A Wonderful time at Trilogy...

On Sunday, August 10th, I was afforded a wonderful opportunity to share my passion as well as my new store and teaching academy  with the community of Trilogy.

I was excited to see that my passion for multi-generational teaching was warmly embraced by the attendees, as we discussed having auntie/niece, grandma/grandson, even grandpa/grand-daughter and daughter knitting sessions, or perhaps a soap felting session as the holidays approach?  

It warmed my heart, especially since I was blessed to live near the most wonderful grandma in the world - mine!, that so many grand-parents have relocated from all over the country to be near their family. What lucky grandchildren!

I am looking forward to seeing this dynamic group of individuals again, either in a class or stopping by my boutique to just say hello!  Perhaps the wonderful lady who bought one of my hats will pop her head in the door sporting it!

Hopefully all our paths will cross again,

All my best,

Catherine 

"Where do you buy your fabric?"

This is a question that I get all the time and I take it as a true compliment!  The fabric I use to make my garments, hats, scarves, pillows, etc., all starts with a form of yard work.

Everyone on our farm pitches in and has chores...including our goat herd!  Here you see the kindergoat dairy goats - Latte and Espresso (that provide the milk for our soaps) and the angora and cashgora fiber goats - Barista, Chai, Frappuccino and half-n-half that supply us in beautiful fleece. (think we live near Seattle or something?)

"my daughter resting on Chai before the work begins"

Twice a year, in the spring and fall, the fiber goats all get a shearing.  This is a welcomed event to them, since each fleece can weight up to 15lbs and is extremely warm and itchy, not to say dirty!  When I teach children about the fleece, and they comment on the dirt and smell, I ask them how their hair would be if it was never washed nor brushed for 6 months and they lived outside?

"half of Chai is done...more to go!"

One would be amazed at how heavy those shears are!  They become especially heavy when you are also maneuvering around a 125lb goat! At least we are electrified and do not have to use scissors, as we did in the beginning!

"Chai thanking his hair stylists!"

It takes about an hour for us to shear, per goat.  We are sure others do it faster, but we find that we enjoy the time spent with each animal, and they get a "pedicure" at the same time...we call it going to the "Foothills Farm Spa".

"all sheared out!  Need the people spa now!"

After 3 - 4 goats, one's back begins to definitely fatique!  We have found that we can really only shear 3 at the most, so usually daddy...Barista...gets his own day!

We leave the leftover fleece on the ground for the birds and small animals.  Our resident barn swallow family has been using our fleece for nesting materials for the past several years.

So, as you can see, I take it as a compliment that the fabric looks so effortless...oh, how looks can be deceiving!

All my best,

Catherine

Live Performance!

I did it!  

Meticulously I held the photograph from the Dress Rehearsal and replicated exactly as Debi Kennedy had set-up for me.  Fortunately she had drawn a detailed schematic for the very first thing to set-up, the tables, we couldn't figure out how to get the 3 tables in that small space...voila!  We had the drawing!

Not having a sign, for I had not seen a design that represented me, I scrambled the week before when I came up with the idea of using a dresser mirror frame from the local goodwill!

EF Printing in Duvall helped bring my vision to life...they scanned my actual hand-made fabric, took meticulous measurements, and using my logo, created what I had dreamt of.   I love it!

It is always a wonderful and exciting feeling knowing that my work will be traveling the country as well as locally.  Whenever a customer purchases one of my fiber works, I take a picture of them wearing it.  I photograph each of my pieces, but not until it has found a new home, and then it goes into my personal scrap book.

(sometimes, unfortunately, I get so busy talking with a client that I forget to photograph!)

Thank you to everyone that came to my "live performance", you helped make it truly memorable!

All my best,

Catherine