Signs of spring are (finally) popping up here in Nova Scotia. One eagerly-awaited, seasonal sighting is the pussy willow (Salix discolor) catkin. The catkins, technically unopened flowers, have a protective coat of soft grey fur. Some sources say this native shrub earned its common name from the catkins’ resemblance to the furry paws of a small cat.
It’s not unusual to walk into a fine hotel room and find a band of luxurious fabric draped across the foot of the bed. These decorative fabric bands, known as “bed runners”, are similar to the better-known table runner (more on those later).
Remember a few blog posts ago I admitted to restarting one of my new coiled rope projects four times? And I shared that all those false starts forced me to finetune my seam ripping skills?
It’s a special day in FanningSparks’ world. This is the 420th blog post and it marks FanningSparks’ eighth year online. That’s right ― I’ve had the good fortune to share my stories, ideas and photos every Tuesday morning since March 2018. Special thanks to everyone ― all 312,000 of you ― who has taken the time to visit the blog over the last eight years.
Hooray! The new fabric storage system in my studio is done and dusted! The wooden media cabinet has been repurposed, used cardboard moving boxes have been made into nine storage bins and a mini gallery, showcasing nine unique textile art panels, has been created.
Coiled rope basketry continues to dominate the FanningSparks studio. The techniques are easy to learn and projects can be completed quickly. Once you get the hang of it, coiling basic projects like coasters, trivets, platters and shallow bowls is very relaxing. Plus, there are countless ways to get creative with handles, loops, knots, tassels, braids and so on. It’s not difficult to create amazing coiled rope projects. In fact, it’s rather addictive!
