Convergence 2008 Tampa Bay

Susan is on her way to Convergence 2008 being held in Tampa Bay, Florida this next June 22-28th. Convergence is an outstanding conference for everyone who loves and works in fiber. It is the biennial, international conference sponsored and organized by the Handweavers Guild of America, Inc. (HGA), and hosted by a committee of dedicated fiber enthusiasts. Convergence features special lectures, workshops and seminars, exhibits, tours, special events, and a commercial vendors hall full of fibers, fiber-related equipment and an artist market.




While I am unwilling and unable to drive to Florida for this conference at least one of the teachers will be teaching at The Midwest Felting Symposium later in July here in Wisconsin.





Patricia Spark is a practicing artist who has exhibited her work nationally and internationally. Author of Watercolor Felt and Making Faces, she is the editor of the North American Felters' Network, a publication for felters. At the Midwest Felting Symposium she will be teaching

• Scandinavian Boots with a Central European Flair



• Friday & Saturday, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM (two-day course)
  
  The Scandinavians have a traditional method of making felt boots. Pat has tweaked this a bit to create a pattern for felt boots with and interesting top edge that is wonderful for decoration. On the second day of the workshop we will use traditional Central European folk designs to decorate our boots with needle felting. These designs will be wet felted after needling so that the boots are durable.
  
• Making Faces



• Sunday, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM



• Based on my book, Making Faces, we will use both wet and dry (needle) felting techniques to make felted faces on a felt base in this one-day workshop. We will use wet felting techniques to make the "skin" of a shape, stuff it and then build the face on the shape using felting needles. The face is designed to help the student learn the four basic strokes of needle felting.

Mark your calendars! The 2008 Midwest Felting Symposium features an international ensemble of instructors to take your felting to new heights. Come join us!
July 23-27, 2008 at the Exhibition Hall of the Alliant Energy Center Madison, Wisconsin

Patrick is going to be at the shop all week. They just got in some mill ends fiber called Stormy Waters (which I heard later is the name of a porn star, but we will just leave that aside). The colors are mostly blues with some white blended. I hear it is very pretty and will try to get a picture up tomorrow. It goes for $13 a pound-VERY good price.



They also got in some super wash mill ends in many colors-too many to mention and Patrick says it is great for over dyeing! This is also $13 a pound!

Stop out and see Patrick and register for the Midwest Felting Symposium at the same time!