Skip to main content

Felt Better

red felt carnelian wrap - close up 
 In May I had a wonderful opportunity to do a workshop with Sachiko Kotaka, renowned felt maker, origami and performance artist. www.sachkokotaka.com

Sachiko Kotaka workshop 
 I learnt a lot from Sachiko – her unique origami/kirigami and weaving felting techniques  as well as the virtue of patience in creating art and repeatedly practising techniques to develop competence. This last week I think the winter blues got the better of me, so I practised some of Sachiko’s techniques and “felt” a lot better. I was really happy with the wrap I made during the week – so happy,  I wore it to a function on Saturday night.
red felt carnelian wrap 
It is a nuno felted wrap, using beautiful merino wool, a scrap of sheer fabric ( I cannot remember  what it is or where it came from) and some disks of carnelian from my bead stash. I really like carnelian, not only for its colour but also for its properties which some sources claim are close to magical.
A stabilising stone, Carnelian restores vitality and motivation, and stimulates creativity.  It gives courage, promotes positive life choices, dispels apathy and motivates for success…It helps in trusting yourself and your perceptions.  It overcomes negative conditioning and encourages steadfastness.  Carnelian improves analytic abilities and clarifies perception.  It sharpens concentration and dispels mental lethargy…

One of the other works in progress from the workshop is a funky little bag. One of the pieces I made in the workshop included very bright almost fluoro green dyed wool, so I soaked it in tea to soften it and although I can’t say I ‘love’ it, it has become acceptable and I am making it into a little bag and am currently stitching into the surface.
workshop felt 
work in progress - bag - close up  
work in progress - bag
I do enjoy working with wool in winter and have been creating some smaller projects in the last month. I am not sure if it has been documented anywhere that the process of felting is restorative, but it certainly  makes me feel better. 
felt and clay brooches
felted bowls 2013

felt redhead - wool, silk, clay, beads 
Labels:

Comments

  1. CraftyleeJuly 11, 2013 at 6:01 PM

    I absolutely love your felting projects Wilma, look forward to seeing you at the Canberra retreat.
    cheers
    Lee

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for reading my blog and please share your thoughts about my blog post by leaving a comment.Your comment won't appear immediately as comments are verified before publication in an effort to reduce the amount of spam appearing. Anonymous comments will not be published.

Popular posts from this blog

Too Precious to Waste

 Stitched tea bags/ old doily "tea lights" - Wilma Simmons  More than a year ago, a decision was made.  The annual exhibition of NCEATA ( Newcastle Creative Embroiderers and Textile Artists) 2015-2016 will have the theme "Mottainai". Mottainai in Japanese refers to more than just physical waste (resources). It is even used to refer to thought patterns that give rise to wasteful action. Grammatically, it can be used in Japanese as an exclamation ("mottainai!") or as an adjective phrase ("it feels mottainai"). There is no plural form. The collection of mottainai things could be called mottainai koto ( もったいない事 ? ). As an exclamation ("mottainai!") it means roughly "what a waste!" or "Don't waste." [2]  A simple English equivalent is the saying "waste not, want not." A more elaborate meaning conveys a sense of value and worthiness and may be translated as "do not destroy (or lay waste to) that
Post a Comment
Read more

Fish and Sticks : Art Dolls

This week I've been working on fish and sticks ....  The sticks are the message stick art dolls which were very popular, attracting some attention and a few orders at the Wise Women exhibition. Each of the message stick dolls are from the Wise Women series, each with her own personality and  message of wisdom, handwritten on a handmade timber tag. I gather the sticks during my walks around my neighbourhood and the tags are made from special bits of timber, some collected by me or  my husband or from off cuts gifted to us  from another doll making friend whose husband makes bagpipes. These dolls start off very simply with a wrap around a stick, in the general shape of a body. 'Naked" message stick dolls - strips of wadding wrapped around found sticks.   Then I usually wrap other layers of fabric, wool, and/or fibres, over which I do some simple embroidery. I sculpt  or mould small face masks for these dolls. I really like using "sari ribbon" as wrapping str
3 comments
Read more

Wednesday's Child /2

Work in Progress - 3 of the 193 for "Stitched Up"- Wilma Simmons   The work for the "Stitched Up " Project  continues. See the previous "Wednesday Child" post for the background to this art project celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Newcastle Industrial School. I have been documenting the progress of my work, so I thought it might be interesting to share some of the early stages of the "stick dolls" ... Here are some of the beginning steps.. Sticks collected while walking the bushland in my neighbourhood  Drying and getting rid of any insects - oven heat 75 degreesC for approx 1-2 hours.  Trimmed and cut if necessary  Ends sealed with matte sealing solution.  Drying  - solution goes on white but dries clear.  First wrapping - foil to create a body shape  Second wrapping - stretch fabric.  Third wrapping - fabric strips  Some stitching - more stitching and embellishment to come.  Follow thi
Post a Comment
Read more