Sunday 26 February 2012

Pinks and Blues and New Sheep Too.



Here is a quick visual feast of new pieces made last week.
I haven't been out and about taking many photos so I don't have much to blog about. Just been busy making new things and getting pieces out to stockists. Some of the places you can find my work are

An Cnoc in Creiff
Starfish Studio in Johnshaven
Studio 222 in Newburgh
Room 15 in Oban
and
Zigzags in Dunkeld


All of these new pieces can be found in my Etsy shop here.












The competition to win one of my framed felt landscapes and a set of six cards is still open in the Scot's Magazine. You can enter up until Wednesday 29th Feb by sending your details to

I'm delighted to have been asked to do a few really nice events this year. I'll be anouncing where and when soon!

Wednesday 15 February 2012

Find Yourself a Felt Making Kit

I get asked a lot if I do workshops or teach felt making. I don't but I know people who do!
I have also seen some great kits out there, some of which I have listed below.

Felt making is such a versatile craft. There are so many things you can make! There are two basic felt making techniques, wet felting and needle felting.
Wet felting involves laying out wool fibres called merino tops in layers and matting them together with hot soapy water and a simple rolling method until a fabric is formed.

Needle felting is when you stab at the fibres with barbed needles causing them to mesh together and either form a flat fabric or a three dimensional shape. You use a foam pad to stab into so that you don't hurt your fingers or damage your work surface. (Both are still possible but it's an easy technique to master!)

There are lots of 'How Too' videos on You Tube. Just search for 'How to make felt' or 'How to needle felt' and watch a few videos to give you an idea of what is involved.

Below are a few kits that you may enjoy trying.

Here is a Beginners Felt Making Kit from Maria at Creative Bumble Bee.
£9.90 contact Maria at info@creativebumblebee.co.uk


Maria has also come up with this brilliant kit for making Needle Felted Bird Brooches

£9.50 makes at least three brooches. Click here to go to Maria's website.


Lisa at 'Tigerlily Makes' has also come up with some fantastic kits.

This beautiful Scarf Kit costs £19.99 plus £4.50 p+p. Includes all the wool fibre and instructions to create this stunning one off piece.


This Rose Corsage is also available as a kit.
£9.95 plus £4.50 p+p

Click here to see the full list on the 'Tigerlily Makes' website.
Tigerlily Makes is based in Lichfield UK. Classes and workshops are also available.


Nicola Brown lives in Co Carlow, Ireland and makes really beautiful felt pieces including these felt purse/pouches. These are really fun to make as it doesn't matter how your felt turns out, you can just cut it to size, fold it over and sew it up the sides.


Nicola sells these kits from her Etsy Shop priced £6.50 plus £2.60 p+p (prices are approx as Nicola lists in US $'s)

You can also find details about workshops and tutorials on Nicola's blog here



Diva Designs based near Forres, Scotland also have a wide variety of kits for varying levels of felting skills.



You can choose from Needle Felting, Wet Felting and Felt Bead Kits. Other kits are also available from their webiste here.
Kirsty and Christine at Diva Designs also run workshops at their studio.

We are lucky to have a fabulous felting supplies and wool shop here in Fife called Twist Fibre Crafts. Based in Newburgh just south of Perth, this shop is very accessable as it's not too much of a detour off the M90.

 Felt Mirror
Everything you need to make a colourful mirror with decorative felt. Available in blues with fish or greens with flowers. Overall dimensions 20cm x 20cm.
£10.50


Felt Flower Bouquet
£12


Penguin Family
Kit includes foam block, 3 felting needles, felting needle handle, enough fibre to make 3 penguins and instructions.
£7.50

For the full range of kits from Twist and details of how to buy click the link below.

Twist Fibre Crafts Kits
Twist also run a variety of workshops and classes. See their website for details.
If you are in the Fife area you can also do a complete beginners workshop with Kirsty at
Falkland Felts
Kirtsy will taylor the workshop to your ability level and you can discuss the kind of things you would like to make before you begin. You can also liase with her about dates and times.

You can find some of these wonderfully creative and helpful people on Facebook. I'm sure they would love to hear from you and will happily answer your questions.

Falkland Felts
Creative Bumble Bee
Tigerlily Makes
Diva Designs



All contributed content © Aileen Clarke