Mountain Ash Design

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Sat, 26 May 2012 02:33:00 +0000

I'm spending the evening packing for my first farmers market of the season, the kick-off to a busy 10 days for MAD. I hope you can stop by the charming Norwich Farmers Market tomorrow to see and buy all the great early season produce grown by local farmers. And check out what we crafty types have been busy all winter developing = fresh new creations for locals and visitors alike. I'm so pleased to finally be sharing the exciting and beautiful fabrics I've been working with over the last few months.

Here's what the next couple of weekends look like for me as I get my work out into the world:
Norwich Farmers Market, May 26, 9am - 1pm
Norwich Craft Fair Sunday, May 27, 10am - 3pm
Montpelier Fashion Show, June 2, 11:30am - 3pm
Stowe Farmers Market, June 3, 10:30am - 3pm

If you can't make it to any of these delightful, summery, oh-so-Vermont-y events, but you need a very special and completely unique summer skirt (and you know that you do), check out the wide selection in my online shop. Have a great Memorial Day weekend, everyone!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:23:00 +0000

Spring/Summer Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:57:00 +0000

I'll be debuting these cheery prints, made into my signature one-of-a-kind skirts, at the Norwich Farmers Market tomorrow. This event at Tracy Hall from 10 to 1 is the last indoor market of the winter season. I'm looking forward to the outdoor season, and have been busy building up my stock to bring to four Vermont markets where I'll be selling this year. Expect to see skirts in these prints and more paired with sashes made from unique vintage fabrics, locally thrifted button down shirts converted into cute retro-style kitchen aprons, and sturdy cloth belts for men and women.

You can find me fairly regularly at the Saturday Waitsfield and Norwich Farmers Markets. I'm also excited to be selling this year at the Wednesday afternoon Market on the Green in Woodstock from mid-June through mid-August, and occasionally setting up my stall at the Stowe Farmers Market on Sundays. To keep abreast of my movements, and see new items appearing in my online shop, connect with the Mountain Ash Design page on facebook. This also makes you eligible for free domestic shipping when you buy from my Etsy shop, so don't forget to ask for the coupon code once you're connected. If facebook is not your thing, check my vending schedule. Links to all the market websites are on the schedule. Happy Spring!

Norwich Winter Market

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:07:00 +0000

I enjoy winter doses of the farmers market scene at the monthly indoor market at Tracy Hall in Norwich. Please join me and many other quality vendors of yummy edibles and dry goods. The market occurs on the second Saturday of the month, through April (that's tomorrow!).

After the January market this photo appeared in the Valley News. The caption heading reads "Farmers Market Fashion Find" and goes on to tell that my cute customer was here from Pennsylvania taking a course at King Arthur Flour and that she bought two of my skirts. She was so friendly and fun to visit with. I so enjoy the social aspect of my work (getting to know my customers face to face), and don't get enough of it at this time of year.
So, the rest of the story is that she's a farmer planning to open a farm to table restaurant. She thought she should brush up on her baking skills (thus the class at King Arthur). The photographer also ended up buying a skirt. I'll have many more for offer tomorrow, in both the lengths you see here.
If you can't make it to the market, or if you are looking for a special deal, there is an inventory reduction sale going on right now in my online shop. Feel free to check it out, and I'll be adding fresh new skirts to the shop soon, so stay tuned.

MAD at Alchemy Initiative this weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:55:00 +0000

If you are near the Berkshires, don't miss this unique, high quality show in an truly singular setting, the old Notra Dame church in downtown Pittsfield, which now houses Alchemy Initiative.

Alchemy Initiative is a multi-faceted organization supporting local activities including community arts and urban farming.

They provide a thorough preview of all vendors plus other features (i.e live music) of this show on their blog here.

I will be displaying festive skirts, aprons, belts and more facing the vestry again this year. Come find me next to my friend Ellie Kreischer of Winged Rabbit Designs and across from the luscious holiday greenery (pictured above). Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Craft Vermont at the Sheraton

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 18:18:00 +0000

Happening right now! MAD is open for business at the Sheraton Conference Center in Burlington until 8:00pm tonight and through this Sunday, November 20th. Find my display in the center isle upstairs in the Emerald Ballroom.

If you'd rather shop closer to downtown, find me at the Queen City Craft Bazaar tomorrow, Saturday the 19th.

Double Booked

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:09:00 +0000

Coming right up this Saturday: The best indie craft fair in Northern New England = Queen City Craft Bazaar! Come see me and over 40 other totally fab makers at Union Station in Burlington from 10-6 for gifts and self-treats that are fresh, local, high quality handmade and totally unique. Free admission and free parking, too.

*silly segue alert* You know that Groucho Marx joke: "I have standards. And if you don't like those I have other standards" ? Well, read on.

Mountain Ash Design will also be selling this weekend at Craft Vermont Fine Craft and Art Show. This is a first for MAD, and I bought a professional booth and 16(!) pieces of track lighting to meet the display *standards* of this show. I'm really looking forward to it! I'll be exposing my work to a whole new market and I'll be in the company of many seasoned artists I admire, like Marie Davis, Ellen Howard, Sandra Bomhower Jewelry, Lee Greenewalt handweaver, Elissa Campbell of Blue Roof Designs and so many more. Come see us at the Sheraton Conference Center this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Free parking. Print out a coupon for $1.00 off admission here.

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:52:00 +0000

Plaids, florals, birds, butterflies, sailing ships and sea turtles. Come see what my latest batch of skirts are made of at Twist, today and tomorrow in Nothampton. This is a stellar show full of fresh and unique talent.
To see my complete holiday show schedule, spanning Vermont and Western Massachusets, click here.

new downtown studio open this weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:01:00 +0000

Two weeks ago I moved my workshop to a former yoga studio* in downtown Bradford, Vermont.
*As my dad says, "So it's got good vibes." Here are a few snapshots taken in my new space.

Ever since I started my business I've planned to move to town someday. I am so happy to be here, to have professional neighbors and be part of the business community.

Every day I see people I know on the sidewalk. I love living out in the countryside, but I am relishing this regular interaction with humanity during my work day.

I'm getting ready to be open for business with the public this weekend. Look for my sandwich board on the sidewalk near North of the Falls gift and local craft shop and the Local Buzz coffee shop, both right downstairs from me.

There will be many wonderful artists' studios to visit in the area Saturday and Sunday as part of the Vermont North By Hand Open Studio Tour. One is my very talented neighbor on the third floor, painter Stephanie Gordon.

Feel free to bring up your coffee and hang out. I've got comfy furniture : >

at Revolution

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 13:43:00 +0000

New MAD skirts on the racks at Revolution in White River Junction, in two size ranges fitting all you lovelies size 0-18.

Flora and Fauna into the Fall. Why not?

Hey, do insects count as fauna?

Vermont Farm Relief

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 05:53:00 +0000

Sincere thank yous and warm regards to all of my summer customers. I had a fantastic season and you all made it possible for me to raise money for the Mad River Valley Community Fund and the Vermont Farm Disaster Relief Fund. Irene did a serious number on Vermont and none of us saw it coming. Farmers are hard-working self employed people who have no unemployment to fall back on when their crops are ruined.

It's been such a positive experience for me to participate in the Waitsfield Farmer Market. The Vermont small farm culture and local foods movement are very dear to my heart and convictions. I'm including here my socialist revival style propaganda photo which aims to glorify the small local farmer, the farm wife and the home cook, shot at the Tunbridge Hill Farm and The Frozen Butcher stalls directly across from Mountain Ash Design at the market.

12 foot rug

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:51:00 +0000

I finished my rug. I had no idea how long it would be when I took it off the loom. It is 12 feet long. Not really long enough to be a full stair runner, but it fits perfectly in the hallway of my house. These photos were taken at Altus Healing Arts in Chelsea Vermont.

I'm happy with it. During each weaving session I was having my doubts. Being the frugal gal that I am, I used all my discard fabric for this rug, things I did not like enough to use for other projects. When weaving, the materials are a foot or so from my eyes so I was having many thoughts along the lines of, "These fabrics are so ugly. I am making an ugly rug."

But now that it's on the floor I am not seeing the "ugliness" of the prints, just areas of color, and it's pretty nice. I'm happy with my choice of the "peacock" and "duck" colored warps which I alternated to get a light teal-ish color that unifies the whole thing. Don't I look proud of myself? I hope to get back to Altus to do more weaving in the fall.

Domestic Robot exhibit at Frog Hollow

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 13:12:00 +0000

If you find yourself in Burlington this month (that would be July 2011) take a stroll down Church Street to Frog Hollow, the Vermont State Craft Center.

Through the front window you'll see captivating and comical robots by John Brickles attired in sustainably created aprons by yours truly. It is a great honor for me to be paired with John in this two person show at the gallery.

For this series of retro-inspired aprons I collected skirts, button-down shirts, and home textiles from local thrift stores over the past year, then added vintage fabrics from my own stash and trimming from my production of wrap skirts.

Each apron is one of a kind, made entirely from textiles that may have otherwise been wasted, certainly transformed from their original intent.

Also on display and for sale in the front of the gallery are my signature wrap skirts, HotHolders(tm) and key fobs. Show runs through July. If you can't make it to Burlington have a look at the photo album of the aprons I created for the exhibit.

Craft Fair Couture: Twist 6

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Wed, 11 May 2011 18:26:00 +0000

Twist 6 kicked off my Spring/Summer vending season last weekend. There were many well-dressed vendors there and by the end of the show lots of well-dressed customers, too. I had empty bins to bring home!

Enjoy the looks below:

Crispina ffrench wearing one of her sundresses made from soft upcycled t-shirts. I have been in the process of owning a Crispina sweater since Twist 5 (the mysteries of barter, folks) and then I made one at one of her workshops. I think that's when I realized I am officially a collector of American handmade apparel.

Vermont's own Nicloe Carey at her first Twist!

Nicole Blum of one golden apple. When I arrived on Friday to set up I spied a few apparel-makers who were not at Twist 5 and immediately started scheming about trades. Nicole walked away with a white paisley MAD skirt and she's making me a dreamy blue dress.

Best Dressed Crafter at the show, Shannon Herrick of The Spun Monkey. I dig the way she rocks those grass socks and fringy cut-off jeans under her skirt. She is also very well accessorized.

Another trade/score was had by me and Caitlin of Jupitergirl. Her skirts made from t-shirts are so comfy and fit really well. That's the teal/green/charcoal one I picked out lying on her table there. My daughter asked to borrow it before she even saw it based on my description alone and she wore it to school today.

The super cute Heather Toupin of Heatherjeany rocking her Vans, tattoos, and feather hair extensions.

Maeg of Edison Rex in a perfect fit dress from the Salvation Army.

Last but certainly not least: Shahan Rose at her display of hand-painted handbags. She's wearing the MAD skirt she got at Twist 5, plus a really cool wrappy top. Quite adorable.

If you would like a wardrobe update also, visit and "like" the Mountain Ash Design page on facebook soon. I am about to launch a Spring Special there: free domestic shipping for facebook fans and 10% off if you are involved in hooking up new fans. This special is through June 15 so go ahead and get in on the action Now. See you there!

Twist preview

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Mon, 02 May 2011 12:07:00 +0000

Twist VI is coming at the end of this week!

Come see me and lots of other unique and lovely handmade items at the Northampton Center for the Arts on Friday night and Saturday. I'll be in the West Gallery this time. Make your way through the party in the disco ball-adorned middle room, then take a breather and enjoy some elbow room in the relative cool and quite of the windowed West Gallery. There will be plenty to room for trying on skirts.

At Twist V last November there was a "Vermont Block." I don't know exactly where my home-state peeps will be set up, but I'm super excited to be there with them. Be sure to check out the Vermont talent: COOB Originals, Recycle Moe, and Nicole's Threads.

I have been blessed by all of the time I've gotten to spend in the studio lately. I'm bringing many new prints to my Twist customers, and have been enjoying pairing them with vintage fabric finds and cast off clothing in need of repurposing. These photos are a little sneak peek.

Whoops - Windy! I had the barn door slid wide open to let in all the good spring daylight for this photo shoot. All the other pictures were taken between gusts. See you in Noho.

Earth Day Upcycle Fashion Show at Alchemy Initiative

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 18:12:00 +0000

My assignment from Alchemy Initiative: "Create upcycled garments using only locally sourced repurposed materials." So I made these three aprons from button down shirts I bought at the Listen Thrift Stores of White River Junction, VT and Lebanon, NH. I trimmed them with the piecey remains and collars from other button-down shirts plus bits cut from vintage curtains and dressed. Materials used for interfacing and linings used to be household linens.

I had to go out and buy shirts, even though I have piles of previously scored ones in my workshop because..."Provide high-resolution photos of the original materials before deconstructing them, to be part of the backdrop slide show playing during the fashion show." All my piles of thirfted shirts already have the collars and cuffs carefully removed and serged for trimming skirts. Those piles are dwindling fast as I convert the shirts into sashes for skirts.

These aprons plus many more wonderful inventive upcycled creations by a whole bunch of designers will be featured in Alchemy Initiative's Earth Day Upcycle Fashion Show this Friday.

Come bid on them as part of their Silent Auction fundraiser directly after the show, then boogie down with me and all the other folks at the Dance Party to follow. Come back the next day for a Clothes Swap extravaganza!

Having a Grandma Moment

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:24:00 +0000

I have started weaving a rag rug. A really, really long one. In my grandmother's house in Maine there was a rag rug stair runner going from the kitchen up to the long chamber. This was the indoor realm of young grandchildren during summer visits before we graduated to the barn bedrooms as teenagers. I always loved that stair runner. I don't remember there being any other woven rag rugs in the house, but there were many beautiful hooked rugs and a few braided rugs, all of which she made, of course, from repurposed materials. As I have said to anyone who wants to talk to me about my creative inspiration, my maternal grandmother, Marion Brown Curtis, Is It. She was a necessary DIYer of a different generation and she had a great aesthetic. When I was very young she still had two floor looms set up in the long chamber, one quite large. She wove that stair runner on one. She also wove fine wool yarn into subtly patterned cloth which she then made into smart suits that she wore to town and church.

The prominent staircase in my home is in great need of an upgrade in covering. I have a lot of clothing and other cast off textiles I have accumulated over the years that I know I will not use for sewing projects. So I recently started taking a weaving class at Altus in Chelsea, VT. I've never woven on a floor loom before. After the warp was on and I had a few hours of weaving under my belt (and as much time prepping my materials - I hadn't thought about how long this aspect of the project would take) I realized it is going to take me a long time to finish this project. And that's okay. I imagine it probably took Grandma many weeks, if not months, maybe even a year, to finish her rug. She had a lot of other things going on in her life, too. I expect it to take me much of a year to finish my rug, if not longer. I like that I'm going to have a similar experience I imagine Grandma did. When I can I will make the time to prepare my materials: further deconstructing shirts I've taken the collars and cuffs of off, stripping old skirts and curtains, sewing these together into long lengths when I know I'll soon have time to weave. I'm feeling very happy and fortunate on many levels to have this going on in my life.

blooogerrrrzz

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 17:54:00 +0000

I want to extend a sincere appreciation to Jen and Jean at Gingham Style. I met them at the Cabin Fever show and we instantly bonded over our shared love of gingham. I thank them very much for the charming write-up they gave me on their blog. For the best guidance and the most fun antiquing in Brimfield, MA I would sign up for their bus tour!

Also, Lauren at You Had Me At Handmade put me in her recent "weekly obsession" collection of skirts. Take a peak - my grey kiku is in good company.

Blog on, you all.

Craft Fair Couture: Cabin Fever at the Catherdral High School Gym

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:55:00 +0000

Love was in the air at SoWa's Cabin Fever Indie Craft Fair in Boston last week. And it took place in the Cathedral High School gym. Kind of weird for me since I attended a Cathedral High School (in Duluth, Minnesota). There were all the banners on the walls chronicling their victories in the Catholic Urban and Suburban Leagues.

Since this is part of my Craft Fair Couture series I'm going to write about what people were wearing. Here are Sara and Phil of Rocks and Salt; Matt rocking his purple sweater and plaid scarf, Sara forever cutting an elegant tomboy figure. I seem to have been following them around to shows this past year: Twist, BUST, now here we were neighbors at my first show in Boston since Bizarre Bazaar in 2005. I had hat shopping frustrations during BUST where I couldn't get away from my table long enough to pick one, so I made a decision right away here.

I am so happy about my new hat! And my new collapsable, rolling, tough-as-nails garment racks.

Jen of Zooguu in her Mountain Ash Design skirt that she got at the Queen City Craft Bazaar last November in Burlington.

My little Zooguu elephant. Wearing his perfect birthday suit and fancy ears.

Here is AnYa BredBeck of RequiemFineArt pulling off all her statement pieces. It's a statement outfit really. Her ethereal spoon pendants with bits of long lost and forbidden love letters are complete treasures. It's a very compelling story and creative project.

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:39:00 +0000

Preparations are in the final stages for a weekend of vending events for Mountain Ash Design. Get your apron-inspired wrap skirts in Norwich and Boston. Don't forget: Sashes are made from vintage and recycled fabrics, mostly button-down shirts I source from local thrift stores. Trimming below the sash are shirt collars and cuffs. Skirts are made from new designer fabrics. All skirts are one of a kind, just like you.

I've really been enjoying my recent time in the studio and have many new one of a kind skirts to offer this weekend. Locals can find me at the Norwich Farmer Market tomorrow from 10-1 in Tracy Hall.

Bostonians can find me at the Cabin Fever Indie Craft Fair on Sunday.
I'm excited to try out my new super sturdy collapsible racks. Figuring out how to fit it all into my 7' x 7' allocated space at Cabin Fever.

Not sure where my awesome new mirror will fit in. Richard built me a handy easel to hold it at just the right angle and height.

The MAD stall at these shows will include a traveling winter clearance department! Featuring winter weight skirts in three lengths, plus super summery lovelies for your upcoming warm climate vacation. Like the Waldorf-inspired rounded corners on my signs?

Can't make it to Norwich or Boston? Visit my online shop any time of the day or night (find a coupon code on the front page of this here blog). I'm listing new items regularly so check back often.

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 14:57:00 +0000

Shake off those mid-winter blues with a trip to the Cabin Fever Show in Boston on February 13th. I'm planning my sale rack for the show as I write this. You can get a jump on that by visiting the Clearance section of my Etsy shop right now. Get an additional 9% off any item by using the coupon code BLOG09 at check out. Just a little something to say, "Thanks for checking in," to my blog readers. Happy Winter!

sweater chop shop

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 22:40:00 +0000

Greeting from snowy Vermont!

I am here to report on the build-your-own-sweater workshop I took at Crispina's with my friend, Noelle Horsfield, this past Saturday.

At this time of year when production demands have loosened up a bit and skirt and apron making are not keeping me creatively satisfied, I get to explore other mediums during my R&R time. I still seem to be drawn to textiles projects, but I am branching out.

Crispina ffrench walked us through the process of deconstructing several felted wool sweaters and constructing the pieces into a brand new one-of-a-kind unique one. Here's mine, made from parts of five sweaters that were no longer terribly stylish or useful:

I didn't actually finish it until Monday morning. The person in our day-long class of 10 who finished hers first, and before class time was over at that, had never sewn a stitch before in her life. Here she is wearing her finished warm cozy with Crispina in one of hers.

Other than the recycling element which I really dig, one of the aspects of this project that I enjoyed was hand-sewing the entire thing. I love to use line as a design element and I had fun choosing a yarn color that really popped against the subdued wool fabric of the sweater.

During much of the time I was stitching, especially when I was back home, I kept thinking about Wylie Sofia Garcia's work. She's a couture installation and performance artist in Burlington. I love her work and the hand stitching is a big part of what I love about it. She has the most amazing project going on right now involving dresses that evolve daily. Check it out here.

Some other in-progress creations by workshop participants:

This blue one is Noelle's. Visit her website for some wonderful visual treats. She's a cut paper artist with a wonderful way with color and inspiring subject matter.

Next up: Weaving class. I'm going to attempt to make a rag rug stair runner like the one that my grandmother made that ran up the stairs from her kitchen to "the long chamber" upstairs.

Time Out New York

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 22:21:00 +0000

I am starting to catch up on a few things after a busy end of 2011 and a little break thereafter and have some things to report. My trip to New York with Kelly McMahon of May Day Studio for the BUST Craftacular last month garnered some online press (oxymoron?). Time Out New York's online fashion + style correspondents conducted a little interview with me and snapped some pictures. My skirts (okay, and me, my outfit, my no-regrets tattoo, my super cool wrist cuff made from an Iowa license plate by Aaron Stein of Revival Studio, etc.) comprise the last three photos of their rather brief "Street Fashions" slide show. Check it out by clicking here.

Handmade Holiday Festival Part 3: Fiber Arts Junky

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:51:00 +0000

Happy New Year to all! I've been saving this post for the eve of my return to Alchemy Initiative, this time for a Crispina ffrench workshop this Saturday. Here's Crispina at the Handmade Holiday Festival, wearing one of her signature sweaters and the MAD skirt she acquired at Twist in November.

At her stall full of sweaters, xmas stockings, potholder rugs and wool scrap wreaths, Crispina's sister, Sofie, inspects the skirt. I had to buy one of those wreaths. Every year I am always late getting an evergreen wreath on my door. Problem solved. And the trees whose branches I'm not going to be cutting off in future - well, I think I solved their problem, too.

Let's get a better look at what Sophie is wearing. It is a Crispina sweater - a hand sewn composite of parts of various felted wool sweaters that were no longer very useful or appealing on their own. I don't know if Crispina made it for her or if Sophie made it herself under Crispina's instruction. Either way, it's cool! And suits her so well. It is just such a sweater-making instructional event I am attending on Saturday. I'm very excited.

More handmade attire. The folks at Alchemy Initiative came up with a brilliant way to repurpose t-shirts into useful aprons. Just right for those people who want something soft and fun, but not too "pretty" to freely wipe their hands on. I watched the truffle-maker whose stall was next to mine buy this Elmo apron right off of this volunteer.

Another Alchemy Initiative t-shirt apron worn by co-founder and painter Diane Firtell, who created the trademark image of the bell tower for AI. Her studio is in the church basement and I hope to see her again when I'm there for the workshop.

I am such a fiber arts junky. At the HHF I kept going to visit Christine Fromm's booth three down from mine (pictured here wearing her own creation), which was also full of repurposed sweaters. She makes the most beautifully finished skirts, dresses, hats, capes and more. They are stunning. This photo does not do justice to her work.

Hey, speaking of what people are wearing, here's Suzi Banks Baum of Fe-Mail wearing her MAD skirt. I loaned her my grandmother's red petticoat for the day to keep the skirt from sticking to her black jeans. I have found it's good to have such things on hand at a show.

No group of posts about the HHF would be complete without my home-state pals Moe and Matt of Recycle Moe. We spent a lot of off hours together when in Pittsfield for this show, enjoying food together, comparing consumer xmas philosophies and sharing stories of thrift store scores. In keeping with the fiber arts theme of this post, I would like to tell you that Moe makes those cute birds from recycled sweaters (there are plenty to go around, folks) and Matt crocheted his hat. In fact, I can't think of when I have ever seen the top of his head. Stay warm, everyone!

Handmade Holiday Festival, Part 2: The Wares

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah O. Green) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 13:20:00 +0000

Here are some up-close photos of some of the wonderful and unique products that were for offer at last weekend's Handmade Holiday Festival at Alchemy Initiative in Pittsfield. Above, hand stitched dolls by Claire Fox.

Imagine my happy surprise when I found my own Richard's paper in the work of my new pal, Suzi Banks Baum and her creative partner, Karen Arp-Sandel of Fe-Mail.

Knives are not usually my thing but these were right across from my stall. Amazing materials and craftsmanship.

These great little paper collages are so much like quilts and so much like fish scales. They were made by Ellie Kreischer, (below, on the right) of Winged Rabbit Designs.

Ellie was one of my close neighbors at the show and I bought good from her right away (shhh - stocking stuffers). She and her friends Alison and Emily were such great company, during the show and after hours at the Red Lion Inn ("the Den"?).

Birch bark and twisted, burly wood lamps by Warren at Roots and Rust.

These hand dyes, spun, & knit hats by Linda Clayton of Lulu Knits were even more amazing live and in 3D.

Doria Polinger of BiscuitsBones had these cute rag dolls and and animals at her stall and also a variety of truffles that satisfied by chocolate needs on Saturday afternoon.

Text is necessarily rather brief on this post. I'm taking a short break from finishing up skirts for Thursday's Upcycled Fashion Show at ECHO in Burlington. I'll try to come back later and add the links.