My Version of the Starbucks Yarn Ball Wreath

Frankly, I drink so much of their coffee they should have sent me one, gratis.

Of course, I had helpers.

Another Landscape. From a photo.

A Landscape: The woods of Raton, New Mexico to be exact. Can you see it?

Abstract #2

We were given a long list of words to use as objects in our paintings: Here are some of the words I used: Hat, cellophane, stars, flower, map, braid, vine, numbers, fireworks, and eyeglasses. Some of those items are in the first layer of the painting and were painted over.

Abstract Number 1

Comment during the critique: "I liked it better before lunch."
My comment to Ali later: "I'm not the best in the class."
Her response: "How can you tell?"
Actually, I liked it better before lunch too. I was thinking too much after lunch.

Recycled Sweater Bag

Bought a wool sweater from Goodwill, felted (ruined) it in the washer, hacked off the sleeves, widened the neck and sewed up the bottom - Shazam! A bag!

Full o' groceries

Kevin approves.

Completed Jumper!

I can hardly believe I made this all by myself!

Felted Sweater Jumper

Felt-o-rama!

A successful first try! I need to work on my shaping, this is a hat pattern, with two handles sewn on, but overall, I am very pleased.

Before the wash: After the wash:
Can I fit in that?

Walden Flowers

This arrangements is made of wildflowers that are referenced in Walden, and cited in the PLANTS site,which is in itself a very magnificent angry craft. Its design was inspired by a comment that Paul made on the ABC (which I cannot find) that described a garden or porch, where the plants were not actual flowers, but a stick with the name of the plant on it, placed in a pot of dirt.

Chickory: as compared to ‘vegetative sand’ [pp.201];

Cranberry: [pp.78]; as example of a cash crop, [pp.131] [pp.158];

Daisy: [pp.80].

Dandelion: alone in field, [pp.92].

Flag (Iris): [pp.119-120]; [pp.131]; [pp.133]

Garlic: [pp.39].

Hemlock: “Hemlock tea” [pp. 100]; tree scholars, [pp.134-135];

Milkweed: [pp.156].

Sage: cultivate poverty like [pp.210].

I'm in Business!

Pitchfork Magazine says "Angry Sleeves goes nowhere."

Coffee Sleeves

Field testing the two best this morning. Super hot tea, yet nary a burn.

The red one could be reversible, though I think the tab is rather unsightly.

This was my first attempt. I'm hiding the bad seam by only showing the front. There is a pocket on this one, but it blends in too much. (note to self, make pockets a contrasting color.)

Felty McQuilterson

New Mendoza Line Album and Angry Crafts

The Mendoza Line Album 30 Year Low, comes with a bonus disk, Final Remarks of a Legendary Malcontent. On that disk is....the song I wrote! Angry Crafts!
That's right, little old me Eleanor Reed has a song on a genuine musical type album! My roommate is encouraged my to write a song. I did, it is terrible, but I have to say meets the requirements of the Angry Crafts philosophy, in that I did it. I sang, and played the baritone to accompany myself. Our friend Pennie added the clarinet, and that is Paul adding the various zinging string sounds, I think from the autoharp.

Paul, my roomate (and co-incidentally member of the Mendoza Line) put the song on a CD he sent to some friends, and Tim Bracy asked if he could put it on the album. I said ok, because, well, don't you sort of have too? Isn't that one of those things on everyones to do list? "have song on Indie Rock Album" - check.

If you are the first, perhaps only person to have discovered this site because you heard the song on the album and wanted to know more about what sort of trainwreck that was, please email me. I'll send you one of my Angry Crafts if you like! I must say, I don't quite know what to do with them.

Lost in Wandering Angles

  

Sigh and Duck

  

Angry Hats

 
A frenzy of knitting with the Jiffy Loom created a large collection of hats. Very satisfying. 

Not So Much Angry, as Desperate - The Quilt

Five years in the making. Note the crooked square on the lower right. There are other squares like that, in addition to lines of stiching that positively careen across the fabric.

Angry Song: 1000 Pieces of Broken Glass

Suddenly destroyed by nothing in particular
I cross the less traveled path
into the center and out again
All the lefts and rights fall away

I am happiest when I cry
and he is angriest when he sleeps

Dear and sweetheart the waiter says
A pursuit more genuine
It is 1000 pieces of broken glass
it is all collected ephemera

He is angry when he sleeps
He is angriest when he sleeps

Hard and brassy in the park there is some huge turning
I pay too much money and leave before he returns
Perhaps the wicked pursuit I should abandon
is of you
my dear

But I am happiest when I cry
And he is angriest when he sleeps.

Angry Song: The Store is Closed

Board me up, the store is closed
Dusty lessons and broken souls
Make the rust run off my nose
Board me up, the store is closed

Dime a dozen paper goods
Broken class and warping wood
Only dirt where my heart once stood
Board me up the store is closed

Just a phase of my younger days
Lines of books out the door
Life was filled but the ring of the till
was totalled to less not more

Sweep my hat and wax the floor
I will study war no more
It is hollow at the core
Board it up, the store is closed

#9 (Extremely Angry)

#8

#7

#6 Detail

#6

Statement

A person creating art should not be concerned that it is right, but rather that it just is.

#5

#4

#3

#2 Detail

#2

#1 Detail

#1

Angry Crafts

I feel there is an uptapped segment of the craft market. Angry Crafts.

There are those who would use crafts to uplift their mood, but I find when I am grumpy this is unappealing to me. I do not want to stamp cards with cheerful sayings or create scrapbook pages of happy times, but I would like to do something creative.

Hence the need for angry crafts. Tearing up strips of cloth and dumping them in a bucket. Decoupaging the word "hate" in many fonts onto a plywood square. Sewing crooked lines in felt, or scribbling with black crayon on a old chair covered in white primer.

Welcome to the world of angry crafts.