a life of felt

Archive for the ‘Felting’ Category

Garment making – part 1

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

I don’t usually make garments, don’t get me wrong there’s nothing wrong with it but it doesn’t normally enthuse me. This time however, I’m very enthusiastic. It’e to be a very feminine garment and for a larger lady with a 48″ waist. Given that when working with wool tops you need to start larger to account for shrinkage during felting it means it’s going to be a big piece of work.

Preparation is key and it’s really not worth rushing this stage. So lots of measurements, quick sketches, a look at images on the internet, thinking through the processes and various stages, then it’s time to start gathering equipment and supplies.

Lots of bubble wrap, bits of lace and a quick sample of how I might make it look very full through gathering.

Lots and lots of fibres, both tops and locks plus some yarns. I’m hoping to make an impression on my stash!

I’ll be laying out at 160cm x 78cm so it’s going to need two tables to work on or I’ll be crawling round the floor again. There’ll be more to see next time but do feel free to speculate in the interim.

Tags: felt, garment, handmade
Posted in Felting | 2 Comments »

Jacob pot

Friday, January 20th, 2012

Just before Christmas I was asked to make a pot in Jacob wool similar to the Devon one below.

Here it is. Jacob wool tops with added Tussah silk fibres.

I can show you now because it won’t spoil anyone’s birthday surprise anymore.

Tags: 3D. wet felt, handmade, jacob
Posted in Felting | 1 Comment »

Heart Bunting

Thursday, January 12th, 2012

I began this set of bunting in August I believe. Although it’s not complicated to make sheets of felt for cutting up I just didn’t find the time to finish – looking back I seem to have had quite a few projects like this last year but at least they get finished eventually. It’s all made from British Blue Faced Leicester wool, the pink was hand dyed by me, do you think it’s bright enough?

The edges are hand stitched in plain running stitch with embroidery thread and each flag has an appliqued heart. They’re machine stitched to the tape. I didn’t do running stitch along the top and I’m now wondering if I should have – opinions?

There are 12 flags on each set, flags are 12cm wide by 18cm long. I made sufficient felt for five sets but only three are completed as I ran out of tape. And yes, the yellow really is that vivid!!

Tags: Blue Faced Leicester, bunting, felt, handmade
Posted in Felting | 2 Comments »

Backgrounds

Thursday, December 15th, 2011

You may remember that I asked for your feedback on which background is best for my brooches and you responded magnificently. Interestingly there wasn’t an overall winner which says to me that a variety of backgrounds is best and I shoudn’t worry too much as long as the photos are good quality.

About eighteen months ago Hubby made a bench for the garden, it was very sturdy and looked really good. After the ravages of last winter we noticed that despite his best attempts with the varnish, the weather had found it’s way to the wood and we had some black spots and discolouration appearing on the bench.

Hubby was understandingly upset about this, I on the other hand am delighted as it makes the most wonderful background. Just look how it makes this brooch sing.

Tags: backgrounds
Posted in Felting | 3 Comments »

Tidy up time

Tuesday, December 13th, 2011

Having finished my commissions I reckoned it was time for a tidy up of my work room. Now logical people amongst you, of which I hope there are few, will expect that to mean picking things up and putting them away. Those amongst you with crafting tendencies will know this to be laughable.

I’ve picked things up shuffled them around, re-arranged piles and yes I can say progress is definitely being made, with the exception that nothing has actually been put away yet! With no workshops to distract me I find this a good time to take a close look at things and decide what to do in the long term rather than just putting them in a cupboard.

There’s been a couple of samples hanging around for months. The first is a piece of felt onto which I stencilled blue hearts in fabric paint and the other was an experiment with a skeleton leaf and a fine layer of Blue Faced Leicester fibres. I really don’t need these to illustrate any points in workshops so decided to make them into cards. First stop my inspiration box.

Obviously this needs tidying up too but it’s where I store my hand made papers, patterns and general inspiration from cards and photos to magazine cuttings. I always enjoy a browse through here and always think I should browse more often if I had the time. I found some lovely blue papers for my little felt hearts.

One has tissue paper pasted onto card and lightly painted, the other has painted card onto which I impressed bubble wrap which made a lovely pattern.

Little bits of scrap felt combined with a little time = a little bit of happiness. I’m pleased with these cards and now they really have been tidied away, going into the card drawer for some of those birthdays coming up in the next two months.

Tags: cards, felt, handmade
Posted in Felting | 2 Comments »

I don’t want to let go

Friday, December 9th, 2011

I’ve finally finished the last of my Christmas commissions and can begin to concentrate on all that noise in my head of new things to do. I couldn’t take any photos for the last few days as it’s been so dark, wet and windy but this morning, the wind has dropped slightly and the light has improved somewhat. The river has broken it’s bank and if it continues to rain it’ll flood in more places and the journey home will be circuituous but here are a few pics before the items go.

It’s a while since I made a brooch in this style but it was a special request. The back two layers are Merino and the top layer is hand dyed Blue Faced Leicester.

Just like a firework in bright red Merino with gold, pink and orange silk fibres. Orange seed beads exploding from the centre outwards.

I just LOVE this fabulous ruffled heart shaped wreath. Do I really have to let it go, I do wonder if I could say I didn’t have time to finish it and keep it for myself. But perhaps, it would be better just to make another one.

Perhaps a red or pink one next for Valentines day.

Tags: handmade, heart, ruffled, wreath
Posted in Felting | 7 Comments »

At Home

Friday, December 2nd, 2011

Last night I held my annual ‘At Home’ event where people can call in and buy direct from me. It was a lovely night with a great chatty atmosphere even though there was nore tea than wine being drunk – weren’t we good. This year I had one or two new items on offer. These are felted soaps based on pebbles / rock.

I so enjoyed making these that I went on and made more using handmade soaps with essential oils.

Below are a few needlecases.

I’ve always put sparkly thread on the seams of hearts before but decided upon red this year. They’ve found a little spot in my heart.

Food on the brain!

These birds are so much fun. I love them and had to keep some for myself.

I only made one reindeer which I’ve kept for myself but I then had the thought that there was something of a llama about the body shape, now that’s all I can see!

Tags: christmas, handmade at home
Posted in Felting | 8 Comments »

Calendar Girl

Thursday, December 1st, 2011

It’s true I’m now a calendar girl. I was a featured artist on the World of Wool site earlier in the year and they recently asked permission to use an image of my work for a calendar. Of course I said yes and although I’m waiting for the post to arrive with my personal copy you can see it right now on the World of Wool website.

Tags: calendar
Posted in Felting | 2 Comments »

Even more recycling

Sunday, November 13th, 2011

I still had some of the little fabric pieces that I made in order to create the heart shaped wreath.

I’ve been playing around with them to see what else I could create. Many of the ‘creations’ have
been scrapped but I’m loving these dinky brooches.

They’d look good on hair slides too.

Tags: felt, handmade, recycling
Posted in Felting | 1 Comment »

Free fleece

Friday, November 11th, 2011

A very nice breeder called Tim has gifted me fleece from his rare breed Portland sheep. Tim keeps the sheep to cross graze with his horses but knows little about what this wool would be useful for. Rather than waste the fleece it’s been passed to me to try and find homes for it and to feed back to Tim what we think of it for spinning and felt making.

There are 12 black sacks of fleece available on a first come first served basis. So stake your claim now. Here’s a little more information.

Lots of lanolin. A little more straw in with some of it then we’d like but it’s been near the stables and some hay was dropped on it. Otherwise not too bad in the main.

I pulled some fibres out from various sections and the staple length is 3″.

It had 2 washes and 2 rinses, a quick spin in the machine and out to dry. It’s cleaned up quite well and was easy to card on hand carders.

I needed to add a little more soap for felting and it’s not a bad felter but it won’t be a favourite with me because it’s still a little stretchy and to felt it any further I would lose all detail. I do like solid well felted wool so this isn’t the one for me but would be suitable for softer projects like pictures. I have no idea how well it would spin but for the staple length, it’s quite a soft wool.

If you’d like to take a bag of unwashed raw fleece just drop me an email or give me a call. All I ask in return is that you tell me what you do with the fleece and how well or otherwise, it suited your purpose. I’d like to pass this on to Tim so he has more of an idea if it has a commercial value. If it turns out that it’s great for spinning or felting and you’d like more next year I’d be happy to put you in touch with the breeder.

Tags: fleece, portland
Posted in Felting | 8 Comments »