A Hat Is Better Than A TV

Below is from Voices and Visions at the Joyful Jewel Gallery in Pittsboro, NC. last Sunday. Unfortunately the pictures can't be bigger because they are low resolution.
Mariah Wheeler wrote the poem in response to a few of my hats.
Mariah Wheeler is wearing the hats while I read her words.

A Hat Is Better Than A TV

I am invited to Kazi Jane’s 2^nd birthday party, and
I’m in the pink along with:
Cotton Candy Kisses
Giggles, Games, and Balloons
Glow Worm Tea Cakes                                     
A Grandmother’s Love



The military calls me, and
I’m at the ready:
The medals have already been earned and attached
I can divert attention at the last minute
(the enemy is dazzled & confused)
Hiding in trees or in a meadow is possible
I am just too cute to shoot


The Queen is found to be an impostor, and
I visit Buckingham:
A Palace Guard (in a similar hat) recognizes me as Queen
A stately fascinator is ready for me to wear after my coronation,
and it has room for the crown jewels on the crown
I feel like Dudley Moore as Amadeus when riding in the parade

 
I decide to safari in Africa, and
my camouflage allows:
Closeness with elephants and giraffes
A gazelle’s invitation to dance
Frolicking in the dirt (which remains invisible on my head)
A bird to find a nesting site complete with fuzz for the nest

I’m in my own hat, and
standing out in the crowd, I:
Bring fun to strangers by eliciting their smiles
Know that blue matches my eyes and I feel pretty.
Am reminded of Christmas tinsel and break out in song
Have a bad hair day and still look good

I say “A Hat is Better Than a TV” because:
Imagination has a prop ready for action
It can go with me, in a useful way, when I’m outdoors
I can take it with me wherever I go
Because Dreams accumulate underneath a hat
and nothing happens underneath a TV

It was a fun day !!

New Yarn, Hat and Scarf

Some recently spun yarn. It has a little bit of everything included. I love the colors - early spring. When I took care of sheep I came to love the smell and feel of the lanolin. Next, I want to spin from unwashed, but debris free, wool with  lanolin still in the wool to see how it feels - my thought is it will feel luscious and can then be washed out after spinning. I had the orifice and hooks on my wheel enlarged so I can get almost any fiber through.         It is fabulous.

Since spring is almost here,
I have to stop making so many winter hats and make light weight and 'springy' hats. Here is one - hat from thrift shop and beads, purple and pink flowers and ribbon added by me. It is quite fun on. (All hats sell for $25). I like that each way you turn the hat on your head it becomes a different hat for a different mood.

It may be hard to tell what this is. It is a summery kind of ethereal sea foam scarf. It has shimmery green-blue ribbon with silver overtones and eyelash yarn the same colors going length wise, white lace goes across at intervals and then it is sewn in both directions on the machine. It is long and makes a generous shawl, scarf or overlay on a skirt. I was so excited when I learned how to do this - it is so easy. It is the stabilizer that makes it possible. You lay out your design on the stabilizer and then cover it with another piece of stabilizer in order to sew on the machine and have it keep its shape. Spray adhesive helps it not move around. I like the water soluble stabilizer because it all washes out so easily.  Instant gratification is highly valued in my world and this does it.

Next I want to make one of these scarves with sari ribbon (which I already posted that I love). Unfortunately the ribbon needs to be ironed to really show up, show off  and be bright and cheery.

I didn't blog for a while because I was getting a large bundle of photographs to the gallery - Joyful Jewel in Pittsboro, NC. They also have yarn, hats, re-purposed or upcycled jackets, shirts and vests.