a quick review before moving foreword hoping for a happy 2025
As 2024 slips into memories, and the hopes of a better new year abound, I reflected on what I was working on last year so I may make plans for this one. A few of my plans for early 2024 were rearranged, with an unexpected hospital trip followed by lots of rehab. So I was left with an army of chickadee armatures, and a rearranged workshop I still should sit down and tell you about.
1) Chickadee armature in progress
During Glenn’s time in the hospital, I worked on Moose project bags. They wound up being a great distraction and carried all the fibre I needed in the bag too!
2) Glenn’s and my moose bags
Next was the tapestry project of the back of the parliament buildings. I had square 16, which also travelled well to the continuing doctors’ visits.
3.1) Under drawing underway for the back of parliamentary library square #16
3.2) My finished square, ready to be assembled with the other squares.
I also created a chickadee picture with a limited pallet. This is a very well-fed winter chickadee!
4) 2-D Winter Chickadee I made while Glenn did rehab.
Next was off to one of the 2 local gaming conventions, this time at a curling club downtown. I worked on another 3-D chickadee and then moved on to a 3-D moose head.
5.1-5.2) Chickadee on felting mat wings poisoned to be attached. Finished Chickadee with Bat on a stick supervising library work at the guild studio.
5.3) starting to finalise the moose head noose shape.
I had come to the conclusion that I wanted to know more of the new Guild members but was having a terrible time with remembering names. So I started a series of Name tags in the hope of inspiring others to consider making their own too. I started with a train themed one for Glenn, which he could use at the guild or while he was gaming. I even wove a kumihimo lanyard for him.
6.1-6.3) Glenn’s Name tag, adding a kumihimo lanyard, Trying it out at a guild social.
I was inspired by a photo of one of our guild members Summer holidays, so promptly felted her! I started on a name tag base but the size got away from me and it was a bit big for a name tag!
7.1-7.3) Vicarious Vacation enjoyment! It was a much better picture than a name tag.
About this time, Ann mentioned she had misplaced the name tag she had made for herself. So I made her a new one, not mentioning I was making it for her, I kept asking her design questions. She even donated a bit of her handspun so I could add a name.
8.1-8.3) Ann’s New name tag. She did find her old one as soon as I made this.
Ann asked me to join her in a project for the exhibition at the guild sale. She needed a dragon hand. With some consultation, I think I made a hand she was pleased with.
9.1-9.2) The requested Dragon hand. Dragons obviously like sheep!
The second exhibition was at the Textile Museum in Almonte. I had been asked if the Mer’s might be available to participate. So I got busy finishing all but Miss Mer, who is still hiding somewhere in the house. She is going to be so disappointed she missed all the fun. Mrs. Mer got her red spots and hair. Shark Boy finally got his mohawk, and Mr. Mer got his pike spots! Miss Manta and Sharkette were both already complete. I hope they didn’t cause too much havoc at the Museum!
10.1) the Mer’s at the Textile Museum in Almonte
10.2) Mr Mer trying to get someone to play tennis with him, and Mrs Mer still admiring her hair.
10.3-10.7) Most of the Mers and pets
I returned to the Moose bag theme, but this time I was working on the background and not the moose ground as it were.
11) Moose landscape in progress
My last project started in 2024 was my card exchange with Leonor, a Solstice Raven. I hope it has found a good spot in her felt collection. It must have used its wings to help move the package since it escaped just before the postal strike, and was particularly quick crossing the ocean! I really was planning for a smaller picture but kept getting distracted by creating the background!
12.1-12.2) Solstice raven in progress and completed
Looking back on 2024, I have created a mix of both 2-ishD and 3-D projects. I can see I am avoiding getting wet. I am still having trouble keeping picture felting flat!!
For 2025 I hope to continue with name tags, another moose themed bag and find and finish Miss Mer….. I know you are good a hiding but I will find you!!!! I hope that maybe I can take my own vacation photos and felt them too.
Unfortunately, it’s my turn for Doctors’ appointments in January. Hopefully, they will not be too bad or as long as Glenn’s. Maybe I can do some felting as I recover! Better order more Wool!!!
1)Moose comparison
2) The pile of debris, hint look up pailleeanntologly of the Burgess Shale to find out who my new little friend is. (he or she will fit in with a Bellrog, an oni, an octopus, triceratops and an IKEA moose!)
9.2 Kanata Games club Day 1 felting project
9.3-9.4 adding diamonds to the hand
9.5 I had trouble with making diamonds flow around the edge of the webbing between his fingers.
9.6 I kept adjusting the pins to try to work out the layout of the diamond shapes.
9.71-9.72
9.8
9.9 not quite diamonds but an interesting scale pattern where the diamonds brake down.
10.1-10.2
11.1-11.2
11.3
11.4
12.1-12.2 Ann and Jan Collaboration Dragon hand in Helm with dimonds
13.1-13.2 Molly’s Bracelet
14.1-14.2 the two main walls of the gallery
–14.3) There is also the mitts and a small handwoven and embellished bag just around the corner.
15.1-15.4 Photo shoot for the Helm, Hand and Diamonds
15.5-15.6 Attempted Cookie Thief
2.1) 3 bags of studs in Gun-mettle black, Bronze and silver
3.1-3.3) Close up of stud and backing
4.1) Various available shapes for studs.
4.2) I think this was listed as an jacket available on etsy. I guess the shoulder spikes would keep your purse from falling off. (Added design feature?)
5.1-5.4 shows the claws inserted into the wire loop then used steel floral weir to keep it secure.
6.1 this is one of the two options from world of wool for core wool
6.2 adding core wool from ankle to mid forarm
6.3 working wool down fingers
6.4-6.6 adding the webbing between the toes
6.7 adding tendon to back toe
6.8-6.9 adding more structure to the foot
7.1-7.2 adding more structure to the foot and ankle
8.1-8.2) Ann playing with the dragon hand
8.3) 08-19-2024 progress to this point shape is good, claws look grate, needs more detail than flat black.
1.1) 
2.1) assessing what I had felted before falling asleep
2.2) adding white silk as highlights
2.3) adding a pine branch with needles, maybe not?
2.4) change of plans
1.1) The Games Library, you can sign out a game to play with other convention goers.
2.1-2.5) Farm Race Game box
3.1-3.2) Starting to add diamonds
4.1 – short staple silk
4.2 using a drop spindle to add twist to the fiber so it will hold together as a single ply yarn.
4.3 hand spun silk on one of my drop spindles with a few pins sitting beside it.
4.4 using the pins to mark out the diamonds.
5.1) Arkham Horror (Work as a team to save the town of Arkham from monsters and a Great Old One. 1–8 Players) game in progress
6.1 6.2 Rome 
6.3 Potion explosion 
6.4 Landmarks
7) some of the Friday door prizes
8.1) the line is forming to go in to shop!
8.2 -8.4 I finally reached the front of the line and got to see what was Left of the games (there had been a lot of games carried upstairs and i was near the end of the line so i was supprized there was so much left. at 11am a second line would go through and some of the game prices would drop.
8.5-8.8 the two sheep games i found amongst all the other games
9.1-9.2) Game box for Bye Bye Black Sheep
10.1-10.3) progress on the moose bag landscape
10.4 Baggie of greens (this is my pallet)
10.5 the image i am working from. its hard to see it in the first moose picture (10.1)
11.1-11.3) Fall colour in Kanata Canada.
18.1) Felted sheep workshop 2004 one of the slides from the slide show
19.1) Small landscape Felt
19.2) Jan Scott, Maureen’s Vacation (Spinning at the Arches, in Arches Provencal Park), Needle Felting, Wool on a felt backing (recycled pool table felt)
20.1) Elephant and blanket
20.21) Elizabeth Watt, Here Be Elephants, 2015, Summer and Winter pick up on rigid heddle, Cotton
20.22-20.23) close ups
20.3) OVWSG Members (Amanda Carrigan Ower) Ex and Sale Raffle Prize (Shawl), Hand Spinning, Weaving, Wool.
21.1) Panel 8 End wall – Rug, Wovern shirt, Icelandic tapestry 
21.21-21.22) Nancy Ingram, Memories of the 1950’s, 1980s, Plain weave woven bound rug, Warp-Seine Twine, Weft-2ply wool
21.31) Jean Sharp, Loom Designed Sweater, 1983, Handwoven, Reinforced front opening, tabby weave, wool (2-ply Briggs and Little Natural Colours, White, Grey, Dark Grey)
21.32-21.33)close ups of Jean’s Sweater. I like the subtlety of colours and how well it works in plane weave.
21.41) Sami Lemperger, Woven Dreamscape, 2022, Woven in tabby and twill with tapestry, embroidery and felting embellishments, Tencel, various wools, yak, cashmere, mohair and silk.
22.1) Center, Coverlet stand, Plinth, Mer’s
22.111-22.1111) Coverlet stand.
22.2) Ann Sunahara, Bewrtha Gray Hayes Coverlet, 2017, Overshot weave, cotton warp wool weft.
22.21-22.22) close ups Gamp of Birtha Grey Haze’s Miniture overshot coverlet patterns
22.3) Judith Rygiel, Fundy Trees Afghan, mid 1990’s, 50 shaft drawloom, Wool (Damask)
22.31-22.32 Close up of Judiths afghan.
22.4) Judith Rygiel, Grey and White Coverlet, Mid 1960’s 8 shaft Summer and winter, wool, cotton
22.41-22.42) close up of Judith’s other Coverlet
22.501 (Plinth) 22.502 (Plinth) 2
22.50) Diane Dillon (In Memoriam) Saori tunic/ Poncho, 2023, Handwoven Wool, Silk, and mixed unknown fibers.
22.51-22.52) Details of Diane’s poncho
22.60) OVWSG Members, (Amanda Carrigan, Owner), Indiski Shawl, 2011/12 (Spinning) 2018/19 (Knitting), Hand spinning, knitting, Cria (Baby alpaca)
22.61-22.63 Close up of baby alpaca, hand spun and hand knit
23.10-23.11) Hanging (above the plinth)
23.13) Jan Scott, Mer Family and pets (Mr. Mer, Mrs. Mer, Shark Boy, Sharkette, and Miss Manta) 2020-2024, Needle Felting with full armature, Various Wool, core wool, silk, Armature; Aluminum and steel floral wire
23.21-23.23) Mr. Mer, Norther Pike Merperson, with his tennis racket and felted tennis ball.
23.31-23.32) Mrs. Mer, Butterfly Koi Merperson
23.41-23.43) Shark Boy, hamerhead shark Merperson
23.51-23.52) Sharkette, adolecent femail grate white shark
23.61-23.62) Miss Manta, adolescent female Deep water manta.
24.1-24.2 One final look at the show before people join us!
25.1 One of our guild members checking out the show
6.1) at the top of the stairs, our exhibit is to the left
6.3) Two swags and panel #1
6.4) Diane Dillon, Saori Runner, Handwoven Mixed fibres
6.5) Bernadette Quade, Banquet Table Runner, 2024 Recycled rag rug weaving cotton Warp and Cotton Rag Weft
6.6) Panel 1; Jaws and blanket
6.7) (Mandy) Marianne Heggttveit, Jaws, 1980 8-shaft satin weave Linen.
6.8) OVWSG Members, Handwoven Plaid Blanket, Handweaving Wool.
7.1) Panel 2; Colour gamp, novelty Yarn, tapestry, Felt tulips
7.2) Ann Sunahara Diamonds, 2019 Twill Gamp Cotton warp and weft
7.3) Molly Underhill, Vase of Tulips 2019 Wet felt, Needle Felt, Embroidery, Merino, silk and embroidery floss
7.4) Laine Thiry-Smith Fruit of the Loom: not your Underwear!, 2017
7.5) Merilyn Mulligan Hand Spun Novelty yarn 2024 wool (Pollworth Fleece) Plied with silk
7.6) Merilyn Mulligan Hand Spun Novelty yarn 2024 wool (Rideau Arcott Fleece) spun with scraps of yarn
8.1) Black display case
8.21-8.22) Ann McElroy, Shepherds’ Spring Farm Ceremonial Helmet, 2014 Wet Felting Sheep’s Wool (Coriedale and Wensleydale)
8.31-8.32) Janet Whittam Swept Away. 2023 Rib Basketry Rattan, Mylar Fragment, Skate egg Cases, Wool roving, and verginia Creeper
8.41-8.42 ) Nancy Ingram Polka Dot Bird, 2000’s bent wire and needle felting Mized media-wire, wool and wood base with stone accents
8.51-8.52) Janet Whittan Untitled, 2024 Rib Basketry Grapevine, cordage, rattan and antler
9.1) Panel 4 Scarves 
9.2) Carmen Deschenes Fall Burnt Orange, 2018 Shibori weaving, hand Dyed Raw silk.
9.3 Linda Perrier, Scarf X’s and O’s (Original Pattern by Elizabeth Hill), 2022, Defected Double Weave, Hand dyed silk by Natalie Shumovski 
9.4 I think this may be Mandy’s but cant find it in the list.
9.5 this one may also be Mandy’s when I find out more I will add the info.
10.1) White shawl
10.2-10.3) Elizabeth Watt, Christening Shawl, 1995 2-Ply Hand Spun Knitting, Shetland Wool
11.1) Panel 4 – Nuno Felt
11.2-11.3) Diane Dillon (In Memoriam) Nuno Wrap, 2018-2020, Nuno Felting, Wool, Cotton, and silk
12.1) Panel 5 Hanging, felt, felt and scarf
12-2) Carole Leroux, Falling in Love/ Tomber eh Amour, 2023, Plain Weave with Inlay of overshot, 8/2 Cotton.
12.3) Liane Thiry-Smith, Walleye/Dore: Sander vitreous, 2017, Dyeing, Weaving, Needle Felting, Wool and Lichen.
12.4) Liane Thiry-Smith, Sylph/ La Sylphide, 2017, Wet Felting, Nuno Felting, Needle Felting, Stitching, Wool, Silk, Mohair, Cotton, Cheesecloth, and threads.
12.5 Judith Rygiel, Shawlette. 2020 8 shaft Twill, Silk
13.1) Blue Shawl
13.2-13.3) Judy Kavanagh, Blue Shawl, 2020, Handspun yarn Hand knitted, wool.
14.1) Panel 6 Rug hanging sun flower computer inspiers wire weacing
14.21-14.22) Catgerube MacFabe Rag Rug, 2024, Woven on a 4-shaft loom (after Tom Knisely’s weaving rag rugs) Brassard Cotton (warp) and Repurposed cotton cloth (weft)
14.3) Nancy Ingram, Three Sunflowers, 1990’s, Transparent Tapestry Inlay, Warp-line Linen, Weft-Tow Linen, Glass and frame.
14.4-14.6) Sylvie Faucher, Computext Board, 2022, Rep Weave, Linen, Cotton, Copper Wire, and Metallic Thread
15.1) Wooden display cabinet DNA, Ice dragon and friend, Sheperdess and sheep, Woven mini blanket
15.2) (DNA weaving), Sylvie Faucher, Double-Twisted Strands, 2022, Deflected Double-weave, Cotton
15.31-15.32) Jan Scott, Ice Dragon, 2021, Needle Felting 3-D sculpture with full armature, Wool (Shetland, Mixed wool with Silk) armature in steel floral wire, and seed beads for eyes. (Visiting Sheep by Ann McElroy, Wool)
15.41-15.43 Ann McElroy, Dyed in the Wool, 2024, wet and needle felt, Sheep’s wool (Various Breeds)
15.5) Jean Sharp, Hudson’s Bay Mini , 2017, Frame Loom Weaving, Wool
16.1-16.3) Guild Tapestry project 
17.1) Panel / wall #7 Wire weaving
17.2) Sayword Johnson, Presomnial No. 12, 2021 Handweaving, Copper wire, Green Patina, and Embroidery on linen canvas.
18) Slide show and guest book, and small landscape in the background
1.1) The museum, which was the old mill office and attached stone building
1.2) the other old stone mill building has been turned into expensive condos.
1.3) the sign for our exhibition “Remembering/Reimagining: Celebrating 75 Years of the Ottawa Valley Weavers’ and Spinners’ Guild”
2.1) the back hall where the work was coming in, before being moved to the exhibition space.
2.2) Kieran carries in a well wrapped piece to the display space.
2.3) Liane unwrapping pieces and making notes
2.4) the Guild Tapestry project has arrived!
2.5) this is not really a “Vanna White” moment, it is to document the packaging of each piece.
2.6) grouping pieces to hang together.
2.7) Maybe and Liane take a moment’s break (I brought chocolate cookies and rice crackers)
2.8) the Mer’s are ready to go for a swim around the museum.
2.91) oh no the museum will be closing shortly, so we will be back tomorrow to continue working.
2.92) Fall colours by the Museum
3.1) the list of artists, their image, square number and the technique they used.
3.2) the Guild Tapestry project. Liane has added the cool brass plaque
4.1) This is the back door to the Mill office/ Museum, it has a ramp which is easier than the front steps if you have a walker.
4.2) getting this panel of scarves hung required more ladder work and the big level.
4.3) The Mer family and pets are having fun swimming around above the show.
4.4) Hanging on a long woven tapestry of Iceland required a much taller ladder
4.5) Liane hanging the elephant weaving
4.6) Elephants, copper and parliament with the edge of one of the coverlets on the right. There are cookies
4.7) Oh no the Museum is closing, but we can stay a bit longer!
4.8) just a bit more to do but it’s looking good!
5.1)almost ready, that blanket needs a bit of straitening but this end of the exhibit is looking good!
5.2) the nuno felted shawl just got straitened we have to get the ladder away and put that pile of packing stuff away for later.
5.3)Maybe got the Slide show going
5.4) getting ready to put up the signage for the pieces.
5.5) the signs are up and we just have to clear the table away
5.6) Glenn gives the exhibit a quick sweep
3.1 Alpaca tracks small bats of red wool
3.2 The top row way to the left is right red Mer hair I was looking for. The are lots of different colours of locks in 2 lengths.
3.3 this is a helpful chart showing Kohaku (red and white Koi)
3.4 Side view of Mrs Mer admiring her new hair in a side view.
3.5 Mrs. Mer Back view
3.6 close up of Mrs. Mer admiring her new hair
3.7 close up showing new eyebrows and her new necklace
4.1 Ice Dragon, ¾ view
4.2 Ice Dragon, Back view
4.3 Ice Dragon, which I had made for Glenn ¾ view from the back
5 Landscape of Maureen’s vacation
6.4 some of the items ready to go to the Almonte Textile Museum