I had a fabulous time at felting workshop today with Elizabeth Armstrong at the Studionfelter I had felted before years ago and love the feel of felt. Today we did nuno felting. Nuno felting is a technique worked over cloth. I used a piece of silk I found in a bargain bin at the Geelong Fibre forum years ago. I'm glad I've finally got to use it.
I didn't have a preconception of what I was going to make today. I just let the day take me. I knew I wanted to use the whole piece of silk and to use the wool I already have. I started putting in some stitches around the motives. I hope to do all of them. This is not a scarf, it's large enough to use as shawl. I'm glad because I don't actually own a shawl. It's still cold here so I might get to use it this year!
I would like to show you the reverse side of it. It's a piece of silk and it's now married to the wool and felted together into one. It's magic how felting works. Love it, love it...!
This is the wall of Studiofelter. What delicious colours on the wall and all the gorgeous felted pieces on the shelf next to it. Elizabeth does beautiful work using felting technique. I now remembered where I've seen her work before. Her work had been published regularly on Cloth Paper Scissors and Quilting Arts magazines.
Here is Elizabeth and Jacky posing just for me. Sorry Dot your photo didn't turned out well and I hate posting bad photo. I will make it up to you Dot (with more indigo fabric, maybe!). Ladies, thanks for a great day! I think I'm hooked and I will be back!
Here is Jacky with her masterpiece. Jacky worked on a more precise patterns on hers scarf. I would try something like this on my next piece. The result was stunning. You have to check her blog for photos of the finished pieces.
Now for my post bag trading. You know social networks work wonders for me. Yes, I know I spend far too much time posting, chatting and sharing on the world wide web, but I just love meeting people from all walks of life. On my blog post about Japanese parcel bags a friend on Facebook commented that she has two Dutch post bags. I have two Japanese post bags too! So I asked if she would be happy to trade one with me. She took a photo of her bags and had already seen mine on my blog. We agreed, and the trading took place.
These are her two bags. I even had a choice which one I would like. I choose number 87 because it has the three colour bands across it. My bags (yes I send her an extra surprise) arrived and she was happy with the bags and a piece of indigo fabric from Japan that I dyed myself.
Not all is lost on social networks. I even feel that it will take over blogging eventually. On social networks you don't have to spend hours writing, uploading photos and continually coping with how to use new features of the software that Blogger and other blogging providers adopt from time to time, often without warning. Social networking software on the other hand is simple to use, fast and fun...Lately I have been enjoying the forums put out by different art and craft groups that are just as interesting as following blogs. So let's wait and see which one will survive longer out there in the world wide web!
Please visit: Japanese Textile Study Tour blog!
