What a soggy weekend this has been! We seem to be alternating between having so much rain that the water butt overflows and the road floods, and then having to run around watering the vegetable garden because it’s so hot and sunny.
My garden is now in it’s July slump, all the prettiness of the Spring flowers are just a distant memory and I’m confronted with all the things which should have been thinned out or consigned to the compost heap back at the end of the Winter. Does anyone like Golden Rod? I find it sad and funereal.
The roadsides however have been a delight. This is a typical sight as you travel round the lanes in Norfolk…
I’ll just have to sow more poppies in my garden!
But talking of flowers, I’ve been working on a new needlefelt project having had a request for a different kind of workshop, making covered notebooks.
As you know, I like to use needlefelt as a sculptural medium as I love working in 3D, so flat needlefelt is a new departure for me. However I have really enjoyed creating a woolly garden of flowers to make up for the ones I am lacking outside!
I started off by just using the fibres like paint…
…but found that adding in simple embroidery stitches gave it more detail and interest. And it was really fun to do!
I’ve been using lovely 100% wool felt squares from Blooming Felt to practice on, I’ve got a gorgeous selection of colours. These are the next two in the collection…
But the challenge now is finding sheets large enough to cover a notebook. In an ideal world of course I would wet felt each piece individually but alas, M.E. has rather put paid to something as energetic as that.
But while that particular project is coming together, the workshops I have had for Beginners Needlefelting have gone really well, both the group session at Arts Desire, and a one-to-one session in my studio. If you live in the area and would like to know more, follow this link.
The next Needlefelt Workshop at Arts Desire is next weekend, and there’s a place or two left, it would be lovely to see you.
And in case you are wondering whether my crochet hooks are rusting in the corner, no, they’re not! I’ve just completed a commission, and I’ll be back soon to show you just what else I have been making, so watch this space…
See you soon…x
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Your needlefelt flower pictures are just amazing! When I was making a cover for a notebook I bought an18″ square piece of felt from here – http://www.sewinspiring.co.uk/acatalog/wool_felt_woolfelt_fabric_wool_felt_squares.html – but they aren’t pure wool.
Beautiful! They look lovely. Maria x
Stunning, Penny. I’ve just developed an interest in needle felting and have got some tools and some books. Are you thinking of doing any on-line tutorials, I wonder? xx
Penny, it is so good to see you again. I was unaware of M.E, I hope that it doesn’t affect you too much. I wonder, have you seen this blog? http://marmaladerose.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/and-were-off.html
No Higgins?
Absolutely beautiful needle felting; you’re so talented. I’d quite like to add it to my ‘Fifty List’ but, unfortunately, can’t find any workshops locally. I have to admit that I do quite like Golden Rod! x
Those felt squares from Blooming Felt are great aren’t they? Lovely work, good to hear the workshops are going well. I absolutely loathe Golden Rod, the shape is good, but that yellow is depressing and it seeds EVERYWHERE if you let it! Know what you mean about the garden slump this time of year- there is always this rather difficult time before the late Summer stuff comes into bloom, always a challenge to keep the garden good through July and into August.
Oh my word, what a difference the embroidery makes. Those squares are really lovely.
Funereal is just the word for goldenrod – to me it signals the death of summer and the approach of autumn. (And it smells rather strange, too.) Thank goodness for the flaunting cheerfulness of scarlet poppies!
Hope the M.E. eases up soon. Give Higgins a pat from his adoring fans. 🙂
I love your work
a group of small flowered squares embroidered together to make a patchwork as large as you need would look great for a book cover.