Exhibition piece - Part 1

ArtybIrdcarnforth are having a spring exhibition in, not surprisingly , Carnforth UK. All week I have been preparing my piece.

My inspiration is this small part of Far Easedale Gill. The photo was taken on a cold April Day.

My piece will be made all in white and then naturally dyed. Just to be sure I have been doing some more dye tests. I was interested to see what difference pH would make to madder dying .

These results are not quite as different as I expected , but maybe I need a bigger pH change than from 5 to 7 . More work is needed I think!

I have also been preparing all my fabric and fibres which when added to the felt will build the texture and then the colours after dyeing.

Here they are all laid out on my table , not looking much at the moment but after felting and dyeing should be beautiful. I hope !

 

Posted with Blogsy

A fantasy fish and a find

A number of months ago I was asked by one of my daughters if I could make a felted fish. I was pretty vague about by capabilities at the time . I knew if I was going to make a fish, it would have to be a fantasy fish , as making replica sea bass or trout is not for me. I actually knew I could make a fish I just did not feel inclined to do so until this week. When perhaps due to the dismal cold weather , I thought , why not try .
So here he is . One crazy fantasy fish . Just a prototype you understand. I will make the rest of his aquarium friends shortly !

And on a completely different track , I bought a little treasure trove this week. In the UK charity shops are quite a big part of all the high streets, here in the Netherlands such shops are very rare. There place is taken to some extent by the house clearance stalls on the market. Many strange bargains are to be had on these stalls , and you never know what you will find.
Last week on one of these stalls I found this.

The little sticker ' witte knoppen' means white buttons.

I thought these white buttons were perhaps a treasured collection made over years , now sadly unwanted. So I bought them for 3 Euros and I have brought them home to treasure , and maybe add to a few felted projects.

Posted with Blogsy

Productive week

I feel I have achieved loads this week.

Firstly I got round to trying some of the techniques I learnt in December with Lisa Klakulak at the wonderful Atelier Fiberfusing. I was pleased I have not forgotten all the fascinating felting tips Lisa taught me and I am delighted with the purple pod I made.

I finished the presentation of some new jewellery and was surprised and pleased to unexpectedly sell some more earrings . I also started adding the beads to another set . My plan for all these to go into my Etsy shop, hopefully next week.

 

Artybirdcarnforth has planned an exhibition for April and I need to get my piece finished and with then by the 10th March. This is not so far in the future so I did a few pastel drawing that will form part of the inspiration for the piece .

As I want to naturally dye this piece I did a few more dyeing experiments. Onion onto BFL and with alkanent on some Gotland. Typically I prefer the felt design of the gotland piece but I am not so keen on the range of grey and brown I have produced. I like the golden colours from the onions a lot better.

When I look back it feels like a very productive week !

 

Posted with Blogsy