A present

Last year I visited Fairfield Mill in the wilds of the Pennines . A real old Mill, it is now part museum , part artist workshops and part display area. Here I saw among other things beautiful embroidered pictures. One really spoke to me , it was of Sanna bay , a bay on the north coast of the ardnamurchan peninsular in Scotland. This bay has special place in my sisters heart.

In July my sister celebrates a significant birthday. This made me think of what I could give her and I remembered Fairfield Mill and the Sanna bay embroidery. Unfortunately I could no longer easily find the artist I remembered. So I thought I would take her place and make my own felted picture of Sanna bay

I researched images and I return to Moy Mackay's book on how to make felted images as I thought I would use machine stitching, Here I have to say I had a revelation. I inherited a good sewing machine , but I have never exploited it. Yes I knew it could do free style stitching , but I had never tried it. What I was missing. I did a few experiments and realized the it could add a significant texture and highlighting effect onto felted pictures. How has it taken me three years of felting and >50 years of sewing , to realize this. I cannot explain. A blind spot I guess.

So I practiced and here a peak at the effect I could get.

Finally I made a Sanna bay image , which will have been delivered by the time this blog is published and a hope it has captured a small amount if the magic of the place.

 

 

 

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Miniatures

My current task is to make some minature felts. They can be anything , flat or three dimensional. There are so many options to choose between I have found it really difficult to focus and decide what to make.

I have had a go at some miniature pictures that could be used for cards. First I thought of the biggest picture I could imagine related to my theme. Satelitte images of rivers. They are actually really wonderful colours.

This is part of the Ganges.

 

Converting these images to miniature felts is quite a challenge as the examples below show. I think without the images above no one would know what they are supposed to be. Even with them it's stretching the imagination. But does that matter? I am not sure.

Back to earth I am experimenting with a technique learnt at Feltfull , making jewelry. Here are a some bracelets.

Then I have gone a bit more three dimensional. I experimented with making a small felted sculptures, but I need to explore the technique a lot more before I am happy with it, so I am making bowls. Here again I am experimenting a bit trying out layering colours and cutting holes to give different effects. I have also tried to make two bowls the same - which has worked out reasonably.

I hope by the end of this weekend I will have 12 miniature felts , made up of jewelry and bowls and then I will have finished my miniature assignment . This is my target anyway and then I can go wild with some new ideas at Woolfest next weekend.

 

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What is it?

Last week at Feltfull I was supposed to make jewelry. Something went a bit wrong on more than one occasion and it has had to be made into something else.
My brooch was far too big and might have to get turned into a hatinator. I am reliably informed this is a cross between a fascinator and a hat. Before a do this I need to get some long feathers to give it bit of height and help me to make a statement . If I ever have an occasion to wear it. These photos give a bit of an impression of its future .

MY field of wild flowers necklace was just too long . Made assuming I will grow taller which is never going to happen. So I think it might be able to be converted into a belt. Still need a bit of work but it has possibilities. Any other ideas welcome on what is could become.

My inspired by a fly catching plant necklace is a bit of a show stopper. So much I could never wear it. It is Unlike any jewelry you have ever seen. So it has been converted in a garden installation , just a small one. Large necklace makes small garden ornament !

I am looking forward to seeing it in all weathers from my bedroom window and hopefully some small insects might find a safe home in its fibres.

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