Felting Satisfaction

Have you ever been totally satisfied with something? I am now. This purse (and the two other purses I made along with it) turned out just beautiful. I have been using resists now for a couple of years and each time I just don't think I calculate the size and shape of the resist in just the right dimensions. So I have kept on working at it, and now, Success!

New Felts

Here is my output for today. Two

very different projects. The lariat

is light and pretty in a literal way.

The silk and wool scarf is a little

mysterious and dark. I love it-them.

Silk and Wool

Here is a new way to use silk for those who are sensitive to wool next to their skin. I felted the silk into the wool, which only goes around to the middle of the neck back. The silk can encircle the neck to protect from the wool and secured with a loop through the holes in the piece. The wool used here is cormo and merino which is the softest of all wools. I think this piece looks very formal because of its form. It isn't a full scarf, rather more of a "cravat" which I think looks dressy. It would look really great with a turtleneck sweater to set off the color of the wool, brown with red highlights.

New for Fall

Merino Wool, gray and white Merino Wool, brown and white

Reverse of a large purse, gray wool background with silk waste in blues and greens.

Gorgeous color and new and interesting shapes is what I'm aiming for this season. I shared some of my new items with my good friend, Deb Golden, a very stylish woman, and she told me that it was as if I was creating scarves that would double as jewelry! I thought to myself, "Yes, that's exactly what I was hoping for as my work evolved!" So, the new things for fall and winter are all about scarves as jewelry. Purses too! I've embellished some of my purses with antique drawer hardware as a way to use the beauty of the shapes and the patina of age in a new and exciting way.

Natural linen laminated on brown wool with red wool accents. Antique drawer hardware sewn on as an embellishment over the magnet closure and to add additional weight to the front purse flap. Felted all in one piece over a resist.

I'm Thinking Spring!!!

The first hint of spring is in the air with days getting up into the 30's and nights a little warmer too. The days are beginning to lengthen, but we keep getting more snow as is the rest of the country. But I am thinking Spring as the eternal optimist I am. So, I'm designing lighter scarves that double as jewelry. Their purpose shifts from keeping your neck warm to adding texture and beauty amid the change of the season.










I worked with my dreads in a different way, thus the "New For Spring Felted Wool Dreads Scarf." These consist of many long pieces of "spaghetti" in wool, wet felted, some with felted beads and I'm adding silk for texture and softness. These are definitely fun to make and can be used in many different configurations so one doesn't get tired of one look. I created an all white piece and added some vintage brooches to the piece. It looks spectacular!





Today I'm working on funky, large felted beads strung on a long strand of black silk. It is designed to compliment a spring dress that is black with white polka dots. I keep trying to achieve an "over the top" minimalist design. An oxymoron, perhaps.

Today's Project

I started creating this dreads scarf a few days ago. My thought in laying out the wool for this one is to create a more random weave rather than the grid. The dreads will hang from all 4 sides. Over the next couple of days I will wet it and begin the felting process. Because of its size it will take a couple of days to roll.

Happy New Year to All

What a fun year it was in 2009 and I look forward to new challenges in 2010. I made a vest for myself last year that I am especially delighted to wear. It is pictured here. One side is black merino wool and the other is white and where they come together in the back you can see there is a design. The white half has circle cut-outs so that the black shows through. It has a nice drape and length so as to wear with jeans and boots.