Category Archives: Needlefelt

Planet Penny Road Trip

We’re all super excited here on Planet Penny, we’re off on an adventure this week, felting needles at the ready!

If you’ve been visiting here a while you will know that I have had a couple of fabulous weekends at the Frank and Olive Crochet Retreats over the past few years. This time I am the guest tutor, taking fluffy fun up to Yorkshire to join Ruby and Dan and their guests.

crochet-retreat-venue

We will be making something a little bit different for Christmas, decorations that I hope reflects Ruby’s exuberant personality and sense of fun while passing on the necessary skills of needlefelting for the guests to take away and experiment with.

The alternative Christmas Cactus

Higgins is off to stay at his home from home just down the road, where he will be treated like a little prince. One person providing a comfy lap where he can help with the crochet projects, and another to crawl endlessly round the floor playing games. I don’t think he will miss us at all!

Higgins-Mini-Dachshund

After a few days in Yorkshire we will be heading to Manchester where my OH has a course to attend. Manchester is a place I have never visited so I’m looking forward to some exploring and a spot of Christmas shopping. If this is your stomping ground, I’d love some suggestions for places to visit.

I’m feeling very excited about getting out and about with more Planet Penny workshops. If you are in Norfolk or Suffolk you can find the next three sessions I have booked for 2020 on the Workshop Page above and I’m always up for discussing another road trip. If you would like me to visit just drop me an email!

Follow me on Instagram if you would like to see what we get up to at the Retreat, or even if you’d like to see me getting lost in Manchester…see you soon…!

My Needlefelt Mojo – Found!

If you remember, my last post was all about Malamander, Herbert Lemon and the making of his Lost and Founder Cap and I’m happy to report that Herbie worked his magic, and found my needlefelt Mojo for me!

It was in the shape of Herbert Lemon himself, a needlefelt and mixed media sculpture as a special birthday present for my son, Thomas which was huge fun to devise and make!

Needlefelted sculpture of Herbert Lemon from Malamander
Herbert Lemon
Herbert Lemon from Malamander with his map of Eerie-on-Sea

And he won’t get lost, look, he has a map!

Herbert Lemon from Malamander sitting on driftwood
Needlefelt sculpture of the character Herbert Lemon from the book, Malamander

This meant that when the Two Rivers Artists Midsummer Fair loomed on the horizon the felting needle was well oiled and I got straight into some pieces to fill my little stall.

And so I made a Bedtime Mouse…

Needlefelt Mouse with hot waterbottle
Bedtime Mouse

Some, quite possibly, magical toadstools…

needlefelt red spotty toadstools
Magical Toadstools

Some hens…

Needlefelt hens
Needlefelt hens

Lambs…

Needleflet lambs
Little lambs

And a whole array of fantasy country retreats in which to stick one’s pins!

Needlefelt pincushions in china cups
Stall at Two Rivers Trail Midsummer Fair

So I’m back in the groove, and all set to start teaching again. My next workshop is in September and it’s already booking up! Please get in touch if you would like to come along, you can find the details here.

See you soon…x

Needlefelt Workshops at the Forum’s Makers’ Month

Needlefelt workshopsThe needlefelt workshops are back!  This spring I will be at The Forum in Norwich running two workshops as part of Makers Month.  If you haven’t been before this is a wonderful opportunity to see and try out lots of different crafts for free, as well as book on to some fabulous workshops to learn a new skill in depth and there are fascinating talks and open exhibitions.

Arts and crafts people from across Norfolk, will be at the Forum to show you how to knit, sew, crochet, spin, weave, print, embroider, quilt, draw, paint, sculpt and even whittle.  Entrance is free, and everyone is welcome.  I’m really looking forward to it!

So if you would like to join me on a Needlefelt Workshop, do get in touch to book.  There’s a choice of two, making a 3D sculpture from unspun fleece, or a decorative panel of fleece worked into wool felt.  Each workshop will give you the skills to take needlefelting in a different creative direction.  Book both for a 10% discount on the price.

I’d love to see you there…x

Autumn Walks and Acorns

I can’t believe we are nearly at the end of October! It’s all been a bit busy here on Planet Penny.  We’ve just had a flying visit from the grandsons and grand dog which is enough to send anyone in a tizzy, especially Higgins! The grand dog is very “Tiggerish’ and Higgins has to be careful not to be bounced on.

I’m having to do a bit of resting because of the M.E. so I’ve been installing things on my shiny new iPad so I can sit with my feet up and write blog posts.  This my first attempt.  Not so much the writing as working out the best way to process the photos…I’m getting there…gradually.

And I’m also getting ready for the Two Rivers Trail Festive Fair which is coming up next month, so felting needles at the ready, I’ve been making acorns.
But we have had some lovely weather, so over the past few days we’ve been out with the camera enjoying all the colours of autumn, so come with us, it’s only down the road! I love to think that someone was walking along eating lunch, tossed the apple core in the hedgerow, and planted a tree!2016-10-23-10-54-59This is one our favourite stretches along the walk, sheltered enough not to get muddy.Because we do mud rather well in Norfolk!MudAnd while there are acorns on the trees…acorns…there are needlefelt acorns in the studio!So watch this space… I’ll be back to show you the finished articles and with more news about the Festive Fair.

See you soon…x

The Penguins Party!

I’m a bit obsessed with penguins at the moment!

I saw the John Lewis advert last week (the beginning of November for heaven’s sake, far too early…but adorable all the same!)

http://youtu.be/iccscUFY860

…and in a parallel universe I would definitely have a pet penguin, Higgins would love a little friend.

However, it got me thinking about making something a bit different this year for my stall at the Two Rivers Trail Festive Fair.  With that in mind I’ve made some needlefelt penguins and I thought I’d drop in here for some opinions…

So here’s my little Penguin Party…

needlefelt penguinsAnd the question is, do I or don’t I add little knitted scarves, and would they be better with or without a hanger for the tree?  I’ve thought about too much and need a second opinion! What you think?

And finally thank you you for the lovely comments after my last post.  It’s so good to know you enjoy calling in to Planet Penny.  Higgins, as always, is basking in the admiration of his fans (and really doesn’t want to play second fiddle to some silly penguins!)  Back soon…x

It really is the Blog Hop!

As promised, and alas somewhat belatedly, I’m carrying on the Blog Hop from Claire of Mrs Brown Makes.  Being asked particular questions really concentrates the mind, none of my usual waffling!

So here goes…

What am I working on?

This is a hard one because I’m a butterfly brain by nature, and I’ve always got a bit of a conflict going on between all the things I want to do.  At the moment I know I really need to work on some new ideas for the Planet Penny cotton yarn to add interest to my Etsy shop, but I’m also planning a fresh project for my next needlefelt workshop.  I’m also in charge of social media and the website for our local community shop…, and the window displays. Oh, and I’m also designing leaflets and flyers for Arts Desire, which is where I hold needlefelt workshops.  And there’s a book review…   Hmm, sometimes I feel I need to clone myself!

So the latest pattern for the cottons is for a hat and bag based on the granny square…

Granny square hat and bag in Planet Penny Cotton Colours

And the experiments in flat needlefelt and embroidery will culminate in a workshop on making a sketchbook cover…

needlefelt felt flowers for workshop

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Gosh, that’s a hard one.  We all like to imagine we are unique, don’t we and then when you do compare yourself to someone else, it’s generally unfavourable!  I suppose with the cotton and the patterns I accidently struck a chord somewhere.  People love rainbows, and managing to source the yarn and colours that people love was serendipitous.  The Rainbow mice too.

Rainbow mice knitted in Planet Penny Cotton Colours

I’m not very good at being serious, (it got me into a lot of trouble when I was at school) and the things I create generally end up making people smile.  When I was at Art School I was told I would ‘grow out’ of wanting to make happy stuff, I’m so glad I didn’t!

With needlefelting I do compare myself with others.  There are some amazing artists out there who make wonderfully realistic things with needlefelt and if I think about it too much I feel rather inadequate. However, I don’t actually want to make things like that myself!  I do love the process, I like turning soft fluff into firm sculpture.  When people talk to me about what I do during Open Studios the main emotions seem to be surprise… and laughter.  Nothing wrong with that!

This is the Green Man I created for this year’s Norfolk and Norwich Open Studios and you can see how he came into being on the Two Rivers Trail Blog...

Needlefelt sculpture - Green Man - English Folklore
Why do I write/create what I do?

Well, I create because I’m alive, it’s just part of me.  I’ve done it since I was old enough to hold a crayon, snip with scissors.  And as for writing, I started writing the blog when I was at a low ebb and writing about what I was doing meant I had to do something to write about.  (It was very good therapy, I recommend it!)  Now it’s second nature and it really bothers me when life gets in the way and time passes and I haven’t written anything.  And I love being part of the Blogosphere with all the interaction with the rest of the World Wide Web.

How does your writing/creating process work?

Because I’ve been writing the blog for so long I have a sort of virtual filing cabinet in the back of my head where things to write about are noted and kept, and I usually have my camera or phone with me so I can capture images which inspire me to write. I don’t usually struggle to find material to use for a blog post, it’s more the other way around, there so much stuff stored in there I can’t decide what to write about first!

As for creating, it’s really hard to say.  Sometimes when I’m needlefelting things sort of arrive when I’m not expecting them, I suppose my subconscious is working out what’s going on  because it doesn’t trust the conscious me to get it right!

And now to send you hopping off in another direction…

First up is Gina, a very talented lady who writes the ‘Fan My Flame’ blog.  You might remember the beautiful little Alice in Wonderland I bought from Gina a couple of years ago…

Alice-in-Wonderland

Gina describes herself as ‘a textile artist, machine embroiderer, teacher, passionate baker and blogger’, which is very modest considering all she does.  You’ll find out when you visit ‘Fan My Flame’, I recommend it!

Secondly is Sue, aka Mrs Micawber…

“My name is Sue Perez – alias Mrs. Micawber – and I live and crochet in Wisconsin. When not crocheting, I read, blog, cycle, take photos when cycling (for the blog), cook, and occasionally clean the house. In winter I walk (though not as often as I ought), and grumble about the weather. I’ve been known to knit, sew, bead, and quilt, but crochet is far and away my favourite craft. These agreeable activities are financed by a job outside the home, but why talk about work when there are so many more pleasant things to discuss? 🙂

My blog, Mr. Micawber’s Recipe for Happiness, was started to while away the time when my work hours were severely cut. Through blogging, I’ve made friends all around the world, and now I can’t imagine life without it.”

Sue writes the most beautiful crochet patterns, again, well worth a visit!

I hope you enjoy hopping about in Blogland.  It’s worth working backwards too if you are looking for interesting new crafty blogs to follow…

And I’ll be back soon…x 



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