We started our day with yummy homemade bread and delicious soup from our hostess Laine before getting stuck in to some great felt creations. There were some new members to the crafty circle today who hadn't tried needle felting before and it wasn't long before they were getting the knack. Laine started with an abstract piece, regaling the stories of her ten year old beads she was sewing onto it...now they have a new lease of life.
It wasn't until the end when the needles started breaking! I was impressed that there wasn't much finger stabbing happening, hmmm, I make needle felting sound like an extreme sport... but with lots of cups of tea of course. The felt balls are a necklace work in progress that Alessandra will be finishing the next time round, as she was layering different colours around the balls to wet felt them again.
This picture is before the finished felt brooch is put together. They were completed in time to wear out the door. How good is that?
It seems like ages ago since we were felting, but as the circle changes, this is a new craft again for many. Because felt is such a versatile material you can use it to make all sorts. I never get bored of it. I collected the acorn tops in the Autumn last year so we used them to make new felted friends. There were also more colourful creations made by others but they were not dry on time to glue their hats on!
Happy 2011! We started back on a grey Sunday afternoon, but nothing like a bit of making to keep the mind and hands busy. We were using old washed jam jars amongst other glass objects to do some etching, which basically makes a frosty surface to the glass. This is a very simple way to spruce up some containers or make gifts.
We started with cutting out our designs on contact paper (like sticky back plastic). Then we stuck these designs onto the glass.
Next you apply the etching cream evenly with a brush, corrosive stuff this is, so hands definitely protected.
Washed off after a few minutes and voila! A more interesting jar than you started off with.
