Another Day

From good ole' Merriam-Webster we have:
EXHAUSTION: the state of being exhausted.  EXHAUSTED: to tire extremely or completely.

That's me! I am done in...not enough sleep for three nights running did it.  Still I did manage to do a bit of work on a custom handbag order while on the road with Hubby in Spokane today.

Took a nap after returning home.  Got up for dinner and after I post this I am going back to my ever so soft and warm bed.  See ya all tomorrow!

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

More on Textures and Colors

Good Evening...well after another busy day (it seems life keeps getting in my way so that I never have as much time to felt as I would like) I finally got back to my felt table. I told you yesterday that I would be showing more of my Fall colors work. I have made a series of wearables with the theme you will see in this evening's pictures. I made this capelet with super soft merino roving. I put into that mix some pockets or "windows of wonder" that contain all sorts of textures and colors. Unfortunately my picture doesn't begin to show you how wonderful all that is.  There are shell beads, sequins, fibers of every sort all tucked inside - and it moves when you walk!

I also beaded along the edge with seed beads, pounded copper disks, and faceted jasper beads (more textures). Then a good friend of mine, who is also a silversmith, set a beautiful piece of Utah Jasper into a focal piece/pin (colors). I added dangles with more jasper and crystals.





Copper disks, seeds beads and faceted jasper

 

Today, however, I was working on a whole new series in Autumn colors. I have put all my tables together and covered them with a blended mix of merino and silk in greens, brown and a pinch of red. Next, I laid pieces of different textured fabrics in themes of brown, gold or green down on top of the fiber and felted just until my fabric would not fall off easily.  This is a prefelt. Then I cut circles out of the prefelt. 

Prefelt in Summer/Autumn Colors

These will become the focal pieces of what I hope to be: a coat, a purse, and perhaps more items.  But that is a project for another day. Good night all!

Janet

Colors and Textures



Fall Colors on our Tree

 Felting is all about interpreting colors and textures and so I am constantly noticing them. Today while walking my dog home I found time to snap a quick (somewhat grainy) photo of the beautiful tree in our backyard that has turned a bright crimson red.

And while working at the Bead Stampede yesterday I found all the patterns of the stones catching my attention. Shapes too make their way into my brain.



Beginning of a felt flower



I was looking back at some of my earlier handbags tonight and I have a few photos of those to post for you.  I was needle felting my bags first and then wet felting them to add durability. I made a series of these bags with an unusual shape and interesting opening.  The summer and autumn colors making their appearance again! 



Flower Felted to a Bag Flap



I call this bag my "Sunflower Bag". 

It is sold and hopefully living a happy life in another place. Tomorrow I will show you some of my newer work reflecting fall colors, stones and texture in the form of a capelet...stay tuned!

Janet