I'll admit that the entire time I was needle felting (single needle, punched by hand), I just wasn't sure I liked it. I wasn't sure I wasn't taking a perfectly nice looking silk scarf and ruining it. Then my husband commented how he really didn't like it and I had a moment of panic. Has this happened to you?
Galileo called self-doubt "the father of all invention." I've thought a lot about self-doubt having experienced often and watched what it has done to other people in my life. Self-doubt that
doesn't lead to decision or action is ultimately self-defeating, and
creates a numbing negativity. Whereas self-doubt that leads to
resolution of the doubts can be a remarkable source of energy and
creativity.
My goal was to create an organic piece of art for a friend to wear. These are not my colors. They are hers. I think the colors are part of the reason my husband does not like it. I learned long ago that I can take into consideration what other people think but I don't have to act on it especially if it does not ring true to me. I wasn't making the scarf for my husband. While I value his opinion, I pressed on and finished the scarf.
I didn't think about how the felting would make the scarf feel and was pleasantly surprised to find that it feels divine. I can't stop petting it. I used mostly silk but added some wool and some unknown content fibers. There is bits of silver thread thrown in too to give it a little sparkle. It looks better in person than it does in the photo, but several people have asked it I finished it. It was made with love and I know it will be received with the same even if she does not like it. I am blessed. I hope you are too.
Showing posts with label felting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label felting. Show all posts
Friday, December 21, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Roving Mind
I have been blessed with truly amazing friends. It's always good to surround yourself with people who make grow as an artist, support you in your efforts, make you want to be a better person and embrace what you make. As the years roll on, it is getting tougher to think of new and exciting things to make and give. Digging through my roving to make felted soap provided me with an idea for one of my friends. Now I just have to feel the fear and start felting this hand dyed silk scarf (I folded and pinned it so you could easily see the entire thing. It's actually 14" x 72".). Wish me luck!
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Felted Soap
My youngest son makes very nice handmade soaps but receiving a white bar seems a bit underwhelming. I decided to see if I could use some of my collection of roving and felt the soap. It's like having soap and a washcloth all rolled into one. I remember seeing felted soap for a ridiculous price at Anthropology a few years ago. Well, these are my first attempts and once again this confirms that a felt maker I will probably never be. I do plan to give it a couple more tries to see if I can get the felt to be more even and not have soap peeking through. At least I have very clean hands!
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