Photos from last weeks workshop

Hiya, just a quick post to share the photos of Dawns gorgeous slippers and vessel from our workshop last week.

I love this colour combo! I shall be making some in these colours soon. Dawn wrapped green throwsters waste silk around the outside, it shines out beautifully echoing the green inners.

Time was running away from us so Dawn took this one home to finish - its turned out beautifully! WAAAAAY better than my first vessel I can tell you!.. And it was a slightly awkward first one really; we started off by putting down a hand dyed silk cap & some eyelash yarn, then the merino. So we felted it inside out. The nice thing with this is the anticipation & suprise when you finally cut it open and see what you have got.

Dawn did another vessel a couple of days later (which is beautiful!) go take a peek over on her blog... Dawn Liu-Smyth.

I have collected my carder :D which I am very much enjoying playing with... when I get chance - I honestly need a good 6 extra hours per day at the moment. I have felted 2 shawls from my own batts though folks ... havent taken any photos yet though. Yesterday I did my last living history session until February, so that shall free up a little bit more time.

Anyway, thats it for now... be back soon

xoxox

More slipper talk

Its that time of year when the weeks start to whip by! On Wednesday I was joined by a lovely lady for a slipper workshop.

This is the first time Ive taught someone how to make slippers (especially `my way`) so it was a bit nerve wracking... Dawn is such a sweetie I needn`t of worried, we had a good laugh and got lots of work done too... we had a great day! Unfortunately I didnt take any photos though... by the time I remembered it was dark outside & indoor photos with artifical light never look good.

Dawn went home with a gorgeous pair of slippers in my favourite lime green & teal - they are lovely. And a vessel which was about 3/4 done... just needed a bit more fulling and shaping. Im hoping Dawn sends me photos & then I shall post them.

I really do enjoy teaching felting... Did I mention that Ive been asked to go into our local Primary school again next term? The topic is space... and Im already making plans. I have to go take down the sea creatires exhibition this week & deliver it to school.

What else did I do this week? Well I felted a pair of custom boots, finished them this morning..

These have been specially made for a very nice lady in Ireland... I decided to use the thickest part of my leather hide for the soles on this pair... as they are bound for being worn in a very cold studio. OMG it was tough to sew on... took just over 2 hours to sew them on even AFTER they had been soaked and the sewing holes already made! I couldnt sew for the rest of the day, my poor fingers were too sore - which is why they were just finished this morning.

Ive found it such a learning experience sewing leather soles on that Im planning to post `tips for handsewing leather soles` just gotta find time to write it now :D lol

Tomorow I get to collect my drum carder YAY...

Anyhoo, have a good weekend folks whatever you are upto xxx

In a nutshell

WOW its been a while! Ive really neglected my poor little bloggy the past few weeks...

OK whistle stop tour of whats been going on round here...

I got Heathers lovely wallhanging hung! Its in my living room & I LOVE it. I handstitched a calico `tube` to the back so I could thread the pole through to hang it. Shame the light hasnt been so good the last few days... the photo is a little dark

I have felted a few more pairs of slippers. I did much debating and deliberation over the pumpkin orange boots... I wanted to keep them for myself, but the red & blue ones I`d listed in my shop were getting a nice amount of attention & I really felt I should put another pair up. The answer (of course) make another pair & keep the originals :)

The green boots are my prototype new design `FrankinBoots` (as in Frankinstein cos of the side stitching). I changed my mind about where I wanted the opening to be on these... Id cut it diagonally at the side, and then decided they should go straight up the front. SO, with nothing to lose I witchstiched the side cuts shut & worked the felt some more until it was sealed. Turns out to of been a happy accident, I like the way it looks. Although the next pair shant have real cuts beneath the stitch detail.. lol. Doesnt matter with these though as they are part of Rachaels Christmas pressie (so Im having to keep them hidden!) I have sewn gussets into the front opening, and stitched jumprings to the front for the felted laces to go through. Im not sure about the name though... FrankinBoots. I personally like it & think it suits how quirky they are, but is that just my slightly weird sence of humor? What do you think? Will it put people off if I like them to Frankinstein :) ?

I felted another shawl from CorgiHillFarm Batts...

Im creating hammered wire pins to go with all of my shawls at the moment... Im really enjoying myself with them. I have a sweet simple white shawl in my shop that Ive made a pin for today... I love this one. It has a handmade lampwork bead from BlueBoxStudio , I brought 3 sets of gorgeous lampwork beads from Sue this week, and this is from one of them... they are all gorgeous & each bead is individual (& you know how much I like that)

Ooo and Im getting a drum carder!!! I AM SO EXCITED!! Its being made for me as we speak & will deserve its very own post when I receive it :)

Anyway, there you go, the past couple of weeks in a nutshell. Im off now to bake a plum cake for my nans birthday :) Might have to do 2 to keep the kids off nans cake...

Have a good weekend xx