Flower Cuff After Stitching

The flowers have been stitched using clear Sulky thread on top (I use whatever is already in the bobbin - sometimes I'll really loosen the tension so that a little of the bobbin thread shows on top).

Note that you are creating the illusion of flowers by adding stitched to mimic the petals - notice the added details that create much more interest than if everything were of the same scale. Also consider repeating the flowers and colors to make your cuff more pleasing to the eye. Another tip: be sure to add at least a little green - nature never shows flowers without it!

This cuff could be finished and used as is by just adding a button and carefully slitting a buttonhole in a strategic place - flower center perhaps? (a fast, easy and beautiful gift); however, for those interested in my next step which will be Wet Felting

(when I get the time) and always adds an element of surprise because you never quite know how it will look when it is finished - that's what makes it fun for me!

Follow Along if You Like

This cuff is in the beginning stages - I've needle felted some flowers on to a soft but thick prefelt (if you don't have access to these, you can make your own by running some roving under the Embellisher needles; if you are using Felbi which is very thin then you'll need to use about 4 layers). Wet felting shrinks the wool, so you'll need to make your piece 25 - 40% longer to allow for shrinkage. Make sure to add details - the look will change quite a bit once it is stitched and wet felted but the surprise element is what makes wet felting such an exciting process.

Next I'm going to add some free motion stitching before I wet felt it. I'll post pictures after each step :-)

Finished cuff

Here is the finished blue cuff - it's very organic and has all sorts of folds that go in interesting directions so I decided to use those to advantage and work the flowers around them.

The bottom photo shows the button that I love (wish I knew who made these - I have about four others - the texture works so well with the felt). Sorry the picture is so blurry.

MS&W Purchases

As usual, I overdid buying more glorious fiber at last week's show although I had made up my mind not to - yep, I'm weak when it comes to fiber; especially when it's something I don't already have. One of the things I purchased was a batt that had been fulled in the washing machine by the vendor - I never would have tried that on my own thinking I'd end up with a woolly mess but there are some lovely organic pieces. This one called out to be a "cuff" so I needle and wet felted some flowers and will add some beads and hand embroidery; at the far right if you look closely you'll see a rosy pink clay button that fits right in, also from the wool festival.

These are additions to my "stash" and include bamboo fiber, angora/silk/merino and wool/seacell (seaweed!) that I can't wait to try. I'll also incorporate some of these fibers into my "Confections" that I sell retail - I'd been selling them through "Nancy's Notions" and verified they'd continue to carry thembefore listing them as a source in my book but they have a new buyer and maybe fiber isn't her thing!
"Confections" a variety fiber pack, and "Snippets" a selections of color coordinated silk fabric, yarns and fiber for machine needle felting will be sold either through my web site or through Etsy. Of course, I sell these wholesale as well - please contact me for information if you're interested in carrying them.

These new fibers from last weekend are a tiny addition to what I already have. In fact, I've decided to move from the room I've been using as a studio into a much larger room - all the furniture has been cleared out, the rug (yes I'd love to have a wood floor but this will have to do in the meantime) has been stretched and cleaned, the space has been planned and some nice storage pieces selected from Ikea - I just can't wait to have a large, organized space (I've already taken over the walk-in closet in the large room for my wool and curl stash, bolts of fabric and other supplies); it will be so wonderful to have everything in one space and in order. There will be room for the seven machines I have, the drumcarder, quilting table and fabric stash, samples and office necessities too - computer and files.

MD Sheep and Wool 2009

Jacket front - machine needle and wet felted; shibori detail on the lapel.

Jacket back in merino, silk/wool blend with hand dyed silk velvet and silk gauze trim; sleeves have same shibori detail and velvet/silk trim. Inspiration was some hand dyed silk gauze I had dyed in shades of saffron; I dyed some velvet and more gauze in variegated pinks/saffron/peach mix to add excitement - I love going to the "edge" with unusual color combinations that I find exciting.

Anyone that know me, is aware that I love the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival - it takes me about 15 minutes to get to the fairgrounds so I'm there early and leave late. I also buy way too much and this year was no exception. Although I promised myself that I'd abstain from going crazy - and did fairly well on Saturday, Sunday was much more rainy so fewer crowds meant I could get in to see and buy more. Yes, I confess I now could open my own store. While in the past I my purchases were geared more toward machine needle felting (love those hand dyed locks), this year I focused on wool and fiber for wet felting - there are batts, prefelts, bamboo fiber, silk/merino blends -- even some of Theresa and Mehmet's wool in a glorious blue.

The icing on the cake was that my friend, Kathy, won the 1st prize for her nuno apron (sorry I don't have a picture yet) and I won 2nd place and also the "Fashion Future" award (think that is what it's called) which meant I get a pound of wool from feltmaker Miriam Carter, who, (besides being a very nice person) according to her bio is a "4th generation felter" and her work is mouth watering so I can't wait to get my hands on the wool.

Isn't he lovely, Isn't he beautiful . . . . .

I'm pleased to introduce little "Win", John Winston Pirtle to be exact; our baby's baby!!! He is the reason there hasn't been much activity on here lately as I've spent several weeks in SC enjoying his good and sweet nature -- too bad I wasn't blogging when our four other special grandchildren in our lives were born - I'll have to find some good pictures of them to post soon too.

A content and happy boy sitting with his Mom.

"I found my thumb!" (note my little lobster pj's!)

Happy Easter!

The Easter centerpiece in preparation for the Grandchildren - love to have lots of things for them to see at their eye level and plenty of goodies as well (I'm still a little girl at heart so I love creating little fantasies whenever they come for dinner!). The special fancy dyed Easter eggs are still to be added. This year Mom and I will be making their little Easter basket cupcakes again - baked in flat bottomed ice cream cones, iced with pink frosting, topped with pale green "grass" (coconut), jelly bean "eggs" and a licorice twist handles - the children (six of them) just love these and can hardly eat their dinner with anticipation.

On a more serious note, I'm so grateful that God sent his only Son to let us know the Good News and our family has been very Blessed so we have a lot to be thankful for.