Monday 5 March 2007

Needlefelting experiments

I have been playing with some more skeleton leaves. I used a background of kunin felt, a layer of skeleton leaves and a red chiffon scarf on top. I needlefelted it and whilst the leaves felted well they just looked as though they were sitting on top of the felt. I thought I would try felting from the back after felting from the front and the difference was amazing. The red felt came through parts of the leaves. After felting I free motion stitched with a variegated metallic thread. The picture doesn't do it justice it's much nicer in real life.
I wanted to practice some more and since I have run out of felt I had been using warm and natural wadding (batting). I wanted to change the colour and short of dyeing or painting it I was thinking what else I could do. Dyeing/painting wasn't an option as I wanted to work with it immediately. I have been toying with the idea of trying hand dyed abaca tissue with the embellisher but thought it would just tear or crumple.
I decided to try it and after the experience with the skeleton leaves, working from the back, I thought I would do the same with the abaca tissue. I worked with the abaca tissue on the bottom with the warm and natural on top. I just needlefelted all over but as I was working away I thought how useful it was not only for the felting but for practicing free motion stitching. Towards the end of the piece I was playing with designs as you can see at the top right hand side of the piece in the picture. I am going to try another piece but this time with a set design. I think I may alter the colour of the warm and natural that is showing through by "painting" with markal paint sticks or something. What do you think, does it have potential?

On a completely different note I learned this morning that my quilt "Marie Curie" won Best of Show at the Quilters Hall of Fame in Indiana, judging took place on Saturday! I am still getting over the shock.

5 comments:

Sandy said...

Congratulations on "Marie Curie". I love the samples of the needlefelting-need to get to work on mine and you inspire me. Sandy in La Center

artmixter said...

Congratulations, Carol!!!

Dianne said...

Hey You Congratulations, it well deserved..I'm so HAPPY for you..
The first piece is great makes the leaves look almot fluffy..
So the green and Blask piece you sent me was hand dyed abaca, I was wondering what it was.
I have never heard of this..
Well you winner you have fun and I'll be watching and always learning from your inspirationl work...

Shelina said...

Wow, congratulations on your win!

I just love how you try so many different things. Each of your blog posts has a different technique that makes me think "I should try that." They all look like so much fun, and definitely have a lot of potential.

Tonniece said...

CONGRATS Carol, I'm thrilled for you.