Tottie Tomato began her life here on hankering for yarn.

And, she’s undergone all manner of transformations.

Such a busy life for a little tomato!

She now has her own blog in which she and I share our love for spool knitting, crochet, tatting, knitting, small loom weaving, sewing, doll making, puppets, wood working, recycling and eco crafts, to name just a few.

She’s just getting started, but do check her out: Tottie Tomato

Image source: Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

Mermaid and Merwomen in Black Folklore

A juried exhibition for art quilters/ doll artists, February 20–March
31, 2009, Avery Research Institute Center for African American
History & Culture at the College of Charleston

Description

Some of the first tales of mermaids and merwomen were brought to
America by Africans enslaved along the coast of South Carolina. Many
of these folktales were stories of African ocean and river goddesses.

Because of the rich oral traditions of these peoples, few if any of
these stories were written down until they were recorded by
collectors of folk tales at the end of the 19th century.

You are invited to share your visual interpretation of a Black
Mermaid/Merwoman in an art doll or art quilt.

SPECIFICATIONS

We are seeking work that is original and innovative. No kits,
quilts or dolls made in a workshop with the aid of an instructor.
Quilt must be multi-layered and joined by stitching. Dimension in
any direction must not exceed 50 inches. Dolls may not exceed 32
inches in height. If dolls are to be displayed on a stand, the
artist will be responsible for providing the stand. If dolls are to
be mounted on the wall please make sure it has the necessary hanging
apparatus. We welcome both small and large works. Only quilts/dolls
created after December 31, 2006 are eligible. Preliminary acceptance
will be granted based on the acceptance digital images. Final
acceptance will be granted upon the receipt and examination of
quilts/dolls. We reserve the right to omit from the exhibition
accepted quilts/dolls that do not contain the same qualities as the
submitted images. The exhibition coordinators’ decision is final.

Calendar :

Deadline of entry receipt

Tuesday, January 20, 2009:

Tuesday, February 10, 2009 notification by e-mail of acceptance

Accepted works posted online at

cofc.edu/avery/

February 10, 2009

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Shipping instructions will be e-mailed

Tuesday February 17, 2009 -February 19, 2009

Works accepted at Avery Research Institute Center for African
American History & Culture at the College of Charleston
(quilts/dolls will not be accepted prior to February 12, 2009

Opening reception Saturday February 21, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. Avery
Research Institute Center for African American History & Culture
at the College of Charleston , Charleston, South Carolina

Tuesday March 31, 2009

Exhibition closes

April 1 through April 5, 2009

Return of non-touring works

Argh!

My old binding machine has met the end of it’s days….

A few years ago, I broke off one of the handles when the machine got all hung up…. and now….

sob…. the blasted thing has totally, irrevocably siezed up, while eating one of ‘Our Lady of the Hours’.

How rude.

We both have had serious ‘go’s at it, and we have finally declaared it to be kaput. Defunct. Schmucked.

Ah, the perils of self publishing…..  sigh.

Image Source: Noreen Crone-Findlay (copyright)

I love ‘cross pollinations’ in which I can bring together my various yarnie passions.

Crochet, tatting and spool knitting are so dear to my heart and VERY harmonious to combine.

I really enjoy making flat multi-media dolls to embellish garments and accessories.

Here are a few of the flat dolls that I’ve made with tatting, crochet, spool knitting, using everything from handspun angora  to wire:

They’re stitched to a tote bag that I bought at a second hand store. (love it) *G*

Here are the links for my mixed media woven dolls:

Woven Earth Listener Angel  Doll

Dame Julian and Neni 

Three young spritely spirited mixed media dolls 

Mixed media dolls with found objects 

The previous entry had pics of my spritely mixed media dolls

Here are some more of my mixed media woven dolls:

A woven Menopause Fairy Doll

and a collection of my ‘Reclaiming Dolls’ (Dolls that have parts made from reclaimed, recycled or re-purposed components and found objects,  as well as weaving):

I’ve put together a Links posting so you can catch the group of postings on mixed media woven dolls.

Hmm, it just struck me that they are like three dimensional collages. Neat!

Image Source: Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

In my last posting, I showed pictures of my woven mixed media dolls, Neni and Homage to Dame Julian of Norwich.

These dolls are more whimsical:

I spun the yarn and then wove them on potholder looms and combined them will all kinds of mixed media: Leather, wood, stones, metal, wire, buttons and more….

Next posting:

More whimsical mixed media woven dolls.

Some of my readers are on dial up so they’ve asked me to not put toooooooooo many pix in each entry.

Image Source: Noreen Crone-Findlay(c) 

Yesterday, I posted pics of my latest mixed media woven doll, the Earth Listener Angel Doll (click on the name to see her).

Several people asked if I had pics of any of my other woven mixed media dolls. Why yes! Here are some:

Homage to Dame Julian of Norwich. I wove her on my inkle loom and several small vintage looms. Her hands and face are crocheted. I used cotton and linen to make her. Her body is wood that I carved before stitching on the weaving and attaching her armature.

This is Neni. She’s another Earth Angel doll.

I wove her on the vintage equivalent of Butterfly Looms.

I carved her head, hands, wings and shoes from wood, and drew and burned the face and patterns for the wings.

The buttons came from Grandma’s button jar so are more than 50 years old.

In my next posting: More mixed media woven dolls

Image Source: Noreen Crone-Findlay(c) 

My friend, Gwen found a notice about  a gorgeous doll workshop by Denise Marie Doll art being offered in Sante Fe NM:           Doll Workshop

Lovely!

I am working on a new doll.

I’ve finished sculpting the head:

and have finished spinning the yarn for the doll:

My best friend gave me a bag of lovely merino/tencel:

That I spun on my wheel, then plyed with my navaho spindle:

I warped up the loom

and wove one panel that just didn’t do it for me,

So, I frogged it, and re-warped the loom.

I am one of those people who would rather take something apart and re-do it rather than leave it if I don’t like it.

Taking it apart is quite contemplative, as it allows me to give myself a second (or third or fourth) chance.

I like the feeling that weaving is not written in stone.

Knowing that I can easily unweave a piece gives me tremendous freedom to be very adventurous with my materials.

I’ve just gotten a tiny bit woven on the new warp, so will start taking pics as I get a little more weaving happening.

I’ll post pics as the doll starts to emerge.