Fiber Arts at the Chrysalis Center

Today I took my felting act on the road to share it with the folk at the Chrysalis Center.  I've been volunteering there on Monday mornings, teaching fiber arts.  I didn't quite know what to expect at first, except that people would have different skill levels.  I actually have a group quilt project in the back of my mind, in which every participant will construct a square.  But while I gear up to that, I decided to start simple.  And so I've been bringing a big box of felting supplies to the Center.

With some brainstorming help from my buddy Sandy Fromson,  who is a longtime volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club in Hartford, I hatched the idea of letting them use felting to construct simple greeting cards.

I gave each participant a sponge, a square of felt, and  a felting needle.  

With those supplies, and some wool roving, they could construct a simple image like this sample I made:

Nina, who gave me permission for this, made an abstract landscape.

Danovan Andrew Rhule of Global Ministries made a felted card bearing the initials of his ministry. The essence of his philosophy, he told me, is taken from Galatians 5, verses 22 and 23:
"[T]he fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

Meanwhile, as the felters were felting, one guy, Harold, was off in a corner, on his own, making tote bags.  Like this one.





 I'm so impressed.  This tote bag is even lined.  Harold said he made it from his mother's blanket.

 He just sits down, puts on his headphones, and sews.

Yeah.  I get that.