Did it work? Let's Find Out!

Good Evening!  What a day...woke up to rain...LOTS of rain...it was so wonderful to listen to it gushing down the drains.  Reminds me of our days on our sailboat, Sapphire.  Very soothing and peaceful.  And after getting the morning off to a good start I went into my 'studio' aka: the living room, to check out the results of my efforts last night to felt my circle prefelts onto a brown batt background.

I had separated my two projects, leaving the purse for later and just worked to finish what I hoped could be a coat, shawl, wrap, skirt or who knows what!  It went okay, but I did find that places where I had two layers of fabric generally didn't felt well - too thick. 



Close up of felted circle shows how fabric shrunk in and exposed wool below.



Here are four kinds of fabric plus a ribbon and yarn - all well felted.

And in some places the fabric only partially felted so I finally ended up pulling some off as they just were not going to be on securely enough.  And some that stayed on well ended up quite a bit different size than the felt circle of wool underneath them.  Still all in all not a bad deal once I was done.  I still hope to make a coat.  The batt ended up a bit thin in a few places so might have to use a lining for better wear if I make a coat.  I have it pinned into a coat shape.



Front of Coat in Progress




Back of Coat in Progress

So for future reference for a higher quality product I know that: 
I need to use thinner cloth than some of my samples; especially if I plan to overlap them
I could add some very, very thin layers of wool over the top of the circles to help secure them
I should work even slower so that things get more thoroughly attached before I full the item. 

The circles motif itself still looks to be a good design and what I have is certainly a usable product so I am happy!  Tonight there are thunderstorms all around and over us.  Quite thrilling since I don't have to be out in it, nor worry about the anchor dragging.

Janet

Will it work?

You know those times when you wished you could just chunk the old alarm clock out the window?  Today just happened to be one, though luckily it improved as the day progressed!  Once I did listen to the alarm and get up and going, I found myself sitting in the doc's office, and I was reminded why I like knitting so much!  It's the one part of my fiber work that I can take with me where ever I go...well almost everywhere.  And it is relaxing. (sigh)  Try it if you haven't - you just might find you like it too!

Anyway once back home, I swapped out my needles for my scissors and finished cutting circles from my prefelt.  Recently, I read about a method I hadn't tried yet and I was anxious to give it a try. Soooooo.... I laid out my batt and then put my prefelts down for my design.  Two new things here: using batt instead of roving (loose wool) and using prefelts for my design instead of forming it out of loose wool.  Will using batt be faster?  I hope so.  Will it still produce the soft, supple yet strong felt that I desire?  I hope so!  Will my designs still be intriguing and eye catching?  I hope so!

Part of the reason I was so dreading the alarm this morning was because my mind had been swirling ideas and images all night long.  Many thoughts about what to try FIRST kept popping into my brain. Ugh!!!  I just needed to get some sleep.  Well anyway, I decided to first try a handbag - felted all in one piece.  And just because I couldn't see wasting the rest of the table space, (Gotta a big roll of bubble wrap so I may as use it right?) I also laid out a cape or maybe what will become a coat... Before leaving for my evening class, I had time to wet it all down and roll it for 20 minutes...

Beginning of a cape or coat.

Handbag using prefelt

Tomorrow is a busy day...off to Spokane for errands...so maybe no felting.  We'll see!

Janet