Workshops

I have three new workshops coming up. The first is 'Making a Felt Bag' on Saturday the 4th of December, then on Saturday the 29th of January there's 'Felted Flowers' and finally we have 'Free Choice' on Saturday the 5th of March.

The 'Free Choice' workshop is aimed at people who have felted before but would like help and guidance with certain techniques or a specific project. For example, you may want to have a go at nuno felting or making a more complicated bag with internal pockets or try your hand at slipper making. This workshop is limited to 8 people.

All the workshops run from 10.30 - 3.30 at Calcutt and Forest Moor Village Hall near Knaresborough. The workshops are £30 and include all materials, however there is an additional charge of £5 if you choose to do nuno felting at the 'Free Choice' to cover the cost of the silk. I provide all the equipment so you just need to bring a packed lunch along on the day.

You can book your place through the shop at www.fibrespace.bigcartel.com or contact me at fibrespace@gmail.com if you prefer to send a cheque.

Nuno Felted Vest

Last week I had a stall at Woolfest. The previous year I had worn my dress that I made at Charity Musoma Van der Meer's workshop, and it attracted a lot of attention. With a week to go to Woolfest, and a lot of stock still to make I decided I needed another felted item of clothing to wear so I whipped up this nuno top. I made it in a rush and it was really a bit of an experiment, but I'm really pleased with how it turned out. It's felted with superfine merino wool and silk pongee (I think) and over dyed with Brazilwood. I'm already designing some more tops so watch this space....

Felting Workshops

I've been working on a new blog which I'm using as website until my old website has been updated, I've just posted details on there for my latest felt making workshops, so if you're interested please take a peek.

www.fibrespace.co.uk

Woolfest 2009

Woolfest was fantasic, we were blessed with good weather, which was just as well as we were camping. I met lots of lovely people (so nice to meet others who share your obsession with wool), saw lots of beautiful inspiring things and spent a little money as well. Business wise, it's been my best year so far, I think my concentration on branding has paid off as the stall looked a lot more professional than previous years. Here's a few pictures:

There I am wearing my top / dress that I made on Charity Musoma Van der Meer's workshop the week before. It was a two day workshop organised by the IFA, I really enjoyed it and came away all inspired. I wore my top both days at woolfest and although it was very warm I did not feel uncomfortable in it. It is made from silk chiffon and super fine merino wool (one layer). I've just made a similar one for my daughter that I am going to dye purple, and then I'm going to have a go at making myself a skirt.

Right, I must go and do some work now so I can take a break to watch Andy Murray play at Wimbledon, I'll leave you with a few more pictures from Woolfest.

Felting Workshops

I forgot to mention, the new set of felting workshops are up on the website (although some of the photo's need updating - will get DH onto it today). Take a look here.

I'm still here.....busy felting

Oh my gosh! I just changed my profile photograph (thought it was about time you see what I look like), and noticed my last post was March the 24th, how could I let a month go past without blogging. In my defense there has been the two week easter holidays, and I never get much done when the kids are about, but they've been back at school for nearly a week now so no more excuses. I have been very productive this week, but still have a lot of projects unfinished. Inspired by these over on the other blog (who was I kidding when I thought I could write two), I have been experimenting with needle felting.


These two now grace our mantle piece, I think they'll make good props at craft fairs so I plan to make some more in spring colours.


This is my latest bit of felting, I'm really pleased with how it's turned out. I'm using the colours as inspiration for my latest range of felt goodies. DH took some photos of me modeling it at lunch time so I can get it listed on etsy. There was actually one of me smiling which doesn't make me cringe so I'm going to make it my avatar, don't look to closely though, as you can clearly see grey hairs, I must go and purchase some hair dye, does henna cover grey?

I'm also busy finishing everything off for my City and Guilds, we're having an exhibition on the 2nd of May. So when I've finished my outfit I'll have a go at modeling that as well, and I'll share the resist for the cape.

Hopefully it won't be another month before I'm back.

Experimenting with nuno felt

We just had our last weekend of the City and Guilds course, which I'm really going to miss. I've learnt lots of new techniques and have been constantly inspired. I'm also going to miss the social aspect, it's so nice to felt amongst others when you are so used to working on your own at home. But, I'm hoping to do part three next year so that's something to look forward to.

Here are my two final pieces, the cape is not finished yet, but I'm really pleased with the shape, it took the whole weekend to get that far, I don't think I've ever felted anything so hard in my life! At one point I looked like something out of dynasty so the shoulders took a lot of work, now it's a perfect fit. The skirt is nuno felted merino (cobweb) and cotton scrim. I love the textures. I've been experimenting with this blend of wool and nuno, I made a small piece to make into a cuff, but it didn't get completed, so last night I chopped it up and made it into these buttons. Now I can't decide whether to make them into brooches, pendants or just keep them as buttons. Your thoughts would be very much appreciated.

Nuno Felting with a sander

A few days ago I read this post on the funky felters blog all about cobweb scarves. It inspired me to make a few scarves, I haven't made any since a large wholesale order before Christmas, making dozens of scarves in a few days can really put you off making something which is normally a joy. Anyway, I followed the links on the blog to see if there were any new techniques I could have a go at, one of them mentioned a sander. A few students on the City and Guilds course use sanders and I've been itching to have a go, but our sander is rather large and uncomfortable to hold. So I popped down to the local DIY store and treated myself to a cordless sander (who'd have thought I'd ever get excited over a sander!). I then went on to produce two cobweb, nuno silk scarves. They are the same design but one is on black silk chiffon and the other is on white. The sander worked a treat, once I'd laid the wool out on the the silk and wet it with warm soapy water, I covered it with bubble wrap (bubble side down) and sanded the back of the bubble wrap. Even though it's cordless I was a little paranoid about being electrocuted so I made sure the bubble wrap was completely dry. Having sanded the entire surface I rolled the scarves for a few minutes then began throwing. The results were these two beautiful scarves in just less than an hour. I've just started a group on flickr http://www.flickr.com/groups/nuno/ so if you have any nuno felt creations please come and share them.

Another competition

I think I'm getting a little addicted to online competitions. I do like the challenge, and it seems to get my creative juices flowing. When I saw that craftzine were running a contest with singer called 'sewing with nature' I new I had to enter, as part of my City and Guilds course I have been looking at creating the texture of bark in felt. So after many sketches and lots of samples here's my finished piece.....


It's the first piece of clothing I've made from felt that I'm really happy with and I can't wait to have a go at making some more. I think the deadline is today, here are the other entries.

Oh, by the way, the cream bits are fungus, the piece was inspired by fungus growing on a decaying log, just like this...

Pretty Pink Flowers

The other day I found a gorgeous silk scarf in our local charity shop, I bought it, rushed home and nuno felted it straight away. It came out even better than I'd hoped, although the photographs don't do it justice. Have I mentioned before that cerise pink is one of my favourite colours? I was tempted to keep it for myself, but I really have too many scarves (I have a tendency to keep ones I've made), so I've put it in the etsy shop. I'm hoping to get into town this week and tour the charity shops to see if I can get my hands on any more scarves.




I taught a felt a bag workshop at the weekend, and gave the students the option to make a monster bag if they wanted to, here's one made by Melody, isn't he fantastic, I love the stunned look on his face.