Esther's Place

Yesterday I stopped in at a wonderful fiber shop in Big Rock, IL called Esther's Place.  It is a feast for the eyes and a tactilely soothing experience.  The Lehrer family owns a farm, sheep, and this lovely B&B/ fiber arts studio.  I can't wait to return to take some classes.  Natasha Lehrer was a demonstrator last week at the Kishwaukee Valley Art League in DeKalb and truly opened up my eyes to the art of wool felting.  Her work is beyond that of what I usually associate with felting - very artistic and creative.  Check out the blogs for Natasha and her mom, Donna, as well as their Facebook page

I specifically stopped in to purchase some Lincoln sheep curls to include in my artwork.  After admiring the rack of a multitude of hand dyed curls, I decided on just purchasing the contents of the scrap basket and was pleased with the variety of colors.  The curls in the 3 baggies in the photo are Wensley dale lamb locks.

Check out a great review of Natasha and Donna Lehrer's venture on the Try Handmade blog.