Celebrating with Creativity

My birthday was last Wednesday. Rather than a party, I opted for a quiet celebration. 

Two years ago, I took a nuno felting class at Esther's Place. Rather than make a specific project, we created yardage that we could then make into anything we would like. I created the piece below. My intention had been to make a skirt. Once I got the piece together, I just couldn't bear to cut into it.

So, I wear it as a shawl, or a wrap skirt as you see above. 

Once I completed the first piece, I then understood the process a bit more, and thought that I would like to create another. I bought all of my supplies, brought them home where they proceeded to sit in the bag for the last two years :/

Back in November, I said, "enough!" I called Natasha who owns Esther's Place and asked if I could come in for a private lesson. The day that worked best for both of us was the day before my birthday. Fabulous! It was the best way to celebrate, creating, doing something that I love :)

The piece that I made is below. My intention had been to create a piece that I would then make into a sheath dress with a sheer yoke. I think it will still be a dress with a sheer yoke, but not so sure about the sheath aspect. I love the wispy, lighter than air aspect, so I think I want something that has some movement.   

The day was so much fun. I am now addicted to nuno felting. Now that I have done two pieces, I feel that I can tackle a project on my own. So, I am planning my next piece!

I just have to share this with you!!! The American Sewing Guild Chicago Chapter had their annual holiday party on Saturday. It was so much fun. They are celebrating 10 years. Amazing! There was a gift for everyone. Little needle cases had been made with the ASG logo fabric.

Inside is a small pocket that hold a needle threader and stick on thimbles.

Within the pages are various sizes of Japanese needles and some lovely pins. 

  
A special cake was made for the celebration. Made by one of the members. The entire cake is/was edible. We devoured it!!! The top half was chocolate, and the bottom half was vanilla. Such a treat. 

This neighborhood group began as a dream. The founding members felt that there had to be others who are sewing away in high rise apartments. They were right! I'm not sure of the membership number, but it's a great group of ladies, and the membership continues to grow. I would encourage you to possibly start a group if one is not in your area. The payoff of friendship and comradery is worth the effort! 

Have a wonderful day!

Rhonda

Monday Morning Inspiration/Felting

This past weekend was just what I needed, a nice hike with my dog Gracie, dinner out with some friends, and a felting class at Esther's Place. A couple of weeks ago, I took the nuno felting class that our workshop chairman had put together for Haute Couture. I enjoyed it so much and ended up purchasing another piece of the silk to make another yardage piece. I have my heart set on a sheath dress. After the class, I was just too exhausted to think clearly, so I decided that a ride out to Esther's Place would be something I would enjoy and then I could purchase what I needed for my second project. 

When I went to the website, I saw this pair of hand warmers and loved them. So I decided that if I was going to take the drive out, I may as well take the class and learn a little something new. 

The process is quite interesting. You begin with a piece of bubble wrap that has been cut in the shape you see below. You begin with one side, and then flip it and layer the wool on the other side. This is done twice. What's amazing is that the bubble wrap that's inside keeps the wool from felting and an entire hand warmer is made WITH NO SEWING!!!!!

In the picture below, you see the mitts where I've finished layering the wool and I've just begun embellishing.

The embellishing is complete.

A piece of silk was laid on top of the embellishment. I really like the mitts, but I think in the future I will use the wool as I would like more of my design to show through. 

As I've told you in the past, I have stick bird legs for arms. I was a little concerned about how the mitt would ultimately shape and fit my arm, but the process is really quite simple and even my bird leg arm is fitted! I am really looking forward to using these this winter as my hands are always so cold. Having my fingers free will give me the opportunity to still do things and hopefully the wool will keep my hands warm. At least that's my hope :)

When I got home last night, I wanted a little more inspiration as I really have enjoyed learning about the felting process. Below is the piece I did a few weeks ago.

So I went to Pinterest and searched for Felted Fashion. I thought you too might enjoy seeing a few of the pieces that I thought were especially inspiring.

The shawl below is amazing, well all of the pieces really are. It was also done where pieces of the silk were left exposed. Love the rose pattern.

Simply spectacular!

The silk was left exposed at the bottom with this beautiful piece.

Love this top and skirt.

Check out this amazing coat.

Another amazing piece.

The coordinating boots and purse are to die for. Only problem, I don't know that I would want to chance the boots to the anything they may pick up outside. If I'm not mistaken, the birds look to be needle felted.

And then I thought about the jacket I made a while back for a Thrifty Thursday post. The jacket on the left below is the one that was featured in Sew News. The pattern is still a free pattern and you can download it HERE. I think a little needle felting would make a great embellishment.

I came across a few finishing touches that could easily be added to a felted piece. You can always find a piece of felted wool, make the jacket, and then do a little of the embellishing below and save yourself the time of the actual felting.

Love the leaves as a closure.

But, this is my favorite closure. Love how the cut out in the leaves is echoed in the jacket. 

Felting is truly a learning process, but a process that I'm so enjoying learning, and discovering. If you live anywhere near Chicago, I highly recommend a trip out to Esther's Place. Natasha is a wonderful teacher. And even better, you get to feel like a kid again ;) !!!

Try doing something this week that you've never done before. Allow yourself to play and don't worry about the result being perfect. Just have fun :)

Have a wonderful week!
Rhonda

I Have a New Hobby!

And I probably need a new hobby like I need a hole in my head! 

Last Sunday I took an all day workshop and learned nuno felting. By the end of the day, I was exhausted, but so very happy with my new skill. Our workshop chairman for the Haute Couture Club of Chicago had arranged a class with Natasha of Esther's Place. We had the opportunity to take a 2 1/2 yard length of silk, apply the nuno felting technique, and turn it into yardage that we could then use to make a garment. My original intention was to use my piece to make a skirt. I've changed my mind. Once I got my piece home, I rinsed it as I had been told, and then left it to dry overnight on my dress form. When I came down the next morning, I decided that I loved the piece just as it is and so it will remain a shawl.

As I worked on my piece, I decided to leave peeks of the silk throughout the felting.

   

Developing the fabric was quite interesting. I had chosen a piece of sage green silk as my base. The silk was hand dyed by Natasha. Once I had the silk in my hands, I saw that there were also red and blue bits of color in the silk. For my first layer of wool, I did alternating strips of red and blue, which you see below on the left side.

I then used the green as my second layer. I was a little unsure of how it would all work out.

The final application was our embellishment. Like I said, I initially thought I would use the yardage to make a skirt, so I left a ruffle edge of the silk and I wanted a border along the edge. I wanted the border to have an impressionistic feel to it, so I used bits of red yarn, green bamboo yarn, a glitter yarn, tiny little felted balls, and some ribbon to create my border. Finally a very fine layer of the wool is placed over the embellished layer and then the felting begins. Cups and cups of  warm, soapy water are poured over the wool. Once the piece is wet, we then began the rolling and felting process.  

As I also said, I was exhausted by the end of the day, but I was excited about how my piece turned out and all that I had learned. The colors melded together beautifully. I can't wait to make my next nuno felted project! 

This is the very talented Natasha.  

Below is a skirt that she made with the nuno felting process.

Natasha and her mother Donna are the team behind Esther's Place. They raise their own sheep, sheer the wool, and then provide their customers with the best products that they can offer. 

They also offer a wide range of classes, weaving, knitting, felting, dyeing, and even canning classes.

Esther's Place is just a 1 1/2 hour drive west of Chicago. If you are in the Chicagoland area, by all means, take a look at their class page and plan a day out in the country. You'll be happy that you did :)