Snap & Clip Felt Purses

I've just finished my latest woolly project - felt coin purses with sew-in snap frames. Colours and patterns are based, as ever, on my fascination with rocks and minerals. The purses in this photo are my geological tributes to Nature's wonders (OLIVINE: green/yellow; WATERMELON TOURMALINE: pink/green; OPAL: blue/green/yellow; JASPER: red/orange; AMETHYST: purple).

I tried at least 3 different techniques (all of which involved balloons). Contrary to many of the videos on Youtube i actually felted these guys flat, laying handfuls of wool over a round plastic template, rubbing with soapy water, flipping the template over and laying more wool - repeating until 4-5 layers have been added. Making a slit in the top and removing the template, I inflated a balloon inside the felt and gently continued to wet felt the purse until all surface fibres (inside and out) were rock solid. After rinsing the purses i left them to dry with the balloon still inside. When dry I zig zag stitched around the opening and enclosed the edges with some sew-in clip frames.

Felting for Easter

Happy Easter everyone!!

The Frozen Felter's Block

A FROZEN FELT BLOCK just about sums me up at the moment. I don't know about anyone else but the cold weather just makes me want to hibernate. I'm getting my hands wet with wool for workshops but not for much else I'm afraid. My creative juices have frozen a bit too...which is why I decided to do something useful and go through the photos

on my camera. I'd forgotten what was on there, and have been pleasantly surprised, not to mention slightly inspired.

Shall I show you some crazy examples of the weird things I take photos of? And yes, you will actually see them in some furry pictures (when the weather gets a bit warmer....)

Nothing I enjoy more than delicate flowers against a textures rocky surface....a bee box....a forgotten pair of glasses.....and a gorgeous autumn leaf.......