Question

If a tree falls in the forest but there's no one there to wrap it in yarn, does it make a sound?
Before you scratch your head in befuddlement take a gander a these pictures.


We happened upon this tree/sculpture as we were riding the Town Lake Trail the other day. The tree had apparently been felled recently in a storm and someone/ones had come along and wrapped its branches in lots of cheap, bright, acrylic yarn. It's really quite amazing. I love it on so many levels. Obviously the fiber connection speaks to me, but I like the public art/anonymous aspect of this project, and the fact that something like this is so quintessentially Austin.
If you live here and would like to see this for yourself, it's on the part of the trail that's just north of the Mopac foot bridge. And, if you go see it and post pictures, let me know. I'd love to see them.

Savers

I love Savers ! In case you've never been there, Savers is a chain of thrift stores. Conveniently, there's one located around the corner from my house. I've bought copious wool sweaters there(tip: always ask which tag color is half price on a given day). This bag was made from an Old Navy sweater in a terrific shade of orange. One of the best things about thrift store sweaters is that many of them are already somewhat felted. In fact, that's probably why the sweater was donated. For me, buying a sweater that's partially or completely felted is such a treat. I don't have to felt it myself and I don't have to wonder whether the wool is superwash.
Anyway, I'm teaching a class next week that focuses on using recycled and felted sweaters to create bags, i-pod cozies, etc. I made this bag as an example. I got a little carried away with embellishing it and I don't know how it will translate as an example for 9-12 year old kids, but it has sparked so many ideas. I'm really excited about making more. I love the scale of it. It's just the right size for carrying keys, driver's license, and a credit card. Using this bag has definitely forced me to prioritize what I need to have with me at all times.