spring chickens

I recently learned that some blogs are purely how-to writing: knitting blogs, spinning blogs, cooking blogs. Mine is a writing blog, but some fiber arts folks come by, too. I am polishing my "I can explain anything that I can do" skills for use in magazine writing. My first paid writing is for a high-end fiber arts magazine by a publisher that produces BEAUTIFUL books. I'm thrilled to have the name on my writing resume, and I'm thrilled for the check, coming soon to a mailbox near me!

Several of my fiber arts friends ask how to make chicks-- it's not literary, not deep, but here are some quick pictures. Initially, the "chick" is a ball of firmly wet-felted wool. I tie off the neck with really firm string, while the stuff is still damp, and pinch/pull the back to form a tail. When these "chickie-bodies" dry, make deep "V" cuts from the tail toward the head, to form wings. Eyes can be embroidered or needle-felted and the beak is a diamond-shaped piece of commercial felt, folded in half and sewn-on at the seam. Untie the "collar" or make a prettier one.

One dozen chicks await wings, eyes and beaks, and the race is on to get them finished, into their felted-egg homes, and into the two or three stores on my list. I'm packing my tools for a weekend trip to a scholarship interview, leaving in a few hours.