New Workshops!

New workshops are scheduled for 2011!  Come and join Syrendell to learn more about handwork, art and aromatherapy.  Workshops are held in Davis, California unless otherwise noted.  Davis is about 20 minutes from Sacramento and 1.5 hrs. from San Francisco.  We also travel and teach!  Email us to schedule a workshop near you.

To see the upcoming schedule and register: www.syrendellacademy.com

February 6
Felting 10-12
Spinning 1-3

March 6
Beginning Crochet 10-12
Tunisian Crochet 1-3

April 3
Beginning Knitting 10-12
Wet-On-Wet Watercoloring 1-3

Handmade Holiday Gifts

Joey's Sewn Horse for Wilson

 





 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This year, we made an effort to handmake the majority of our gifts for the holidays.

Scarves for aunts, brothers, cousins and great-grandma.

Herbal tea for uncles and neighbors.

Tunisian crocheted hats for the children.

Ricky crocheted gnome puppets for Wilson.

Crocheted bookmarkers from Wilson for family and teachers.







 
 
 
Ricky felted/crocheted a headband and choker for his cousin.

And...wood sprites for nieces, felted ornaments and more, but already wrapped up before we got pictures!

Hope your handmade holidays are blissful and sweet.  Merry Christmas!

Tunisian Crochet Video!

Our Tunisian Crochet Video is now available through The Bearth Institute!  Come and see Jennifer show the basics of Tunisian crochet.  It is easy and fun to learn as a whole family.  Tunisian crochet is not quite knitting, and not quite crocheting.  It is easier on the hands and wrists, quicker than knitting, and uses less yarn than traditional crocheting. Fun to learn over winter vacation!  Also compliments our new Gnome Hat pattern in our Etsy shop.

Learn how to Tunisian Crochet in record time with this 20-minute video by Jennifer Tan. In the video she shows you how to cast on, crochet your beginning rows, modify your pattern, and create a scarf, muff or blanket. You will be amazed at how quickly you can finish a project with this crochet method and how easy this is to teach to children ages five and above. Jennifer tells you all you need to know in this video - from how to purchase Tunisian crochet hooks to what kind of yarn you should use. You could download this video and finish a holiday gift in less than an hour!  DVD Download

Gnomes at Home!

"The gnomes, particularly from autumn on and through the winter, in their wanderings through ore and rock, bear with them what has trickled down to them through the plants.  They are the beings within the earth which carry the ideas of the whole universe on their streaming, wandering journey through the earth."  -- Rudolf Steiner, Harmony of the Creative Word.

Gnomes have been visiting our home lately.  So lucky!

Wilson Gnome

Hat pattern is available in our Etsy shop.  It's Tunisian-crocheted and very easy to make!  Wilson loves to wear this hat during the cold mornings.

Joey Gnome

A variation on our hat pattern.  Joey and Mommy share this hat which features the Tunisian simple stitch and knit stitch.  This also makes a cute baby hat!

Garden Gnome

A gift from Grandma and Grandpa.  Haven't see any slugs eating the veggies since he arrived!  Our garden protector.

Morrie Gnome

Wilson's 8th grade buddy Morrie, at Davis Waldorf School, knitted this beautiful gnome and blanket for him.  Wilson named the gnome "Morrie".  She likes to watch Wilson knit on the couch.

A wonderful article on Biodynamic Gardening, gnomes and composting can be found in this month's Lilipoh magazine.  Hopefully the gnomes are enjoying our compost pile!

Happy Autumn!

Autumn is...

Setting up our Autumn display -- pumpkins and corn stalks from our old garden.  Tunisian crocheting a bow for the stalks.  (Look!  One of the baby kittens has come to play.).

Spinning up our new Autumn Equinox yarn!

Geology Block Grade 6

Updating the nature table.  (pics to come!)

Celebrating Michaelmas at Davis Waldorf School (pics of kids not on blog for privacy. Rick's Grade 6 class made the dragon with flour puffing out!). 

Crocheting berets.

Singing!

Golden light is turning gray

Mists begin to rule the day

Bare the trees their branches lift

Clouds of dead leaves earthward drift....

Dye & Fiber Retreat

Our family attended the annual Griffin Dyeworks Dye & Fiber Retreat this year in the beautiful mountains above Castaic, California.  This was the 4th year for the whole family, and Mommy and Joey's 5th year attending.  Definitely one of the highlights of our year!

Camping on the Hillside

Punch Needle Rug Hooking

Spinning

Naalbinding

Natural Dyeing

Splash Dyeing

Whittling

Soldering a Pebble Dish

Making a Spindle

Embroidery

Tie-Dyeing

Card Weaving

Cross Stitch

Graduated Dyeing

Teaching Tunisian Crochet

Selling our Fiber Arts Tools, Books and Totes

Time out for fun -- basketball, star-gazing and musical improvisation

It was a jammed-pack weekend filled with sweet, wonderful, talented people -- and teaching, learning, sharing and creating.  Thank you to the amazing staff and supporters of Griffin Dyeworks for hosting this event!