Needle Felting Experiments

After days of felting/stitching and deliberating [more the point procrastinating], I'm able to share some little samples with readers.  I like the little attachment, and after a few teething issues, I think we are both ready to kiss and make up!!  It is a fun process, simple, but interesting to see how the barbed needles work to mesh the fibres together.  I really don't have a lot of carded fibres at the moment, and will see to that in due course.  But, I did manage to try two different colourways.  The first trial was using the lovely random dyed felt that Isabell sent me.  I had a small piece of blue/mauve wool which I tried to felt into a sort of flower.  Now that it's done, I've completely changed my mind, and it has now been named Jellyfish_1.  Don't laugh - not many months ago I went to Google in search of 'abstract jellyfish', and this site came up.  I adore this picture, so it has been my inspiration for the Jellyfish Family.................  The postcard pictured above is 'father jellyfish', in all his glory.  I've also managed to use our TAST2012 stitch for this week - running stitch.  The tentacles are made up of the running stitch, the herringbone superimposed over the felting, and trapped Angelina fibres.  I hope you can visualize him blobbing around in the depths looking for his 'bride'. 

Of course, the next in line is another postcard - Jellyfish_2, which can loosely be called 'the bride'.  For this piece, I've felted some embroidery wool, as well as some lovely soft mesh yarn I purchased from Pick Up Stitches [for knitting scarves].  I was given some paua shell pieces, and this particular one looked like it had possibilities.  Anyway, for the purpose of this experiment, the 'bride' awaits.   The soft pink mesh yarn felted quite well, and I'm quite happy with the result.

And the saga continues with the arrival of Jellyfish_3, little jellyfish [an ATC].  She [it's pink] doesn't look much, but she'll grow on you.........LOL...  Again I've used our week 10 stitch, running.  I'm a little disappointed with my satin stitch edgings on these cards.  I think the felt is very soft, and seems to roll a little in front of the needle as you stitch.

I managed to cut one more ATC out of the mauve but decided it just might look like something totally different.  It appeared to me to look like a little sweetpea bud, ready to emerge and give this little bee something to savour.  I added a few double cast-on stitches, and some drizzle stitches to the top, plus a small line of stem stitch .  This has just a little bit of wool embroidery yarn and a tiny snip of purple chiffon felted to the background.

I have one more ATC that is different again.  I have some acrylic/nylon knitting yarn that is easy enough to spread apart, and wanted to see how well it would felt.  This yarn is just the two colours, a golden yellow and a salmon/reddy pink [photo not showing quite the right colour].  I think this felted beautifully, and hope to make a bigger project with it soon.  Our TAST week 9 stitch was couching, so I've simply added some fine gold cord couching made into a spiral, with the pretty button in the centre.  I think the future project will have the gold cord couching done by machine zig-zag!!  I like this one very much, it has a sheen to it.

Thank you for so many encouraging comments regarding my needle felting attachment.  It's not a quick process, but then, nothing worthwhile ever is I suppose.

One last note - I was pleasantly surprised to see a post on another blog which mentioned, and shared my little pincushion worked with the Chiaramonte stitch.  You can see it here.  I was very happy with the instructions I found for this stitch, and wrote to the people after the pincushion was done.  I think it is lovely of the blog owner to post about my experience.  

Colour Theory

I'm back with another journal cover to share.  I seem to be fixated on these, and the eucalypt at the moment, but for me they are something I see every day, and I never get tired of the inspiration they provide.  Our Sumptuous Surfaces online class is dealing with colour theory at the moment, and despite never having done much of this, I find it fascinating, and can now understand why I know some colours just look good together............LOL........  

I used this part of the class to quickly stitch up a gum leaf sprig using a few different layers, not much stitching, but different 'fabrics' for my leaves, and some dimensional stitching for the flowers.  The gum leaves are Hanah overdyed bias silk ribbon, fused together with Mistyfuse, cut into shapes, and then fused to the background.  This product allows pieces to be adhered to a background, yet everything stays soft enough to stitch through easily.  I've used bronze sequin waste to give the impression of 'chewed' leaves.  

The actual cover itself has been made using Abaca Tissue.  It is often sold under the name of Tissuetex, dyed ready for your use.  I purchased some from http://www.thethreadstudio.com/catalogue/catfront.htm  Abaca tissue is extremely strong, despite feeling a lot like paper.  It can be painted, stitched, crumpled, you name it.  I didn't purchase this colour especially for the project, but had it on hand.  I crumpled it several times before fusing it to some beige wool felt [again with Mistyfuse].  I did make crinkles in it before I actually used the iron to set the fusible webbing.  Prior to stitching on the postcard sized embroidery, I fused the wool felt/abaca fabric onto pelmet vilene.  It makes for a much firmer fabric all round [do you get the idea that I like fusible products.........LOL].  The postcard was attached using satin stitch in a green multi metallic thread.  The lining fabric was one of my red/grey hand dyes, not the best match, but not the worst either [you can just see a little of it set into the side of the postcard].

After all the stitching was completed, I gently rubbed some Rose Gold 'Treasure Gold' into the surface of the Abaca, which gives it a rosy glow.  It looks and feels a little like leather.  


This was just a very quick way to produce another cover, using colour combinations I like.  I need to make another small project now with much more 'stitching' on it, and haven't quite decided on a theme or if it will be used as a postcard, or as a decorative addition to something else.  We have one more class lesson on Wednesday, and that will be it.  

Thank you all for taking such a keen interest in what this is all about.

Goodies to savour

Yesterday's mail brought a package I had been expecting.  Some time ago I ordered the complete pallette from Vicki Welsh's first Colour Pallette project for 2011.  You can read more about it on her blog - http://vickiwelsh.typepad.com/field_trips_in_fiber/2011/02/index.html


The fabric in the photograph above is one part of the Pine Boughs selection.  I am also finding myself drawn to the February project, but in all honesty, must restrain myself.  Vicki is fabric dyer numero uno!!!  She took the Pine Boughs colours from a photograph, and arrived at each of them because of her skill in formulating colours.  I have done some dyeing, learnt to mix colours and such, but not in an organized way such as this.  I get what I get, but I do know that this precision takes a lot of patience, practice and skill.   

The other part of the Pine Boughs pallette is here [please disregard cork flooring!!].  The 'mottling/marbling' in these hand dyes are lovely, and I'm really thrilled with them.  The 3CS ladies are running challenges again this year, but unfortunately, just at this point in time I'm not in a postion to take part.  Perhaps later in the year, when I have a few other stitching commitments under control.  You can also see some quilt design possibilities Vicki has worked on using this pallette [on her blog].  I have to say the price is very good too, at $15/yard!!  I received 3 yards posted here for less than $20/yard, which I feel is extremely good for the quality product I'm getting.

At the end of last year I also won another of Vicki's fabric postcards.  Due to the flooding in our area, my mail was held up for almost a month, and then of course I had the camera drama.  I tried to photograph the PC with my phone, but the image colour was very far from the truth!!  I've finally been able to share this PC with you now and I hope you enjoy seeing the lovely card I received.  Thank you Vicki.  I love all the cards that came my way due to my involvement last year with the 3CS projects.  I learnt so much, and met ladies whose talent I so admire.

And, to add to yesterday's fun, I also found out I had been chosen as the winner of a fabric give-away on the blog of Frances Leate [http://quiltingowl.blogspot.com/].  I'm sorry I just can't get the page to load this morning so I can actually 'link' it here, forgive me Frances.  I am looking forward to that parcel.  All fabrics are made most welcome in my home...........LOL.........


I am still quite busy stitching on my hardanger, but nothing worthy of sharing just at the moment.  It is shaping up to be another hot day here in our part of the world, and I believe tomorrow is to be worse. 

Fabric Postcards

Not long ago I participated in a group postcard swap on the 3CS forum.  The theme for this swap was 'On Broadway'.  It is all over now, and we have all received our swap cards, so I thought I would share the ones I received as well as those I made.

 These are the four postcards that I received.  Each one of us seemed to associate musicals with the theme.  I am so pleased to have taken part in this.  It's good to stretch oneself at times, as I struggle interpreting a theme.   But, I have to say that I've so enjoyed receiving such pretty 'mailart'.

I took this photo before I sent off my efforts.  I can't help but be amused at the similarities in thought processes, as well as the fact that some of us even broke the background in the same way.  These are the things I find interesting about projects such as this.   I have to apologize for the incorrect spelling on one of my cards - oh dear, I won't print out things again before I double check!!!  I did make an extra one, and sent off to a lady who unfortunately had taken ill and couldn't participate.  I do hope she is now feeling much better.

Whilst on the subject of fabric postcards, I would love to share this one with everyone.  I was fortunate enough to be chosen as the winner of this lovely card made by Kathy Shaker.  It arrived last week.  It is just lovely in 'real life', so many little bits going together to make this sweet card.  Kathy is a friend I've made via the StitchinFingers site.  You can see more of Kathy's inspirational work on her blog:

http://www.joyfulstitches.blogspot.com/ 

Thank you Kathy!!

Sunprinting

Once again the ladies on 3CS organized an interesting experimental technique for us this month, well, in a day or so we'll be onto the next one!!!  However, this sunprinting was fun.  I'd never done any of it before, so welcomed the opportunity to play.  This piece was painted with a yellow/blue Setacolor mix, then masked with a thread doiley and some string.  I have to confess, I didn't really like the shade of green, but hoped I'd manage to camouflage that when the time came to use the created piece.

The first thing that came to mind was crystal fibre and black tulle, which I do think has worked to some degree.  By using my postcard 'window' I thought I could 'see' a flower lurking in the background, waiting to be enhanced by some stitching.   I am forever in need of dimension when doing these projects, can't make anything without just another layer.  After stitching the flower centre circle, it just needed a little bit more.  These little spidery 'centres' were created by stitching onto stretched, ie hooped Solvy.  I only actually used one of them, as the three looked far too bulky, even for me.  But, as with all of these experiemental pieces, the other two little green/black 'spiders' will go into the tomorrow jar and live to work another day.

And, now to the end result.  A few well chosen beads, yet another shade of green for the satin stitch edge, and here is a very green postcard with just a hint of a flower sitting quietly in the background........................




Thank you too ladies for your comments regarding my knitting.  I am only knitting for something to do at night.  I have lots of leftover balls of wool and thought some small items might help pass the time instead of nodding off to sleep in front of the TV.  I must find out where I can send these little things, perhaps a childrens' hospital might be able to use them.   We have a very active Ladies Auxilliary for our local hospital, so a quick phone call one day will point me in the right direction I'm sure.

Wavy Weaving

Not long ago I was introduced to this technique - wavy weaving.  It's a simple process, but creates an interesting background.  I used black and white silk dupion for the weaving, then free machined with black/silver metallic Madeira thread.  I always wanted to make the trim a different colour to the background.  I found this rather 'loud' fluoro pink polyester organza in a little store, so thought it might work, as I had a rather glitzy hot pink metallic thread in my stash.  I fused two layers of organza with Gossamer Fuse [The Thread Studio], hooped it and made three little five- petalled flowers.  After cutting these free, they looked exactly what I wanted.  I knew I had some rather bright beads left over from something my daughter made a few years ago.  The metallic pink stitching gave it a bit more movement, but it just needed something else.  Thank goodness for feathers!!!!!  This ever so soft pink maribou gave it a party feel to me.  I have fallen in love with making these little pieces of 'art', but have to admit to taking far too long to achieve my goals.  There was enough of the weaving to cut two pieces for ATC's, but I might shelve them for a while so I can finish some other projects.

More Machine Embroidery

This blue fabric has been annoying me since the day I dyed it. It had some considerable working over before overlaying with several slightly different sheers and some free machine stitching. Originally I intended it to be the cover for a small index book, but once the stitching had been done, I just couldn't find a focal point in the correct place.

I finally took the plunge and cut it into several 'other' possible items. I still have some strips to work with so I will make some little 'Inchies' for future use. These two postcards are the result of too much time!!!

Anniversary Blues appears to me to have three elements which remind me of the Blue Mountains and The Three Sisters. Quite some years ago we spent our 25th wedding anniversary at Katoomba, arriving after dark, after a long day driving. We fully intended to view The Three Sisters before leaving early the next morning. Unfortunately, it was misty/foggy. We had to move on, and missed seeing them.

Beading seemed the only embellishment needed for the other version.