An Evening with Shirley Adams

Wish I remembered what was so funny…but the evening was delightful…full of interesting stories and history of her PBS show years.

The evening was all my wonderful friend/helper Carol Coleman’s idea…she was wanting to pick up Shirley’s donation of her boooks/patterns for Carol’s ASG group – and Carol wanted to save the shipping expense.  We called and invited her to dinner, and afterwards returned to her lovely home in Plainfield, IN to hear more of what she is up to these days in her ‘retirement’.  I was especially intrigued with this wonderful intertwining Wisteria vine that provides a ‘roof’ over her arbour covered deck.  She shared that it has grown to this over the last 20 years from a potted plant in the corner!  AMAZING!  I’d love to see it in bloom in the spring…

Shirley and Carol

Shirley is not resting on her laurels – that’s for sure.  She participates at a gallery in Danville, IN with her lovely purses made of pinweaving and ultrasuede. AND, she travels to women’s groups offering her ‘100 Bags’ shows.  She showed us her bin after bin of amazingly beautiful one-of-a-kind purses featuring a panel of pin weaving and created from UltraSuede.  One color family per huge BIN of completed purses!  She uses no pattern, but completely makes each up as she goes.  Here are some pin weaving pieces she had scattered at her dining room table…

Pin weaving panels awaiting transformation into a classy purse…

Shirley showing off a few of her lovely purses.

Kit-making process

Shirley also actively teaches pinweaving with her pattern on such, and here you can see her kit-making process.  She shared that she absolutely LOVES creating kits of ‘goodies’ for her students.

Shirley Adams is definitely all about creativity, taking risks, working hard, and staying hard at work!  If she is the example of how working hard pays off…..in seemingly eternal youth and vibrancy…sign me up!!!!  Thanks, Shirley…for all you’ve doe, shared, and taught so many of us!