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Monday, 22 August 2011

Seamless Felted Bags

It's taken ages, but have, at last, completed making some seamless, felted bags.  Previously I have needle felted large pieces of felt and then chanced a cycle in the wash to complete the felting process.  This has not always paid off, as I have left wash cycles on for too long  and consequently ended up with pieces on a smaller scale than I had anticipated - particularly distressing, if it's taken a number of hours to create the basic design.

Here are some photos of the work before I list on Etsy:










Friday, 10 June 2011

A Seamless Bag

When viewing listed felted items on Etsy, it seems to be a badge of honour if you have made a seamless bag, coat, flower whatever.  For some time I have been making fabric and then using the sewing machine to piece the item together.  So decided that I would create a seamless bag.  It took 2 days, practically and a lot of slog and many wet floors, tables, and towels but I did finally make that seamless bag, with pocket.  It was pretty massive to start off with, it is still quite large now despite masses of rolling, throwing and alternative throws in hot and cold water.  Anyway, here it is.

See the image bag diary:









Addicted to Dyeing

Having bought some Easy Acid Dyes, which do not require any additives at all, made some pre-felt discs in Icelandic wool tops, ready to immerse in dyes.

I also made some felt balls to creative the centre of the flowers - I plan to halve these and then perhaps decorate with beads.

Used tie dyed method.


I love the vibrant colours, and am going to make some cobweb felt which I will also hand dye, and will attach the flowers to the ends of the scarves.

Embroidered Purses Continuned

Went back to the drawing board, back to the sewing machine.   Making doodles in the sketch book followed by a doodle or two onto the sewing machine.  Spent two whole days making these, but was rewarded by sales on Etsy and some really nice feedback.  Have made some more cream felt ready for more sewing machine lines but have been side tracked by making flowers using hand dyed Icelandic wool - which is incredibly hairy and quite rough but which has an attractive decorative surface.











Tuesday, 17 May 2011

Small Embroidered Purses

Have a break from work, so can start to build up a small selection of work. As I enjoy working with the sewing machine as a drawing tool, I have made some felt using cream coloured wool tops to act as blank canvasses.

Made some felt yesterday using some natural Icelandic fleece.  I was trying to create a raised textural surface, but became a bit frustrated with my lack of success so sort revenge by placing it in the washing machine - the surface became very tortured and had long random white hairs protruding - it looked as if I had been shedding whilst felting.  Don't think I'll use that wool again.   Need to do small tests really otherwise I seem to waste large amounts of fabric.  Hence my wall hanging below: which incorporates all those pieces that did not work out!!

Have ordered a book from Amazon


which might help me get to the bottom of creating imaginative surfaces....









Thursday, 10 February 2011

New Addition -

It started out like this, but ended up completely different, but I am really happy with the result.  Wet felting on a cold kitchen floor has lost a lot of its allure - if it ever was alluring.  My knees and back ache and my hands shrivel.  Determined to go back to old felting ways, I persevered.  However, things did not go as planned, so after a great deal of floor exercise, decided to return to the washing machine method.  Steam ironing, and shaping the felt once it has been washed, helps to flatten and smooth the material.






Monday, 7 February 2011

New Work

Have come back from a lovely weekend in the Lakes, staying at a great hotel, the Hillthwaite.  Windermere town seems to be completely full of boutique hotels but not so full of visitors, this weekend,  as it was so damp, rainy and windy.  

Meanwhile, this is work I have been making over the past week.  Still drawing the design using the needle felting technique, which I then felt in the washing machine, the design remains in tact.