Bold and Dramatic...

Ahhhh...First Felt of 2012 is finished....I'm so happy with the results....It feels like a just the right starting point and direction to head in for this year.

My peacock blue plans ventured into inky midnights...

 My red (to be purple) mini pocket disappeared into the depths-The purple becoming barely discernible but the pocket is still there- perfectly unobtrusive and ready to hold secret messages....Paua shell bead at the pockets edge...blue and shiny...meeting the wild, now raven black racka locks...which reach out over the nuno linen to find the partially eclipsed shibori moon on the tunic side...

 Neck details adorned with dyes and red stitches and a paua shell bead...

 Shibori moons on the back and side...in honour of the moon under which this was made....(not indigo dyed...although I did fit in my full moon indigo dyeing day this past weekend....).

The finished tunic is simple and dramatic...artistic and bold....and I'm so ready wear it this year....

Warm wishes,

Fiona

First Felt 2012

  First Felt...isn't that a glorious notion?
The other night was movie night here, and I was not that into it, so I ventured outside into the darkness and illuminated my studio....What a refreshing time. I never think to go out there in the evenings......usually by then I'm pretty tired anyway. But it was delightful. To have the radio on, my warm lights, and just me...in my space.

   I started working on a tunic design I have in mind for Fall 2012. Working on a small fashion and accessory line, combining felt, raw locks, shibori dyeing and fabric inlays...

   When working on larger projects I try and do the layout and first felting in the afternoon/evening, then leave it overnight, and finish the felting in the morning. The rest for both me and the felt seem to make the felting go so quickly! This piece took quite a bit of planning. First the math to get to template sizing right to allow for shrinkage. Fabric inlays? Or Shibori? or the crazy Racka locks? Colours in relation to overdyeing? Stitching, to be felted in, or done after, and what colour? As a first sample in this line, I was more interested in experimentation, so it got a little of everything...

 These photos show the tunic at 2/3's felted, ready for shibori, stitching and first dyeing. This is the neck detail, with black linen, racka wool locks, and wensleydale locks.

The pocket detail. I decided to put on just a small pocket...maybe a place to hold a charm, intention or wish. I'm imagining a small stone or parchment hidden inside, to be noted as necessary while wearing. This tunic is destined to be first overdyed in blue, so the red will become purple. More Racka and Wensleydale....fun...fun....

  I'll be finishing it up today, and post the finished pictures! 

It's amazing how much energy you get from working in a place of pure experiment. Or from inspiration....This is one of the pieces I scrawled out in my sketchbook on New Years Eve...bringing it to life is so exciting....more evenings in the studio....must remember that all i have to do is take a few steps outside and flip the light switch....

Warm, wishes,

Fiona

PS- I can't belive my spell check has no sheep breed names in it....is there a special spell check language that felters can use?!

Felting with Wool Locks

Mmmmm...I've been wanting to work more with wool locks and felting...I got to play a bit with this with some new pieces I've been making for WinterCraft.

This is the layout for two scarves. I love laying out the layers of white. It's so serene amd perfect.  There is an underlayer of fine merino, then I used lengths of plastic resists since the locks are quite fine and would probably felt into the surface. On one side are Blue Faced Leicester Locks and on the other are Mohair. Then another layer of merino roving on top...Once the pieces were around the prefelt stage, I cut them apart, down the middle, so they could be finished individually and the cut line would felt also.

 This is the mohair lock scarf, with some shibori stitching done before dyeing. It's so nice to wear...and works well as a shoulder wrap also. It would so dramatic to wear with an evening dress....if one had occasion to do so!

I have some super amazing Racka locks I bought recently from Namaste Farms. I so want to try these out this way with a wild and black sweeping line of locks on a scarf.....or jacket! That is my planned birthday project! A new felt jacket.....

 Aren't these wild! I had never heard of Racka sheep until very recently. This came as a great reminder to get the Felt Gathering online project underway for January. Very Exciting!

Back to the studio and some little felted birds I am making...

Warm wishes,

Fiona