Creative Felt Gathering 2011- Impressions

Sue with her wonderful 'complex resist' bag.

 

The lovely and delightful Amira Mudfaery at work.

 

Our raw fleece and complex bag studio.

 

With my friend, Dawn...wearing our raw fleece bags as hats! :)

 

Resist dyeing tools.

 

A Camp Dainava totem pole.

 

Our 'graduation ceremony' with Pam MacGregor, Chad Alice Hagen, Elis Vermeulen, and Jone Rakoski presiding.

 

I spent last week in Manchester, Michigan at the 2nd Annual Creative Felt Gathering...

...and, as usual, it was awesome!

I had a chance to catch up with dear old friends, make some new ones...

...and learn lots and lots of felting tips and techniques!

Everyone there was a talented feltmaker in his/her own right...

...and the energy and creative 'aura' of the group was palpable!!

I returned home filled to the brim with good will and fellowship...

...and inspiration enough for a thousand new projects!!

Next time: What I made at camp! Giggle.

Meiosis Scarf- Part 3 of 3

The finished layout.

 

After encasing the yarn in roving and wetting it out.

 

Midway through felting.

 

The finished shawl.

 

Some eggs in close-up...

 

...and some sperm.

 

The finished piece on a sunny day!

 

Well, here you have it...

...one of the strangest shawls you're ever likely to see! :)

Even my daughters think it's a little bit weird...

...and they don't believe me when I assure them that the average passer-by won't realize what it is at all...

...and will just think it's just some sort of random design!

I'm looking forward to testing my theory in a crowd of people...

...as soon as it finally cools off enough to wear it :)

Meiosis Shawl- Part 2 of 3

Adding...you guessed it...a few sperm...

 

...AKA gametes...germ cells...'little swimmers'! :)

 

Next, a bunch of eggs (ova)...

 

...and don't forget chromosomes!

 

As with my 6-legged spider from a previous post...

...I'm taking a few liberties with the embryonic reality of this event!

And even though there could never be this many human eggs vying for fertilization in one woman at one time...

...I just like the way they look.

As for the large number of sperm...

...a college professor of mine once said that even though you only need one sperm to achieve fertilization of a single child...

...you do need a 'cheering section'! :)

Now since this is probably more than most of you really wanted to know (giggle)...

...I'll sign off with the promise of Part 3 in two days!

Meiosis Shawl- Part 1 of 3

Laying out an outline with green yarn (not my hand-spun).

 

Filling in with a single layer of green roving...

 

...and more...

 

and more!

 

Adding white areas...

 

...to represent cellular division!

 

Now I'm sure that many of you are already shaking your heads and wondering...

..."just what exactly has gotten into her with this latest crazy project?!?!" :)

Ever since I made my Summer Shawl...

...I've been wanting to try another one!

I also ADORE science and its attendant imagery...

...and thought it would be lovely to do a series on 'creating life'...

...from the cellular level!! :)

So I laid out a single layer of green roving...

...and wrapped the edges around the piece of green yarn that made the shawl outline.

I then added two 'piles' of white roving in concentric circles...

...to suggest a dividing cell.

Next time: a cheering section of gametes!

"Peace Felt" Project- Part 3 of 3

The back of the purse.

 

The inner flap.

 

My finished Peace Felt project.

 

The front flap with hand-spun yarn Peace Sign.

 

Check out this perfect vintage button!

 

The opened purse (back side)...

 

...and front.

 

Happy Peace Felt Day to you all!!

Peace Felt is a project that's intended to "create a continuous circle of peace and sisterhood that has no beginning and no end".

I loved making this gift for my 'receiving partner'...

...and I'm sure that I will love the gift that my 'sending partner' sends me as well.

Peace baby, peace!! XXO-

"Peace Felt" Project- Part 2 of 3

Cutting out the handle.

 

Pullling back the flap that will become a pocket.

 

Turning the bag right-side out and hand-stitching the handle.

 

The back side of the purse.

 

The doves of peace fabric that I used for the pocket lining.

 

The inner pocket...

 

...and in close-up.

 

Because I am a fabric lover...

...I still have a bit of a stash in my rarely-used sewing room.

And after a bit of searching...

...I was delighted to find a piece that suited this project perfectly!

I made this bag in the usual manner...

...turning it right-side out and stitching up the handle before the final felting.

Next time: the finished bag...

...with a fabulous vintage button!

"Peace Felt" Project- Part 1 of 3

Laying out the front of the bag.

 

The bag back with hand-spun yarn.

 

Adding more variegated roving...

 

...in a circular pattern.

 

Making the inside of the bag flap.

 

Pax = Peace.

 

Close-up of the pencil roving.

 

I'm participating in the Peace Felt swap this year...

...and now that I've finally mailed my gift off, I can show it to all of you!!

I decided to make one of my 'peanut-shaped resist' bags...

...and pack in as many peaceful images as I could! :)

I worked (as I often do) from the inside-out...

...and used sherbet-colored variegated roving that reminded me of the '70's!

I made two Peace signs with my hand-spun yarn...

...and wrote the word 'Pax' on the inner bag flap.

Next time: more progress photos...

...and one last 'Peace' detail! :)