No More Felt!

With the number of hats, scarves, and miscellaneous other stuff that I've completed over the past few months, it is good to say, "No more felt !" Now is the time to clean up, create order, pack the big van, make sure all of the labels and prices tags are in place, everything in order....well, most everything anyway. I'll be leaving Wednesday morning and will be away for two + weeks for a 10 day art show in Elkhart Lake Wisconsin. I'm packing a lot of warm clothing, as the show is in a large tent and I imagine I'll be near freezing for the entire 10 days. While I am passionate about winter, I prefer to look at it as opposed to be out in it.

Did I meet the goal of 200 hats? Sadly, no, I did not, but am going with 100, so the glass is half full!

The purple hat is the last of the one for the show. The other item shown here might be of some interest to those of you who felt using mohair with your wool. This is a dog grooming tool, by Wahl, battery operated so no messy cords to deal with. It is wonderful for "shaving" wool and mohair fibers. This one came from Tractor Supply Company and cost about $20.00 USD. Sometimes I do use mohair in the fiber blends for my hats and this little tool takes care of the "Fuzzies" very nicely. I've also used it on Icelandic wool which is a bit too fuzzy for my hats, but love it in bags. Simply yummy for bags. I've not tried the tool on sweaters, but for the felted hats, it's great.

I wanted to share some of the nuno/laminate scarves that I made, but just haven't the time.

Blessings to you all, stay warm and make great felt!
Shalom and Joy in your days, good rest in your nights,
Suzanne

In Gathering and Out Look, Thanksgiving Day 2009

Blessed Thanksgiving to each of you. One can hardly help but to look back over the year and find an abundance of undeserved gifts and treasures of the spirit to be thankful for. I am humbled by the love of my Lord, my much adored husband, precious children, family and friends. I don't take love lightly. The kind of love that lasts, no matter the circumstances, that kind of love is not to be taken lightly.

My prayer is that great love surrounds you too.

Shalom,
Suzanne

New felting table!

For a long, long time I've wanted a much larger work area. I've fumbled between the dining room oval table, two 4x2 foot tables pushed together, or whatever other combination I could come up with to create a suitable area to felt on. This past Sunday, a 7x4 foot table was deliver to my home. I've put bed risers under the legs to give me the additional height that I need and it perfect! Not only is it perfect for felting, it will be perfect for our weekly dinner gatherings and the upcoming holidays. I am so thankful to have this table in my home. I've done some clothing items, but am looking to do more. This additional work space will greatly assist in that goal.

About these hats:
Green hat was made with flat resist and the shape was much like that of a socking cap with a very long tail on it. The silk on the surface is 5mm hand dyed cut into random shapes.. Shaping the hat after it was felted was a challenge all onto itself. Sometimes that additional fabric is hard to shape when it is wet. But ...I learned a few things in the process, so it was good. The 5mm silk takes a bit longer to settle into the wool, whereas silk gauze happily joins up.

The brown and white hat is a combination of blue faced Leicester and merino. The blue face felts a bit differently, but is wonderfully soft and firm.

The pink one is all merino. I was just doing some color play with the hot pinks and lime. I think it is kind of a sweet hat, very soft.

I leave in 8 more days so I've got to go make felt. Hope you get to do so as well.
God's Peace to you,
Suzanne

Two Silk Laminate Scarves

Some time ago I dyed these scarves, and do to the winter weather that will soon be upon us here in the Northern Hemisphere, I decided to nuno or laminate felt them. If you click on the photo, you'll notice a difference in the pucker of the scarves. They are the same kind of silk and super fine merino wool was used on both of them. The difference between them if the amount of wool that I used. On the pumpkin colored scarf, I used two ultra thin layers of wool, on the floral colored scarf, I used a single layer of wool. Isn't it amazing what wool can do. No wonder we love the stuff!
Make good felt and have joy in your day!
Shalom,
Suzanne

Putz'en around

Added some sprites to the a fore shown purple hat and made a couple of nuno/laminate felt scarves today. The other is still drying so I'll try to get the photos of it up for you tomorrow. It's time for a glass of wine, feet up and relax. The wrap is an iridescent purple silk with the colors of pumpkin, olive green, teal and squash. I love both sides of these wraps. Eventually, I'll have them up in my etsy shop, but for now, these are going to the 10 day show in Wisconsin.
Shalom and joy,
Suzanne

Aren't These Great?

Slept most of the day, really needed it as I work a bit too hard yesterday. Wonder what I think I am gaining by working too hard one day only to lose the next day completely. Gotta re-think that whole thing.

A few nights ago, a woman called to ask about needle felting forms. We had a lovely talk and then today, she sent me these photos of her first hats on the Needle Felt Hat Forms from Hooked On Felt. Color me impressed! How about you? I love the detail work in them and the colors. Her name is Jean Melton. We are planning a workshop for sometime in December. I think we're going to have a ball!

Two For the Road

Healing is coming slow on the elbow and shoulder, but I am getting some other things done. These two hats are the efforts of the past couple of days. I think the blue one is my favorite. The purple one is growing on me. It is intended to be for a child, not something I normally do, but did last night.

Today is set up for the Kalamazoo Weaver's Guild Christmas Show. If you are interested, please look up the Kalamazoo Weaver Guild web site for the details. Wonderful artistry there, to be sure. Usually I am participating, but it just isn't going to happen this year. There is too much on my plate to even think of adding one more thing. Sometimes it is just that way and somethings go to give. I hope that the show is wonderful for everyone, but I especially hope it is good for my felting friends. There are great feltmakers in our area.

Shalom and Happy Felting!

Listening to the the inner voice

I have a friend that learned to needle felt then wet felt them from me this past August. I am so proud of her works that I am posting them here for her. I helped a bit with the shaping and do-dads, but not much. Her name is Bernadette Keeler. I think it might be a name and talent we'll be hearing a lot more about. The best of students, IMO, come with no pre-conceived ideas, just the desire to learn. They don't want to copy someone else , or mimic some thing they saw someone else do. I am most amazed at their ability to listen to what happens inside of them, and to the creative spirit God has put in all of us.
Bernadette, take a bow! I am so proud of your work!

BTW, these are her first hats, so if you'd like to comment and give her encouragement, please do.

Ok, so I did do some felting....

At the Midwest Felting Symposium two years ago, I purchased this silk from Lori Flood. So while I am on the hat making hiatus, I was able to make this laminate/nuno felt wit my right arm only. While some prefer the wool side of laminate felt, I prefer the silk side. I like the wool next to my skin and the romance of the silk to the outside.

I laid the fibers out on the bubble wrap, bubble side up, then laid the silk on top, wetted down the fibers and the silk, then applied another bubble wrap with bubbles down. Then I took out the sander to do the felting. It took a long time, but I didn't have to roll, thus saving the left arm from further damage. I left portions of the silk not felted. the drape is very nice on this felted wrap.

I am now off to find the top of my desk and perhaps get some things organized.

The left arm has fallen off

Seriously, my left arm has become worthless. I've got a blown bursa at the elbow, torn rotator cuff, and a shoulder that is screaming "STOP FELTING".
I am going to be taking a few days off to let everything cool down. The pain is getting to me and when I am in pain, the creative juices go dry. I know I should learn to use my legs for the rolling, but I've always found it awkward. I may try laminates or make some dads and do for embellishments over the next few days, but I've got to lay off the hat making. 200 hats was a lofty goal but I have to live in reality. Right now, reality really hurts.

And then came Monday

Had high hopes of getting several hats done today, but it is not to be. The pink one was made today, but that's all for now. I am sure that I'll not make the goal of 200 hats. There will be great joy if I get to 100!

It's all about the Mannequins!

Just when you think that you might be making an interesting hat, or making good felt, you soon learn that it is about the mannequins! I get so many folks emailing or writing about how good the mannequins look. So without further adieu, let's give it up for the mannequins and share the details on them.
#1 I purchased them on Ebay
#2 The heads are movable so they can be positioned and pack up easily. Great for photos and booth display.
#3 I use the cheap wigs that can be found easily these day, post Halloween. I cut the hair and style it for my uses if necessary.
#4 I am looking for used natural hair wigs, so if you know of any, I'd be happy to learn about them.
Ok, let's hear it for the mannequins!
Off to make hats so I can show off my mannequins . (who knew it was about the mannequins?????)

I see a full moon rising

I did not make these hats today, they are the works of the past two days. There are no dishes done, (still hoping the beloved husband will volunteer to do them) no laundry done, (we still have clean clothes, so what's the rush) and most of the leaves are still all over the yard (where are the leaf fairies to take care of them???) and still I feel a sense of accomplishment in getting these hats done and the garbage taken out, orders shipped and even had coffee with my dear friend, Dawn Edwards. (www.feltsoright.com) It's been a good day and a stunning orange moon is rising. Life is good! Nearly any day I get to make felt, is a very good day.
I hope yours was wonderful too!
Peace to you,
Suzanne