This and That.
It is almost Fall. You can feel it in the air, and a few trees are starting to change. Usually, we like to hang on to summer as long as possible, but I am happy the dry, searing heat of this summer is finally gone. Yes, I am touching some wood as I say that. It’s been a busy 2 weeks with school starting and the market picking up. Suddenly, we were out of meat pies, and I had to get baking. That doesn’t leave much time to felt. I did manage to get to the Almont Fibre Festival to help with the demonstration.
I put all my sheep key chains together
I am wondering about putting some wax or something on their ears to make them a little flatter and protect them. My thread wax is too hard. I wondered about some of the solid lip balms. It’s mostly wax. I think that might be too soft. I’m not sure what to do. I don’t want to use glue because it will make them too hard, or the PVA (school) glue can take up water and get tacky. Any suggestions?
I am packaging them so they stay neat. I had to get bigger bags for them. The ones that came with the card were not big enough. I have a shrink wrap machine that has a hot wire cutter, so I will cut the bags down so they fit properly.
While searching for some lost samples, the book resist thing I did about 10 years ago surfaced. The idea I had was to weave the ropes into a basket. But not thinking it through, I made 6 lobes and strings. You need an uneven number for the weaving to work. I took it to a social, thinking I had a good idea of a way to weave it. It didn’t work. Partly, it was not cooperative and partly (mostly?) I was impatient. Anyway, everybody had fun looking at it and playing with it. The general consensus was that it wants to be a jellyfish. So, I need to create some long, wavy, ribbony pieces, and possibly some long curls for the middle to hang down inside the long tentacles. I wonder if it will take me another 10 years. LOL
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15 thoughts on “This and That.”
What a fun vessel. How wouldvit work suspended by the cords like a Sacramento basket?
Thanks, I am not sure what a Sacramento basket is I will have to look it up.
What a great photo of fibre friends!
Your sheep key-chains are going to be very popular at your next sale – they’re adorable.
Maybe the lip balm/wax would stay a little tacky and attract dirt easily? Would a fine application of fabric glue work?
Thanks, we have lots of fun at demos. I hope they do . I sold one while I was making them at the guild social. Your right it probably would stay tacky.
I had a friend who had a med sized cake of beeswax she ran her quilting thread over before quilting…might be soft enough once on the sheep ears…
I have some beeswas candles I will have to try it.
I was going to suggest bees’ wax too. You could warm it up a bit to soften it enough to get it on the sheep’s ears, then it would harden as it got cold. Alternatively, there’s always candle wax, though that doesn’t smell as nice as bees’ wax.
I think your sheep are great, and I have to confess I’ve nicked your idea. Having finally sourced the right type of key chain, I’ve started making them at the Museum Shop ready for Christmas, but the difference is that I’m not impaling sheep on the rod, but Norwegian Gnomes.
Ann
I have some beeswax candles so I may give it a try on the one I am keeping. You should have asked I would have told you where to get them. They must be vampire gnomes if you have to stake them. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤪
I’m still thinking about the sheep ear issue. I’m not sure there’s a good additive to harden them. Most of the “glue” options are too hard or get sticky. I think the wax options would also be sticky especially if the key chain got hot. I know this takes too much time but could you wet felt them and leave loose ends to attach with needle felting?
I agree with the jellyfish idea. I don’t think you have to add much to get that effect. 😉
You may be right about the wax. Though my candles don’t go soft when it is hot. I will have to think more. maybe some textile glue?
Yes probalby best as a jelly fish.
I love the vessel with all the tentacles! Definitely giving me an impression of an jelly fish, or something from the science fiction world. Love your sheep and the colours are so lovely. I think wax would be good for the ears – perhaps soften it a little in the microwave, apply, and allow to harden.
Definitely autumnal, it is cold and wet, but we had some lovely long warm summer months for once.
Thank you, I think I will try some wax. spring and autumn are my favourite seasons. not to hot and not to cold.
I did a needle felted sheep workshop once and for speed cut the ears out of commercial felt. I made it one piece and they were sandwiched between the head and the body. It doesn’t solve your problem for now, but maybe next time. I think they look great as keyrings.
These where cut from wool felt but being small and there ends up being a lot of short fibres on the edge. they were not originally intended for the key chains but for a display, So I wasn’t to worried about them.