New techniques in feltmaking result in a full outfit.

After making vests, jackets, scarves etc. I am excited to be completing full outfits using some new feltmaking techniques I have been working on and also dyeing techniques. The ArtWear Fashion week fashion show in September gave me inspiration for making a total "look". The model, make-up artist and photographer came together in this photo shoot to really get the look I wanted.

New! 80 inch Needle Felting Machine from FeltCrafts

Now we have an 80 inch table top needle felting machine that can needle felt 14 square feet per minute.

Fiber Celebrated 2011

This is a kimono top I entered in "Fiber Celebrated 2011" an international juried fiber art exhibition sponsered by the Intermountain Weavers Conference. It is at the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. It is open July 21 through September 24, 2011.

The technique used in this top is labor intensive and no rolling is used. I describe it as a "Hybrid Felt Collage".

May 2011 in Lofthus Hardanger Norway

SDA Conference Fashion Show

I was privileged to have my garment "The Polar Sea" accepted into the Surface Design Associan Fashion Show at their conference Fashion Show in June 2011 in Minneapolis.

(Fashion Show Photos taken by Susan Bowman)

Felting in Sweden

Gunvor with her hat! Wearing what we made. Finishing the berets.

" The Ost Cafe" Felt Yurt in Cafe garden

Don and I had a wonderful time visiting the Bredsjo Dairy in Bredsjo Sweden. They are located in the "deep woods" near Hallefors, about 93 kilometers north of Karlstad. We spent two full days felting the wool from the dairy sheep using the 40 inch rolling machine. The wool felted well and we made hats, scarves, bags, and "vegan sheep skins". Lena, her husband Lars and daughter Sarah are hard workers and they produce the most delicious cheese I have ever tasted - especially the roquefort. The "Ost Cafe" (Cheese cafe is open on weekends in the summer). Gunvor is working with them to produce products from the wool and she has made yurts - completely designed from the wool to the frame.

Alpaca Bag for Grand Nationals

I finished the bag for the auction/sale to benefit education for uses of alpaca fiber. It is 100% alpaca with leather trim and a cotton lining. The alpaca carded batting was first needle felted on the table top needle felting machine, then rolled on the rolling machine to remove any needle marks, then tumbled wet and soapy in the dryer to full it more. I pole wrapped one tan piece and dyed it using lanaset dyes along with a couple of other tan pieces. It has a polished stone button on the front. The natural colors of alpaca used are tan, dark brown and white.