Felting Frenzy, Exciting News, and Crazy Goats!

HeHeFor the past couple of months I have been thinking about projects I would like to create.  But I never quite got beyond the thinking stage.....there was always an excuse why I could not get those projects started.  I finally jumped in and have been on a creative bender so to speak and for the most part, almost all of those ideas became completed projects!  Here are just a few that I wanted to share. Lot's more to share......soon.

   

The next bit I have to share is some SUPER. EXCITING. NEWS......

I will be teaching Nuno Felting and Wet Felting at SAFF this year! Here is the schedule and if you are in the area, please stop by, I would love to meet you.  

On the critter front, the Alpacas are getting their "hair cuts" on April 2nd.  It will be fun to have another load of fiber to create with.  I know they will feel much cooler without those fleeces on too. 

 

We will have 3 more goats joining us soon.  One, another Angora, who we have named Annie Oakley will arrive once she is weaned.  The names have started evolving around a theme of sorts....we have Bonnie and Clyde, Billy the Kid, and now little Annie. Poor Chessie must be feeling left out! The other two who are Pygora, are still "cooking" in their mommas bellies.  

And now finally some silliness from Billy my sunflower seed loving Angora.

Spinning dresses, knitted shawls and wet felted journals....

I have been on a creative bender so to speak! It's amazing what being around positive creative people can do for a gal.

This week started with an idea that I had over a year ago while in a class at SAFF.   I decided to spin my wedding dress.

Now before you start freaking out about it, let me state that this dress has NO sentimental value to me.  It was a dress that I wore on my wedding day, but it was not what was important to me that day.  I had a wedding to appease family.   As a matter of fact, I was across the country the entire time my wedding was being planned!   I would have been quite happy having a get together with friends and a keg of beer...those were the military days. For the record, I am still with that same guy and the dress has followed us around for the last 20 years.....

I decided to deconstruct the dress and remove the lace, and beaded bling.  I knew I did not want to add wool, I just wanted to spin the dress material and then ply with a white chenille with the lace, buttons, tulle, and bling added to the plying chenille.  I core spun the material.  I was pretty amazed that it actually worked!

I finally have decided to work on a VERY SIMPLE knitted shawl, as in a knit stitch and yarn over is all I need to do.  I am using a commercial wool yarn that has really pretty colors in it.  I am enjoying the knitting and have some ideas on the next one using more yarn overs in the middle to open it up more.....

And finally, I am having so much fun making journals.  I have also finally realized why working inside out is go great, I can add all kinds of lumpy bumps to the felting and they get felting in nice and tight! You can easily see this in the cream journal and the rose color journals.  The purple journal was wet felted right side out and the ribbons are not felted in a well as the other two.  Also on the cream journal, I tried wet felting burlap pieces.  The texture is great, but as a warning if you want to try this, sew the perimeter of the burlap before you start, it will help keep the pieces in place once you start felting. I can thank Heather , she is my felting inspiration.

Whew, I have been busy, but have still spent the majority of my time with my babies- you know you couldn't get away without a few animal pictures!!!!

Have a fabulous day!

Kelly

Wet Felted Lattice Scarf with Long Locks

Yesterday was a fun day of wet felting and dyeing fibers!  I spent the early morning testing out my fall colorways.  I have decided on 4 different colorways that I will use to dye a variety of fibers.  I will be adding them into the shop in about 2 weeks.  This is the first time I have tried using consistent colorways and I am excited about it.  Also, investing in some larger fiber processing equipment was a great idea and will open many new avenues for me.  To think that I will be able to make my own top using fleeces that I have purchased makes me happy!

So anywho...after all of the dyeing, I was able to layout a scarf that I have been wanting to try out.  I fell in love with Chad Alice Hagen's lattice scarves and have been kicking around some ideas in my head.....I have some embellishment to add, but I am waiting for some of the supplies to come in the mail.  I used some of my stash of long locks for the ends of the scarf.  I had been trying to decide if I would spin them or felt them.  I am glad that I decided to felt them, and now have many more ideas for these long locks!  I have decided I really like the openness of this scarf and feel it is much more practical for Florida weather in the winter where we are pretty mild, although this will be worn when I head to Asheville this Fall!

As soon as I finished this one, I sketched out a large wrap using the same technique.  I have finished pulling the fibers (shades of blues) and will work on it today.  Stay tuned!

The lazy girl scarf....

If you know me, then you know that I am the worlds least patient person.  So of course I had to figure a way to cut out a bunch of steps in making the previously blogged scarf.  If you have read lately then you would know that I have been in a frenzy of batt making since my hubby bought me a drum carder.  I felted flat panels just beyond a prefelt stage, but not completely to a hard felt stage.  Well I now have a huge pile of felt panels that I really had no firm plans for..... So..... I used a rotary cutter and cut these panels into 3 1/2 inch strips of felt.  I then sewed them end to end to create a long (approx. 60 inch) strip.  I did this to two blue panels I had made.  Next I sewed both of those strips down the middle.  Then I cut a fringe on both sides of the sewed strips.  Finally I re-wet and soaped them, concentrating on felting the fringe.  No joke it took about 10 minutes total.....and this is the adorable (if I do say so myself) scarf- and it's long enough to wrap and have nice long tails!!!

Peaches and Cream

Here is the other super light and soft scarf I made.  A few weeks ago I dyed Merino wool and Tussah silk.  This is some of the wool and silk from that day.  I made this scarf wider and fringed the ends with undyed Tussah silk.  I love the wavy texture that resulted!  I woke up this morning energized to create more, so I have dyed up some more wool and have it drying in the sun-soaking up the wonderful Florida sun!  I love Spring!

super thin and soft summer scarf

My own hand dyed Merino wool and Tussah silk.  One layer web texture scarf....I'm in love!  :)  It is SUPER soft and light as a feather.