Lately, I’ve tried to step out of my comfort zone with color and fiber and try some new things.

While this first example doesn’t look like it’s outside of my usual color palette, I did use some silk for nuno on this clutch and some coarser fibers like Corriedale that I made for my daughter in law.  The nuno is not as noticeable as I’d like, but I think it still adds a nice texture to it.

Revisiting pods, I decided to really jump out of my comfort zone and use bold primaries on a black background. (It is a bit like some of Pollack style pictures I did for last year’s challenge.)

 

 

 

 

 

Another project I’ve worked on was  hand dyed silk I made a while back.  I decided I didn’t want a long scarf so I cut the piece in half.  I used very little wool wisps on one side.  The joke was on me when I was finished felting.  It could be a scarf for a doll!  It had been a while since I did nuno and evidently forgot about the big shrinkage rate for silk gauze.  I do like it though.  I think I could wear it as a collar if not a scarf.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most recently, I decided to play with some neutrals and coarser wools.  Cathy (Luvswool) was nice enough to give me some of the Domestic 56  wool she had dyed in Arkansas with plants. I really liked the colors. I made a batt with cream and brown Corriedale and another with some of the  hand dyed Domestic 56 for added color. I used a resist open at the top and bottom. The cream and brown became my inner layer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really liked the subtle colors against the neutrals.  The coarser fibers also added to the texture for a natural open look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having progressed through these projects, I have a whole new outlook on textures and colors that I hope to incorporate into my future art.

What have you done outside your comfort zone lately?