Adding Waste Machine Thread to Felt – 4th Quarter Challenge 2016
I have been saving cut offs from my machine stitching for quite a while so when Zed let us know that we needed to save up thread bits and pieces, I had no worries that I would have enough scraps of thread to use in this challenge. There are also some scraps of embroidery thread and Perle cotton in the tub.
Here’s my tub of thread. This is actually a photo after I used thread for the felt I will describe below. So I have plenty left!
I used white Mixed 56’s wool from RH Lindsay and then just spread the thread over top of the first layer. I wanted a thin felt so I used a fairly thin layer of wool.
I didn’t worry about what colors I was using or where they went. I just wanted to experiment and see what happened.
I then added a very thin layer of wool over top of the thread. I wasn’t worried about uneven shrinkage or making the felt a certain size. I was just making a sample.
Here’s what it looked like after I wet it down.
I felted and fulled as usual. Here is the finished piece. I really like it and love the way the thread crinkles up as the wool shrinks.
And the texture is marvelous.
So I decide to make a larger second piece to add free motion embroidery for the main design. I thought this would make an excellent background.
Here’s the second piece. It’s about twice as large as the first sample.
And another close up of the texture. Next time I make some felt like this again, I am going to put even less wool on the second layer.
I cut up pieces of the first sample to make a holiday card. I used fusible to fuse the ornaments to the dark blue felt which was screen printed and then over dyed. I then added free motion machine stitching and couched down a machine stitched cord that I found in my scrap box. Elizabeth, if you’re reading this post, this isn’t your card. I am making a different one as I didn’t really love this card.
If you haven’t tried adding thread to your felt, give it a try. I really like the results. Thanks Zed for the challenge as I’m not sure I would have tried this without your idea.