Natural Women, Natural Fiber Dyeing

Unbelievably beautiful weekend at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden!  I went with my friend Austin, who was birthday gifting me with a class taught by the amazing Rebecca Burgess.  Rebecca teaches about safe sustainable fabric/fiber dyeing with local indigenous plants.  She is as eco-thought provoking and inspiring as she is talented and intelligent.  

We brought our own mordanted fibers - some of my hand spun merino singles - and were thrilled with the variety of colors we got from the six pots of natural dyes.  

Rebecca also showed us a couple of Shibori techniques on silk strips, which created really lovely and unique patterns. 

A big wooden bowl full of Rebecca's color sample yarns.

Rebecca Burgess lecturing as we begin the hands on demos.

Indigenous plants for natural dyeing: Toyon, Coffee Bean Plant, CA Sage, and the funniest of all - Sticky Monkey Flower!

Silk strips, natural wool skeins, and a basket of six varieties of natural cloths: cotton varieties, hemp, and more silk.

A copper pot filled with 180 degree water and Coreopsis (related to the Sunflower) which will yield bright orange fabrics/fibers.

And what could be more natural than drying your fibers and fabrics after their dye bath on the hedges?

Another technique Rebecca shared is the pounding method to extract colors from flowers that would not work in a dye bath process.

This method doesn't create a saturated dye effect, but has infinite design possibilities!

If you ever get the chance to take Rebecca's workshop do not hesitate!  The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden sold out this workshop before they even got a chance to put it online for their members!  They are scheduling another one in July, so if you're interested this one will fill up fast:

http://www.sbbg.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=classes.detail&eventID=342

And, if you can't make it to this class, treat yourself to Rebecca's amazing book "Harvesting Color":

http://www.rebeccarburgess.com/harvesting-color

You should also check out her FiberShed project.  This is someone who is allied with other artists to truly shift the paradigm of consumption in our cultural.  

http://www.fibershed.com/

Well, I'm off to create some crazy batts with my commercially processed fibers - because I want to use them up and start over with all natural colors!  I am so deeply inspired by Rebecca...

The Kentucky Derby Fascinator Class

Last Saturday, 1pm at The French Room in Atwater Village, Los Angeles...

Yes, it was magic.  We had three lovely and super creative students, and one of our favorite LA milliners - Lee Duncan - also came by to inspire us!  Austin Gray conducted the class, while Jessica Miller and I assisted.  (Jessica also took all these beautiful photos, and I made the Mint Juleps...)

A small demo of the possibilities...

Fascinating fascinators waiting to be embellished!

What's millinery without a lady-like Mint Julep?

Austin teaching the essentials of creating your own fascinator.

Kelly was the first to finish her fabulous fascinator!

Our teacher Austin also joined in making her own fascinator.

Student Tina created something spectacular for her niece.

And Amy made a winged creation to wear to a ball!

 What an incredible afternoon for The French Room.  We can't thank our students enough for joining us in creating amazing fascinators and truly inspiring us!

Check us out at:

https://www.facebook.com/thefrenchroom

The Joint Was Jumping!

Saturday, April 14th, Atwater Village, Los Angeles, CA - THE FRENCH ROOM Open House!

We were packed by mid-afternoon yesterday with friends and family and lots of new friends who came to THE LITTLE KNITTERY for the First Annual LA Yarn Crawl, and then stayed a little longer for mimosas, refreshments, and lively conversation in our studio behind Julie Edwards' amazing store.

Thanks so much to everyone who came, and special thanks to Julie for so graciously including us in her newsletter, giving us a beautiful shout out on her sidewalk sandwich board, and posting our card on her front door.

It was a truly "grand" opening and we appreciate everyone who participated and hope to see you all again soon in one of our DIY upcoming millinery and/or accessory classes!

http://www.facebook.com/thefrenchroom

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!  EASTER & PASSOVER!
From some fun loving mad hatters in Los Angeles.  xoxo

https://www.facebook.com/thefrenchroom

Crochet Necklace Class!

Come and visit THE FRENCH ROOM during our OPEN HOUSE from Noon to 5pm on April 14th (see address below)!

And, sign up for a beginners class and learn how to make these versatile and beautiful crochet necklaces - which can also be wrapped around your wrists to look like glittering stacked bracelets.

April 14th, 1pm to 3pm (ish) at THE FRENCH ROOM
3195 Glendale Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90039
Entrance thru THE LITTLE KNITTERY store front

For more info and pictures of our space and our work, visit us on Facebook at THE FRENCH ROOM -
https://facebook.com/thefrenchroom

Hope you all have a lovely holiday weekend and hope to see you next weekend at THE FRENCH ROOM in trendy Atwater Village!

Free Form Hat Shaping

Had the most amazing two classes with local milliner Corina Haywood this Sunday and last Sunday at the Urban Craft Center in Santa Monica.  Great teacher, very down to earth and I feel more confident about making a hat now than I have ever felt before! If you have the chance to take a class with this wonderfully talented woman, do not hesitate.  She is brilliant at the method she teaches.

Check out her web site and Etsy shop.

http://www.corinahaywood.com/

http://www.etsy.com/shop/CorinaHaywood

The French Room

Our studio/class room/shop "The French Room" set up is on and continuing!  It's just the beginnings, but to us it is the most beautiful thing in the world.  We've painted the ceiling, the walls, the floor.  New light switches have been put in.  A second chandelier is in place, and we found another great hanging light that only needs a new cord.  More shelving is on its way.  And we keep loading in more and more supplies - especially me.  

I had no idea that I had hoarded so much!  It is going to take me some major time and organization to get everything out of the plastic bins and onto the shelves in an attractive and functional manner.  

And, I made a prototype for the first class I'm going to teach!  (Unfortunately the photo below is really not good, but maybe you can get some idea of what it is...)  A "Boho Bandeau" class, early in April - just in time for Coachella!