SAMPLE UPSIZED

 INCREASING THE SIZE OF THE SAMPLE

Regarding my previous post of the seascape, I decided it was a bit small so I pondered how to increase the size - the best solution seemed to be using a larger piece of prefelt and using some of the same color palette for the surrounds.  I needle felted it on but it was a bit too garish for me and distracted from the focus piece so I turned to my diaphanous Margilan silk and machine needle felted over the wool before machine stitching. It not only increased the size, but added another level of interest.  The last step was to hand-stitch the sample onto the new piece and then using double sided tape to attach to a canvas making it easy to hang on the wall.  Much more pleased with it now!  Experiments like this only serve to increase your technique.  Lesson here:  don't be afraid to try new things!

  

ALL STITCHED UP SEASCAPE

FOR SOBA 

DETAIL AND STITCHING ADDED

For some time, I've wanted to teach a felting workshop at SOBA (Society of Bluffton Artists) and to gather some students interested in forging forward to learn how much fun and addictive wet felting is.  It really is just like painting, but with wool.  The properties of wool require a bit of knowledge about the techniques as well as a bit of patience, but the results are so worth it.  Touches of needle felting and stitching and sometimes beading really enhace the work.

I promised myself to do a better job with keeping my bog updated; it really does serve as a record looking back and photographs allow you to see your work in another dimension.  

I'm hoping enough sign up to make the class a 'go.'  

If you look at my previous post, you will see that I added another bit of detail - more sun shining through as well as stitching as well as a bit of margilan silk at the shoreline.  I really love how the lace peaks through at the bottom.  

PRACTICE GIVES IDEAS

CREATING A WOOL & SILK PALETTE

New for 2025, I started working on a new seascape - this is just the beginning.  I still have to add the detail and stitching which really enhances felting.

Something that I found through practice that really helps a wool and silk palette is to use my lovely Louette drumcarder to blend fiber.  I run colors that I think will be used for a particular piece without blending them too much; usually warms, cools and greens.  This way, I can select colors for the sky as well as the other components just like a painter would.

As you can see, colors are incorporated to a point that when these batts are unrolled, particular colors can be selected and blended further if needed.  These are what were used for the above picture with the addition of some lace and some wool nepps.

NEW POSTS FOR NEW YEAR

I'm attempting to remedy updating my blog as it serves as a good record to look back on.  Natalie Drummond's invitation to join "Fiber Art Blogs" really gave me a push.  

It's tough to know where to begin writing this in 2025 since I've worked on many things since my last post in 2024. I love working on a variety of things related to textiles, and since I'm retired, I enjoy going with the flow. One thing that makes posting a bit easier is that my iPad automatically posts pictures to the 'gallery' on OneDrive.  These are only a few.

I love love dyeing wool and silk especially.  I had nuno felted the small blue scarf for a special purpose but although I liked the shape, to me it was rather 'blah' so I dyed it with Landscape Wild Raspberry and added some kid locks that I dyed at the same time and now I'm in love with it!

This mix of yarn and ribbon were dyed in my turkey roaster all together using acid dyes - such fun doing this as everything turns out variegated and just a bit different.  Then I had to do something with it to show to full advantage so I knit this neck fancy and added some ribbon and ribbon flower.

LANTERNS

One of the things I spent quite a bit of time doing was figuring out how to create sturdy lanterns from a lightweight Nuno felt with margilan silk and kid curl inclusions.

The other was a piece of Joomchi that was made a few months ago.  I found it tricky to know exactly how to present these so that they were sturdy and would maintain their shape after a while.

First I purchased LED lights but they didn't work the way I wanted them to, so then I found strings of fairy lights with 200 lights in each string complete with remotes.  The next issue was how to mount them inside so that they stayed put without using glue and were not all clumped together at the bottom.  My husband to the rescue!  He had an unused accordion vent that he cut to size for each and wound the lights around them before I inserted them inside.  It worked.

The next issue was how to secure the remote, since, if in a gallery they may be moved around a bit and get lost.  I put the remotes in a small organza bag and attached them inside at the top to a small piece of double-sided tape. 

CAT IN A HAT

For Christmas, one of our granddaughters visited so I knitted her a hat and then I decided to knit a matching one for her cat!  I added some locks hanging down the back to look like hair.  I don't think she loves it! lolol!!!