Preparing for the Alternative Clothes Show

I’m taking part in the Alternative Clothes Show in Hornsey, London at the weekend- My first show for a while so I’m hard at work with felt and embroidery.  In the spirit of the show I’ve been working on a range of necklaces using upcycled beads from the local charity shops and my own embroidered felt.  I’ve also put the polystyrene hat blocks I carved last June in a course with Jane Smith to use making a couple of felt toques.

It’s now the final push to the line finishing the final pieces, and gathering supplies for  dressing the stall (and my self as I agreed to model some handmade felt in their fashion show!)

A Barn Covered in Fleece

While we were on holiday last week we noticed yellow signs around for the C Art Open Studios happening in September so we paid a visit to an installation near Ashness Bridge to look at the work of a couple of young artists – one who had covered a stone barn in fleece and one who had filled it with animal skulls and feathers… well what’s not to like about that!!

Barn Covered in Sheep Fleece with wool balls – Annabel Lewis

 http://www.c-art.org.uk/artists/annabel-lewis/gallery

http://www.c-art.org.uk/artists/natalie-williamson/gallery

We hummed and aahed about buying one of Natalie Williamson’s skull sculptures but in the end I settled for a pendant made from old copper jewellery and mouse skulls!

There were also a number of woolly balls scattered around the area and we clambered around the hills looking at them…This is me sitting on Ashness Bridge with one of them…

No wonder I look so happy with such a beautiful view to look at…and in the sunshine too!

The Open Studios are on until 28th September 2014.

Textile Jewellery Course

On Friday I did a one day textile jewellery course at Morley College…..some of the things covered were similar to those done on the Creative and Experimental Textiles. (But lovely to have access to equipment such as the heat press.)  I spent my time working with Pelmet Vilene to make cuff like bracelets.

The green one was originally intended to be inspired by waves – but the colours that the dye paper we were using meant that it turned out more like a garden.  I added some embroidery to complement this…..

I then made a second one using lace to transfer a pattern onto the vilene once I had dyed it abasic red colour.  I was thinking of it like an actual lace cuff so I put a fake button on it.   Debby also showed us a whole new way to use a soldering iron to burn small holes in the vilene.  I was aiming for it to look like lace.

Finally I sowed some of the actual lace onto the bracelet  The lace print doesn’t show up very well on the photo but the holes made by the soldering iron do….

Felted Crescent Necklaces

This gallery contains 6 photos.

I’ve been making  a new type of felted necklace I found in the book Feltmaking and Wool Magic by Jorie Johnson, an American Feltmaker working in Japan. I like the way they have turned out.   I start with a … Continue reading →

Felt and Bead Necklaces

This gallery contains 4 photos.

I now have felt and bead necklaces – after a day’s working out the design and  stringing yesterday.  I bought some beads on Friday as I thought the necklaces would hang better with some a bit more weight….  

‘Sushi’ Bead Necklaces

A while ago made several colours of ‘sushi roll type beads ( layers of different coloured felt, tightly rolled, dipped in a 50% solution of water / P VA then cut when dry.)

Sushi Roll beads

They have been sitting in my studio waiting for me to do something with them since then.  Today I decided to make some pendants so I can string the beads into necklaces with an interesting central piece.

It took me a while to work out the correct size and thickness of felt to use and I’n still not sure I have cracked it – watch this space….

Felt pendants

So now I’m off to soak them in PVA and set then to dry.  Then maybe I will finally stop putting off the necklace making process and get my needle out!!