Yet another felting workshop.

I don't know what it is about me and felting workshops but I am attending yet another.
This one was by Sachiko Kotaka, at Beautiful Silks.
Sachiko showed us samples of her work which includes a variety of techniques, almost too many to think about.
One special thing about Sachiko's work is her use of cut-outs as the motifs.  These were very similar to the snowflakes we used to make at school as Christmas decorations - and fine motor skills.  First we practised using paper then we did some using prefelts or fabric, depending on the technique we were using first.
I decided to start with fabric as my base and use prefelt for my motifs.

My usual colours.

Some of the other ladies decided to try different things we had been shown.

Previous work cut up, woven and other sections added.

Prefelt as the main part, holes cut and fabric laid in the space, fabric cut to be the motif.

So far none of the work has actually been felted, we have looked at samples and been busy laying out our designs.  We go back tomorrow and I will attempt to not only felt this piece but learn more techniques.  Who knows, one day I may use all this knowledge.

About the felting

I had to post today, the date is 9/10/11.  Love those dates.

The theme I am working on - still - is based on Darebin Parklands/Rockbeare Park.  I keep trying new techniques based on the theme.  The two ideas that I work on are the rock formations and the tree trunks.
I spent a day last week working on the tree trunk idea, using felting.  I tried to incorporate two workshops I have attended.
Both methods use a prefelt as a base and then you design on top of that.
The first one I tried was based on the LeeAnne Davis method of sewing fabrics that will not felt well, using wool or some other thread and then felting it onto another layer of prefelt, then embroidering further.
I have blogged about her before, here and here.

Here I have used a silk loom end, scrim and some synthetic fabric.

The pink bit here is an old piece of 'silk paper' that I made last year.  The other bits are scrim and more synthetic fabric.

More scrim, silk ripped into strips and synthetic organza.

I used left-over bits of tapestry wool for the sewing down as I thought that would felt well into the prefelt.

Here are some pictures after the final felting.  I have not embroidered them again as they did not please me that much and they are only samples anyway. I may get enthused and do some embroidery but it will depend on how much spare time I have - not a lot at present, I am trying to work on my graduation piece.

The silk strips looked ok.

The silk paper did well and I don't mind some parts of this, it has possibilities. 

The silk loom end lost a lot of its lustre when the felting came through.  The synthetic gives good texture.

I actually remembered to measure the pieces before and after felting and it did shrink about a third, in one direction.  I'm not sure if I rolled it more in one direction than the other or if the sewing caused some of this differentiation.

I have just looked at the preview of the blog and think they are not that bad after all.  Maybe I will try again, see if I can get some good effects and use embroidery to enhance the pieces.  That's the problem with me at the moment, I can't come up with a final technique or design!!  I'm still experimenting - which is fun and interesting usually but causing some anxiety at the moment as I have to come up with some work.

Turkey - felting workshop

The stand-out event for me on our trip to Turkey was a two day workshop of felting with Mehmet Girgic.  Mehmet had prepared the prefelt and cotton before we arrived and then demonstrated the technique.

pre-felt with cotton felted in

preparing thin bits of roving

using wet roving to outline and then fill flower

wetting the pieces again before rolling

Mehmet and Rabia demonstrating the 'dance' used for rolling the felt

We had two days in Konya to work on our pieces.  The group managed to come up with a variety of designs and Mehmet and his wife Rabia, and one of their apprentices, helped us with both technique and design elements. Great fun and a wonderful workshop.
We are hoping to organise a show, featuring the group's felted pieces in early November.

Raewyn Penrose felting workshop

I have just returned home from a four day workshop with Raewyn Penrose at Crockett Cottage, Mansfield, working on making a felted jacket.  I posted about this event earlier and have been looking forward to it since she visited previously.
Raewyn demonstrated various techniques to use with the felt that give some beautiful effects.  We made a sampler and then worked hard on making our felted pieces, using the techniques that suited our garments.

This was a very busy few days and we were quite tired by the end.
Some people managed to make complete garments while a few of us have some sewing to do when we get home.
We were all very pleased with the workshop and some very happy campers made their weary ways home at the end of the last day.
I will post a few more pictures of works in progress over the next day or so.

I am not an experienced felter and found that there was a lot to learn. Raewyn was very patient and gave a lot of individual help, so I have come home with lots of knowledge and a garment mostly completed.
She has a tailoring background and was able to assist us greatly with getting our garments to fit well.  She made sure that I know what I have to do and that everything is pinned as it should be so I can complete the garment in the next day or so - if I apply myself.

She also has a different technique for felting, from what I have seen, in that we cut our felt fabric to fit a pattern (and she showed us how to make that pattern) and then she fits it to us and we sew it together, without bulky seams.  Wonderful.