting, don’t you agree? (insert a winking emoji here…) Speaking of learning… I wish my memory was less foggy… learning my lines is a real effort!
Once the play and Fibre Guild Kickoff are behind me it will be time to prepare for my upcoming Artist in Residence stint at ArtLab. I have given this a good amount of thought for a while now. I have even ordered a large number of copies of my Kantha book that arrived in record time and drained the savings account somewhat. I plan to offer workshops and will set up a Kantha display with a number of samples from the book. Besides that I will be working on several unfinished projects that require good lighting and just some time in one place to make progress.
September is also the month when my online ZOOM Creative Cluster resumes. It’s wonderful to reconnect with familiar faces after a summer spent doing our “own thing”. At this time I am continuing with just the one group on Tuesday afternoons. Once my residency is completed I will reevaluate and see if I can offer a second session for those who have expressed interest in the past but for whom Tuesday afternoons were not ideal.
ZOOM has proven to be a great platform to connect and deliver special interest content. Our Contemplative Photography Group (founded and based in Moose Jaw) continues to meet monthly. It’s so great to stay in contact with friends across the country.
Away from the computer life has forged ahead at full speed. I have been invited to join the local writers’ group. At first I wasn’t too sure if I was up to the challenge but I must admit that the weekly, in person meetings are very valuable. We explore a variety of writing assignments, come together to share the fruits of our labour and provide feedback and insights. This has provided me with an opportunity to hone my writing skills and push me a little further.
I have not ventured to the beaches much lately. But, this week I decided to take advantage of waking up super early most days and starting that day with a long walk. It has been invigorating and I am discovering small seasonal changes as I navigate the same route each day. I have also been making time to explore the nearby forests to forage for mushrooms. I am only confident in identifying two types of mushrooms for edibility, the Chanterelle and Sweet Tooth Hedgehogs. These days there are so many mushrooms blooming that I need to step up my identification skills otherwise I might miss out on some delicacies.
Well, it’s time for me to bring this check-in post to a close. My sewing machine is calling me… time to get started on vest #2.
Wishing you all a fabulous weekend. Do stay safe and make time for creativity! Best wishes, Anna
Anna Hergert, Art & Design 
Good grief I’m exhausted just reading about what you have been working on! Where on earth do you get the time and energy for all this creativity?
I’m so impressed and I wish you well with all you are doing! I hope October goes well for you. I love the fair isle knitting!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It has been busy but energizing at the same time! Life was a stand-still for the past 18 months with the pandemic. This flurry of activity was most welcome. I feel I am back engaging with society!
LikeLiked by 1 person