Monday 25 January 2010

When it's cold, grey and wet, make felt.



                       

Both the pieces are Nuno felt but the blue piece is made with silk organza and the other with silk chiffon.

I made the mistake of using some Lanarte Sumo wool with the chiffon, not realising it was only 50% wool and so I struggled to get it to felt. Have to say that the texture has turned out really well although it doesn't show it in the photo.  And all this because I went to a bag making class on Saturday with Chris and Barbara. We made a basic tote first and then should have moved on to a more intricate bag in the afternoon. The trouble was that I spent too much time on the quilting of my tote so didn't get started on the second although I realised that it was an ideal project in which to use felt - hence making a start on the felt today. There are  photos of the class and the bags that were made if you follow the link to Chris and Barbara's blog. I have said it before but these classes take you back to the real joy of quilting and are excellent value for money if you live close enough  and if you don't live close enough - travel!

This is the tote, together with a padded heart with hare that I made last week from a Tone Finnanger pattern.  The assistant in the RSPB shop was most impressed when I used it today and everything except 2 x 12.5kg sacks went into it!



... and close up of the amount of quilting I did.





You may remember the book I purchased recently by Charlotte Ziebarth. I couldn't resist having a play with her techniques and made a cover for a small sketchbook.

  

Good fun and it also gave me a chance to play with some of the automatic patterns on my machine.

I joined Dale's Holey Moley class before Christmas but seem to have had little time to get anything done. except a piece from one of the layers classes. I have used the technique before but like the results. I used a heat gun on the right hand side of the piece and a soldering iron on the left hand side. There is virtually no difference except that the soldering iron allows for more precise control of the burning and the heat gun is much quicker.

 

I really should stop enrolling in classes unless I have the time to give them my undivided attention. I also enrolled for Susan Sorrell's Fertile Earth class. I haven't even finished the first lesson yet in which we had to use a vegetable as our source. Mine went from this ...





to this ...



and finally to this, which is still in progress and requires a lot more stitching plus some beads I think ...




Bet you wouldn't have guessed it was celery if I hadn't  shown the first photo.

My only other news is that if it snows again I will be able to get up and down my road and my drive. I got so fed up over the last cold spell that I finally decided to exchange by lovely BMW (sob, sob) for an All Wheel Drive car. I was going to show you a photo but it is black and it is dark outside. My window cleaner was most impressed today that I had bought a "Scooby". (I just need the right kind of baseball cap and drug dealer connections to go with it - only joking, honest!) I thought that I might have made the biggest mistake of my life but I love it - it's fast and fun!

Having bored you for long enough I should now go and try to get some actual sewing done.

Enjoy your creativity.

Maggi

19 comments:

  1. Thanks for the generous and kind comments Maggi. Your finished tote is lovely and we look forward to seeing the felt version of the circles bag. Have to say that celery has never looked more striking and attractive!

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  2. I am always SO impressed by the number of techniques that you get around to trying. I say that I want to try different stuff, but end up going back to quilting!!! I especially love the book cover. It is wonderful!!

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  3. Wow Maggi! Talk about getting the creative juices flowing - this post is such a treat! :-)
    I absolutely adore your journal cover... and the felt is gorgeous! I wish I could touch it!
    And the quilting is exquisite!!!

    Love the celery too... funnily enough, I did a beginners embroidery course in England several moons ago and chose a cabbage leaf as my subject... I might have to dig it out again! Thank you SO much for your inspiration!

    Warm wishes! Vikki :-)

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  4. ooh, delightful. One of these days, I'll get to some of these classes, just a matter of two boys to deal with first, lol. Can't wait to see what you come up with next

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  5. Love the felt, and the bag, and the sketch book covers are gorgeous! Your classes sound like great fun! And look at all the goodies you're making!
    keep having fun, and keep warm, Maggi!

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  6. The felt looks good. And what an inspiration the celery!

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  7. Hi Maggi, Sounds like you've had a lovely creative week. Great pieces of stitching and felting. I'm just about catching up with my UFOs. Ros

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  8. Definitely not bored Maggi, you have some wonderful work in this post. I had seen that Charlotte Ziebarth book and wondered if it was worth getting. Your work from it certainly makes me think it is. And, celery, who'd a thunk it?

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  9. Maggi this post is........I've no words.
    No, no the words are...........
    the cover is BELLISSIMA-WONDERFUL
    the stitch is MERAVIGLIOSO-AMAZING
    the bag is ELEGANTE- ELEGANT
    the felts are STUPENDI-MARVELLOUS.
    ciao ciao

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  10. Wow, Maggi, you have certainly been creative lately - I love the nuno felting you have done, and the tote bag looks fantastic. Sad that you had to sell your BMW, but getting out and about would be a bit more important I suspect! Cheers, Robin

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  11. I feel quite ashamed, having read this marvellous post. I have achieved nothing of note for ages - your tote bag is great and the quilting is lovely. The book cover is gorgeous and the colours in the Holey Moley piece are stunning. As for the celery, well I am very impressed. On top of that you have had to get used to a new car - so glad you like it - it's hard to adjust sometimes.

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  12. I nearly forgot those beautiful nuno felts - such wonderful colours. I feel tired just thinking about all you have done!

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  13. What wonderful work, the sketchbook cover is particularly beautiful Janet B.

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  14. Good to see that your keeping busy Maggi. Pleased that your loving your new car, have you got the hat yet?

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  15. The felt is beautiful, Maggi, and congratulations on the new car. I liked your comment about signing up for classes. Having signed up for a drawing course and Sharon Boggon's Studio Journals course, I've now increased my paid work, so I don't know when I'll have time to do the work required for the courses.

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  16. I took a felting workshop and really want to explore it more!! Love your pieces that you came up with. ;) You can use those in the Fertile Earth class too...Wow..the possiblities....

    The celery piece turned out awesome!! Keep up the great work. ;) Don't worry about trying to do a lesson a week..it is impossible..just enjoy the process. ;)

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  17. Great to see who you are trying out techniques. I love how your sketchbooks turned out. They look great.

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  18. Just love the sketchbook cover, makes me want to buy the book. The felts are gorgeous colours, you seem to be trying loads of different techniques, brilliant. Note to self, I must try harder.

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  19. Hi Maggie, I love your celery piece! Wow you are so creative! I need to stretch myself in these Fertile Earth classes. I love your book cover as well. You are an inspiration!I can hardly wait to see what you create next! Love and hugs, Donna
    p.s. Maggie, Thank you so much for taking time to read my blog! I will make an effort to read yours as often as I can!

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