2023 Fourth Quarter Challenge
The fourth quarter challenges are for all fibre lovers – felters, sewists, knitters, crocheters, weavers and mixed media enthusiasts – so let’s get creative!
One of the challenges for this quarter is a bit predictable – but hey it’ll still be fun 😊
Make a Christmas decoration! Here are a few ideas: something to hang on a tree; a table centre or runner; ear-rings; hats; window display; door wreath … but there are many more.
This tree hanging decoration is a crocheted snowflake stiffened with dilute pva.
Textile wreaths don’t have to be traditional.
This holly wreath, plant stars and decorative pudding are all made from handmade felt and embellished with free motion stitching.
This knitted stocking was hung in the fireplace just waiting to be filled with little gifts.
It’s a magical time of the year for trees – any that are not evergreen will give a dazzling display of colour.
So continuing the tree challenge for this year, use the autumnal inspiration to make a piece of textile art of your chosen tree – or a different tree if you’ve had enough of the one you’ve been working on 😊 and of course it doesn’t have to be the whole tree!
Recently Karen Lane showed us some ‘Lutradur’ leaves made by her students – see her post here: https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2023/09/24/melting-felting/
Our ‘Autumn Leaf’ bowl is made of handmade felt embellished with free motion stitching. Here it is laid flat after stitching…
… and here it is after being stitched into a bowl.
We hope you can find something in this quarter’s challenge to make you want to have a go 😊
Please share your entries on https://feltandfiberstudio.proboards.com/board/18/studio-challenges
If you need help with posting a photo please see here:
https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/community-photo-submissions/
12 thoughts on “2023 Fourth Quarter Challenge”
Predictable or not, the last quarter wouldn’t be the same without a Christmas theme Lyn. This is an opportunity for folk to join in the challenge with something tiny if time, or space, is an issue.
I like the idea of a leaf inspired piece too and particularly love your stitched leaf bowl. Fabric, or Lutradur, leaves like those would make a beautiful wreath too.
Thank you Karen. We did umm and ahhh a bit with giving a Christmas challenge but as you say it does give a wide scope for working small or as big as you have the time for.
Lutradur leaves would make a beautiful wreath!
The fourth quarter challenge is always a very acceptable countdown to Christmas Lyn. It is great that it’s come around again.
I love the fact that the textile scope is so wide and the possibilities are endless. These challenges always are but to me it is especially applicable at Christmas time.
All your pieces are stunning but I am really taken by your felted bowl and pudding bowl yummy colours too.
hugs
Helene
It’s good that the Christmas challenge is proving favourable! Thank you for your kind comments on our pieces Helene 🙂
Always a welcome theme. Now I must think what do do. I’ve made a tree and balls and stockings big and small, something new. But, what about our fourth season for the tree challenge? Not that I have it started or anything. 🙂
Too much choice Ann? Your tree challenge has done well – perhaps there be another for this quarter? The good thing about the Christmas challenge is that it can be quick and simple 🙂
Oh Dear… Christmas is coming. I’m not at all prepared as usual. Except that I have already done the fall tree challenge, so that’s done and dusted. Yay! Not sure what I will do for the holiday theme but I have ornaments from year’s past so maybe I will cheat and use those 😉
Christmas usually sneaks up on us too – every year we think we have bags of time then all of a sudden it’s mid-December.
Looking forward to seeing your Christmas ornament – doesn’t really matter when you made it 🙂
I’m glad you confirmed that “something we made earlier” would be ok. I’ve sent up a picture of the crocheted snowflakes (or some of them) that I made while on duty in our local Museum shop. These were also stiffened with diluted (slightly) PVA Glue, and I put some on the tree in our hall and the rest on the swags of green tinsel which each year gets put up on the stair bannisters. It will be our tree’s 24th anniversary this year. I cannot bear having a real tree and watching it die in the dry heat of our hall, so we bought an artificial tree which is still doing sterling service.
Looking forward to seeing your snowflakes Ann!
Good idea about the artificial tree – if the air is hot and dry in the hall all you would have is a tree skeleton sitting in a pile of needles 🙂
It would seem I’m not alone with the big ‘C’ event creeping onto me all too quickly!
And yet again like others, I may have to use a little something from past years.
But….your Christmas creations are so colourful, full of joy and so compelling….can I squeeze some time? I loved them first time around & love them all over again.
Thank you Antje! Maybe, if time is with you, you could squeeze out just a teeny-weeny decoration? 🙂