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Month: April 2024

A New Lampshade.

A New Lampshade.

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I have been searching for a replacement shade for a pendant light for some time, but I was not having any success with finding something that I liked. So I thought, how difficult can it be to recover a lampshade?

Some years ago I tried to make a wet felted bowl, but somehow it all went wrong, and I could not get the bowl to ‘sit’ right. I had a table lamp that needed a shade, and as I was looking at it, and my felt bowl, I had one of those ‘lightbulb’ moments – sorry! I re-wet my ‘bowl’, then cut a hole in the middle and after some tugging and a little more trimming, I managed to stretch it over the lampshade frame. I liked the look of it very much, it fitted very well too, so I hand stitched along the top and the bottom to neaten, and to prevent both edges from becoming undone.

So, now I have another lamp shade frame that I want to make a cover for. I found a ‘how to make a lamp shade’  book in my library, and I borrowed it. I wanted to make some nuno felt to use as the fabric outer. I made 2 pieces of nuno felt using 2 different shades of green mixes of merino. The base fabric is a very fine open weave cotton, that in a previous life was a lightweight curtain.

Making the shade.

This involved a few steps; I read the appropriate sections in my borrowed book several times, and then made sure that I had everything I needed. I planned to make and hand stitch each panel to the frame; the other method is to sew all the panels together using the sewing machine and then stretch it over the frame, and hand stitch the top and bottom to the frame. This method is quicker, but the fabric needs to be cut on the bias to allow the shade to stretch over the frame.

The frame is wrapped in cotton tape and secured with a stitch. Each metal section/strut is wrapped in tape. Not all hand made shades will require each strut to be wrapped, but the top and the bottom will need to be wrapped.

Lining.

I used a white 2 way stretch jersey to make the lining for the shade. I cut 2 pieces and stitched to the inside of frame, folding and gathering as I progressed. Lining is desirable if you do not wish to see all the stitching when viewing the shade from underneath, and it gives a nicely finished look to the shade.

Pattern for a segment.

My shade has 8 segments. I traced around one segment on some paper, cut it out and tested how well it covered a section between the struts.

       

       

Cutting the fabric.

I cut 8 pieces, 4 from each colour, on the straight grain. Sometimes the fabric will need to be cut on the bias, but I did not need to do this. The fabric needs to be held tight between each strut, not quite drum tight, but not loose or floppy either.

       

Stitching each panel.

There is a special stitch used to attach each panel piece to the frame. This is called a ‘streetly stitch’, it is a locking stitch and it firmly secures each fabric panel to each section of the frame. In this instance you can see this stitch on the white lining fabric more clearly than you can on the nuno fabric. This stitching can make for very tender/painful fingertips trying to push the needle and thread through the fabric and the tape, while escaping the pins at the same time.

     

I neatened all the edges with a small sharp scissors, as each panel is completed,  but without cutting any of the stitching. I did not want to restitch any part of the shade.

Attaching trim to cover all the seams.

Trim is attached to each seam and top and bottom of the frame. There is a huge selection and variety (and price) of trim available, and the search can encourage many trips down various rabbit holes. Trim is attached with glue, either hot glue, or fabric glue from a tube. Care and attention to detail while attaching the trim will ensure that the newly covered frame will look really nice.  I soon forgot about my sore finger tips.

I did enjoy making my lampshade, and I hope that I have explained the process I used well enough for you all to understand. This is a view of it in place in the bedroom used by the grandchildren when they stay over.

The book I borrowed from the library is called:

Sewing Lampshades by Joanna Heptinstall; Search Press 2018.

A sample of my own knitted diamond-shaped puffs on a wooden surface.
Diamonds and Dolls

Diamonds and Dolls

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The title of this post is misleading: although there are several diamonds in this story (in shape, not in value!) there is only one doll. Apologies for this, but “Many Diamonds and Just One Doll” just didn’t sound as good a title to me.

Let’s begin with the first, shall we?

The diamonds

If you use yarn in any way in a crafting project, chances are you end up with leftovers once you’re done. What to do with the lovely remnants of woolly, colourful string? If you’re anything like me you won’t bear discarding them willy-nilly, but keeping them in a bag without a plan also seems like a waste… Enter the Diamond Miner’s Quilt by Lucky Fox Knits.

A set of diamond-shaped knits, stuffed and sewn together to create a puffy quilt
Photo by Valya Boutenko

This project is not one to be made in a jiffy, rather it is meant to be an ongoing thing, to be added to as the years pass and one is presented with more little bits of yarn that are too precious to not make the most of. It’s a no-fuss, small outdoors knitting project, or simply a quick in-front-of-the-telly-knit when the brain is too tired but the hands are restless.

I currently have two full ziplock bags of diamonds, not nearly enough for a proper quilt, but slowly their numbers have increased and soon I shall have to start sewing some together to show myself I’m not simply hoarding teeny tiny pillows…

A sample of my own knitted diamond-shaped puffs on a wooden surface.

What I most enjoy about these is, I can look at them and remember which project they came from. It’s a way to reminisce about a past knit that I find comforting.
The best part? My knitter friends who know about this now have taken to gifting me their own remnants, so now I get to remember them in my future quilt as well. To me, that’s the definition of cosy.

The doll

Now to my latest fun project, Billie the Sheep. I forget how I came across this cute pattern, but it was before Christmas 2023 and I decided to buy it as a present to myself. Of course, this cute sheep would need some clothes and luckily the creator Gabrielle Vézina would provide the dress and cardigan to go with it.

Billie the Sheep doll, dressed with a knitter dress and a cardigan, next to a printed page of the pattern to make the clothing

Want to know the best part? This dress comes in a children’s size as well, so if you have a little girl in your life who needs a sheep doll and wants to match with it, you can make it happen! It’s simply too adorable.

All of this project is also made from remnants, the calico fabric I used previously as mock-ups for my own clothing, the threads on her face were gifted by a friend who no longer embroiders, the yarn was leftovers I hadn’t made into diamonds yet. The woolly part of her head is a bouclé yarn I used to knit a friend a cosy jumper and stabilised with some pre-felt (see, there’s felting in this post!). If this isn’t the cutest way to enjoy “leftover” project materials, I don’t know what is.

Billie the Sheep flat lay on a wooden surface.

Have you made anything with remnant materials that you care to share? It doesn’t have to be fabric or fibre, anything goes! I love a good upcycle story, so feel free to share it with me below.

 

Fabulous finger protectors Group 4

Fabulous finger protectors Group 4

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Group 1 – https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2024/03/02/fabulous-finger-protectors-i-have-found-group-1/

Group 2 – https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2024/03/12/fabulous-finger-protectors-i-have-found-group-2/

Group 3 – https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2024/03/22/fabulous-finger-protectors-group-3/

This is, what i think, is my final installment, (well unless i stumble over something else that is miss labeled and is obviously a felting safety tool!)

Group 4

Kitchen Knife accessory!

Who would look at these and say they are not obviously felting safety tools!?? I found these at Aliexpress and amazon but check your dollarama/dollar store if they look interesting to you too. This is a bit like the Rake idea but with a different handle orientation and tooth spacing. Looking at the images on line, I had suspicions as to which would be most comfortable to hold and which would be most likely to be useful. Let’s see how that hypothesis went.

Kitchen onion holder handle with long metal teeth with pointed tips.4.1.1  Ali express called this a “Stainless Steel Onion Needle” (did not come with a pointy-bit-cover to protect your fingers. This could be quite a surprise for your fingers if it was hiding in a kitchen drawer!)

I thought this one would be the quite comfortable with a large round handle. I was surprised that when holding it at an angle, rather than upright, changed how your hand wants to hold this shaped handle. It is not that it doesn’t work well, it’s just not quite as comfortable as I had expected.

The spacing of the teeth, made it easy to see what I was working on. The teeth are smooth, and did not grab the fiber it was holding.

mettle spikes with silver handle did not snag wool4.1.2 Easy to see what you’re working on and teeth did not snag wool.

mettle spikes with silver handle holding oinion ready to cut.4.1.3 This is what it was originally designed to do, in case you were curious. (There is also a picture of it impaling a Lemon, so it doesn’t just work on torturing onions.)

The next is very similar to the previous with only minor differences. : Soft rubber covers handle for a comfortable grip, and there is a small protective end cover. (It also comes in black, peach and avocado green if you were trying to colour co-ordinate your felting tools?)

similer to the black handle, a bit thiner handle and a softer 4.2.1 the softer handled version

The soft handled version also allows you to see your work and hold the wool without grabbing it. It seems a little lighter in the hand when using it than the black one.  I will see if I can find my scale and see if this is an illusion or is the black one actually a tiny bit heavier.

The last one in this category was the one I was least excited about from looking at it on line. (That’s why it went last in this list) it looked light and flimsy, ok, assumptions are not always correct. Yes, it is lighter, smaller and has more teeth than the previous two options, but its smaller size fits well in my hand. If I was working vertically trying to hold onions (from the on line images) the smaller handle may be a problem. Working on an angle, holding wool for the needle, the smaller handle is actually an advantage. If the manufacturer ever sees this blog maybe they could repackage it as a much more expensive felting tool? It also comes with the best fitting and longer teeth cover!

Original use of smallest wool holder4.3.1 Original use of smallest wool holder

this vertion has a tine cover that covers the tines and the tips.4.3.2 Cover covers tines not just the tips.

As you will notice, there are more teeth on this version but you can still see your under-drawings while you’re working. It also comes in white, orange, blue and green. I went with white as a more neutral colour.

  smaller handle was comfortable to hold while securing the wisp of wool.4.3.3 Holding the smallest option was comfortable and you could still see your under drawing.

Three of the tines on this one arrived blunted. Blunted tines may be a better option for you and could be accomplished with a metal nail file or fine metal rasp.  With the closer teeth spacing, the background image is only a bit less visible than the previous versions of this tool.

close up of tine tips, 3 are blunted.4.3.4 three of these tines arrived blunted, this may not be the best for threatening violence on vegetables but worked just fine on holding wool still while you stab it.

All three are very similar. The difference is more in how it feels in the hand, the teeth spacing on one and the options to cover or not cover the teeth when not in use. You may have to try them out yourself, to see which might suites you best. This is likely a good option to consider since it holds fiber well away from your fingers, yet still allows you a good view of what you are doing.

 

Knife shields

shows the back vew of knife gards.4.4.1 the back of two knife shields

This is another way to keep knives away from your innocent fingers. I have two different versions of this. Both have a strait and curved edge and on the back, there are two ways to fit your fingers as you hold it.

Here are examples from one of the sellers of its original purpose;

curved edge used to cut carrots4.4.2 Curved edge used while cutting carrots (from sellers add)

strate edge used, cutting cucumber 4.4.3 Strait edge used while cutting cucumbers (from sellers add)

Measurements from seller4.4.4 Measurements from seller

Now lets look at what happens when you apply this tool to needle felted pictures.

Curved edge down when felting4.4.5 Curved edge down when felting

Flat edge down when felting4.4.6 Flat edge down when felting

Finger protection is excellent with this, but it does obscure all of the image behind the shield while protecting your fingers. There was no fiber clinging to the stainless steel. The finger ring or rings at the back of the shield are adjustable but may not be as well located for you depending on which edge you are using. Over all I think this option has potential. If you spot this on sale or at a second hand store, try it on and see if it feels comfortable.

Another option would be to do a bit of modification, possibly with a bench vice, you may be able to adjust the curvature to reduce the area obscured while still protecting the fingers. I may have to consult with the local blacksmith this summer and see what he can come up with.

Synopsis

a few of the options we have considered.  (clover rake, cutting finger protector, color turner, sewing machine finger protector, stylus, kitchen cutting guilds larger and smaller with moose pin in progress in the background.4.6.1 a few of the options we have considered.  (clover rake, cutting finger protector, caller turner, sewing machine finger protector, stylus, kitchen cutting guilds larger and smaller with moose pin in progress in the background.

Another consideration, when looking at all the options, is your felting style. 

None of these options will be any help to you if they don’t work with your style of felting. I have been needle felting a long time now and was very enthusiastic when I started out. I have evolved my style towards slower and shallower stabbing over the years. Like painting, I try to make each brush stroke or stab count (think first then stab like a silver point drawing). This is not the fastest way to felt.  Especially when I want to work with thin layers or wisps of fiber that change subtly the aria I am working on, it’s not fast but fun and i like the finished results.

Are you a needle felter who takes out there frustrations by stabbing deeply and often?  Try the pink rigid insulation foam as a work surface (it screams when you stab it) and an option that keeps your fingers farthest away from the pointy end of your needle. A chopstick or well-sanded wooden skewer or one of the onion holders may work best for you.

Are you a needle felter in a rush, listening to techno and trying to match the beets per minute to your stabbing?  Try a snoozy massage music or a slow building non-stressful audio book to listen to and see if any of the safety options appeal to you, maybe the small handled multi toothed tool with the hart cover will help.

All of these options have been tried with 2D, or picture felting. For 3D, or sculptural needle felting, there is a added challenge of curved surface which will not work as well with some of the options. you may find the stylus, and purple sewing finger protector (why are these so hard to describe?) and leather finger cots, leather glove, or Sara’s Grab it stab it may work better for you.

last thought, part of the reason i let my fingernails grow is that i often use them to hold down wisps of fiber or felt around the end of them, to make a curve. the other reason was spending over 25 years that i had to have short nails for work, so i am enjoying there return since i am not working.

i hope you have had fun reading about ways to keep your innocent fingers and the evil pointy end of your needles farther apart. i am sure there are lots of options i have missed, or haven’t seen yet, that may be mentioned in the chat below (its always good to check the chat for more information or suggestions. There are many Fabulous Felters out there each with there favored solutions to not using too many band-aides!!)

How to Make a 3D Felt Star

How to Make a 3D Felt Star

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I was surfing the web the other day and saw a video about making origami stars. Like this one.

 

I thought, I bet that shape would work with felt too. I can make a pentagon. I did this during our March break. The schools are closed for a week. iws going to do this at home but then thought what the heck it’s a small project and Monday is our socials at the guild. I knew Jan would be there early and so would some others. I packed some wet felting gear, resist and wool into a bag and headed in.

I cut 2 pentagons of different sizes to use for the stars. I am using this blue underlay that I don’t really like. It’s thinner and flimsy and it holds water. I thought it would be good for this project because I wasn’t planning on removing the resist, it would just stay inside bunched up.

I cut out the resist and covered it in wool. I moved the first sides off and did it again. I then flipped it over so I could wet the wool and wrap it around. I don’t know who else does this but I like to lay all the base wool out dry first and then put it back together. If you press and wiggle the dry wool even for something much larger like a hat then you can pick it up to move it and it will all stay stuck together.

I am using Mallard green wool for the base.

Because I was somewhere where I needed to be neat and not splash water all around I used a sponge to get up the extra water from wetting out. I usually don’t bother as my studio floor can get wet without causing a problem so enjoy this rare picture of me being neat.

Then I added some sari silk in the Wildflower colourway. It is mostly yellow with black and red bits. I grabbed a primarily yellow section for the star.

 

 

Then it was the usual rubbing and rolling and fulling until it was shrunk and feeling sturdy. I wasn’t expecting a lot of shrinkage because the wool staple was as long as the resist or longer with the small one. I think if you had some short fibre or cut this fibre in half you would get more shrinkage.

After rinsing and squeezing them as dry as possible I reshaped the pentagons and made the star shapes by pinching the corners and adding clothespins for them to dry.

 

These are the finished stars.

 

 

After they were dry, I decided to cut the bigger one and take the resist out. It held its shape of course. That got me thinking about how a larger one would make a good pillow. The other thing a larger version or one with short fibre would do is let you pull the points to make them longer. It wasn’t possible with these as I would be pulling on both ends of the same fibre.

so far I have had several suggestions on what they could be used for. the first I got was to make them thin, then put LED lights in them to make a hanging sting of lit stars. Another was to put cat nip in them ( I will credit Jan but there were several that suggested this). A teacher suggested that they would make great fidget toys when I leave the resist in, they squish but bounce back.  I am thinking they are also silent. I am sure that would be a big plus.

 

 

2024 Second Quarter Challenge

2024 Second Quarter Challenge

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This challenge is for all members: weavers, beaders, sewists, felters, crocheters, knitters and textile mixed media artists.

Make a ‘topper’ for a greetings card that doubles as a small gift e.g. a brooch, a coaster, a hanging decoration, a bookmark, or of course a card can just be a small artwork too. The gift could be themed e.g. a birthday brooch, a coaster for a new home, a decoration for a nursery … there are so many possibilities!

We were so enthusiastic about the idea that we got straight to it and made an Easter card with a detachable hanging decoration for someone who puts a white twig-tree in her window every Easter with her growing collection of Easter Egg decorations.

Easter card with detachable Easter bunny hanging decoration

Everything came from stash.  A piece of scrap felt gave us two easter egg shapes that were hand stitched with a bunny outline.

Thank you to Kaitlen for the free printable bunny outline:

https://simplemomproject.com/bunny-templates/

The bunny tails are hand-rolled merino beads stitched into place.

Easter bunny hanging decoration in progress

The two sides were machine stitched together before bows were added to each top.

We used a piece of white A4 size card, folded in half, to make the card then we printed a creamy coloured egg-shape and ‘Happy Easter’ that we stuck to the card before attaching the hanging decoration with a simple stitch at the top of the ribbon.

We bet you’ve already thought of several possibilities for ‘gift-cards’ and we look forward to seeing them!