Messing around with felt and stencils on paper

Quilting the bag sides

This week I finished the bag I showed last week. You will recognise the photo above from my last post. I handed the bag over on Wednesday. It was part of a Christmas present from the Recorder Consort to Kathryn who leads us admirably.

The pattern is an adaptation of the Stowe bag by Grainline Studio. I first made the pattern here. I have fully lined the bag and added a single zipped pocket instead of the collection of small pockets of the original.

Finished bag

 Now you can understand why the music fabric was important. Kathryn was delighted with her bag and her other presents too. These included some fruit cordials which she supplies us with during the break during rehearsals and a gorgeous music decorated set of notelets.

Zipped pocket inside the bag

 I've also been playing with nuno felt using the techniques taught by Vivienne Morpeth. It remains to be seen just how successful I have been.

Starting to add the fleece round the silk pieces

 As you can see I have used the same colours I used for the felted top I made during the workshop with Vivienne. I have added some scraps of sari felt from my stash.

The back of the nuno felt before work starts

The finished nuno piece - front

 The nuno felt is still wet at this stage and the colour may well lighten by the time it is fully dry.

Nuno piece showing the back

 The squares are caused by the pieces of felt added beneath the sari silk. I decided to see whether using squares would work.

Messing around with stencils into my sketchbook

 After a lengthy session making two pieces of felt - the second piece I can't yet show you since it will become part of my pages for the Pinfold Challenge. The theme this time is "Trees", hence the following experiments.

Stencil onto paper using fabric paints

Trial run using an acrylic spray

Kitchen paper used to clean the stencils

I had a lot of fun messing around with a couple of my stencils. I really like the patterns left on the kitchen papers used in clearing up. I can see these being added to my sketchbook when they are dry.

Nuno felt, sewing and knitting

Completed Malia top

It has been a rather busy couple of weeks. The Malia top eventually got finished as did a skirt which still has yet to be photographed. The skirt is still waiting to be ironed before it will be in a fit state to take photos. The top is an interesting one with a gather of fabric under the bust dart. I still haven't worn this since it was rather too cold when I finished it. The skirt will be warm enough to wear out until the weather gets too chill. It is the Dolores skirt from the summer edition of La Maison Victor. I have made it from a blue floral print fabric.

Completed Mercy cardigan

Detail of sleeve cap - Mercy cardigan

The Mercy cardigan has been finished and worn a few times. It is really cosy and just what I need for this time of year. The pattern is quite fitted, but leaves plenty of opportunities for wearing thin tops underneath.

 

Materials ready for dyeing

Dye bath filled with 6 metres of silk chiffon.

6 metres of silk chiffon drying on the line

I felt really brave some days ago when I dyed the silk chiffon required for the workshop with Vivienne Morpeth. It was a really simple process using the procian dyes and carefully following the instructions from Colourcraft. 

The workshop took place on Friday and Saturday 3rd and 4th November. It was really intensive. This is my nuno top under way. You can see the silk pieces laid out over the barrier fabric being used as a resist. My silk pieces are the plain coloured red. Vivenne very kindly provided the acid dyed silk with the variegated shading. The disks are made from prefelted pieces cut to shape. They are purely to add texture.

The text stating "Barrier" is printed on the resist material and does not come off during felting. I used scarlet, grey and ruby red superfine merino wool to make the felt itself. It is lovely to work with. I had not realised that there was more than one grade of merino available. I still have such a lot to learn. I learnt an enormous amount about felting during the workshop, not just from talking and listening to Vivienne, but also from the others taking part in the course all of whom were much more experienced felters. They were really supportive and helpful.

Front

These photos show my completed top. Yes, it does fit! I need to make a suitable blouse to go underneath it. This one is the toile I made for the cheesecloth blouse. I used around 3 metres of my dyed silk chiffon to make this top. The remaining fabric is destined to make the blouse. I fancy one with a frilly neckline based on this same blouse design. I just have to get around to making it. Or, rather more accurately, finding time to make it.

Back

 At the NWCQ meeting on Thursday we were challenged to used map elements to make a quilt ready for the CQ Annual Meeting being held in Manchester in March. Another project? Well yes......

The photo on the left shows an A4 sized sheet which was given to me as my inspiration at the meeting. We had had a couple of group exercises which produced a very large sheet incorporating sketches from everyone taking part. This sheet was then cut up into A4 pieces with everyone being handed a piece sight unseen. The completed quilt is to be in black and white and to have a small piece of a colour. I was wondering about yellow......The right hand photo sees some elements of work in progress on this. I was considering using this work as the basis of the "In Print" challenge quilt for Contemporary Quilt.

Further work will have to wait until I have finished a bag needed later this week as part of a group gift. The bag is nearing completion, but I really ought to make a second one so that the organiser has a choice.