Crochet Butterflies by Dinaz

I just LOVE butterflies

 Dina has posted instructions for these sweet crocheted butterflies.

 They're on my To - Do List !



For the love of Nanna

This is my girl . . .
or was about 10 years ago.
She has a beautiful heart and holds her memories close.

She is lucky enough to have a Nanna who loves to knit
and as a small child had an abundance of cardigans and jumpers.
I remember her crying, sobbing when she out grew her favourite blue bunny cardigan
. . . so Nanna made her an identical one in the next size !
 . . . and there was a similar story with her penguin jumper!
 Such a lucky girl.

 

All these years later it's been decided 

that since she can't bear to part with them,

we will make them into something she can keep for ever.

She's in favour of a blanket, one that can be handed down to her own children.

So that's my challange . ..

 

She has a couple of requests

Please can I leave them in pieces, so they look like jumpers ?

 . . . as each one has a story

and  Please can I not felt them . .. she loves the textures just the way they are

. . . they remind her of Nanna.

 

So I've spent a lot of time thinking . . . thinking  . ..  thinking

and I'm still thinking and collecting ideas.

 .. . at this stage a story blanket is my favourite idea  

 

My concerns so far

 . ..  the finished weight - will it be too heavy ?

. .. what type of backing will be best and how to secure it ?

. .. my knitting is laughable ! - I will need to fill the gaps with crochet

 

 

If there's anyone out there who may have attempted this before

I'd love to hear from you . . .

And equally if there's anyone out there who'd like to do the same

and would like a friend for the journey . . . Email Me !

The more the merrier.

This is going to be a long ride, I think !

A visit to Faser Traume

It's raining again today and I found myself wondering around

looking for inspiration for my next project

and found Faser Traume  .... meaning  .... Fibre Dreams.

If you love all things textured and coloured 

you have to visit !

 

 

Have a wonder around .... You will find lots of lovely treasures to inspire you !

- well I did anyway !

I'm going back to read more - the photos are so much better close up : )

 

 



Medusa - a felt sculpture

In April 2010 I posted about a new project I had been working on ...

I had joined a fibre group who experimented with all types of creative fibre methods.

We had been given a challenge with a theme of 'Wild Women'

My mind went immediately to Medusa.

To me she was truly wild, exiled to survive on her own haunted by the writhing of a myriad of snakes which were her hair. I could imagine a felted bust of her tortured face

and snakes of all colours and textures slithering about her, so I set myself to work.

Firstly I found some garden wire to build a basic frame

 

 Then covered the frame with chicken wire.

This allowed me to shape her face

 And I covered the soon-to-be snakes with fabric medical tape

to prevent the fibres slipping away from the wire

 Using corriedale fleece I began to needle felt the shoulders and face

 and refined the facial features

then began preparing the snakes

added some colour to the shoulders

 and face

- I like her best like this

added more shape to the shoulders

and began colouring the snakes

The nights were long

It was my intention for the snakes be the feature

with each one created using different fibre techniques

But I was running out of time.

 I had to forget most of the finishing and textures

and present her as she was.

I think she looked wild and tortured enough 

More Wet Felted Needle Cases

I'll be listing these on Madeit . . . once I've sorted out postage.

A Pretty Pink Needlecase

 . . .  inside are pages of woollen blanketing.

Wet Felted Alpaca Needle Case

It's finally finished !

A long long time ago ...

I started making this needlecase.

It's made from Alpaca fibre - so fine and soft.

This one's for Mum.

Wet Felt Journal Cover

Felt Journal Cover

A

Wet Felted

Journal Cover ...

This is how it happened

Yes, this IS the inside cover !

The outside has more to come ...

but first it must dry.

Out of Chaos - Felted Treasures and more

I figured out the camera, the computer and the internet (to the best of my ability and levels of sanity) ... and have listed my first items on madeit , an aussie site dedicated to the sale of all things handmade.

My workroom is a never ending story. In order to finish this or make that I purchase this and purchase that and I think in fact, I may have added to my stash!

Firstly, I gathered my baby wraps and photographed them.
I love to make these. They are labour intensive, but so soft and snug and lightweight.





A needlecase, I washed, carded and felted some Alpaca fibre and went to work.

Next on the list - to photograph my cards. Now finished!

Then leather bound journals ... My mother has been the inspiration behind these ... we began with a family day, each making one for our own use (boys too), but they are nice to touch I had to make more.. They're all handstitched and bound.

And to add confusion to chaos I joined a creative fibre group ...

                    ..and now I'm felting a bust of Medusa.

She's a work in progress as you can see...a combination of 'Medusa' and 'The Scream' by Edvard Munch

 

The most difficult thing to do is

TO STAY FOCUSED....