Felted Cityscape
I was asked about my cityscape in gallery so I thought I would tell you about it. I made it about 3 years ago so there are no pictures of it going together . The base is wet felted. There are 2 layers of merino, then a layer of cotton gauze and then 2 more layers of merino. I added the cotton gauze to make sure it wouldn’t sag when the temperature and humidity goes up. I do live in Canada and although many people think its cold here all the time the summer temperature gos up above 85 frequently and we get high humidity to go with it. I also wet felted several rectangles in diferant colours for the buildings and the windows. To put it together I used a little feltcraft needle felting machine.
I placed all the buildings on the background and then tacked them in place by hand. Just a few quick jabs to keep them where I wanted them. I then went over all over them thoroughly with the little machine. I only broke a few needles.
I put the windows in with a single needle first. I was afraid they would disappear if the corners were not well anchored. Then went over them again with the machine. The moon and the haze around it where put in the same way. The stars are pearl beads, hand stitched to the background . Originally I wanted to sell this one so I made a smaller one to keep. I ended up keeping them both. I never did offer it for sale. The moon in the smaller picture isn’t actually blue. the felt I used to make it was quite thin and the black showing through it makes it look blueish.
10 thoughts on “Felted Cityscape”
Great pieces!
Thanks Ruth
I really like your cityscape and was interested to read how you’d achieved it – I didn’t realise from the photos that the stars were beads and it’s very effective.
It’s a good idea to put a layer of gauze in to firm things up.
You mentioned being afraid that the window corners might disappear during wet felting and I understand because I’ve had that happen. But the strangest thing is, if you have one tiny, single stray strand of fibre accidentally in the wrong place, it doesn’t disappear – it glows like a beacon!
Thanks Lyn I didn’t l put gauze in the small one but it is not nearly as thick and heavy. I would like to do more work with my machine. I have a bigger one now. Time seems to get away from me though. I so know what you mean about stray hairs or colours. Especially frustrating when you are trying to make something white on white. I have had to dye more white things because after I am done there is somethings on it.
I never thought they might be needlefelted together, I just assumed it was all wet felted with prefelts 🙂
Fooled you. 😉
I love these pieces. Not having seen a needle felting machine close-up before, I assume (from squinting at the photo) that this one has 4 needles? Is it just an up-and-down motion, and you move the felt around as you go?
Also, when you say ‘guaze’ I think ‘cheesecloth’. Is that what you mean?
Yes it’s just an up and down motion. This one is like a child’s sewing machine. the one I have now is the size of a regular sewing machine and holds 6 needles, some hold 12. The little one is not expensive but you really have to watch your fingers with it. you can see the finger guard is not great. Yes it is like cheesecloth, a loose weave cotton.
These are really nice…evocative! Thanks for sharing your technique. I haven’t seen one of those machines close-up before. XXO-
Thank you Heather.