Thursday, August 20, 2015

Wet-Felted "Fairy Home"- Part 2 of 2

Once all of the layers of wool are on the resist...

...the pre-felt 'doorway' is applied...


                                       ...and a door knob of yellow wool is added.



                                                The two-part window is next...



                            ...with its layer of white pre-felt underneath a black grid.



                                             The project is at first only rubbed...



                                            ...and then, when it's safe to do so...

                        ...the thin plastic sheets are removed and the rolling begins. 



                                          The "fairy home" now begins to shrink...

                                        ...to even more diminutive proportions. :)



                             The roof flange is pulled out and away from the house...



                                               ...and is sectioned to resemble...



                                                   ...the petals of a flower.



                                                     For a project this small...

                             ...my narrow wooden felting tool came in quite handy!



                                                    The finished house, drying.



                                                                Once dry...

                                 ...the multi-hued roof suddenly becomes visible.



                               This tiny felt "fairy home" is now ready for installation...

                                                 ...in my cousin's dish garden.



Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Wet-Felted "Fairy Home"- Part 1 of 2

Assembling my supplies:

a blended wool batt, tiny foam resist...


                            ...burgundy roving, and snippets of commercial pre-felt.



                                         Checking the pre-felt 'doorway' for size...



                                       ...and pondering the window placement! :)



                    A layer of white pre-felt is added to the back of the round window...



                                                 ...to mimic a windowpane.



                                                  Wool from the orange batt...



                                             ...and variegated burgundy roving...



                                               ...are added to the resist surface.



                                   Thin plastic is used to keep the 'roof overhang'...



                                         ...from felting into the body of the house.



                          Next time: my "fairy home" begins to look a bit like a flower!

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Beaded Drawstring Jewelry Bag- Part 2 of 2

My beautiful cousin...

...hard at work! ;)



                                                                As she rolls...

                                      ...the bag begins to shrink and to get thicker.



                                              The project is turned right-side out...



                                 ...and the foam underlayment resist is removed.



                                                Notice how well the wool yarn...

                                              ...felted into the surface of the bag.



                                                            During fulling...



                                            ...the layer of coarser, hairier wool...



                                ...migrates through the finer silk and merino layer...

                                      ...resulting in a slightly marbled appearance.



                                         Cutting slits for a leather 'thong' closure.



                                        Threading a long, narrow strip of leather...

                                               ...through the slits in the felt bag...



                                              ...and adding a metal 'jump ring'...



                                                     ...to help hold it closed.



                                                     The finished jewelry bag.



                                                          Well done, Wendy!


 

Friday, August 14, 2015

Beaded Drawstring Jewelry Bag- Part 1 of 2

Drafting a foam underlayment resist...


                                            ...and adding decorative elements...

                                             ...fashioned by my cousin, Wendy.

                                                     (For the center spirals...

                            ...glass beads are threaded onto a piece of wool yarn.)



                                  A layer of blended silk and merino roving is added...





                                          ...and the project is flipped to side two.



                                             Wool that extends from side one...

                                             ...is wrapped around the resist...



                                               ...and the process is repeated.



                                    The top of the bag is folded down on each side...


                                      ...and a layer of coarse wool roving is added.



                                                    Mid-way through felting...

                                   ...the edges of the project are beginning to curl...



                                       ...as the bag begins to shrink on the resist.



                           Next time: my cousin's 'sweat equity' begins in earnest! Grin.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Tunic Class- Part 3 of 3

Placing thin, 'painter's plastic'...

...between the overlapping layers, front and back.


                                                         Mid-way through felting...



                                            ...I trim around the embellishments...

                                                ...to make them more 'overt'. ;)



                                                          Fulling the garment.



                                                     The fully felted tunic back...



                                                               ...and front.



                                                     Once rinsed and dried...

                                       ...I embroider around the embellishments...



                                               ...with burgundy, boucle yarn...



                                         ...to help define my decorative elements.



                                 I still need to sew hems in the silk fabric underlayer...

                                 ...but for now, here's the (mostly) finished tunic back...  



                                                          ...and festive front