F i E L D y

New Stuff.

As I mentioned in a previous post I have been trying out a few new things involving the lovely Colinette yarn - I really can't stress how much I love this yarn - the colours, the texture even the names are just so gorgeous!
I recently learnt to do some basic crochet and have made lots of these corsages.........

I thought it would be nice to combine the yarn with Harris Tweed leaves. The plain yarns would have patterned tweed leaves and the patterned yarns would have plain tweed leaves. I have already changed my mind about that as the patterned tweed looks good with the patterned yarn too. In the picture there are two Colinette corsages in colourways 'Salty Dog' and 'Ginger Cinnabar' - both have proved to be popular (I personally love the Salty Dog colourway) the pink is a Fybrespates handdyed yarn bought from K1 Yarns in colourway 'Cutie Pink' (limited edition - apparently chunky yarns are not popular! I must be in the minority!) Bottom left is a corsage in Folktale Fibre handspun OOAK in colourway 'Heirloom' and on the right the corsage in made from Nessie Knits handspun OOAK in colourway 'Springling'The two Colinette corsages have made their way into my shop and the others will follow shortly - it's a major feat to get any type of half-decent photo these days as we get about 2 hours of daylight in Glasgow per day.
I have also been working on these felted hearts....

made from pieces of a handknit jumper that were given to me by a friend. Her Mum had started knitting it 15 years ago and never finished it! It has made great felt....

I love the fact that is is made from Shetland Wool. I have added tartan ribbon and some crochet
flowers which I think look really sweet (they are also stuffed with kapok and organic lavender) These too will eventually make it to the shop although I have sold 4 of the 10 I made and still have a couple of Xmas fairs to go. There is already one in the shop - if anyone is interested in them.
Of course I have been making lots of the wee scotties, hotties and tea cosies too but have posted pics of those so many times before that I am not going to inflict yet more onto you!
Maybe one more heart though............

Just because.
I have recently done a mega shop update - God it's laborious and time consuming!- maybe I should try to do little and often. Back soon with more new stuff hopefully and a peek at The Writers Bag.

Felt.

As I mentioned in my previous post I did a feltmaking course last weekend at Twist Fibre Craft Studio. The shop is amazing - everything that you could need for anything fibre related - a real Aladdins Cave. Underneath the shop there is a small studio where the workshops are held - they also do workshops for schools and community groups.
There were 6 people on the course including myself and as we went around the room introducing ourselves it transpired that they were all teachers - "I'm a teacher" "oh I'm a teacher too" "yes I'm a teacher" etc etc . When it came to me (being the last) they all looked at me expectantly - "I am not a teacher" I said, and left it at that.
Although I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop it made me realise that I like certain types of felt - not ALL felt! The sort of thing that we were doing was great to learn the techniques but aesthetically it was not doing it for me! I think that I am most likely to apply this technique to bowls or something like that rather than bags/scarves/corsages etc We all made flowers - very large flowers and this is the result......

..... it looks like something Captain Kirk might stumble across on some weird planet! It was as big as my hand!! The overall finish is a bit lumpen, mainly because I did too many thick layers and I managed to get some Corriedale wool mixed in with the Merino we were supposed to be using. Everyone elses' looked lovely and because their felt was thinner they were able to mould rather delicate shapes (no pics I'm afraid) I had to pummel and tug mine for ages over the top of a malt vinegar bottle to get even the tiniest amount of shaping! I do love the multicoloured felt ball in the centre though. In fact I love wee felt balls so much that I bought some supplies......

and turned these.....

..into these (rather out of focus) smooth beads......

which I will use as decoration on something.
The flower did not go to waste though - I chopped it up to make leaves for this corsage....

which was a present for my friend Elaine! I think you will agree that this was a much better use for it.
I also mentioned in my last post that I have been indulging in rather alot of on-line shopping. As a result I have a few things that I have no real use for. I have several books on felting so I am happy to let these 2 books go on to a new home.
Felt by Robyn Steel-Stickland has alot of projects all using handmade felt including a few things to make for the home and as accessories, using the wet felting technique which is explained at the start of the book.

I know that I will never make any of these projects so I would like to pass it on along with 2 small sheets of handmade felt which are only partially 'fulled' and so could be cut into a shape and finished off (it is alot thinner and more malleable than my flower!) I made these sheets as I was intending to try and do something with them when I got home but you know what? I know I never will so........
The second book, Fabulous Felt by Sophie Bester, again has alot of projects including accessories and items for the home. This book covers different techniques to use with flat felt - mainly cut-outs and appliques.

Knowing that someone will get use from these will assuage my guilt a little at being so gung-ho with the old mouse! To enter the draw for these books please leave a comment and say if you are interested in one specific book or both books (2 seperate draws) and a recommendation for your favourite inspirational resource, be it a book, online, an exhibition that you have seen, artist you like, film, music whatever - I would love to know where people draw their inspiration from!
I will perform the highly technical operation of drawing 2 names from 2 hats next Saturday 16th August.
On a completely different subject - am I the only person who thinks that the latest advert for Orangina is totally bizarre, bordering on pornographic??! There is something very disturbing about it!!
Oh, by the way the first episode of a comedy series I worked on earlier this year is on air at 10.20pm BBC3 on 12th August. Please watch so that they commission a second series thereby securing me a job i.e. funds to squander on more lovely yarn and tweed! Thanksx
P.S. It is a little bit rude.
PPS Check out these if you are into felt:-
The Felt Studio
Lupin
Pippin Designs
Paper Fish

Cupcake anyone?

'Cos there's a whole plate of them over at mine in all their glorious Warm Fuzziness!

Behold - A Scarf!

I finally took the plunge and felted the Enormous Blue Scarf yesterday. When it was knitted up it was much too wide and, although long, in proportion to the width it was too short!
I put it through the machine on a 60 degree wash and it came out shorter and slightly narrower so I put it through a second time hoping it would shrink in width again. It didn't. I tried stretching it out over the edge of the table and it seemed to work - but then it kept shrinking back. The proportions were getting better though so I persevered and then it struck me that this was when I needed to block it. When visiting many of the knitting blogs there was much talk of blocking and so I decided to see if I could stretch and pin the scarf so it would dry in the shape I wanted. It worked! I cannot believe that it has come out so well! I was resigned to it being a disaster and by some miracle it stretched to exactly the right proportions!

It is still pinned to the mat on the kitchen floor - the paint tin is holding the mat down! I can't wait to get it up and start wearing it! It is a lot stiffer than when it was pre-felting but that is to be expected. It still has a lovely fluffy angora finish though. As it is all garter stitch it has felted into neat ridges which I am delighted with - a very happy accident!

The Key to Happiness.

After a wait of six long years this has finally come into my possession!

You may be thinking it's just an out of focus key, but you would be wrong. This is not any old key, but the key to a whole new life. A life free from clutter and mess. Finally I can remove the Flymo mower from the hall and all the assorted gardening tools from the hall cupboard! This, my friends, is the key to two small sheds in the back garden of the tenement that I live in. There they are on the left...

aren't they beautiful! (as you can see it is a lovely day here in Glasgow) Let the de-clutter begin!
I got some exciting things through the post today. More labels.....

..as I have only got about 3 left! That means that I have made 247 things since starting fieldy!
I also received this lovely felted corsage from Monica -

I have been admiring her corsages for a while so I am delighted to have one of my own! Thanks Monica, it is very much appreciated! (I love the dinky wee business card too)
I am finally able to post about a cushion I made for my friend Caireen for her new home - I finally managed to give it to her last night!
I decided to make a large cushion similar to the small one I made a while ago as I knew Caireen liked the colours. I had felted a grey jumper that I got from a charity shop but it had no pattern or texture so I decided to sew some texture into it.
First I cut out the felt panel and marked it up with tailors chalk.....

Originally I had drawn lines 1" apart but then decided that they were too close together so I just pinned every second line....

I then sewed ridges into the felt, varying the size of them - 2 thin, 1 thick etc and I ended up with this...

.....recycled felt and Harris Tweed cushion. The felt is incredibly soft and warm so hopefully it will keep her nice and cosy over the next couple of months! I am pleased with this effect and I think I will apply it to some purses I am planning and maybe other things, who knows?
I love texture - I am basically a 3D minded kind of person. Check out this designers work - very inspirational. Her stuff is very structured because she uses alot of industrial felt.
I am doing the Learn to Knit class this eve so hopefully will have something to post about tomorrow. I have decided that I cannot inflict any more tedious shots of the studio refurb on you - until it is finished that is!

Food for thought.

As luck would have it there was a special edition of the magazine Interweave in K1 Yarns all about felting.

It had a load of informative articles like this one....

...and this....

...some food for thought...

....and some objects of desire....

all in all a damn fine read! Apparently this edition was two years in the making - there is loads more to it but don't want to bore you!
In the editorial at the front Amy Clarke Moore (she of the felt 'pod') asks the question 'Why do you make felt?' Answers to this question can be directed to AmyC@Interweave.com.
I myself am not sure why I do it - it is like a compulsion. Perhaps I have some kind of OCD? I am finding it spreading to knitting too and I only picked up a pair of needles for the first time last week!

I like felt but.....

As you know I am a fan of felt but please, if I ever start making myself one of these....

...shoot me!

The beginning of the end?

A while ago I posted about my compulsive felting addiction. I am still in the grips of a full blown obsession and have managed to accumulate yet more recycled jumpers to add to the felting pile. This is no mean feat as I am currently working full time but as all you fellow addicts know - nothing can stop the true felting addict from getting their next 'fix'. These are some of the things that I have 'scored' recently.
These I have already felted in the machine....

And these lovelies I bought when I popped out to get my lunch - a charity shop conveniently situated next to the bakery!

Classic jumpers from Johnstones of Elgin! I love the colours and think they go really well with my Lionel Nichols buttons.

My good friend Lynn, who is actively encouraging this digraceful behavior, has put me in touch with a clothing recycling plant just outside Glasgow. I have spoken to the people there and they have invited me to go and look around. They send all their stuff to Africa and the demand for wool jumpers there is not great so they would be happy to sort out any wool goods for me to collect on a bi-weekly basis. I fear I have fallen into the abyss - no turning back now. Quick! Somebody! Throw me a rope...on second thoughts don't bother - I am having too much fun!

PS Amy Winehouse was totally amazing last night - what a truely great performer!

Addiction? Obsession?

I find myself in the grip of what can only be described as an addiction....or obsession...or both. I am addicted to going around charity shops looking for wool items as I am now totally obsessed with turning them in to felt! I have even taken to going through my own wardrobe looking for felt fodder - mmm, I haven't worn this for a couple of weeks.......I am going to have nothing left to wear at this rate! Luckily I am working at the moment so my forays to the shops are few and far between but give me a window of opportunity and I am there! Is there a cure I wonder or is this the downward spiral into a felt frenzy of such huge proportions that there is no way back? Only time will tell.

Super Saturday!

I love Saturdays and this one started exceptionally well with the arrival of this fab book and the purchase of this mohair scarf from a charity shop!

I am intending to felt the scarf. i have already felted one that I bought a couple of weeks ago but I feel it is too felted - if that is possible. Any tips on controlling felting process would be gratefully received!
I also felted an already shrunk cardigan of mine.......

.... it is a lovely charcoal grey, a colour I love! I unpicked it yesterday and used the collar to make the centre panel on this small cushion. I also managed to complete the cushion I started the other day.

At last I have done something incorporating felt! - I intend to do loads more when I get time. I love the texture of felt. I really like the way the ribbing on the felt is still visible and the contrast of that with the texture of the tweed - also the combination of charcoal grey and baby blue - very satisfying!