New (Orange!) Winter Hat- Part 1

Cutting two pieces of commercial pre-felt...

...to match the size and shape of my resist...

                               ...clamping them together around the perimeter...

                                      ...and cutting them into two irregular pieces...

                                           ...one 'negative' and one 'positive'.

                            The hat resist is placed under a sheet of bubblewrap...

                                                  ...and the outline is filled in...

                                              ...with two layers of white merino.

                                          A piece of patterned silk is added next...

                                        ...followed by the 'negative space' pre-felt.

                               The resist is pulled out from under the bubble wrap...

                                        ...and placed atop the wetted out project.

                                                     Next time: I assemble side two!

Wet-Felted 'Flower' Lampshade

                                    Laying out white wool in the shape of a petal...

                                          ...and edging it with narrow yellow roving.

                                           Wetting out the piece, flipping it over...

                                  ...and folding in the stray fibers for a neat edge.

                                                     Mid-way through felting.

                                                         A finished petal.

                                                       Stitching in a seam...

                                                    ...to create a central 'vein'.

                                                       The finished petals...

                                            ...arrayed around the lampshade...

                                ...and clamped to its edge (to gauge placement).

                                                      Using a hot glue gun...

                                   ...my daughter affixed each petal to the shade...

                                        ...allowing the glue to cool and harden...

                                            ...before attaching the cord and bulb.

                                             A view of the illuminated lampshade.

                                                    The finished light fixture...

                                                ...in all of its summery glory! :)

"In For A Penny, In For A Pound" Wet-Felted Hat

Laying out circles of merino wool...

 

...and covering them with luscious merino/silk blend roving...

...dyed by my friend, Joan Berner.

 

Flipping the resist to side two.



The fully wrapped (open) resist, prior to felting. 

 

Fulling the finished hat.

 

Applying clamps to 'fix' the shape while drying.

 

Removing the clamps.

 

Sewing a hem in the finished hat.

 

Two years ago...

...I made a wonderful hat under the tutelage of my friend, Dawn (a master hat-maker!).

Unfortunately, after wearing it throughout my trip to Germany in December...

...I somehow managed to wash it in the washing machine with a load of trip laundry! :(

Seeing as I had already 'tested the waters' with my previous two projects...

...I decided to throw caution to the wind and make another one...

...this time, for me!

Since I desired a soft, pliable hat that could easily be shaped...

...I laid out very thin layers of merino/silk blend roving.

I'm afraid that the finished hat is not quite rigid enough, however...

...because it didn't retain its 'telescoped' shape, once it had been worn a couple of times. (Alas!)

Next time: I go a little too far in the other direction...

...and make a really thick hat.

Drats...hats!!! ;)