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

http://www.amazon.co.uk/FilzSpiel-play-felt-Annette-Quentin-Stoll/dp/387512751X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305633522&sr=1-1  

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

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.

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.  

Slow Getting There

So slow.  It takes a whole day to make one thing (and part of the night!)  Can't think of a way around it yet.

Back to Work

Putting zips in things has long been a mystery but thanks to this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EICadoBCC1s have actually done it - hopefully it won't take as long to sew in the other 99 I recently bought. 

Four days later...

Have been  planning this in my head for a while - of course it hasn't turned out as intended, but that can be the beauty of felt and the numbness of frozen hands this week, hasn't helped.  I do like the finished item, though.  

First three layers in cream onto felt.  Carded green, and blues together

Incorporated previously felted bits and mohair wool

Needle felted the bits together and then bunged into washing machine. Kitchen floor too cold to felt on. Once it emerged from machine, I reassessed, cut, reassembled and also machine embroidered felted pieces on top of material.

Another Country Market.....in Conwy

Have not made anything since last week, but sold a few more items at Conwy's Country Market.  Great to meet other makers and exchange local craft knowledge.  Have started in earnest again today, a graffiti like purse.  I used a piece of plain felt which I made ages ago, and then started to doodle using the sewing machine.  The result is as follows:

Back upstairs to make some felt and to make an Etsy banner.