February 20th 2012 - Finished and photographed final hat. I did a lot of shaping and the hat fits with good balance allowing the asymmetry I wanted with the cage to one side. I felted hand dyed pink wensleydale locks in the middle of the birdcage so it is like a nest, inside a cage, as though the cage is optional to the bird - and it must be as there are 3 speckled eggs in the center but mom is out for a little sustenance. The hanger part of the cage has copper wire wrapped about the yarn for a nice round hard circle, and to elaborate on the idea of a hanging cage. I think this would be a nice sculptural or wall piece hung from the back of a mannequin bust or the hat itself from a ceiling. Now I just need to determine how to display it for the show.

February 17th 2012 - The hat is coming together nicely now. The birdcage if fully built and I have finished almost all of the pieced crochet parts and pinned them to a styrofoam head. Just a bit more crochet to do and then attaching it all and sizing. I am thinking about if I want some kind of bird, perhaps felt, inside. I am wishing I had some kind of antique taxidermy bird or something.

February 11th 2012 - The Neilson Park Creative Centre is having an exhibition themed ‘Got Attitude’ and the Etobicoke guild is primarily focusing on a theme of ‘Hattitude’. At first I was going to do something totally felt and sculptural but I have had this vision of this hat in my head for a while now so I think it will actually fit in -what better time to get it started?

I need to photograph my sketch but I usually don’t share a lot of details until I am further along in the project. I don’t like to get inspiration or ideas from comments I receive in the ‘not ready yet’ phase as it might influence the income of the final work.

So far I have spun a very greasy fleece and scoured the yarn. It is now soft, a grey Polwarth au natural. I have collected twigs for the construction of the cage and am now thinking if I want the base to be wooden or felted. The yarn should be dry soon and then I can ball wind it, or maybe wind it on the nostepine because it is massive. I think I will then freeform crochet this shape that is dancing about in my brain.