Year End Round Up

Year End Round Up

Every year I think I never had much time to do everything I wanted, but at least I did get to do some things which I enjoyed. I always enjoy the challenges we do on the Studio site and seeing everyone’s entries. I think this was my favourite piece from all the challenges, from Ann’s Stewart Stephenson challenge:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI tried a few new things this year, one of them was making a hat for the first time:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI also tried commercial prefelt pieces kindly donated by Heidi Feathers.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI also tried a new embellishment fibre, Kapok:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAAnd some new animal fibres. This is yak, it was the softest fibre I’d ever felt (or felted!):

??????????????????????Until I got some camel fibre, even softer!:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI know a lot of people prefer to make felt with a ‘purpose’, but I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of experimenting and trying combinations of different wool breeds or animal fibres with various embellishment fibres, just for the fun of it. A few of my favourite pieces: Dark Brown Corriedale with Ingeo:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAAngora goat with black and white viscose:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAAnother things I love is texture, surface design and sculptural felt, I did a bit of that this year too:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI do like colour too, so had fun dyeing a lot of wools and embellishment fibres recently. The milk protein was especially gorgeous:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThanks a lot for all the support this past year and all the nice comments an helpful advice, I hope you’ve enjoyed your past year too 🙂

26 thoughts on “Year End Round Up

  1. Your challenge entry is definitely a great piece of wall art.

    It’s interesting to look back on the last year’s achievements, and I’m the same as you in that I never feel that I had enough time with the fibres.

  2. Very enjoyable looking back on the past year’s challenges and recalling some of your lovely samples. Sculptural felt is the most challenging, in my book–and your Land Art entry was impressive. Wouldn’t that make a great on-line tutorial? hint hint

    1. Thanks, Cathy 🙂
      Maybe when the EU decide to collect their own taxes, I’ll think about more tutorials!

  3. Thanks for the look back Zed. I love seeing and learning from all your experiments. It’s amazing all that we do, yet there are always more to add to the to do list. Happy felting in 2015!

    1. Thanks, Marilyn 🙂
      Yeah, I think more gets added to the ‘to do’ list than ever gets crossed off!

  4. Zed – I think we all learn so much from your experiments and samples. I always have people asking me “What are you going to do with that?” Not sure why everything needs a purpose. My goal is just to enjoy the journey, learning from experiments and having fun with the process. Best wishes for a happy and creative 2015!

    1. Thanks, Ruth 🙂
      To me, felting is like soft science, you can see why something happens and have fun doing it too. Maybe I’ll use the knowledge one day, or maybe not!

    1. Thanks, Judy 🙂
      I was impressed by the dyeing too, amazing what you can do with a bit of powder, water and vinegar!

  5. Love your look back Zed. It is fantastic to be able to see and learn from all your samples and experiments, love them all and thanks for sharing.
    Happy Felting to all of the Forum.

    1. Thanks, Jane 🙂
      I’m glad you’ve enjoyed what I’ve made. Happy Felting to you too.

  6. I love your samples and experiments. I learn a lot on the cheap. LOL. You had a good year and I am looking forward to seeing more interesting things form you in the coming year.

    1. Thanks, Ann 🙂
      I think the great thing about our community is that we all learn from each other.

  7. Zed – Love your work – maybe one day you will piece your samples together into a great throw/quilt or a wall hanging. Would be interesting to study them all in a group. Please keep sharing and have a wonderful 2015!

    1. Thanks, Frances 🙂
      i did think of doing something like that, but then I kept using pieces to frame because I like them individually! I hope you have a great 2015 too.

  8. Thanks Zed – I’ve learnt so much from you this year. I have one last question for 2014 – do you know of a tool that cuts perfect circles from wet felted fibre with silk embellishments – (apart from scissors that is!) ~Thanks for your help – have a good 2015!

  9. Happy New Year, Zed! Thank you for inspiring curiosity & exploration of fibres with fabulous pictures and that unique Zed artistry. May 2015 bring ever more fibre wonders! Have a brilliant New Year, Zed!

  10. Thanks Zed for sharing. Your work is fantastic and your samples are wonderful to look at. You have been such an inspiration to me. Maybe I will get the courage this year to try dyeing some fabric. All the best in 2015.
    Josie

    1. Thanks, Josie 🙂
      You definitely should! And we do have lots of info on here for dyeing, whether it’s silk or cotton. All the best to you, too 🙂

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