‘Reflections of Summer’
Here’s my attempt at capturing the essence of summer in a textile piece for the third quarter challenge.
‘Reflections of Summer’ is a needle-felted sunhat brooch (pin).
I took a scrap piece of felt then drew a life-size pair of sunglasses outline on it, also marking out the division between sand, sea and sky.
I filled in the frame with loose fibres then outlined it with wool yarn.
Using loose fibres, I needle-felted yellow, turquoise and blue to represent sand, sea and sky then white fibres for the sun.
I formed birds and a boat using a thick white thread. I had planned to stitch some sparkly beads to the frame but it looked naff so I just added a few white stitches instead.
Then came the tricky job of cutting the white backing felt away as close to the needle felting as I could. One slip of the scissors and it would be goodnight Vienna.
My sunhats have had some whacky additions over the years. For a bit of fun, I made a Carmen Miranda hat for Annie …
… Annie got her own back by persuading me to balance the sunhat brooch on my nose 😊
23 thoughts on “‘Reflections of Summer’”
Lyn – I love it.
The very essence of summer….or should I say how I remembered summer way-back-when we had one 😟
Oh I’d love to be in your household with all your fun and games. If those were real grapes Annie must have been carrying quite a weight!
Xx
Hi Antje – Annie here replying on behalf of mum – unfortunately she’s laid up with an eye problem at the mo so only very limited computer use for a while 🙁 but I’ll pass comments on 🙂
She really is a laugh my mum, has a fab sense of humour, cracks me up regularly! I think she nicked the grapes (plastic) from my grandma’s table display! We were going out for the day and we often joked about going out to lunch wearing big ‘ats so she made me one. I didn’t wear it to lunch but half wish I had now! 🙂 xx
What fun Lyn. Good to have something to chuckle about. Great idea for the hat pin and I love the Carmen Miranda Hat. Did Annie actually dare to wear it out I wonder?
Ann
Hi Ann – Annie here replying on behalf of mum – unfortunately she’s laid up with an eye problem at the mo so only very limited computer use for a while 🙁 but I’ll pass comments on 🙂
Yes the sunglasses pin is such fun, as is the hat! Such a great sense of humour has mum. I didn’t wear the hat out back then but I wish I had! I can see more silly hats in our future though! 🙂
Haha, loved the Carmen Miranda hat (and Anne’s expression wearing it) and your modelling the glasses, Lyn! What fun.
That idea of using yarn to mark the edges of a felted piece is genius! I’ll keep that in the back of my mind for one day 🙂
Hi Leonor – Annie here replying on behalf of mum – unfortunately she’s laid up with an eye problem at the mo so only very limited computer use for a while 🙁 but I’ll pass comments on 🙂
We do have fun! We’re usually laughing within minutes, whatever we’re up to! Mum does come up with very creative ways of achieving her projects, the yarn was a great idea 🙂
I believe you caught it! Congratulations
Yay! Thank you! 🙂
What great glasses, Perfect on your bug sun hat. Now you need to get to a nice warm beach. . Annie’s hat is wonderful but her face wearing it is even better. You two are a hoot. I hope your Lynns eye is healed quickly.
Thank you! They are great aren’t they 🙂 We do have a good laugh!
Thank you for good wishes, I’ll pass them on when I read blog comments over the phone to mum later 🙂
I do hope Lyn’s eye problem isn’t too painful, I know that eyes can be sometimes – painful that is. Tell her that every one is rooting for her Annie, and she’s to get better ASAP
Ann
Thank you for your good wishes, I will be sure to pass them on, I’m sure the fun comments and positivity on this blog will help her feel better 🙂
Two words describe your photo Lyn SO COOL! I love the shades and they look absolutely super on your hat. They show the perfect summer day. Sun, sand sailing. I hope they have received lots of compliments when you have donned your hat.
Annie’s face is a picture, the hat looks great on her and I love both your senses of humour (or is that sense of humours – I never know). Totally confirms the saying that little apples don’t fall far from the tree. It’s a great photo.
Helene x
Annie, I just saw your comment to Leonor, Sorry to hear that Lyn has hurt her eye. Sending her every good wish for a speedy recovery.
Helene x
Thank you Helene, mum’s sunglasses are super snazzy indeed!
Yes that is a great photo, I remember cracking up when she pulled the hat out and made me put it on!
Thank you for your good wishes, I will be sure to pass on when I read out comments later to mum over the phone 🙂
I hope the eyes are better soon Lyn, sorry to hear about that. The sunglasses are perfect for summer and I love you and Annie’s shenanigans, it’s heartwarming to see.
Thanks Ruth, will pass that on to mum. The sunglasses are great aren’t they, definitely mum’s style! We do have lots of laughs! 🙂
I love the brooch, especially that it is life size to a pair of sunnies.
I’m just wondering though …. what summer?? The odd few warm weekends, or weekdays, do not a summer make! Lovely photos, and lovely hat too. I’m so sorry that Lyn has a sore painful eye, I do hope she is better very soon.
Thanks Marie! Ha yes we seem to be having all the seasons in one with the odd scorcher thrown in! The great British weather! 🙂
Thank you for your good wishes to mum, will pass them on 🙂
Fabulous hat brooch and the colours are so sunny and ‘you’. As is the careful planning and excellent execution. Well done. I hope your eye problem is soon much better.
Hi Lindsay, thank you, the brooch is definitely mum’s style and execution! Will pass on comments and good wishes to mum, thank you 🙂
Hope the eye problem resolves itself very quickly….until then Lyn could use her new glasses maybe 🤪
Thanks Antje x They might make a good sleep eye mask actually! Hmmm….