Surface Texture Project

I have been spending the past few weekends felting small projects.  These projects focused on adding texture to wet felting.  For the final portion of the class we had to incorporate as many of the techniques that we wanted into a project.  I made a wearable. which is not something I do a lot since I don't really have the opportunity to wear them here in Florida.  My base was cotton but many of the techniques included silk.  It was fun using something other than silk for the large portion, I did not have the anxiety of ruining an expensive piece of silk for a project that I was not sure would turn out.  I dyed the merino, silk and all of the added fibers, so I was able to ensure that my colors would work together.
Here is my final piece.  I added a jersey back to create a vest type top.

Lots of texture was created with the techniques.  I'm currently working on a sketch for a bag.  I definitely found some techniques that I like better than others, but all in all, it has been a fun learning experience.

Happy Spring?!

Happy Spring!  Yes, I know I'm a bit late.......

With the wonderful weather we have been having, we have been spending our time at home working on the property.  The garden has been replanted, pastures are being cut, our pine grove has had many trees removed, and more gates have been added. We have an old 1949 Ford tractor that now has a finish mower on it, so cutting the pastures and up fenced areas is much quicker!  It took me a bit to get used to driving it, but I am feeling much more confident and am just happy that it won't be hours and hours of cutting anymore.

 On the animal front, the alpacas have been sheared, the goats are being silly and growing, and Snow our Great Pyreneese got a summer hair cut, knock on wood, everyone is healthy and happy.  

And last but not least, on the fiber front, I have been crazy busy.  I travelled to Sarasota to attend another SWAY Fest and had the chance to learn from Suzy Brown, AKA WoolWench, and spend time with some super fabulous gals.  I also took a free form crochet class from Heather, from Girl With a Hook, and made an adorable leather pouch trimmed with hand spun in a class taught by Debra, owner of Picasso's Moon yarn shop.  Wonderful weekend!  

I have also been completing a 6 week intensive, but fun surface design class in wet felting, I have so many new ideas now incorporating some of the techniques I learned with some designs that I will be teaching at SAFF.  I truly have been blessed this year in all of the learning opportunities I have had in the fiber world.  

In 10 days I will be transitioning into my summer break and watching my baby graduate from High School!

I am looking forward to a slow summer of readying for SAFF in October and enjoying my family, both of the 2 and 4 footed variety.

XO-Kelly

SAORI Weaving Class

A couple of weeks ago I headed up to Northern Florida to take a SAORI weaving class.  I have seen so many beautiful weaving projects come from these workshops that when I saw one offered in the same state, I jumped on it.  Needless to say, it was time well spent. I had the opportunity to spend two FULL days weaving to my hearts content.  Instead of taking my rigid heddle loom, I decided to rent a SAORI loom for the workshop.

 What a fabulous loom it is!  I learned so many cool techniques from our instructors and saw such creativity from the other workshop participants that I came home energized, with new ideas filling my head.  After MUCH discussion with my better half, I decided to order a SAORI loom of my own!

Today the tracking info made it into my inbox, and I am tickled pink that it will soon be here.  Here are a few pictures of my finished wall hanging.  It's a sampler of many different techniques and of different types of materials.

Yes, I think I did get a bit carried away.....I'm going to need to find a very tall wall for this!

XO,

Kelly

My Experience and Silk Overload

Whew!  What a whirlwind these past few months have been.  The Southeast Animal Fiber Fest (SAFF) has come to an end and I find myself with weekends to spend how I choose.  More on that later, now I want to share about the workshops!

I had a fantastic time teaching at SAFF.  Imagine getting to spend 4 full days with
women who are brimming with creativity and getting to play with wool and silk the whole time! Lots of smiles and laughter were shared and I was astounded by the many ideas that came from everyone.

The only drawback to being a newbie to teaching large groups (20 felters at a time), was making sure I had enough supplies to give them a large choice of colors.  All of the nuno classes incorporated silk hankies into the designs.  So I dyed 3 lbs, yes, 3 lbs of hankies!  I had every color under the rainbow available and realized at the end, I truly could have stuck with about 1 lb. and had plenty.....so now I have HUGE mountains left over. Horrible problem eh? ;)

So that is what inspired some new designs I am playing with. This new design is EVERYTHING I love.  Color, over the top texture, silk, and cotton.  The style is what was described to me by a close friend as natural, earthy, very boho.  Okay, I'll go with that.  I'm not much of a bling gal, so there is something about this combination of materials that really pulls me in.....and I get to use the hankies!  Win!

If you made it this far, thanks for sticking with me through my rambles. Off to visit the critters.

XO.
Kelly

My first stocking...

Last year this time I had no idea what felting was, and I am trying to think back to what sparked me onto this new obsession.  I truly cannot remember......Whatever it was I am thankful for it because I have had so much fun this past year learning!
I have been thinking about making some stockings for Christmas since this past summer.  So today I decided to try.  I chose a natural oatmeal colored wool.  I made my template using wood laminate flooring underlay.  I wet felted the stocking and then needle felted a heart onto one of them.  I think I like them nice and simple like this.  These would be wonderful for small gifts...hmmmmm 
Here's to hoping you had a stress free day :)

Kelly

Merino and Tencel .....I like!

This morning I woke up wanting to felt.  I had some fiber that I had not played with yet.  It is a merino and tencel fiber mix.  Tencel is a fiber made from wood pulp cellulose.  In felting, I can liken the look to that of tussah silk fibers.  It gives a really nice shiny look with that typical wavy look that I seem to get when I use the silk fibers.  It has a nice soft feel and if I wanted to make a piece of clothing ( which I don't know how to do...) I think this would be a nice blend to use.  I really like it!  This photo is from parts of the bag that I am making from this fiber.  I used a resist, but will post a picture of the finished bag later!  Have a wonderful Sunday!

Shibori felting..

I have been wanting to try various wet felting techniques.  After some reading, I tried my hand at what I have read is called shibori felting.  I had a stash of wool that I was not too crazy about, so I figured if I messed it up, I would not be too heart broken ( strange I know to be heart broken about wool, but I seem to fall in deep like with some of my purchases..lol)  So here is my attempt. Interesting result....a mutated butterfly maybe. I have some new ideas floating around in my head now that I see how easy it was to manipulate the wool.  Off to play some more....