First Quarter Challenge and Giveaway Winner
I actually got an early start on this quarter’s challenge for a change! In case you missed it, here’s Ruth’s original post: http://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2016/01/02/first-quarter-challenge-2016/ I’ve used flat resists before, mostly for surface design, simple cases, and a few bags. I have made a few 3D items with flat resists: some bird pods, a few hats, and even a supposed seed pod which looked like the rib cage of a dead animal, but I think I’ve only tried a vessel once and it was a bit flimsy. So, I thought I’d try a vessel again. I decided on a flower shape, I can’t find the actual resist, but it was basically a flower shape:
I used some 27 mic coloured Merino batt I bought from wollknoll and used some silk hankies over the top. This is how it looked from above:
How the underneath looks:
And a kind of side view:
This is where the silk hankie was thicker:
And where it was fine:
And this is a close up of the batt texture:
If I did it again, I would make the shape more curvy, where the petal shapes met, it was a sharp V shape and the vessel is too thin there, and in some places little holes. This is looking through the vessel opening at a thin patch:
Well, thanks everybody who entered the fibre giveaway, and thanks for the nice comments, I did read them all! The winner is: Jennifer Ralph! Congratulations, Jennifer. I will email you for your address to send the fibres. Please reply as soon as you can, if I don’t hear from you by Friday night, I’ll re-draw.
17 thoughts on “First Quarter Challenge and Giveaway Winner”
I love the colour of the wool (clearly seen in the second photo up from the end of the post) and the silk is so pretty on it.
I’m beginning to wonder if we’re too hard on ourselves at times, for instance, you mention the thin part you can see. Well, if the vessel stands up and is decorative, does it really matter?
I’ve mostly endeavoured to make my vessels quite smooth, but in the end it’s limiting – a bit of roughness gives great shapes and textures.
So time for a re-think for me maybe?
Thanks, Lyn 🙂
There’s nothing wrong with perfectly formed and smooth like yours! But you’ve obviously perfected it, so maybe it’d be a challenge for you to make a very textured one! I did think the thin patches could actually be made into feature-holes, if it was used for candles, it might look quite effective.
Put another way, if it’s a decorative piece then we shouldn’t be so concerned about ‘felt perfection’ as we would have to be if making slippers or bags. Decorative pieces are ‘art’ so they don’t have to be ‘properly made’ felt at all – as long as it hangs together for the purpose. With that in mind we could all be more free in our making couldn’t we? I’m definitely going to change my outlook with decorative pieces and concentrate more on the form and finished look rather than the felting!
I got so carried away with defending the part of your work that you highlighted as being thin, that I totally forgot to say that I think it’s a wonderful vessel !
I couldn’t agree more, Lyn. People have a fixed idea of what ‘works’ or what felt should look like. We’re restarting our wet felting courses at the well being centres and are specifically starting with nuno flowers and soft, wispy, cobwebby, open-weave type pieces to dispell those beliefs and to show felt can be art and decorative and not just functional. And thanks, I do like how it looks 🙂
For me, using resists usually results in imperfection–but I don’t mind, because I find the whole process so rewarding. The flower shape turned into a wonderful vessel, Zed, and the colors and texture are just what I enjoy about felt. I even like that the top forms a bit of a funnel shape, or maybe that’s not the right word.
But I understand what Lyn is driving at. Being free in my making of sculptural felt means there will be mistakes. I’ve accepted that. On the other hand, when I am needle-felting my landscapes onto wet-felted backgrounds, I am much more particular. Through your mistakes comes your true identity.
Thanks, Cathy 🙂
I think anything learned basically cancels out any ‘mistake’ anyway, and are they really mistakes if it is an idea you found didn’t work how you intended? 🙂
I like the wool colour. the shape is good. I understand the thin spot frustration . You hadn’t intended it so it bothers you. I find it hard to accept those things too. But as Lyn says it won’t interfere with the function of the piece.
Congratulations to Jenifer.
Thanks, Ann 🙂
I don’t think I’m as bothered as if I was making a hat or used expensive wool! I suppose it’s something I could have realised if I’d thought about it, but as long as I remember for future prjects that’s the main thing!
The vessel looks good, lovely shades is the wool and the silk hankies give a nice texture. The view from above evokes memories of Mary Quant (showing my age). Sharp points in felt are always a bit tricky and it’s not as if you’re going to put water in it – or are you?????? 😉 He, he !
Thanks, Judith 🙂
I won’t be putting water in, but you did just give me an idea! I’ve seen yarn holders (I think Ann made some actually) where you put the ball in, but feed the end out of a slot or hole, maybe I could make one of the thin spots into a proper hole for a fancy ball of yarn holder 😉
Great vessel Zed. Mine has the same thin spots and I even tried to fill them in at the second stage. But I agree with Lyn, it doesn’t matter since it isn’t functional. And mine is definitely less functional than yours 🙂
Thanks, Ruth 🙂
You have to almost think inside out when it comes to stuff like this, don’t you?!
Lovely, beautiful shape. Congrats to Jennifer too😃
Thanks, Sharon 🙂
Zed, this came out great! Looks very… artistic, if you know what I mean.
Thanks, Leonor 🙂