Alanna Nelson
welcomes you to her fiber art, knits and brand building stories.
Fiber Art at The Gallery in Malden
The March landscap in Massachusetts can be an acquired taste. Bare branches, squishy boggy mud and wide ranging weather possibilities make cozy pancake eating days in maple sugarhouses one of its main attractions. However, March 2018 is a magical time to discover Land...
Do you laugh when you hear “Knit-In”? Let me call you in.
It was my lucky day. I attended Local Environmental Action 2018, where keynote speaker Loretta Ross emphatically (in her folksy way) made her case for all aspects of human rights. Loretta would like to see a culture where we can "call in" and build connections rather...
Ho Ho Ho! Knitting books for me!
My family often uses my knitting wish list to inspire their shopping, and this year, I was lucky! Not one, but two knitting books to enjoy! My holiday knitting this year was light, and although I"m heads down into Emily Greene's Divide Pullover , you can bet I'll be...
Peanut the Lamb: A picture book for all ages.
Who can resist a sweet little lamb? While having sheep around the house may not be feasible (or even desirable, except for a quick encounter at the petting zoo), let me introduce another option to enjoy sheep from the comfort of your own home. Meet Peanut: This is a...
Melrose Open Studio Tour December 3, 2017
Melrose, Massachusetts (my fair town) has a vibrant art community and festival. We even have a community arts calendar. As a member of the Cultural Council for six years, my appreciation of the reality and possibilities grew. So when Demi Dubois asked me if I thought...
Stitching Palestine, the movie and the embroidery
Last night, I was lucky enough to see Stitching Palestine at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. While the film and its stories held me in its web, I kept thinking, "Where's the embroidery? I want to see and learn more about the embroidery!"...
Quilts at Halo Studio through October 23
The 2017 Melrose Art Walk adds extra spice to our pleasant historic downtown. In its 10th year, I've always enjoyed seeing works of local artists and appreciate the way our businesses support them. This year, my art quilts are even part of the exhibit! Three quilts...
Making mordant
It is time. Time to stop reading, planting, nurturing and foraging. It's time to start my journey into natural dyes. My first bite into this aromatic and interesting exploration is to make a mordant from rhubarb leaves. "What is a mordant," you ask? The water based,...
Creating Sequences in Life and Knits
[Knit 2, purl 1] to last three stitches... so goes a current sequence on a new Thorn by Bristol Ivy, which I started while sailing last week. Having knit this in 2014, I know that attention is needed with each new section of this easy yet detail specific scarf....
Got my spot! Cecilia Campochiaro in Boston September 8 – 9
I do believe it was Clara Parkes who introduced me to Cecilia Campochiaro's book, Sequence Knitting. The 397 page exploration of knit an purl has been on my wish list for two years - I'm sure the price deters my family from buying me another knitting book. Well, it's...