Hearts galore

This time of year, I always think of hearts.  Hearts in felted wool are particularly lovely.  I'm trying some new techniques.  Machine quilting on the felt give is texture and pattern.  My default machine quilting style is small and scrolling.  What could be better for hearts?  I think I"ll continue to work on integrating machine quilting into felted projects.  

I'm still loving the embellment possibilities with #5 pearl cotton.  The Drizzle stich around the red heart above is a work in process.  In this red and turquoise piece I also tried cut away applique.  I stitched the outline of the red heart on the wrong side, then turned it over and cut away the turquoise felt to let the red peep through.  Adding another layer of turquoise felt to the back and machine stitching around it, left the impression of trapunto work.   Not sure how this piece will end up - maybe a pillow top or framed.  

My palette this year is full of clear pure colors - turquoise, red and cream.  

I also tried edging some felt with zipper pieces.  These were repurposed from an old pair of jeans .  (The jeans that were transformed into a gardening apron with pockets strong enough to stand up to prunners and other garden implements.) I like the look the zippers add.  There are some beautiful pieces already sold on Etsy, so for now, this is just for fun....but I did buy more zipper by the yard, so a few more projects are ahead.  I assembled it based on my best guess and whipstitched the zipper to the edges of the felt.  It would be interesting to see if there are other approaches.

Holiday Joy

I've had a fun week working on this holiday Joy Garland.  Its an enhancement from a my first felt, beads and buttons garland a few years ago.  A gift for someone who prefers neutrals - this may not scream color, but it sure whispers winter.  I was able to use so many different embellishments and several different textures of wool felt.  Look  closely and you will see crocheted edging on the star, white work embroidery and wool applique on the heart, cut work and trapunto on the wool snowflake, and buttons with embroidery on the reindeer.  Most of the vintage buttons come from the collection of a dear family friend who has passed on.

Long and dangling, its not exactly photogenic when hanging, I took some close ups of my favorite pieces at my desk.

Mighty Tieton Antique and Craft Bazaar details

Wooly Snowman going to Mighty Tieton Holiday Bazaar

What is it about a carrot nose?  Far cuter than a button nose, I think.  Ten Wooly Snowmen will be making the trip to Mighty Tieton Holiday Bazaar on November 30 and December 1.  Although we love them, we hope to find them all new homes at the show.  Hand constructed, from the felt balls to the fringed scarf, these snowmen are each unique.  They were created by Finch, the other creative part of  the Finch & Leigh team.  Deceptively simply, they are a labor-intensive project that turned out just perfectly.   

Wooly birds

Wooly birds are coming with us to the Mighty Tieton Holiday bazaar November 30 and December 1.  Arrayed in a plethora of plaids and hand dyed wools, and adorned with fanciful hand embroidery, they have character and a certain charm.  I love them on a rustic branch.  But they are looking good perched on a Christmas tree we are taking as well.  

Gearing up for Mighty Tieton

November 29 - Dec. 1  we will be at the Mighty Tieton Holiday Show.  We're gearing up with felted wool, wool balls, pin cushions, and assorted treasures.  We're really looking forward to the trip.  We've set up a 10 X 10 sales space in a spare room, and we're working on making a great display.  Each year we learn a little more about how to travel to shows, and create vibrant displays that share the thrill we get from wool felt.

Today I started with some felted orange hand-dyed wool with fringe.  We picked up the fabric from Pendleton Woolen Mills outlet store in Portland, OR.  They had bins of light-weight blanket remnants with a square-on-point pattern woven into the wool.  My Etsy partner, Finch, hand-dyed the piece a vibrant orange.  It has a wonderful mottled affect.

I played with quite a few  color combinations including this set of cream, aqua and orange.  I knew it wasn't right when Finch compared to the the colors of the Miami Dolphins.  After ruling out most of my felted wool stash, I realized another texture might be a better counterpoint to dynamic orange.  I decided to introduce cotton.  I landed on this circles print from my stash  - "Native Arts" by Robert Kaufman - and I was set.


Last week I went to the Northwest Quilt Show in Portland Oregon.  Eight hours total drive time and a couple of hours on the show floor.  But it was worth it.  The quilts were inspiring and the vendors were great.  I splurged on the  Sue Spargo book, Creative Stitching.  I was dying to give some of the stitches a whirl.  And this project created the platform.

Although the iPod sleeve was looking great with its funky fringe folded down and its wild base, my theory is "enough is never enough."  So I set to embellishing.  I love how it turned out.

Cat Pad

Our cat, Mieux, has a penchant for going where she should not.  That's how she came to live with us.  One morning, my friend's car, parked on the street in front of the house, had been rifled through and left in disarray.  When we popped the trunk to see what remained, out jumped a half grown kitten.  I used to think perhaps the hoodlams who ransacked the car left her in exchange.  Knowing her better, as I do now, I believe she may have climbed in of her own volition during the break in.  Any small opening has a magnetic attraction.  A split second after she spies it, she's in it!

Or on it!   Whether it's piles of felted wool waiting to be packaged, fabric grouped in a bin, or stacks of quilts out for display, Mieux knows how to make herself comfortable.  The sewing table is just about her favorite place to be....but only when I'm working.  Shooshing her off just doesn't work.  She silently slinks back as soon as I'm not looking.  I've recently decided to use to human psychology with Mieux and "redirect" her to a better place.  Her very own felted wool Cat Pad.

I asked my friend and wool dyer, Finch, for some scrap wool.  She dug deep into her recently purchased wool remnants bag and pulled out some narrow pieces that we didn't know how we would use because they were a heavier weight of wool, and filled with thread stitches joining separate pieces together.  A few days later she produced this lovely agean  blue wool felt.  I was ready to start.  Mieux couldn't wait to help.    I improvised using the characteristics of the pieces.  There were dye lot labels that read "BE", spiky fringe, and lines of white joining stitches.  To this I added a few kitty instructions to BE PLAYFUL and BE SLEEPY.

Sometimes,  Mieux uses her cat pad. 

And sometimes, Mieux still goes where she should not......