When I signed on for the Warm Women project, I did not imagine that THIS would be my contribution:
But then, the world of craft blogging is full of new challenges, adventures, and friendships.
I mentioned my lack of knitting prowess when I posted a few weeks back about about the Warm Women project. I thought instead that I might try to 'quilt' a scarf with a long scrap of wool batting. Then Mim jumped in with a suggestion that I felt the batting, and offered her assistance. Not just online assistance, either, but a bit of an in-the-flesh felting workshop at her house.
[Just to fill in the back-story... I met Mim, maybe a year ago, just when I was embracing the whole crafty thing. I'd dropped in to Olive Grove Studios, a local handmade co-op, and Mim was working. We looked familiar to each other and spent some time trying to place the connection, before realising that years ago, pre-children and pre-crafting, Mim was the friendly, mean-latte-making girl who kept me caffeinated and therefore sane during lunchbreak from my 9-5 office job!]
Anyway, last Monday I landed on Mim's doorstep and, after admiring her delightfully funky and ecclectic kitchen, drooling over her stash and drinking a damn fine cup of coffee, we got felting!
Luckily, there was plenty of space for the children to romp:
And to practise 'sharing':
While the kids trashed the house and yard, Mim generously let me have free reign with her materials, and walked me through the felting process.
I went a bit nuts and shoved pieces of everything on top of my batting. I will exercise a bit more restraint next time I think! (You can see Mim's scarf, which didn't have batting and was a bit more refined, sitting parallel to mine. She didn't want to be in the photo though... hmmmph!):
The actual felting process is quite physical and very therapeutic... rolling and whacking and throwing the wet wool all around. It's definitely something I want to do more of.
Here are our scarves... mine is the one on the left:
The edges of the batting curl in on my scarf, so once it was dry I decided to stitch over it, to keep it flat (and to keep on the silk threads and such that didn't fuse in as much as I wanted):
Thanks Mim for sharing your time, space, knowledge, materials and muffins with me!
Here's my scarf, waiting to be packaged up with a few other donated scarves to be sent to Claire, then on to a Karen craftswoman, who will hopefully be just a bit warmer this winter.
They both look lovely- what a wonderful thing to spread the holiday spirit. xo Meagan.
ReplyDeleteit looks awesome with the stitching! yay ! x x
ReplyDeleteBoth scarves are superb - love the colours and textures. You've definately raised my interest in felting - I've never tried it before. Great idea and nice outcome for everyone.
ReplyDeleteIt looks great . Were your arms tired afterwards??
ReplyDeleteGina your scarves are sooo beautiful, a friend of mine has started felting and does some amazing work as well, I feel like I'm seeing it everywhere, I might have to give it a go too....not sure when I'[ll fit in though :( Tam xo
ReplyDeleteA gorgeous scraf! What a generous lady that Mim is!
ReplyDeletethe whole story is lovely - the scarves are beautiful. yes - I think felting might be having a bit of a renaissance.
ReplyDeletewhat great post :)
xo
Your scarf looks UNREAL!
ReplyDeleteI've never done felting. Geez there are just so many things to learn and this world and not enough time!
I was working on mine last week but have temporarily abandoned it because it looks like a disaster zone... better get to it though - the deadline is looming.
Your scarf really is gorgeous. The recipient will be very happy, I'm sure.
ReplyDeletethe scarf is absolutely darling, well done!
ReplyDeleteI adore the colours so lovely and vibrant.
It's just beautiful Gina!
ReplyDeleteIt looks really fantastic in the photos! Any chance of seeing it in person?!?
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Nothing like making a new friend and a new scarf all in one go.
ReplyDeleteoh Gina your scarf is GORGEOUS! I have made a start on mine and I MUST finish it. Mim is such a sweetie and what a fabulous day you had
ReplyDeleteThey both look really wonderful, all those beautiful cool blues and greens. Sounds like a great day. Well done.
ReplyDeleteOh wow!! Love your scarf, love them both really. The stitching and detail is just magnificent Gina. What a fabulous post too - really enjoyed your tale of crafty goodness :) K
ReplyDeleteNothing like learning a new skill, and looks like you picked it up with flair! Lovely creativeness for such a good cause.
ReplyDeleteWAY TO GO! You must be strutting about with one major spring in your step! (Is it as gloriously messy as I imagine?)...
ReplyDeleteGorgeous scarf! I love the colours and I love how proud you look in your photo :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm soooooo jealous! WOuld love to have spent sucha fabulous felty time with someone who knows all about it. ANd all for a good cause, to boot!
ReplyDeletehttp://warmwomen.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/fantastic-felting/
ReplyDeleteThanks Gina! : )
Blogging is such a great journey isn't it. It is amazing the worlds that you can move within and the scarf is just divine - great work
ReplyDeleteI am soo jealous - what an amazing day you had, and as for the results? Well the scarf is absolutely amazing!!!! xx
ReplyDeleteThat's a gorgeous scarf! Is it soft too? I bet the woman who will receive this scarf will love it!
ReplyDelete