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. 

An Easter Project

This year I lead a small women's Lent study group in our village, and we were asked by our Vicar to create a reflective piece on one of the Stations of the Cross, which would be displayed over the Easter weekend. Other groups in the community also contributed. We were given the subject of Tears, thinking of when Jesus met the weeping women of Jerusalem. 

 

I made some cream merino felt, decorated on both sides with vertical trails of silk, and some bamboo. You can see the picture I used as inspiration, which was from a booklet called "One Friday" illustrated by Jenny Hawke. 

I cut out tear drop shaped from this felt. 

Each member of the group took a tear, and embellished it very simply with something significant to them - maybe just a few running stitches. While doing this they thought about what has brought them to tears. 

This tear has thorns stitched to it. 

And this one has some nails. 

The tears were suspended by fine silver threads from branches of curly hazel, representing a tree. They fell towards a "stream" of blue fabric and organza, with pebbles (some felted) and glass stones. In the stream was a text - see below for explanation. This was made with free motion machine stitching in black and silver thread on blue ribbon. 

I sandwiched the ribbon between water soluble fabric while doing the stitching to hold it firmly. 

I felt it was meaningful to involve each woman in our group by pesonalising  the tears in their own way. 

Poinsettia Christmas Wreath

I wanted to make a large Christmas wreath for our front door. I had a twisted twig circle which I have used as a base in previous years to wire fresh holly to, lacerating my fingers in the process. I gave it a spray of sparkly varnish. 

I found a great and easy tutorial from Ruth at Permutations in Fiber . Using green and red merino, and some wisps of silk, that worked very well. I used metallic red thread on the red petals (bracts?).   I had no yellow beads, so I needle felted a splodge of yellow in the centres, and added silver beads which gives it a zing. 

I glue-gunned them onto the twig base, and then gave the flowers a spray with waterproofing protector, as they will be outside. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

A fancy bag

I made this bag from some old rather matted merino dyed in shades of pink/lavender/blue. The decoration was bits of an old indian silk scarf, some dyed scrim, and a few curly locks. I laid the decoration on the resist first, and built up the bag inside out, in the manner of the wonderful Heather Woollove. Here is a detail:

 I will definitely use this method again! Partly because you forget about the design once it's hidden, and it is so exciting to rediscover it when you finally cut out the resist. 

Here is the  back, which I possibly prefer - (note to self - less is more!)

Inside the bag I incorporated two pockets using more silk and wool, These were added on the outside as I was making it. 

In some ways this is not really my style - too fussy, but I enjoyed making it and learned something. One for my present drawer! 

The Egg-Bag (part 1)

I haven't done any felting for ages! And it was hard to decide what to make to break the felting fast. How about an egg?
I have been wanting to try a one piece handbag with an integrated handle, so here goes.

I used 3 layers of merino wool around an egg shaped resist with a slightly flattened bottom.
To make the felt very strong, I incorporated a layer of cotton scrim between the top 2 layers of wool. I'm not sure if this has made very much difference, but I had some purple dyed scrim.
I carefully felted and fulled the piece using a bamboo blind and cool water with savon de marseille.  In this picture it is lying on the resist, so you can see how much it has shrunk.
I also added small pieces of silk in a random way as surface decoration, but they have all but disappeared into the felt.

It is still damp, and I have cut a curved line to remove the resist and form the handle and flap.

And the same on the other side.

Here it is stuffed with plastic bags and drying. I am feeling very pleased with the shape. 

I am planning to put some thick cord into the handle, and stitch the edges together, so that it holds its shape even with some weight in the bag. 

How should I decorate it to finish it off? - any ideas welcome! 

Nuno shawl

I found pretty piece of painted very sheer silk in a shop in Turkey. I did not want to cover it in felt, so laid on circles of merino roving. It was very large, so I wrapped it all in a roll covered with a damp towel and felted it in the tumble drier. The colour in the silk bled leaving it paler than originally, but still pretty.

 I like the interesting textures in the silk as the fulled wool draws it up. And also the fact way the wool gives the shawl texture and structure when you wear it, yet remains light. 

Silk and wool scarves

I found some silk scarves that I had bought cheaply in India, and tried felting in fine wisps of merino wool. They felted really easily, and I love the way the silk crinkles up and develops a great texture as the wool shrinks. Of course the finished length of the scarf is shorter too. Pictures cannot capture the light softness of the silk and wool, and they are delicious to wear. 

Blending with the original scarf colours, I did one in soft cream brown and yellow, for myself, and a more funky bright pinks and purples, with a detachable flower brooch, for my daughter.  

This technique of felting wool into silk is called nuno felting.