getting serious about October

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We had a great time on our quick trip to Portland for family weekend at MECA. Friday was a perfect fall day. We drove up the coast and did some beach watching and walking.

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They have great rocks in Maine.

We stopped in Wells at Camp Wool. Thank you to the kind person who clued me in about this place via my comments. Unfortunately, no website yet.

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There was lots of beautiful wool, although I am glad I had been to Dorr first. There was lots of beautiful colors and textures here, but not the basic skin colors that I went up to Dorr Mill Store for.

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Yes, I managed to find some goodies to spend some money on. The lady here told me about another store- Wool and Goods in Rollinsford, NH. Another expedition! I am going to put a list together (in the next few days) of places to buy wool fabrics in New England. If you know of places, let me know and I will add them.

Portland is a great town- amazingly good food and resaturant scene- even made it into the NYT! I look forward to spending more time there in the next 4 years.

Tomorrow- what is ahead this month.

and the third sweater lady

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but first- I’m going to be in Portland, ME next weekend. Any recommendations for things not to be missed?

And, I have a load of new magnets that I am putting together and will be listing on Etsy in dribs and drabs this week. The price will be going up on all the magnets to $7.50 when I start listing them.

And now, a blond-haired sweater lady-

seat

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back

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morning light-

morning

I will be putting these ladies into my shop at towards the end of the week. I am working on some fellas and want to photograph them together.

walk in the woods

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I will be doing a tiny world class on Saturday, October 17. There is room if you are interested. Info here.

Yesterday was a perfect fall day. Blue sky and sunny. The air was cool and crisp and there was a prediction of gray and rain on the horizon. We walked in the woods.

woods

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Hen of the woods-

chicken

expedition to New Hampshire

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Ben and I went to New Hampshire yesterday. Our destination was the Dorr Mill Store. It is about a 2 hour drive from our house, it was a beautiful day, the fall colors are just beginning and I’d heard good things. I wanted to check it out.

Oh yeah, it was good.

wool

Here is the silly thing- I feel guilty buying fabric this way! I make most of my dolls from thrifted or salvaged wooly goodness but sometimes I just need to go somewhere with colors on bolts. Well, some of this did come from their small pieces bin so that can be guilt-free.

I have a hard time finding wool that is a good color for brown skin. What I find at the thrift store is too dark. I was completely out. I was also very low on my pink skin colors and hadn’t found any after several trips to various thrift shops. And, the problem with all the thrift store shopping is, I come home with other stuff. And then I need a place to put it. The skin color wools were my reason (excuse) for the trip and I am very happy with what they had. I also managed to find other goodies as you can see. Everything is washed and soft and ready to use. Bee-u-ti-full!

I had a few fantasy wools I was hoping to find, but no luck- an even black and white stripe, a heathery olive green and/or a herringbone olive green. I’ll just have to keep looking.

Here are some store photos-

the main fabric room-

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Another room with kits, patterns, and over-dyed wools. Also a big collection of Gail Wilson kits and dolls.

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and more-

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It was definately worth the trip.

prizes! and some other doings.

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woohoo! I won Crystal’s giveaway and my prize arrived in the mail today!

prize

love this little detail-

prizedetail

Crystal is my good friend and fellow member of Boston Handmade. Thanks Crystal! This sweet little pair will live in my studio and keep me company while I work.

Several people asked me about the dyes I use. Firstly let me say that I am no dyeing expert. I am pretty bad at it and almost always end up with splotchy fabric… well unless that is what I want. Then I get a solid color. I know this going into the project so I try not to be too focused on a perfect result. I use Cushing dyes– an acid dye for wool.

Other stuff I’ve been doing.

It was a sad day today- after listening to Science Friday and watching the video, I knew that my tomatoes were infected with late blight. I pulled them all up today. Ah well, I got a pretty good crop and will look forward to next year.

Over the weekend, I redid the faces on two dolls- ones that many commenters said looked sad. At the time (last month), I couldn’t really see it. Now, with fresh eyes, I decided I needed to change them.

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Old Face

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New Face

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Old Face

face

New Face