Friday: What are you working on now?

This week we have variety as well as a twist on 'What are you working on now?'  First lets start with a block of color and texture from Ingermaaike. She posted this grouping and has this to say about it:

"It starts out as fluffy white tops, as it is called. To dye it you need to get it wet, a good soak will do. Then I blend my colors in a ziploc bag, I use red,yellow,blue and black. These form all the colors I need. Once blended to the color I want I drop in my pre-soaked wool and close up the bag. This I then place in a pot with simmering water and leave till all the colorant has been absorbed. Once fully dyed it is time to rinse and hang to dry. My house is full of colorful wool at the moment."

Above is a headband I picked from her shop to show off her skill in getting the wool to look natural and earthy and still have zest to it!

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Next we have a collaboration involving Sewnnatural (Jen) and Imaginationkids (Erin). These artists are pairing woodworking with doll making. Jen is working on an organic baby cuddle and teether dolls. Inspired by Waldorf doll making and geared for parents who choose all-natural organic toys for their children, these dolls are also a teething toy.

"The wooden teethers are all natural and have just two ingredients:  red oak + local beeswax. Each teether is traced onto wood and then hand cut and sanded until silky smooth. Then we added a bit of local beeswax to bring out the natural beauty of the wood."

organic waldorf teether tolls in process:

1) They will hug a handmade natural wooden triangle teether made by Imaginationkids.  The triangle teether is quite original, we think - and the hugging arms will make it very secure

2) Working on the intricate heads by needle felting Canadian wool into tight round balls, then molding the heads inside gauze and then various organic cotton knit head skins, then embroidering the features and adding carefully braided wool hair, and sewing on organic bamboo velours caps.

3) As a full time mom, my studio is often wherever i happen to be - in this case, our vintage 1960s Danish teak dining room table, my tiny oak square table bought at a yard sale from a priest's home around 100 years ago, or my little sewing machine table corner upstairs.

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Kathi Roussel shares a twist with us on what she is working on in her studio.  Literally, her studio!

new studio

Above: before, cleared out tons of junk that was stored up in the front of our place, then patched and painted--now time to haul.
 

Left: my sturdy rolling mill and hydraulic press-- no girl should be without heavy equipment... a bitch to get up to the second story!

Center: work tables and shelving--everything just fit -- a small but efficient space.

Right: a view of tools-- hammers and pliers--trusty and well loved friends.

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And finally, we have Jean of 3Squares showing us a detailed look at the putting together of one of her metal/fabric necklaces:

1) Saw: Cutting out the squares (rectangles really) and peek-a-boo holes.2) Drill: The holes need to be exact, so I match up a specific front to a specific back and number them. Holes have been cut in the fronts, but still need to be cut in the backs.

3) Oxidize: Smelly process, but I like the aging effect.
4) Fabrics: Love these brightly colored burlaps.

5) Trim: I can't decide, so I cut a square from each piece of burlap.
6) Assemble: Rivets, bolts, and chain.

Tada! the finished product 

You can see her other metal/fabric necklaces here.
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Thank you ladies for sharing your work, your studio and your process with us!  What are YOU working on?  Team members please share detailed photos and descriptions on our flickr forum to be included in the coming Friday posts!