Jul
5
The Felted Garden
July 5, 2008 | 2 Comments
A reader recommended this shop “The Felted Garden” and I am so happy they did. The felting wearable and useable art are stunning creations by the shop owner Liz. Each scarf is a unique work of art as the artist Liz, describes her method below. Liz also has a blog to visit titled “The Felted Garden”. Check out this artist and get to know her.
Liz enlightens us;
My husband would say that I started The Felted Garden because I didn’t want to work in a ‘real’ job. But isn’t raising 2 kids real enough?
I believe that doors open and close for you in life. I had a very successful career as a children’s clothing designer in NYC. I still see my former life in glimpses in reruns on the actors on ‘The Cosby Show’ and ‘Full House’. I always loved design, color and patterns. I understood the balance and symmetry of design and continued to cultivate my passion for the creative arts at school or at home with arts and crafts with the kids or in painting and decorating my home. I was waiting for an opportunity but didn’t know it. And then, a door opened, again.
While at a friend’s home, a package came from her mom with her birthday present in it. I didn’t know that it was really a present for me, and when she opened it up, I knew that I found my passion.
It was a felted scarf. Her mom lives on a sheep farm in Germany and has been felting all of her life. My friend said when I saw that scarf, my face changed. I went home and ‘googled’ felted scarves and artists. I read everything I could about the process. Having worked in textiles for over 20 years I understood what I can do with felt. I knew that I could do something different. I loved wearing scarves ( I live in a 260 year old house, so I’m wearing them 8 months out of the year! ) and knew that this is where I could start. This was about 3 years ago.
Now, I love felting even more. Every time I take out some fiber, it becomes a blank canvas. Even if I try to make the same scarf twice, something changes, there’s always something different to add or a proportion to change. I love the feel of the fiber. I love pulling in apart, putting colors together, seeing how far I can go with a design concept. I am not a technique felter. I love an admire their work. But I work with pattern, texture and color. I want to see a design move and change. My best scarves are ones where the patterns almost become abstract on. You know it’s a leaf or a pattern, but the twists and turns of the cloth change and distort the original idea. I also love fashion. So I design scarves for the woman who wants to wear something unique with her camel or black coat or, like me, an added touch with her favorite sweater. “Warm Jewelry’ I call it. You don’t need anything but a pair of jeans, a turtleneck and a great scarf!
I love what I do and I take pride in my designs.
Jul
2
Cut Out + Keep, The Step By Step Crafty Community
July 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Cut Out + Keep, The Step By Step Crafty Community is the most amazing site where people share their crafts and how to make them. I joined and found Melanie Ann Green who lives in Hull, UK. Melanie has a personal web site and an ETSY shop. Her felting art is marvelous and you have to visit her sites and take a closer look at her work (pictured). I am hoping she will come here and leave a comment about her inspirations for her felting.
About Melanie:
“I completed my degree in Multimedia textiles in 2001 at Loughborough University. I specialized in embroidery techniques including CADCAM embroidery and domestic sewing machine. Later I discovered a passion for felt making and have been hooked ever since.”
Jun
30
Sarah was generous enough to send me her book to review and I’m giving it away to one of my loyal readers. These will be one of these books that I will have to buy for my felting library to replace the one I am giving away, but this is what this blog on felting is all about, sharing knowledge and tools. It has taken me awhile to go through this book because of the many felting subjects that are covered. Sarah has put many hours into making different felting steps clear and doable for her readers.
The book is excellent for anyone who wants to know everything and I mean everything, about felting. The pictures show step by step instructions how to create any project from needle felting, wet felting, nuno felting and felting your knits.
Sarah learned to knit from her grandmother and mother when she was very young. It was their influence that got her into the creativity of felting. She is also a freelance writer, living in Arkansas. She has been crafting almost all of her life and enjoys sewing, beading, candle making and paper crafts. We are all excited because this is her first published book.
Sarah gives us an introduction into the world of felting and how she personally discovered the joys of felting. Her first experience with felting intimidated her. She couldn’t imagine knitting a project and throwing it into the washer. The first one was designing a bowl and dropping it into the washer. Sarah was totally petrified. When it came out of the washer okay, she was hooked on felting.
In this book, she covers everything from felting toys, coasters, wine bags, hats, flowers and belts and I am only mentioning a few outstanding projects. Everything and everyway of felting is described in this wonderful book.
Sarah goes on to tell us how do design your own patterns. She explains how to do this in one chapter covering writing out your patterns and how important gauge is. When writing out your pattern, it should be put in clear and concise text and symbols that can be understood by anyone who knits. I think all of us have read patterns and wonder what the creator of the pattern is talking about, so keep it clear and simple.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn the ins and outs of felting. We here at Craft Gossip want to wish Sarah the best of luck with her book!
We will be awarding this book this book on July 11th, enter by telling us why this book interests you in the comment area.
You can find this book on Amazon ( where you can see some of the pages in the book) or Buy.com, and at many other book stores. Learn more about Sarah @ http://www.sarahewhite.com/ Sararh also has another great site Knitting.about.com that I am sure you will want to visit;
Linda
Jun
27
Felted Fungus, Apple and Pickle Giveaway!
June 27, 2008 | 9 Comments
I did an article on the Myriads of Felted Mushrooms by Kathryn Ivy and when I am watching TV at night I have been knitting and needles felting these little treasures. I made my own double pointed needles from free chopsticks and did get a few splinters, but kept the sand paper near and everything smoothed out in the end. For the most part I followed Kathryn’s instructions but did put my own spin on the mushrooms and then made-up the pickle and Apple patterns. I used another suggested idea from another article of hand felting with a bar of soap instead of the machine felting. It was easy and I had very clean hands. I wanted to share something I made with all of you. Leave a comment and grab my heart and they will be yours 
Jun
25
Felting Art in Denmark, Birgitte Krag Hansen
June 25, 2008 | 1 Comment
As you can see from the pictures, felting art is exciting and fun in Denmark, where Birgitte was born, teaches, writes felting books and does amazing felting art. Read about Birgitte following and be sure to visit her site and see and learn about some brilliant felting art. I think the people from Denmark are one of the leaders in the art of felting, but you judge for yourself. Be to go through all the galleries on her site. the site is call feltmaking.com.
- I was born in 1946.
- I am teacher by training with art, craft and psychology as specialities.
- I have worked with felt for 32 years and I have developed several new felt techniques including the soft sculptural technique and the relief technique.
- I have worked for three theatres and for the Danish TV (set design and dolls)
- I give courses in Denmark and abroad - and I have travelled a lot both as teacher at workshops and to participate in international felt symposiums.
- Among other projects I have made a felting project for women in South Greenland teaching them how to use their wool to make felted souvenirs for the tourists, and I have made Felt in Nature projects in Norway and Denmark.
My book “FILT I FORM” (Felt in Form) was published in 1992. Publisher: Host & Sons Forlag, Copenhagen. Among others things the book describes my special techniques. The book was reprinted in 1998.Now out of print. My second book, “SKULPTUREL FILTNING” (Sculptural Felting), was published in 1999.Now out of print. My third book “NY FILT MED FILTENALEN”, Publisher: Klematis, was published autumn 2003 (English edition “NEW FELT USING THE FELT NEEDLE” published spring 2004) and my latest book “NISSEFILT”. Publisher: Klematis was published 2004(English edition PIXIE FELT published 2005. See the menu for more information about the books.
Jun
22
The Funky Felter
June 22, 2008 | 2 Comments
Shalana never ceases to amaze me with her glorious new designs in felting. She is one creative lady that lives in Kansas City, Missouri where she fashions her outstanding art. After visiting one of her blogs I see she does more than just felting. She designs web banners, writes articles, taught graphic design for a local community college and is now creating web sites. It is hard to keep up with this lady. It will be worth your while to visit all of this Funky Felters sites. She has bios and resumes you can read and see all her awesome creations. I really love her new hats and accessories sets and can’t wait until she fills her ETSY shop back up with her goodies. Shalana, in my opinion, has the eye of a fashion designer and one day we may see her designs on the runway in New York. Keep up the great work Shalana Hugs
Jun
21
The Winner of the Noni “Pear Pattern” and Yarn Giveaway
June 21, 2008 | 3 Comments
Darcy is the winner of this giveaway via a random drawing. Thanks again to “Noni (Nora Bellows)” and “Pat Miller, Proprietress of The Taming of the Ewe” for the yarn and to myself
Darcy lives in the Antelope Valley Area of Southern California. She is an Air Force wife, mother of 4 and grandmother of 1, she enjoys reading, travel and crafts. Her current passion is for knitting and so she recently started a local knitting group in her area. If you are nearby, you should go check them out
Darcy has a wonderful blog where she offers some video tutorials on knitting. Please visit her site and say “hi” and congratulate her on winning the giveaway on Craft Gossip, her blog is “Darcy knotty Knitter”. Congratulations Darcy from all of us at Craft Gossip and we hope you put our banner on your blog.
Jun
20
Free Felting Patterns
June 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment
I found these felting patterns for all of you to try if you find them to your liking. Please drop the designer’s sites and tell them where you heard about their patterns.
Little Fox
http://trhfox.googlepages.com/home
French Market Bags
http://www.knitty.com/issuewinter03/PATTfrenchmarket.html
Booga Bag
http://www.blacksheepbags.com/booga_bag.html
Buttonhole Bag
http://www.masondixonknitting.com/archives/images/ButtonholeBagMasonDixon2[1].pdf
Felted Fortune Cookies
http://indigomuse.blogspot.com/2006/01/felted-fortune-cookies_30.html
Bob
http://mochimochiland.com/weblog/2007/06/free-pattern-bob/
Felted Baby Booties
http://spinningaround.myblog.de/spinningaround/page/29766797/Felted_Booties
The Pumpkin Patch
http://woolwindings.blogspot.com/2006/09/pumpkin-patch.html
Stash-busting iPod Cozies
http://bluepeninsula.blogspot.com/2006/07/stash-busting-ipod-cozies.html
Jun
17
Felted Apple Pattern
June 17, 2008 | 1 Comment
How cute are these felted apples and I want to knit a crate full for myself. This apple pattern is free for you at Maddycraft.com. Manddy Craft’s not only has this sweet apple pattern but they also carry a full line of knitting patterns for women, men, babies, accessories and Festive Feltings Booklets. They also accept PayPal which I like. Do check out this site and maddy laine and maddy baby patterns.
Jun
14
Felting Tutorials at Home Work
June 14, 2008 | 3 Comments
The blog, titled “Home Work” is kept by Leah and she has an ETSY shop called “Spider Felt”. Leah has some wonderful FREE felting tutorials that I think that you will all want to see and try. She uses several felting techniques that give us an idea of what can be done with felt.
Here is a little about Leah in her own words. Raised in Vancouver, BC, attended university in Montreal, volunteered in Haiti for 18 months, moved to Seattle for love and work, left work for baby love, started down the craft path when we decided it would be cheaper to make our own wedding invitations (ha!) and haven’t looked back.
Now I spend most of my time trying to figure out how to charm my husband and children into loving the crafts that capture my imagination so we can spend all our time and money using our hands together.
older posts »
-
Linda Lanese is your CraftGossip Felting Editor.
Read more about her at meet your editors page. - CraftGossip Homepage
- Knitting News
- Crochet
- Bath And Body
- Candle Making
- Jewelry Making
- Scrapbooking
- Recycled Crafts
- Needlework News
- Cross-Stitch
- Indie Crafts
- Felting
- Stamping
- Quilting
- Polymer Clay
- Sewing
- Craft Artist Life
- For crafts, free projects, and heaps of ideas and activities, try Craftbits.com
- Shop Auntie's Beads for all your Beads & Beading Supplies.
-
Try InkCart Xpress for great value UK toner and inkjet supplies and printer ink cartridges
-
