Another orphan from a wet felting class I took at the Textile Museum of Canada. How many years ago you say? I can't remember! Who was the instructor? Sorry, can't remember that either! No real excuse other than the fact that I've never been good with dates or names and I think my brain is just too full right now. I do remember that it was an excellent class and the instructor showed some wonderful examples of her more creative pieces. Including masks made from soy silk. They fascinated me for some weird and wonderful reason!
Anyway this is an example of wet felting with a resist (heavy plastic) placed inside a wool roving sandwich to form a pocket. Multiple layers of roving on top and more on the bottom. From the little I remember, you felt the edges first (friction, water, soap, using your hands) and then the top/bottom. I have a vague memory of wrapping it around a piece of pool noodle and then rolling it around with my feet! When that was done "fulling" it by slamming it on the floor/table multiple times!! In my lofty imagination, I was making a beautiful, artsy purse. In reality, I forgot about the shrinkage factor and ended up with a rather useless tea cosy for a teeny little teapot. Anyway, I re-discovered the piece, while treasure hunting in a drawer recently. It's now proudly displayed on one of my bookcases!
From the little I remember of this technique, it was a bit of a pain! I was fumbling around with the resist and wet wool, while at the same time trying to felt in silk waste (the curly stuff) and woven fabric spirals. The silk waste wasn't a problem, but those other inclusions took quite a while to felt!!! Felting needles would have been a lot easier! Anyway, this reminds me that I have an entire tote full of coloured rovings that I should start playing with. When, you say? Who knows, I answer? It's going to be a very busy summer and I don't mean creatively!! Perhaps I should re-visit this rather cathartic process!
Anyway this is an example of wet felting with a resist (heavy plastic) placed inside a wool roving sandwich to form a pocket. Multiple layers of roving on top and more on the bottom. From the little I remember, you felt the edges first (friction, water, soap, using your hands) and then the top/bottom. I have a vague memory of wrapping it around a piece of pool noodle and then rolling it around with my feet! When that was done "fulling" it by slamming it on the floor/table multiple times!! In my lofty imagination, I was making a beautiful, artsy purse. In reality, I forgot about the shrinkage factor and ended up with a rather useless tea cosy for a teeny little teapot. Anyway, I re-discovered the piece, while treasure hunting in a drawer recently. It's now proudly displayed on one of my bookcases!
From the little I remember of this technique, it was a bit of a pain! I was fumbling around with the resist and wet wool, while at the same time trying to felt in silk waste (the curly stuff) and woven fabric spirals. The silk waste wasn't a problem, but those other inclusions took quite a while to felt!!! Felting needles would have been a lot easier! Anyway, this reminds me that I have an entire tote full of coloured rovings that I should start playing with. When, you say? Who knows, I answer? It's going to be a very busy summer and I don't mean creatively!! Perhaps I should re-visit this rather cathartic process!
Detail shots!
The colours in this piece make me happy!!
Do you have any funny workshop experiments that you would like to share? Or older pieces you just can't bear to part with?
8 comments:
Despite the pain and the forgotten bits, it is a very delightful piece and i can now see it decorated further with stitches of bead and thread - something to look forward to at the end of Summer perhaps?
Kaite, you are correct! I do plan on tarting it up a little more. Just don't know when, but the fall does sound good to me right about now!
Oh how I miss the textile museum! I too see that little treasure covered in stitches and knowing you, beads.
Thanks Penny! I'm thinking that more than a few beads will creep their way in, if and when I get around to working on it. Somehow it's easier for me to work on something completely from scratch, than a piece that's been sitting on the back burner for a while.
isn't it nice to find your own old work in the bottom of drawers and be inspired by it all over again?
Lovely piece just as it is.
Judy,
Thanks for your visit! Unexpected finds = delightful surprises! The mind is filled with possibilites! Perhaps to be enhanced with a few stitches, but then again, perhaps not! Serendipity is good!
Happened upon your creative blog while surfing the net and am enjoying your textile work/play. Lovely felting. The works you show of other artists are a real treat.
Thanks!
best, nadia
that looks very interesting, needs lots of stitch----and sequins, definately sequins....
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