Have you ever created a piece that is supposed to be a component piece, or painted or dyed a piece of fabric and then not been able to cut into that piece to use it for it's intended purpose????? Sound Familiar??? I'll bet that it does for many of you! Well, this is exactly where I found myself after creating my first piece of wet felted fabric this early summer. You may remember that I blogged about the process ,with my friend April, here. In the photo above, you can see the results of that wet and wonderful learning experience. The piece of colorful lovliness has been floating around my art space for the last several months waiting for something to become. I was so enjoying it as a whole, not that it could not remain whole, but knowing that it had another purpose. It was waiting patiently to be given a purpose. I have often picked it up and looked at it carefully and petted it, waiting to hear the voice in my head that would tell me what form the transformation would take. Nothing, not for a long time. Well, push came to shove, and I finally found myself ready and excited to cut into this composition of wool and silk lusciousness.
The moment arrived when I had to come up with a gift for the Gift Exchange at our Annual Christmas Gathering and gift exchange at my Fiber Arts Guild meeting on Dec. 4. I had looked at several shops trying to find something fun and unique and affordable. The goal was to find a gift priced at around 15.00, for either a Spinner, a Weaver, or Anyone (anyone being any fiber artist) Right now I fall into the 'another'category. Well I could not come up with anything that I was happy with. Perhaps I put too much pressure on myself , but I will not settle for any old ball of yarn or needle duhicky that presents itself.!!!
So I cut a circle from the Pink Felted sheet and created a pincushion. What fiber artist does not need a pincushion?????? The only slight issue was that I had made a similar design of pincushion for last years exchnage, so I would have to try to avoid the same person picking my package again this year. A minor issue , as this decision presented itself on Friday afternoon with the exchange being the following morning!!! I also created a scissors fob from hand felted beads, to accompany the pincushion. Yet another 'To DO' to TAA DAAA!!!!!! (Love it when this happens!!)
I love the idea of the scissors fob, as I have often found myself working in a group with others who have the same type and color of scissors. With the scissors fob you will never loose track of Your scissors again!!! I am quite pleased with how the items evolved and I am quite sure that Anne (the gift recipient) was quite pleased as well!! Love it when this happens!!!!!
This time I backed the felted pink with a piece of felted purple cashmere, (cut from a thrift store cashmere sweater that I had felted in the washing machine!) In a real pinch (and without pins) this would make a wonderful little pillow!!! In the center of both front and back, I stitched one of my very own scrappy beaded beads!!
So I WAS BRAVE ENOUGH TO CUT!!!!! AND the best part is, I still have a nice large piece of the original fabric left for further evolutions of colorful creations!!! Can't argue with that!!!
