Alanna Nelson
welcomes you to her fiber art, knits and brand building stories.
Unravel: Voices of E Pluribus Unum
" I resolve to make a difference." Boston Women's March: Voices of E Pluribus Unum The Arlington Center for the Arts includes this quilt for Unravel - a fiber art exhibit that sheds light on the contemporary political scene. Difficult to photograph, this quilt...
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Finestre Migranti at Verona Tessile
The debut of the Finestre Migranti exhibit at Verona Tessile included Alanna’s felt and cotton interpretation on “Immigration Windows.” Here are some of her takeaways.
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“Outside the Ordinary” in Lawrence
Surround yourself with those who share your passion. My fiber art critique group, Joined by Stitch is a perfect example of that adage. Eight spirits work through different stages of their artistic journeys, creating beautiful examples of technique, message and visual...
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Distilling Fiber Thoughts
Last summer, I felt certain my Finestre Migranti Immigration Windows quilt would be complete by October. In October, my expectation was surely complete it by the end of 2018. Ha! As winter 2019 begins to thaw, I'm still feverishly felting and stitching. Background...
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A New England December Yarn Bombing
With apologies to Thomas Oliphant and John Thomas... "Deck the street with knit & crochetFa la la la la la la la laThey do mark "Clues from the Quilt "Fa la la la la la la la laYarn and banners at seven placesFa la la la la la la la laTis the yarn storm now in...
read moreAn afternoon of Nuno felting
An Afternoon of Nuno Felting March 9, 2019 1 to 4 pm in Melrose, MA $65 includes materials Play with wool, soap and water to create fabric that is sturdy, beautiful and useful. We'll talk about several ways to create felt and see examples. Learn how your wool choice...
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Melrose Snowflake Block Pattern
You've heard about the Melrose History Quilt project... What? Didn't I talk about this on the blog yet? I guess that was a few months ago. So, let's catch up! In May, the Melrose Historic Commission were very supportive of the project! Catch me at their booth at the...
read moreMy Windows on Immigration Quilt
Annamaria Brenti reached out in May 2017 with details of her Finestre Migranti/Immigration Windows Quilt project. Did I want to participate? "Of course!" I immediately responded. As I write, I realize it is twenty years that I've known Annamaria. Our paths first...
read moreMark your calendars! December 1 to 15, 2018 is the homecoming of a Victorian inscribed quilt made in Melrose in 1898. It will be on display at the Beebe Estate and inspired a Yarn Storm and a self-guided tour of Victorian Melrose. Many thanks to Ann Wasserman for her...
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Plantano, Sycamore, Planetree
Tree bark deserves a pause. For a statically significant portion of our lives together, my hub waits as I stop at another sycamore (or plane tree or plantano, as it is known in Italian). Pulling out my camera, the bark's earthy, rich textures and colors are a...
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