Felting and Fiber Studio

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 😊

 

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.

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.

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!

 

Lyn

For this quarter’s challenge I made a cover for my phone because it was embarrassed to be seen in its temporary cover – an old trainer sock.

I put down 4 fine layers of white merino wool then rolled it until it became very firm pre-felt.   Inlays from a scrap project were placed on it to make the design for the front and back of the phone cover.  I then rubbed the felt from the back, so as not to disturb the design too much, until it was fulled.

When it was dry I added wobbly stitching, cut the felt to size, then stitched the pieces together.

You may have noticed that there are only 9 finger-holes in the dialling ring instead of 10 and I’d like to say that it’s artistic licence but in reality I simply ran out of space!

I made a fabric lining …

… to complete the phone cover.

The cover will protect both the screen and camera lenses when the phone’s knocking around in my handbag 🙂

Annie’s Christmas door wreath made with foliage, fruit and berries from her garden

We wish you all a happy, creative 2024 – and what better way to start the new year than with a challenge!

The first quarter challenge is to make a cover using textile multi-media.

Damaged plant pots/vases need covers to keep them serviceable, sewing machines need covers to keep the dust from the workings, digital devices need covers to prevent scratches to screens, tables need covers to prevent damage and to look decorative  … this list could go on for a while!

Please post photos of your textile multi-media challenge makes in the Felting and Fiber Studio Challenges  or in the Gallery by submitting your photo here

In 2006, we visited Abbotsbury where the villagers and wider community got together to make a cover for the grand piano in the church.  Here are a couple of photos of parts of the cover.

The studio challenges are open to everyone so please do join in!

Lyn

Annie has many robins in her garden and she now has hundreds of photos of robins!  Looking at her photos inspired me to make my Robin Wreath.  It has a diameter of 30cms (12″).

To make the wreath base I used a blue wet felted cord from my stash box ..

..but it wasn’t strong enough on its own so I made a wire cover for it by wrapping craft wire around a knitting needle..

..then stretching it out and threading the cord through it..

..then I made a hanging loop and wire branches for the robins to stand on.

     

Then on to needle felting a couple of robins.  I used scraps of white felt as a base and I used photos of robins to get the outline.  Then I started to ‘colour it in’ with needle felting.

             

I made the legs from black floristry wire and stitched them to the back of the robins.

The Christmas present was needle felted using 2 squares of scrap white felt one on top of the other then covered with yellow wool and embellished with a sparkly bead.

     

I had to photograph the Robin wreath flat on a table because I’ve run out of time for this blog post.  I just have to make fairy stitches to the back of the robins and the present to attach them firmly to the wire branches so that I can hang it up.

Annie

I thought I’d like to make a wet felted Holly & Berries themed Christmas table runner so set about trying out a few ideas with different fabrics and prefelts.

Trouble is I enjoy playing too much so when the work of doing the real thing of setting out lots of pre-felt holly leaves and berries began..

..I ended up accidentally getting sidetracked by making a pair of pink wet felted stockings, then laying out another pair, this time one green, one purple, with longer cuffs that could be turned over if they work how I want them to (still in progress on the desk). The pink ones came out rather cute, but possibly do need some decoration.

I also started a bauble garland and some machine stitched shaped holly leaves!  Any projects that I don’t finish in time for this Christmas will be finished by the new year then I’ll be well ahead for Christmas 2024 🙂

 

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/

 

Annie

For my Q3 idea I thought that now I’m surrounded by the New Forest in my new home that the ever popular and endless material of the subject of trees would be fitting!

I plan to make many tree inspired pictures but here is my first felted tree canopy experiment, made from layers of scraps of open weave fabrics, prefelts, nepps, yarns and random things from the felting confetti box …  it was fun to make….just playing, adding layers, seeing what appeared!

It’s now sat in the pile of contemplation awaiting its fate.  Possibly the scissors or paint or stitch, who knows!

It’s approx 62 x 62cm.  It’s a bit thicker than I was initially thinking I might make, but I will make a lighter weight version too. I’ve got a list of ideas on the subject, and more brewing…

Here it is along with a couple of my inspiration photos.

     

I’ve started another piece, this time in a wide composition.  Already I have strayed from the canopy theme and moved to trunks, but I’ll be back!…..

Here it is in progress (still lots of work to do) plus some inspiration pics…

   

   

A huge joy of the New Forest are the free roaming animals namely the horses, ponies, pigs, cows, deer and the ever so cute donkeys!   Since tourists were interfering with the animals by petting them and feeding them new rules have finally come into place to ban touching or feeding them with a fine if you do.  You are allowed to photograph though as long as you don’t get in their way, quite rightly it’s their forest and right of way.  One day I might be adventurous enough to make a fluffy donkey picture, until then enjoy these photos, how cute!

     

Lyn

Sometime between the 11^th and 13^th centuries Southampton became a walled city. The walls, including 29 towers and 8 gates, stretched for one and a quarter miles.

13 of the towers and 6 gates are still standing, making them some of the most complete medieval town walls in the country.  ‘Walking the Walls’ tours are popular with visitors.

I made this representation by wet felt and stitching.

The main entrance to the old city, the Bargate, was built around 1180 and has served as a prison and a guildhall – it still stands today in the city centre.  Left to right: the north side of the Bargate, the south side of the Bargate and the stonework you can see if you walk through the Bargate – photo credits: Wikipedia.

        

There are many old buildings in the city.  Tudor House, in Blue Anchor Lane, was built between 1491 and 1518 and has been preserved as a museum.  St Michael’s Church was founded by Norman settlers circa 1070.  The church has been added to, bit by bit over the centuries, and it’s in regular use today.  Photo credit: Historic Southampton.

This monument to Sir Richard Lyster, once resident of Tudor House, is dated 1567 and is inside St Michaels Church.  Photo credit: Hampshire Field Club and Archaeological Society.

Southampton’s history can be traced back to Roman times, but today it’s a modern, sprawling city and home to approx 250,000 people. It’s the busiest cruise terminal and second largest container port in the UK.  Photo credit: Wave Radio News.

We hope you’ve liked our potted views of where we live  🙂