Soft Orange Coral

Ready for Spring, a lightweight hand felted scarf in hand dyed tissue silk and merino wool.

Coasters

West MacDonnell Ranges and Dry Creek Bed
Hand felted merino wool and silk with hand stitching.
(10cm x 10cm)

Ecodyeing demystified.

I had a great opportunity last week to learn about ecodyeing from Sandra, a natural. She has committed to memory so many plants, where to find them, as well as the results obtained when using them in different seasons and whether used fresh, dried or frozen.

This first one was done using two different coloured roses, petunias and iris, all frozen last summer. I laid out a piece of white tissue silk with one layer of merino and silk roving. This was rolled and fulled before placing the flowers on in a concertina fold, tied around a rusted metal bar and boiled up in a cast iron pot for a little over an hour.



The small scarf below is a pre-hemmed silk scarf laid out with dried cinerea eucalyptus (Argyle apple) leaves, then rolled around a chromed pipe, tied and boiled.

Happy Birthday, Alex.

Where in the world...

Someone asked me not long ago, if I did anything else as well as make felt. At the time, I thought making felt, part-time teaching and family and friends, with a little travel thrown in when possible, might be enough to keep one person busy.

Later, I decided, maybe I could just try my hand at collage...

(Click on image for an enlarged view.)

Another Portal - a hat this time.

In creating pieces for the Portal series, I've enjoyed using the mixed greens from a Finnish wool producer, called Pilku.

As the colour Indigo is no longer available from Fibre Fusion in Victoria, I attempted to create my own version by laying two layers of black wool over a bed of mixed blues from Pilku. Did it work? You be the judge.

Alice Springs Beanie Festival

The Fire Beanie depicts colours and patterns which remain after a desert fire storm has passed. It is hand felted in merino wool with embroidery cotton detail.

From Friday 24th June to Sunday 26th July, Competition Beanies will be on display in Gallery One, Araluen Centre, Alice Springs cultural Precinct, Larapinta Drive, Alice Springs.

This year the Competition will be celebrating the beanie's ability to ascribe to the Elements: Earth, Wind, Fire and Water.