Visit from a Fiber Friend

























I love attending fiber events.  I meet new people and make new fiber connections.  In 2010 I attended the ANWG conference at Willamette University in Salem, OR.  I took a 3 day workshop from Daryl Lancaster on garment construction with handwovens.  Sitting next to me was a delightful fiber artist, Sue Nylander.  The above picture is one of her art quilts taken in her Sequim, WA studio.  Underneath the quilt is some of her handwoven fabric from fabric.  Sue is much like me; fascinated with all aspects of fiber arts, drawn to it all and anxious to try anything that fulfills our need for expressing ourselves in texture and color. 

Sue and her husband are retired art educators who moved from California to the lovely town of Sequim, WA on the San Juan straits.  She is a quilter, weaver, spinner, knitter, crocheter, dyer, seamstress and master gardener.

Sue in her workshop with one of her deconstructed/constructed sweatshirt jackets

  Last August I was going to take a trip with Sue to Gabriola Island, BC for a week long dye workshop she was conducting.  I had taken the time off work, made arrangements for a flight to Seattle, bus transport to Sequim from the airport and paid rent for a little carriage house cottage for the week in Gabriola.  I was going to spend a week of fiber fun with some very creative ladies.  Alas, I learned that my younger sister in Alexandria, VA had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and had elected to undergo treatment.  I cancelled my entire week and turned my flight to Seattle into a flight to Washington, DC and spend the week with my sister. 

My sister Ginny



My sister, Ginny, had actually met Sue when all of my sisters and their husbands met in the Olympia Peninsula, Labor Day week, 2011.  Sue graciously invited us to visit her studio and gardens while we were all at a rental on Lake Sutherland near Sequim.

Ginny modeling Sue's "hippie" vest

I met Sue again at this year's ANWG conference in Bellingham, WA and found that she and her husband were traveling this August to a John Marshall workshop in No. California.  I invited them to stop by and stay over night on their long 2 day trip for some of our Southern Oregon hospitality.

Our local community garden provided the ingredients for our main dish.

Eggplant for Eggplant Parmesan





Our hills behind our house provided the morel mushrooms for our homemade tomato sauce.

Sue and her husband are on their way to a week long workshop with John Marshall but she brought me a lovely gift from their garden, a bouquet of red and pink dahlias.  We had a delicious dinner and a wonderful visit.

Weaving has connected me with many kindred spirits.   Have a wonderful week, Sue and Steve.