Creative with clay

The table top that caused my arm injury.
Big thanks to for helping me load the table top in the van and then move it to the studio by himself. I was still in shock with the pain and have no idea how he did it.
Also thank you to all friends who have reached out to help and for their healing vibes ❤️

I hurt my right arm pretty bad on Thursday when trying to load an island top into my van from Ikea. Fortunately, X-ray doesn’t show a fracture, but it hurts and I can’t lift much with that hand right now. Awaiting to see Ortho for next steps and it is impossible to get an appt.
With the studio move and set up almost done, I hate the timing of this. I can still spin in short intervals, so going to take it easy for a bit.
🙏

I miss the Surplus store that was in Washington. Got all kinds of cool things there at cheap prices.
On the right is the metal pipe shelving unit I used in my studio for 20 years. With new setup, I turned it into a table with shelves underneath for storage (picture on left). Just needs a table top now.
So versatile and so sturdy and awesome wheels. I had paid $30 for the shelf 20 years back 🤪

It is with a heavy heart that I have decided to sell my most beloved tool in the clay studio, my Pugmill which I have used for recycling clay. It is a VPM-9 and it comes with the stand.
The pugmill is a great tool to have when you are learning. I found it so freeing to experiment and try new things without worrying about wasting clay. Now that I have developed a style, there is still experimenting but not that much.
I would like it to go to a studio where it will be used.
DM me for listing.

I was enjoying teaching yesterday so much that I completely forgot to take pictures. These are the only two I took.
Fiber dyed by

“Reaching for the skies” 82”x56”
Background quilted with free motion quilting and the some of the buildings with ruler work and some freehand.
I have been working in this quilt for a while bit by bit and has been the only sewing I have done in a while.

First glazing in the new studio is very colorful.
This firing includes all pending orders and more. Thank you so much for your patience.

Playing with some underglazes in the new space. Most of these are underglazes I haven’t tested and I look forward to the surprise in the kiln. They are also layered with other colors and will have an additional glaze on top.
Improv quilting with clay LOL

Question to people familiar with wood. I am looking for a table top for my fiber/fabric studio. I have a metal frame system on which I will attached this top.
Doesn’t need to be pretty but smooth so fiber and fabric don’t snag on it. I will have drum carder, knitting machine, ball winder etc on it.
I was looking at 3/4” plywood at the big box store. Not sure of Birch, Maple or Red Oak. Any suggestions?
And any suggestions on how to finish it? Sealing product so it is easy to clean and smooth?
Thanks in advance

All sold
I am cleaning out my pottery studio and clearing out chemicals and glazes that I do not use any more.
Listed in FB market place. Let me know if you are interested

Check out amazing work of students from my thick and thin classes. I am teaching a one day class with on spinning these textured yarns in Olympia on August 24th.

Roof done and house painted. Still need to put the light fixtures on. But it has been a very busy summer.

Work tables and slab table moved into the new studio space. Big thanks to for helping me move these very heavy tables and equipment.
I have installed wheels on all the tables now so I can love them around for clean up and also will help me figure out the right spot for them as the work flow is different in this space.
I can start working in this space right now. I still need to move tools and glazes.

Dyeing fiber for making batts for using and dyes
There are still some spots left in my classes.
Details on how I dye for batts in my patreon.

What core do you prefer for corespinning? A question I get asked a lot when teaching.
Anything really. Here I took three strands of a fine yarn that was so weak. But when they are used as a core, they twist, add strength and trap the fiber just fine.
Best of all… doesn’t even matter what color the core is, the fiber covers it all up.
I wonder if people went through my corespun yarns and discovered all kinds of weird core yarns used.
Spinning on the Starling

Update on your mug orders that were placed for my birthday sale.
Most of the mugs (stockinette, Lace, embroidery) have shipped. Orders for argyle, color stripe, pebbles and feathers will ship out end of this month.
The shed, garage and studio transformation has taken longer than I expected but I still kept working along to get your mug orders out. Thank you for your patience. 🙏

Other side of the garage cleaned and organized. Fiber for dyeing and class materials.
Shelf on the left will get inventory and this is where orders will be packed.
Slowly making progress.

Want to learn how to create these thick and thin yarns? I am teaching a one day workshop with with fiber provided by on August 24th in Olympia, WA.

Going through old paper work while cleaning the studio and found sales sheet from the first show I did 20 years back..
I made $244 and I was on top of the world. ❤️ This is a keeper.
Don’t know how many in the northwest remember the Potters discovered Undiscovered show.

Probably the most unexciting posts from me this month. But it has been a lot of work trying to get the garage cleaned out.
What you are looking at is what will be the new clay studio.
The walls and ceiling have been insulated. Luckily the garage door was already insulated.
I skipped painting the ceiling as they are pretty high and with the lights I don’t think it would make much of a difference. I just won’t look up 🤣
The floor is next. Have to do a good cleaning and paint. Have done it before on my previous clay studio but it was 20 years back.
Can’t wait for this to be done.

Still working on the garage. Baffles added yesterday. This morning I got the insulation done (no picture).
Next paint walls. I think I am going to skip painting ceiling as there are too many nails and I will just be patching up holes forever.
Then lights, floor paint and then clay studio can move.

Peg board wall removed from garage. Next insulation to be added and I will put new white pegboard wall.
Thought of painting the pegboard first but it would have been so much work and not a good job either for the same cost.

I know this is overkill to have a flooring and paint in the storage shed. But I think it will just be easier to clean and see things in there. What do you think?
Some very packed days ahead moving stuff from garage to the shed.

New roof finally done. Now the house needs a paint job 🤦🏽‍♂️ Does it ever get done?

Another happy dance. Three of my quilts selected for the 2024 International quilt and Fiber arts festival in Everett, WA and will be on display in October.

So there is a new bird in the house. A Starling in cranberry and gold.
I have spent the last month spinning on it every time I get a chance and it is so lovely to spin like all my other wheels.
This bobbin has a full braid of Polwarth spun thick, then a batt spun thick and then a braid from Polwarth black bamboo silk spun fine… and there is still more room.
Love the space on the bobbins, how it is easily adapted to different size yarns and so amazingly quiet!!!

So this is happening today… new roof. And it was great to see a female crew member ripping off the roof with the other guys.

Finished spinning BFL pigtail from on my new
Being at Black Sheep gathering, I was exploring different ways to wind my singles around a Turkish spindle. I usually did the God’s eye pattern but the way I would it made the yarn turtle flat and unstable, plus it takes a long time.
This time around I got some good tips on winding the singles quickly and it landed up with a very stable ball of yarn.
Always learning

Fleece cleaning. I finally got around to cleaning the fleece I got
A Big Thanks to Henry from with detailed explanation on how to wash a fleece in your washing machine. There was more waiting time than actually physically doing anything and my fleece came out so clean.
Now should I card it myself or hand it over to to make me carded roving 🤔

Getting our roof done next week and one of the estimators found a wasp nest in the attic that is active. Freaks me out but cool pattern. They have probably been hanging around for a while taking inspiration from my clay studio and quilting.
Jokes aside, the roofers we are hiring are not concerned
The one exterminator and a friend said to just leave it. The nest will likely fall and wasps fly out the way they came in.
A neighbor suggests spraying them with wasp spray at night as they are dormant.
Any experience you have with how to handle these?