Felted jewellery

Over the last few months I have quite some surprising success selling my felted jewellery. My pieces have been sold through Box of Beautiful Things, based in Carnforth , UK. I had made two collections , one using some shetland tweed and one based around turquoise beads.

Here's an example of the shetland tweed pieces.

I love the ridged effect you get as the shetland tweed is forced to shrink into the wool fibres.

The turquoise beads were matched simply with black fibres and some turquoise threads.

Now I need to make some replacement pieces. As usual my ideas change and I thought I should try and make something lighter and more summery. I therefore decided to start using some indian silk, I bought in Mumbai in 2013.

Pieces are still being made , but here a glimpse of work so far

 

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this and that....

I have been flitting from one idea to another this week , trying this and that.

I have an assignment on shibori dying felt . This has been fun. It was a bit irritating when the elastic bands I had used , perished totally during the dyeing process. Perhaps that's what you get from using cheap loom band elastic bands ! This altered the finalized result but overall I am pleased with my pieces.

I have made a bracelet, using beads that my daughter made and some kap merino fibre . I have been wearing this to see what it feels like , light and comfortable and I like the look too.

A few weeks ago a took a online class with Carol Ann Waugh on Craftsy called stitch and slash. This is technique aimed at quilters but I though I'd give a tried in felting. So I laminated 4 fabrics ontop of a piece of prefelt , a scrim , a lace and two different colored synthetic chiffons. Prior to laminating I stitched a couple of random shapes into the piece and stitched around the edge as well. After felting it was only totally laminated in parts , which was just what I wanted.

 

I love the wave effect the synthetic chiffon gives.

I then slashed it , right back to the felt in a couple of places , and through different layers on the rest. Leaving some of the slashed fabric in place. I then oversewed and edged it and added a few beads.

A promising outcome I think for a first attempt.

 

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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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