Still love felting…

So since my ‘re-kindled love of felting’ blog post the commission has been given and I know it has gone to a loving home! It was greatly appreciated, which was lovely. So I’m back with another piece of felt work which is for sale on my Etsy account, so if anyone is interested do not hesitate to look.

This time I also have images of when you put water over your masterpiece and think that you’ve spoilt everything… panic not! All is well!

Also if anyone would like a felt piece of art work and has an image in mind, don’t hesitate to get in contact and I will see what I can do.

Sunderland university foundation summer school…

It’s hard to believe that this time last year I attended the Sunderland university foundation diploma summer school. Now one year on having completed the foundation diploma I volunteered for this years summer school.

I helped out on the last two days of the course. At this point the students are finishing the short project they are set and displaying the work in an exhibition setting. There were only ten people who took part and yet the diversity of the final works was so impressive.

The projects began with the brief of mark making, which allowed the students to take their ideas down any route they chose. By the time I was volunteering the students had developed their ideas and were finalizing the display of their work. The final exhibition consisted of drawings, paintings, 3D work, photography, video and even a performance.

They did so well, particularly as the course was only 8 days long and so much work had went into the projects. I wish the students all the best with their studies and hope that if they ever needed any extra help that I could be someone they could get in touch with.

Here’s their work:

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I apologize to Natasha, your performance photos will be up soon.

A re-kindled love of felting…

Since the charity exhibition I was asked by a friend if it was possible for me to make any more felt pieces of work, as she particularly liked the felt landscape I exhibited, but had been bought earlier in the day. I immediately replied of course and so the commission began.

After buying the felting wool I needed I began the felt making process,  I had forgotten how much I had enjoyed making felt pieces for my a-level textiles.

To make felt you use felting (sometimes called roving) wool. You’ll see by my photos that layering is the key to a successful piece of felt. I began by tearing green and blue felting wool and layered them horizontally, these where the base colours. After one layer I repeated the action but vertically. I layered then felting wool on bubble wrap and net. (All will be revealed later).

Next I introduced differing shade of green to the hills of the landscape (keeping the variation of horizontal and vertical layers). When more colours are added you can start to add depth to your image. Adding leaf and sage greens in my example.

After this I added different shade to the sky (this was my favourite bit), along with the blue I added purple and burgundy shades, as commissioned and they worked harmoniously. I particularly enjoy creating the sky as the colours effect the emotion of the sky and how people feel when they look at the work.

Before completing all the layers I added strands of wool into the piece, this defines lines in the hills and sky/clouds but also adds texture. I then did a thinner layer over the wool strands so that the wool would remain attached to the felt but so it was still visible.

Now to bind the felting wool into felt. Using boiling water and soap mixed, pour the solution onto the felt, there is a moment in which you think that you’ve spoilt everything and should start again… just wait. Rub the water so that the whole of your layered felt is wet. Then roll up the felt along with the bubble wrap and net it is laid on. Roll the felt like a rolling pin for about 5-10 minutes, un-roll the felt and use the excess net to cover the top of your work, rub all over the work. Repeat the process until the felt is well compacted.

Once this is done rinse the work under a cold tap until all the soapy water is gone. You can then place your felt onto a towel/tea towel and leave over night to  dry.

Once my piece of work was dry I machine stitched contour line onto some sections of the landscape as to add a differing texture and various harmonious colours.

So here are the photos.

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P.S- don’t use too much soap when felting, otherwise there will be suds everywhere and it will take a considerable amount of time longer to tidy up!