Cat tunnels for catio wanted

[Lesley]

I won't go into all the technique as there are many good books and Youtube links showing how to make felt........

 

I lay out a base of undyed Merino tops - 3 fine layers, first layer N-S, second layer W-E and third N-S then build up a basic picture using dyed Merino fibres. It needs to be a third larger than you want the finished size to be to allow for the shrinkage.

 

Wet felt - I use bubble wrap with bubble side up, lay the fibres out and then top with some tutu net. Wet with hot, soapy water and roll the whole thing around a short piece of broom handle. Roll that in a towel to hold it all together and then roll, roll, roll and turn as all the books tell you, removing the net as soon as the fibres hold together enough. Re-position any of the picture layer if it moves.

 

When it is felted enough rinse the soap out in lukewarm water then full the piece by running it under very hot water and slapping it down in the sink about 20 times then running it under very cold water and slapping it in the sink again. Lay the felt on a towel and pull it square. Leave to dry.

 

This is the pink version.......I didn't take a photo of the green one at this stage.... I added single lengths of Shetland curls an some wild, tussah silk to the body of the sheep before wet felting.

 

Then I needle felted the grass and stalks with shades of green.......and added embroidered flowers and tiny beads.....

 

 

The needling also adds definition to the outline of the sheep's head and ears. The white daisies were bought, they come on a roll like ribbon.

 

These are bases which I'm still working on - I need to add machine embroidery to add more definition and my machine is very old.........

 

 

 

 

Edited August 10, 2012 by Guest

[Lesley]

I've just found the green sheep base....

[TheGirlsMum]

That is fantastic Lesley I wish I was as artistic as you, has certainly rekindled my enthusiasm to have a go.

[craftyhunnypie]

Cor thanks for that! I feel very honoured to have been the recipient of Daisy the green sheep.

I must have a go at that, it sounds very messy & I will love it!

Something to do with my mum on the Sunday when she is here, as we have nothing planned for that day.

Thank you

Emma.x ( proud owner of Lesley's artwork).

[Plum]

Thanks Lesley, you've inspired me to have a go . I have all the ingredients including bubble wrap and curls and silk fibres.

 

Is there a technique for adding the silk fibres will they catch in ok?

[Lesley]

Emma - it isn't really messy, you only need enough water to work the fibres.

 

Plum - the silk should work if it isn't too thick but you could always use a few very fine wool fibres over the top to fix the silk.

 

I took a series of photos of the two pieces I made yesterday if you'd like me to post them?

 

I meant to say that if you need small amounts of fibre then Torbay Textiles are brilliant - you can choose lots of colours or use the packs with 4 colours. If you do need more fibre the World of Wool is good on choice and price......although delivery can be a bit slow and they don't send email confirmation or details of despatch.

[Plum]

I went to the show at Harrogate last autumn and was able to pick all sorts of bits of fibres from bins so have got some interesting bits to use.

 

I'd like to see your other pictures

[Sue_F]

Those are beautiful!!!

 

I'd like to see your other pictures

Me too!!

[Lesley]

OK...... some of the photos are bigger than I wanted as Photobucket is playing up and throws me out whenever I try to resize.

 

I started with 2 layers of cream merino fibres - W-E then N-S

 

Added coloured fibres - this is sky/sea/sand - the fibres are placed W-E

 

I've added some bamboo fibres to the sea

 

Covered with tulle net and wet with warm water and Ecover liquid

 

Rub olive soap carefully over the net and rub gently until the fibres start to felt, then remove the net.

 

Use a short length of broom handle and roll the fibres and bubble wrap

 

 

Roll the whole thing tightly in a small towel

 

Roll and turn - I rolled this one 25 times (short rolls, backwards and forwards under your hands) then roll it away from me a quarter turn, then repeat another 3 times so 100 rolls altogether, then unroll and roll from the other end and do the same, then from one side, then from the other - 800 rolls in total. This makes a fairly soft felt as I want to needle felt as well and it works better (for me) if it isn't fully felted.

 

Unrolled it looks like this

It needs pulling into shape after rinsing, the bamboo fibres are translucent when wet.

 

I also wanted to create a piece based on this picture....made in the same way

 

 

 

They just need some embellishment now....

 

but I became side-tracked

 

I'll make a separate post.....

[Lesley]

I started making pots.....

 

The inspiration was my favourite Kaffe Fassett fabric....

 

 

 

and some little dishes/trinket pots

 

 

A vase

 

and a green/blue pot which will have the yarn stitched on in a spiral....

 

I've made a purpley/aubergine coloured one as well.

[Plum]

Wow thanks for showing us the stages, I'm itching to have a go now and am looking around for inspiration. Love the pots I guess that's a whole new technique. So beautiful they take my breath away.

 

I'll start with a landscape.

[Lesley]

Yes, sorry....I got carried away

The pots are made using a resist, the same method as for the little baby booties I make.

 

I've found some good free tutorials here http://rosiepink.typepad.co.uk/ - they explain everything really clearly. Rosiepink (Lyn and Annie) are members of the felting forum. Their felt is really beautiful.

[Daphne]

You are really talented Lesley - where do you find the time? Beautiful objects, I particularly like the pots and the 3D things, I don't think I would have thought of doing that (not that I could do any of it ). Thank you for putting them up

[Plum]

What's a resist?

 

I'm going to have a go at the felted pebbles, the soap would make a lovely gift.

[Chucky Mama]

Wow, what a talent

[Lesley]

Thank you Daphne and CM

 

I'm making the pots in stages... in between weeding the veggie plots.

 

Plum - a resist is a piece of non-felting textile which you place the fibres onto, encasing the resist completely. For booties I use a plastic pet food mat as I cut the booties and ease them off and the plastic is re-useable, with the bowls I use a piece of plastic coated tablecloth as the hole cut is fairly small and you need something flexible so that it can be removed through the hole.

Pebbles are lovely to make! - I felt onto cobble stones to make paperweights - same principle. Come back and post a photo won't you?

[Plum]

Took me a while to find a pebble and have had to sacrifice some knickers for the net. Ready to roll

[Plum]

Yeh my first attempt at pebbles

 

 

and the other side

 

I couldn't get the veins to work in well but guess that's because I added them after felting the pebble.

[Lesley]

It is perfect! - lovely colours

 

We shall have to call you Nicholas now then?

 

You'll be at the garden centre tomorrow buying a bag of cobbles - and you'll be felting everything in sight

[Plum]

I am eyeing up next doors patch of pebbles

[Lesley]

as long as you're not eyeing up their washing line

[Plum]

[Lesley]

I've needle felted the sea thrift on my felt base - it looks a bit 'dead' so I need to embroider something onto it.......

 

 

 

All the instructions on feltmaking say you should never cut the fibres as they will be difficult to felt - I think some rules are meant to be broken! I do cut the fibres when needle felting as I want them the correct length, I cut the pink fibres for the thrift and it's fine .

[Ms Marple]

Amazing and beautiful Lesley

[Lesley]

Thank you

 

Before my Mum moved back to the Midlands I took lots of photos of Anglesey where she and my stepfather had lived for nearly 25 years and which is like a second home to me. I've just put them all in a separate folder as I want to make a set of felt art based on them. The one I took similar to this also has tiny harebells in it so I'll add some to this and then embroider on top.