Felted experiments

Ta Da!! Haven't done much felting for a little while. Now I all inspired because I went to our monthly Feltwest workday here in Perth. Above are some bangles and below some felted rope inspired by fellow felters.

I got a new book on felt called 'Felt' by India Flint. It is cheap and has lots of projects in it that I want to try. Sometimes having someone explain it to you without being shown just isn't the same as reading and looking at photos. I want to make a hat and a poncho/shawl for winter - I am actually planning ahead!! I have bought a ball to try 'bowl on a ball' - lots of ideas here for my exhibition later on in the year. AND I want to make a felted tote. A lot of the felt I make I give away a presents, so these things will be for me :) There is a felt exhibition coming up at the end of March and I have a piece in mind for it. Last week i tried to make a start, but it was not to be. I had to buy silk chiffon and no one had any. I also wanted to go buy wool tops for it, but the people I buy it from were moving that very weekend!! Maybe this weekend will prove more fruitful.

What I've been up to

Right, above is another piece I am planning to mount on canvas using small pieces of art as the focal point. Best intentions, but keep getting sidetracked by things like work. I am planning to paint the background and sponge it to give a mottled effect. I am then going to cut the organza with my soldering iron and nestle the pieces inside organza petals.

This piece is for an upcoming art sale. Obviously not quite finished yet. Looks really good in this photo!! I had it in a frame and someone suggested that framing didn't do it justice and I should try canvas mounted. I think this will work out well.

I am making a series of ocean inspired pieces for my Uncle's gallery. This pic and the one below will comprise a full moon and ocean piece.Hand felted night sky.

Monday Morning

Got up to a bit of sewing this weekend. I am making and ocean/ moon piece to go in my Uncle's gallery. Happy with it so far. I find when I usually get stuff is with the logistics of construction. I know that I will have 3 different sections...but then how to attach them to each other... I bought some big frames last Friday. 6 of them! I'm pretty excited about getting a couple of my pieces put in them. The others are for pieces I haven't made yet - but I have no problems creating a piece to fit in a frame. If I'm not working on Thursday or Friday, I will go around to a couple of the framers I spoke to on the phone and see how I go.

Close-ups

What do you think??

Right. Well I've been fiddling around with this for a while. It's an experiment in combining canvas and textiles in a way that highlights the textiles...it's meant to be, anyway. So I have a couple of things to ask. Firstly, I haven't attached the centre square yet. Do you think it is good here? Or should I move it up to the top left? Second, I was thinking of adding some matching fibre onto the canvas to try and 'connect' the fore and background a bit more. sound like a good idea? Third, would you want to look at this on your wall? I am making some pieces so an upcoming art sale, and don't know whether this is up to scratch on not. Thanks for any feedback/ advice. I will post a few close ups so you can get a feel for the piece. :)

New Fibre Postcards

I have been so tardy with blogging! However I have an excuse: I have been working full time and just don't seem to have enough hours in a week to get everything done! I need to have 4 pieces finished in March for an Art Sale, PLUS my own exhibition in October and a few smaller things in between. Head down, bum up!! I have so many ideas but just lack the impetus to start them sometimes. Or I spend time researching, or on the net getting inspired, or at the shop buying supplies and then you end up with no time left to make anything. Oh dear.

At least I got something done this weekend. :) I have about four more in the works. They are painted but need sewing and melting. All in all I'm happy with these. Might try burning more of some of the others so that the background fabric shows through more.

I have been temping the last 3 weeks and doing a little bit at my mum's school. Will have to put in some requests for relief teaching at a few close by schools. I really want to find my perfect, special job that I know is waiting for me. There are only so many days you can spend standing in front of a photocopier. ;)