ADHD and Feltmaking!

One of the great things I love about ADHD is the fact that I do get bored rather easily. I know that it bothers most of the people around me on a daily basis,... but I love it! and count it as a gift and a blessing. Easily bored...such is the case of the dark berry colored hat. It's been to shows with me for well over a year now...and as I am preparing to leave for Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival...I just couldn't take what was a tan hat out of the house one more time. So I decided that that hat needed a visit to the dye pot; warm, colorful, changing color and hue into something far more stunning than an odd looking tan hat. I am pleased with the way the felt fabric took up the dyes. I used three different berry colored dyed, adding one on top of the other and allowing the slightly stirred waters to wash over the fabric, creating a great depth of color. I hope it finds a home in Wisc.

The blue hat was a playful adventure in hat making. While I've used all of the items in the felt previously, never had I used them in one hat. This hat has geometric design, Teeswater locks, both dyed and natural, and fabric. The fabric did not show up in the photo, and I am sorry for that not showing up.

Both hats were made on the Extra Large Needle Hat Form that are on my website. Both were needle felted first, then wet felted after the design work had been completed. Working with the Needle Felt Forms allows felting to be totally portable. These two hats were needle felted while I was at a fiber festival. While it might be for everyone, it is perfect for me. I use the forms and flat resists in felt-making and find that both have their place and space; just as felting needles are not for everyone, but do have their place in my work. Needle to wet felting just makes good sense to someone like me who loves to make felt, and is on the road as much as I am, or time doesn't let you finish a project in short time. I also like to show people the possibilities of what they can do with the forms. This form is also great for vessels, and handbags, and felted baskets.

I'm building a felt-making library. Anyone have books they'd like to recommend?

Shalom,
Suzanne

Post Script; Both of these hats did find their new homes in Wisconsin.

At the front door

These plantain lilies grow outside of my front porch. I often leave the windows open and the soft breeze coming in the window is simply intense lily scented. It is good to be alive!

Felt Gautlet Wrist Warmers

I've had an idea running around in my head for several days now and finally decided to put it to the test. It worked! Each of these wrist warmers, fingerless gloves, gautlets are one piece. I wish I had made the roses larger than I did, but over all, I'm happy with the first effort. I'll have to take what I've learned from this experiment and try again until I've "really got it". I find that I enjoy the trials and errors as much as finally mastering a technique. I am a slow learner, so it should be awhile before I post many others. I think that these will end up having more fun stuff done to them. I see beads in my near future. Hmmmmmmmmmm, which stack are they in?

This weeks work

I had hoped to complete more hats before the Michigan Fiber Festival....but it didn't happen. These did and I hope that they are well received.

Felt Hat in Process, Michigan Fiber Festival

The Michigan Fiber Festival begins with classes on Wed. of this week. Should be great fun, and near perfect weather for those in attendance. Looks to be a great show this year. I'll be going over to the Allegan County Fairgrounds on Thursday to set up the booth. I am so looking forward to seeing the folks who we only see in Allegan. It is great fun!

I've not totally recovered from all of the events of the past 6 weeks, and am therefore, a bit behind on the goals I'd set for myself. Fatigue has taken its toll on any creativity that could be inside. For now, I am playing with the familiar and calling it good until I get the rest I desperately need.

If you are coming to the Michigan Fiber Festival, I hope that you'll make a point to stop by our booth. We'll be in the main building.

Shalom,
Suzanne

Wool Felt Hat

I made this hat then over dyed it after it was completed. Very much like the effect.

Needle Felt at Midwest Felting Symposium

Leslie Sampson needle felted "painting" is jaw-dropping. She brought two to the event, and this one was in the gallery. Just incredible attention to detail....you can almost smell the water and the autumn in the air. This is an uncommon beauty in needle felt works, in my opinion. It stands at perhaps 4 foot high by 3.5 foot wide. It is framed. It's all wool. Isn't it yummy? Click on the photo to enlarge. It's so worth it!

More Felts from Symposium

The cream colored shawl was done by one of the Scottish felters that contributed to our gallery at the Midwest Felting Symposium. It was so simply stunning, I had to share it with you. It was felted with antique cotton lace. It is elegance to me.

The scarf is again by Judy McDowell. I love her uses of silk fabric. They are simple in design, extremely feminine, beautifully executed. Judy has become one of my new favorites. She also did the purse in the blog entry from yesterday.

There was a jacket by Mary Wallace I wish I could share with you too. Sadly the battery in my camera was nearly dead, so the photo turned out "not so good". I love Mary's work both in design and quality. I'm feeling bad that I cannot share that photo with you. If anyone does have a photo of the jacket, could you share it with me?

Felts from the Midwest Felting Symposium Gallery

Beautiful bag by Judy McDowell and jazzed hatz by Ewa Kuniczak, of www.feltheadtotoe.co.uk.

Midwest Felting Symposium photos

Ewa and Deborah enjoying an after dinner giggle. Suzanne (Sue) Pufpaff relaxing with some after dinner knitting.

Midwest Felting Symposium 2008

Annemie and Carol Cypher together as new friends, Pat Spark and I hugging goodbye for another year. Have I mentioned that I love this woman? She has so much knowledge, so much skill, and a great heart full of good will. Pat is an amazing resource about feltmaking, fiber, what to do, what not to do. Her passion for this medium makes her sparkle. Personally, I think it is great that Pat's last name is Spark! She strikes a spark in me each time I see her, her work, her warmth.

Susan McFarland and staff did an outstanding job for the instructors, the students, and vendors. This was a wonderful, felt-filled event. The gallery was so well done, elegant contributions from so mamny and many far away. Great blessing and inspiration to see them all. Each year, the organization gets better and better. There are a lot of balls to juggle, not all of them felt! Susan manages to keep them all in rotation without missing a beat! How does she do that?????

I love going to the events that she plans, they are so much fun! MFS is no exception. It really is my favorite though. Being in the air conditioning helps so much. Working on felt making in sweltering heat is no fun. The venue was great!!!

If you've not made plans to be there for 2009, let me encourage you to start saving 10-15.00 a week toward the event. It is worth every single penny, and then some.

Oh, my photos of Ewa will be up soon.

Shalom,
Suzanne

Accommodations--OPEN ARMS

I have the great pleasure of staying at the home of Ruth Walkers' parents while I am attending the Midwest Felting Symposium. Each time I am there, I am welcomed with open arms, as though we are family. Their hospitality and great kindness toward me is much appreciated Each time I leave there is sadness. I always look forward to my time with them. Ruth. oh my, I always look forward to my time with her. She is amazing, beautiful, talented, kind, open woman who plays well with others. I am just happy to be among them!

Midwest Felting Symposium, YAHOO!

It is my favorite event all year long, the Midwest Felting Symposium in Madison Wisconsin. The Alliance Center is lovely, the classes are great, the air is passionately filled with the magic of making felt. While felt making is my passion, it's the people that I'll meet, or get to know better that make it so wonderful. They really are treasures. To see all of the talents, all of the designs, all of the colors, the laughter, the foods, the joy of being around other felters...I can hardly wait! I'll be leaving in about 3 hours for Madison. It's going to be great! I'll tell you about it when I get back.

Make great felt!
Shalom,
Suzanne

Lanadeflor, Again!!! Still!!! More!!!!

I love this gals work. Just had to show off more of her talents. Isn't she amazing!?!

I think she will be at the Midwest Felting Symposium. I hope you'll get to meet her there! Be sure to check out her etsy site: www.lanadeflor.etsy.com
Simply beautiful stuff, excellent colorways!
Shalom,
Suzanne

Lanadeflor and Hookedonfelt

Lanadeflor is an etsy/business name of a fantastic felter in Ohio. I've not asked her if I could use her full name, so I will not as of this writing, so we'll just go by Debora. I first saw her work on Etsy several years ago and loved the delicate-ness of her work. The jewelry she makes is sooo very beautiful, very classy/artful stuff.

The scarf shown on the blog is made from wool and my hand-dyed merino silk. I love what she did with it and had to show it off for those of you who do not know of her work. Rare is it that one gets to see the final results of a hand dyed fiber. This one is just stunning, IMO. For more of Debora's works, please visit her etsy shop. Write in Lanadeflor in the search. You'll be so glad that you did!