Yet more cards

I wanted to make some more cards, and try out a new method! 

These were made after a trip to the beautiful White Peak area of Derbyshire, and are slightly inspired by the distinctive stone walls there. 

I made the felt, which is very fine and delicate in a new (to me) way, suggested in Sheila Smith's book "Embellish, Stitch, Felt"  I laid out a piece of water soluble fabric, and then built up overlapping but very fine layers of merino wool, bits of organza, dyed scrim, sari silk, coloured silk. I then put another piece of water soluble fabric on top to make a sandwich, and pinned it all together to hold it. I then used the embellisher machine to needle felt it all over. 

I then washed away the fabric, lightly squeezing the felt to wet- felt it just a little. 

After drying, I pinned another layer of w-s fabric on top, on which I drew out the design I wanted to free motion machine stitch - wall shapes, clouds, grasses. After completing that, I disolved the w-s fabric away again, and, once dry,  was left with this:

I then cut sections off, on an irregular manner, and teased out the edges a bit with a needle to soften the cut edge. Then I added a few french knots and stuck them onto blank cards. 

The felt is very fine - transparent in places. Here's a closeup:

Update a week later...

After making two cards with this piece, I decided not to cut off more strips for cards, but to mount the rest onto a small canvas. 

I painted the top and bottom of the canvas with acrylic paint mixed with pva glue, and pushed some muslin into the paint mixture to add some texture. The felt was wrapped round the canvas and glued. 

A few more quick cards....

 I used the embellisher machine to make some colourful, rather moody backgrounds, using mainly merino wool, with some silk and a little sparkly fibre.

Using black thread, I machine sketched some seed heads, without trying to be too exact.

I added a few small beads as stars, for just a touch more textural interest.
Then I used the glue gun to stick them on to the cards. 

A few felted cards

I like sending hand made cards to friends when I can. It seems more personal, and is almost like sending a mini present. Here are a few quick ones I made recently. 

I little bit of burlap tucked between the sky and the green foreground adds texture and interest. A wisp or two of silk highlights the sky, and I finished with a few french knots. 

The sky is laid horizontally, and the grasses roughly vertically. Merino and a little silk for accents. 

In each case I laid the wool onto a large Clover needle felting mat, and needle felted sufficiently to hold it together, before gently wet felting. I find if I cover the mat, after shrinkage this makes a reasonable size and proportion for an A6 blank card. 

Bird Box card

 I like making my own cards, and find simple naif designs with scraps of fabric and free motion stitching quite satisfying to make. My daugter has just moved into a new flat, and this is what I've made. 

I used some blackout curtain lining fabric as the background as it is solid enough to stitch on without a hoop. I'm not very good at controlling the stitching, but I say that the imperfections just add to the charm! 

I use a Pilot Frixion pen to draw on the designs, then just use a warm iron to remove the marks. I know there is some debate about whether the marks really disappear, but it is quick and fine for a project like this. 

I am back again...at last

It has been a very long time since I posted anything. We have moved from Belgium to England, to Suffolk, and spent a year working on our old barn. This has included building an extension, and in the roof space of this I have a beautiful room to use as a studio! What a lucky girl I am.

All this space is so intimidating! I have not done much yet - just a  few little pieces of felt, machine embroidered with seedheads, to make into cards. 

What I really need now is a course to follow, to give me some development, techniques, challenges and discipline. If anyone knows of anything in the Suffolk area, or even on-line, please let me know, 

A card with love

Well everything seems to have happened last weekend - the marriage of our son, and the birth of a little girl to my godson and his wife. I made this card to welcome her. The machine quilting puffs up the heart in the centre.I was not very creative in thinking of a baby motif, but the softness of the felt makes it seem appropriate.

Now with French knots

I liked the little card so much, I tried it again.

Here is the little piece of felt ... a bit boring...

...to which I added machine embroidery, and tried out some french knots. I had no idea how to do them, and couldn't follow written instructions, but found a little video which made all clear. They are quite addictive!
Do they look more like dandelion seed heads?

There - I'm on a roll - I've made three now. 

Cow Parsley Card

I wanted to try out "doodling" with free-motion machine embroidery, so started with this very simple outline, to add texture to a small piece of felt (merino, with wisps of silk). The sunset is a bit cliched, but somehow the naive wobbly stitching  seems to add charm.  I highlighted the flowers in silver. It looked a bit dead at the bottom, so I stitched a couple of green grassy clumps. 

I like the way the stitching gives a quilted depth to the texture. I stitched it onto a card, which I think I will send to my sister.