Wednesday 13 November 2013

Wednesday 10 April 2013

Something Amazing

 
If you have a little spare time
you might like  MUST  visit
 
You will find the most amazing 3D felting display.
.... You'll need to translate from Russian and expand her posts for the best pics
and WOW!
 
 
Just Amazing !

Saturday 6 April 2013

A drive in the country

There was no felting here yesterday.
... . instead, a drive to the Scenic Rim.
The day began bright and sunny with a blue fluffy sky
 soon to change to great sweeping sheets of rain
 
 Wallabies and Kangaroos were everywhere it seemed.
 These Whiptail Wallabies were playing 'statues' by the side of the road.
They have the prettiest little faces and at most are about one metre tall.
   The more we looked around us, the more we found.
 At a quick glance you could be forgiven for not noticing them. 

Thursday 28 March 2013

Needle Felted Rabbit



 Needle Felted Rabbit
with movable arms and legs.

Thursday 21 February 2013

Tuesday 5 February 2013

Nuno Felt a Baby Blanket

The wet weather has offered me an opportunity to
tidy and re-organise . . . and I found these pictures
taken when I made some nuno felted baby blankets, so I thought I'd share them now . . .
I love to make them. They end up so soft and snuggly.
It's just a shame I don't have a photo of a baby wrapped in one ! 
Anyway, I buy fine cotton voile
and use the whole width (discarding the selvedges).
I lay out fine stripes of merino fleece,
taking care to evenly cover the edges

then lay silk randomly across the fleece,


add leaves and silk roses


until I'm happy with the layout.
Then secure the silk with a superfine cobweb of merino


and wet it all down with a fine mist of room temperature soapy water,
soaking the fibres until they flatten


Double check all the voile edges to ensure they are covered with fleece
and that nothing else has strayed from it's place


and roll it up slowy.
You will often find the voile lifts and bubbles, trying to let air escape
and may cause the pattern to move.
Check this as you go and adjust as necessary
. . . you won't have another chance for a little while to do this without risking
losing your pattern.
Also, with the fibres wet, it's often easier to see
how well you've anchored your silk, so check this too as you roll it up.  
If there's not enough - now is the time to add more.


Nuno felt is a fussy (and hugely rewarding) way to felt - you have to be very patient
and begin rolling back and forth with little to no effort at first.
Do this for some time before opening the roll for the first time.
Why ? Well, try to imagine all the fibres laying in there next to each other.
What we need to do is gently push the fibre ends through the voile so they are able to
meet and grip each other on the other side of the voile before they begin to
felt together on the surface of the fabric.  
This is the begining of the process of felting which will cause
the voile to be pulled up within the fleece and create
 the puffy effect where there are no fibres. 
Moving the roll gently at first will help the fibre ends to wriggle their way through
the voile and form strong bonds with each other.
The photo above shows the first time the roll was opened.
Take time to gently check the edges and then roll it back up from the other end.
Continue this process until you can feel and see
the fibres easily on the wrong side of the voile
and continue rolling, gradually increasing pressure
and rotating the fabric from time to time.


Then it gets exciting.
Just when you think you'll be there
rolling away until Christmas next year,
 you will see the rows of fleece begin to firm up and become stronger.
It will not feel so fragile and this is the time to begin gently tossing the blanket.


Begin gently, tossing several times, then lay out the fabric,
bringing it always back to the shape you've chosen, check the edges and repeat
. . . the fabric will begin to pucker.
As it puckers more, you can turn your toss into a throw
and increase the intensity. This forces the fibres hard into the voile
where they will mesh even more tightly.


continue until the blanket is just a little bigger than you'd like - and it's time to rinse.


I rinse in luke warm water and throw a few more times (which will cause more shrinkage),
then submerge in fresh water with a little white vinegar 
to help neutralise the effects of the soap.
Now gently squeeze out the excess water, pull into shape and lay flat to dry.

And it's finally finished ! 


Please note : This is just the way I do it
- if you're new to Nuno Felting, have a hunt around and read up first .
 .. be prepared to have a play with something small before you start something this size.
A class is often a good option - if its at all possible.
That way, you not only learn from your tutor but also those around you - and who knows
what experience they might have to share?
And likewise ... if I can help - I'm only an email away !

Saturday 12 January 2013

New Year Wishes ...

Yet another year has begun and ....
My wish for the world
is that it be
a better, safer, happier place
sprinkled with love and care
My wish is that crazy, cruel, frantic events
occur with such rare frequency
that children's memories will not be scarred,
the elderly will not be afraid
and the innocent will be protected.
I'm dreaming you say ?
   ... everything begins with a dream

Thursday 6 December 2012

Felting Slippers Tips

Felting Slippers
is a time consuming activity. 
There's so much to think about
and the whole process can be overwhelming for a beginner - or even
if you haven't made a pair for a while. 


Here are a few tips which I find helpful.

The First is to always weigh your fleece
and divide it evenly between the two sides of the resist. 
For an especially even finish, then divide these two bundles
by the number of layers of fleece you'll be laying down on each side.
Weigh them out into bundles and to avoid confusion
I leave the bundles for the second side on another bench 
(sometimes distractions can make it difficult to remember exctly where you're at)
Then, spread them evenly, feathering out the edges slightly
(this will help prevent bulky side seams and chunky overlap 
when the edges are folded to the other side) 

The Second is to always try to only wet the area of the resist of your first side.
Leaving the edges as dry as possible makes it easier
to place the fleece ends where you need them when you turn them over.
This is especially helpful around curves and will also help prevent lumpy side seams.

The Third is on completion of the second side of your resist
- which will end up being the inside of the sole of the slipper, 
add a small woollen decoration.
When cutting the opening for your foot - do not cut the decorated side open.
This will ensure you always cut the top side of the slipper.

The Fourth is to felt until the fleece is quite firm over the resist.
This helps to mesh the fibres more densely before removing them from the resist.
You will find the edges of your cut easier to finish neatly 
and the slipper will keep a better shape.

The Last is that making the two slippers at the same time will most times
give you a better result since you'll have another to compare with as you work
and if you change a colour or pattern on one you can immediately do the same for the other.

You will find these tips handy whenever you work with a resist.

We're thinking of everyone out there enjoying a cold Christmas Season,
We have heat wave conditions here this week ! 

Thursday 29 November 2012

Mason Jar Lights up Felt !

Yet again it's been a while since I've posted.
I just wanted to share this little treasure I found in time for Christmas.
I was replacing damaged jars in the pantry and found a company selling Mason Jars online.
Not only was I able to stock up on jars for storage
but also for display.

You could purchase a mason jar of choice
and also this screw top solar light lid which lights up the contents of the jar.
I love the idea and the possibilities are endless ...
fill them with felted hearts, felt jelly beans or any of your favourite work.
A great idea for keeping your work dust free and safe from
pets and pests !
 

Saturday 9 July 2011

Natural Fibre Supplies from Tasmania

My dear friend Shirley lives in Tasmania, off the mainland of Australia, 
way down south where it is quite cold this time of the year. 
She surprises me with all sorts of treats to play with. 
Recently, a package arrived with some 
Superfine Tasmanian Merino Lamb Wool 18.5 micron from 'Oatlands Handmade'
- just an hour from Hobart, some wonderful hand dyed,rainbow coloured,
superfine Alpaca Rovings from The Alpaca Shoppe
Deloraine, Tasmania 
Thanks again Shirley xxx

Monday 11 April 2011

Thursday 7 April 2011

A Mouse in a Candy House !

I'm having fun with these . . . makes me wish my kids were little again.
I miss seeing that look of delight on their faces with their newfound toys!





Friday 1 April 2011

Crazy Daisy Coasters

For coffee, tea, teapots, candles, vases . . .







What is felting?

"FELT" The Essential Macquarie Dictionary meaning:

"A non woven fabric of wool, fur or hair matted together by pressure"

Fibres can be manipulated with the use of soap, water, friction and heat variations ..........or the use of barbed needles to create many interesting, practical and wearable things.

About Me