Two Days in the Bag

This is a bag that I am uncertain about, love the color, love the handles, took two days to make it. I used a resist that was too large for the shrinkage that I should have figured into the bag. I think it is the shape that is throwing me off a bit on the bag, there is something about the asymmetrical and the symmetrical that is not working for me. I think the flap needs to be longer, the do-dad shortened. But I learned a lot making this bag. This wool was from an older sheep, and was full of spinning oil. It made the felting process much longer than it needed to be and the rinsing long. It did take the dye very well though. I used Jacquard Dyes in the crock pot. It was a combination of Aztec Gold and Burnt Orange. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike the bag. I just wish I like it more than I do.

I am taking the next few days to work in the flower beds, getting them cleaned out of old leaves, removing the myrtle that has over grown every where, just enjoying the wonderful weather that we are having here in southwest Michigan. It has been wonderful

Ms. Allison

I've been working with a young lady, Ms. Allison, who has long enjoyed my hats and is now learning to make felt herself. She was in a class a few entries back and made a black and pink bag, that was wonderfully made. We've struck a deal. I'll teach her something felt related for a day then she'll work in studio for me for a day. She is young, she is eager to learn, she is talented and I so enjoy her company. She is a dear.

Here Allison is working on a pair of boots with flat resist. She also used prefelt inlay for the ram design. She is going to embroider around the ram in black yarn to make him pop. The boots were made from a lincoln-teeswater cross wool. The results were spectacular.

















The fingerless mittens I made. I started them out as a lime green but the color was too intense for me and lacked a great deal of personality, in my opinion. I over dyed them and now think they has a decent personality. (Sometimes I wish a plop in the dye pot would change my personality, especially on those snarly days.)

I've also picked up a couple of new books over the past few weeks. One looked great for interior design and felt, but to my dismay, it was all commercially produced felt, not that that's bad, it was just not my focus. Some of the ideas are pretty cool, and I may try some of the ideas in the future. I'll try to get them listed in the next few days.

Lots going on in life right now so it may be a bit before I get back to the blog.
Make happy felt!
Shalom,
Suzanne

Know Your Body Shape!

Somewhere between "I'm so tired I can't sleep" and "My gallbladder is killing me" I decided to work on a pair of fingerless arm sheaths. I couldn't find my old resist, so I made a new one...only I forgot to make it right! I used a resist that did not account for the fact that arms get wider as they approach the elbow. (Really, should have just gone to bed anyway) and so I have a lovely pair of fingerless arm sheaths that will fit no one but me and my granddaughter. The resist needs to be larger as well in the width. I am a tiny person, and when I am working in size non- specific, I tend to go toward my size. Got to stop doing that! Anyway, Sweet Granddaughter will get these. They are snug even on me. So next resist will be two inches larger in width, with a gradual increase in width toward elbow. I made this pair out of a blue-faced Leicester and silk, with hand dyed silk fabric on the top. I used 4 very thin layers of wool. They are subtle, soft and very warm. I think Elizabeth will like them, and I have had to re-learn remembering the shapes of arms.
Off to make felt...maybe in a more normal size this time!
Shalom,
Suzanne