A special invitation

You are invited

Just in time for Christmas giving, I am offering a work shop that will inspire you!

Inspire you to get that embellisher out of the closet and onto the work table. My embellsiher had been on the shelf for some time. I got it out last month and got to work. I love making vessels. They can be used as an objet d'art on a shelf, hold dried flowers or even hold a battery tea light, to shine through the holes.

In this one day class I will show you:-

• how to lay out the fibre,
• how to use the embellisher properly to get a solid piece of felt
• how to shape the felt into a vessel
• how to sculpt the felt further
• how to carve and embroider the felt

Felt really is the most wonderful thing to stitch on. I had great fun stitching by hand all over these vessels. So you see, they don't take a super long time to make. Once you've got the techniques down, your next one will go faster.

Cost: $60, which includes the fibre. Please bring your own embellisher!

Location: 1276 Wellington St, Ottawa (my studio)

Limit: 6 students only, so don't miss out on your chance to join the fun!

Send me an email to Edwina at edwinadolls.com (Written that way to foil the spammers).

See you soon!

Have you tried Felting?

If you haven’t tried the many styles of felt making, you are missing a big part of the textile arts experience.

The hottest trend in the fibre world right now is felting. To take beautiful colours of wool fibre and turn it into something useful, like slippers or a bag, or something sculptural like a vessel, is to witness the most amazing transformation. Let me introduce you to the different methods of felt making available to today’s fibre artist.

Wet felted bag

• Wet felting is the oldest form of felting. Using wool fiber, the magic of wet felting will produce a small bag, a vessel, any shape you want! Wet felting is the process of removing air from the wool fiber, which is stacked in organized layers, wetted with water and soap and massaged, rubbed and finally formed into a felt object. This magic process makes fiber into felt. Dating far back in human history, felt has been there, providing warmth and comfort. Clothing, tents, yurts (a round shelter) and many other practical items have been produced this way.

Pied Piper - needle felted

• Needle felting is one of those arts that have evolved from industrial uses. The humble felting needle is secured in a bed by the thousands and used to produce things like carpet underlay, felt boot liners, insulation and quilt batting. Taken by itself, it becomes a very versatile tool for the fiber artist. Without stitching a shape or stuffing, a figure can be built, layer by layer with wool fiber and one simple tool: the felting needle. A face can be detailed entirely with colored wool using this method. The possibilities are limitless!

• Knitting - Many knitters are having fun with felting: knitting hats, bags, mittens, etc. with wool yarn. These are then placed in a washing machine to shrink and become felt. This process is properly called “fulling,” though it is commonly referred to as felting. It results in felt fabric, which is strong, warm to wear and beautiful.

• The Embellisher machine - The newest comer to the felt making scene is the embellishing machine. An embellisher is a sewing machine of sorts, without thread or feed dogs. Felting needles do the work of needle felting, inserted singly or in groups in the needle holder of the machine. Using the machine, flat pieces of felted and embellished work can be made. Many fiber artists and quilters are creating wonderful work with this single-purpose machine.

So try playing with wool if you haven't already. There are so many styles to choose from. I love it and am very passionate about felting in all it's forms. You can find kits and supplies on my web site, Edwina Dolls.