Category Archives: Felting

New art piece

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I’ve started a new art piece. It’s actually a series of seven smaller pieces. I’m making them smaller to challenge myself. Plus I’m running out of wall space for my art!

This year I’ve been volunteering at a local garden. I’ve been learning so much about plants and gardening plus I’m getting yummy food. One night I had a dream about weeds. A Weed Spirit visited me. I asked her why she grew in a place where she would just get ripped up. Isn’t that just a waste of life? She smiled knowingly at me and said, “Just because you don’t know our purpose doesn’t mean we don’t have one”.

That really struck me. I’ve been thinking about weeds ever since. Often we humans just view them as a nuisance but in reality weeds are quite useful and beneficial. I’ve decided to make a series honoring seven weeds and the wisdom they can teach us.

In other news, Sieben and I took a hike somewhere new-Picuris Trail.

This was a wonderful hike.

Inappropriate baby gifts

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Normally when friends get pregnant I don’t get too excited. Sure I’ll make baby gifts but I’m not a kids person. But when I found out my friend Jesse was expecting I got excited. One reason is that she’ll be a kick ass mama. However the real reason for my excitement was that I finally got to make inappropriate baby gifts!

Jesse's baby gifts

Oh I had so much fun putting this package together. The parents to be, Jesse and Josh, both have good senses of humor and loved it.

I thought I’d set the tone with an inappropriate card. The envelope says “To my favorite knocked up chick” and the front of the card simply says “Bitch”. I got it in a trade and have been saving it for just the perfect occasion.

Jesse's baby gifts

Onto the onesies. The pink one says:

Jesse's baby gifts

And the second one says:

Jesse's baby gifts

I found these at Cafe Press here and here.

My favorite part of the present was the broken condom baby hat. It just cracks me up.

Jesse's baby gifts

Someone on Ravelry posted a picture of a broken condom baby hat months ago. I couldn’t find the creator or the pattern so I improvised the design. I knit a hat from the bottom up and just decreased slowly to create a tip on top. I like the little smirk over the band-aid.

Jesse's baby gifts

Next up is baby’s first hand grenade. Jesse and Josh are revolutionaries so their baby needs to start stockpiling! The grenade has a squeaker inside.

Jesse's baby gifts

I found this pattern on Ravelry.

Jesse's baby gifts

Since both of the parents are from Missouri I decided to make baby’s first moonshine. (The first time I had moonshine was in the Ozarks. It was intense.)

Jesse's baby gifts

I improvised the design. The bottle is crocheted and the label is knit. I lightly felted it.

Jesse's baby gifts

The moonshine is a rattle. I couldn’t find one so made one out of an old film canister and some beans. Here’s a progress pic:

Jesse's baby gifts

There was one serious gift in the package. This is a glass globe that is like an incense holder.

Jesse's baby gifts

Instead of burning a stick though you put essential oil in the little bowl on top. You hang the globe in the sunlight and the bigger part of the globe heats up and the essential oil fills a room up with a lovely smell.

Jesse's baby gifts

It was so hard to keep this all a secret! Jesse and Josh loved the presents and promise to send me funny photos once their kiddo arrives. That “are you my Daddy” onesie will make a great photo op. This was by far the most fun I’ve had making baby gifts. I’ll definitely be making more broken condom baby hats.

A new flower hat

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I made another felt flower hat. Here’s my friend Alex modeling it:

This time I did several different colors for the petals.

This hat is currently for sale at Weaving Southwest. Want a felt flower hat? Email me at twilly23 @gmail .com

Here’s my orange muffin looking adorable:

Pattern: mash up of several patterns
Source: N/A
Yarn: Lamb’s Pride Worsted Wool, 7 skeins, some partial
Needles: 6.0 mm
Size: custom
Modifications: N/A
Started: October 2011
Finished: November 2011

My Sadness Jumped

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My Sadness Jumped is a fiber art piece about grief and transformation. The dimensions are 32 1/2″ H x 26″ W x 3/4″ D.

My Sadness Jumped

The piece is needle felted and embroidered. A significant portion of the yarn is my handspun. The bridge is knit and sewn down.

My Sadness Jumped

A woman is standing alone on the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge at night. She is crying and her head is in her arms. Clear beads embroidered underneath her represent this.

My Sadness Jumped

Her tears fall off the bridge and transform into goddesses. Each goddess has a clear bead on the top of her head.

My Sadness Jumped

This art deals with my depression surrounding Thebes’ diagnosis of Crohn’s Disease. Over the winter we both feared he would die. In the months since he has healed considerably and while still sick he is doing much better.

One of lessons I learned from this experience is that out of grief and sadness comes hope and rebirth.

The frame was made by my friend Jim who also made The Portal frame.

My Sadness Jumped

My Twi signature on the front.

My Sadness Jumped

Here’s me with my piece at this year’s Taos Open.

My Sadness Jumped

Works in progress

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I’ve been working on some small pieces lately. First up are some felt flowers for Lori’s Yarn Store (FB link).

felt flowers

They are partially felted and need another round or two.

There’s new yarn on my wheel. I’m teaching myself how to spin cocoons. They’re a little tricky but I think I’m getting the hang of it.

cocoon handspun

It’s probably overtwisted but I’m hoping I can correct that some during plying.

Bridge progress

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The deadline for the Taos Open is two weeks from today. I’ve been hustling on my Bridge piece. The bridge is complete. There is a woman on the bridge with her head on her arms.

My Sadness Jumped

She is grieving. I will be adding beads as her tears shortly.

Last night I did more embroidery on the river.

My Sadness Jumped

Much like Prana, Granola helps me felt.

My Sadness Jumped

Felt flower hat

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When I brought in my Poppy Purse to Weaving Southwest they commented that people kept trying to wear my them. Could I make a hat? I said yes and went home to figure it out.

Felt flower hat

I made the petals small to lighten the weight of the hat. The smaller the petals the more the hat could hold. I used I-cord for ties. The I-cord trim made the hat a bit snug on my head. I’m sizing it as an adult small/children’s large.

Felt flower hat

Lion’s Brand felts so lovely.

Felt flower hat

I have a flower on my head!

Felt flower hat

I’m thrilled with how this turned out and plan to make more. I combined several patterns into a new pattern to make this hat. A bit more tweaking and I think I’ll have an easy pattern to work with.

Felt flower hat

The majority of this hat was knit during our Durango trip. Car knitting feels so productive:

Felt flower hat

Here’s Granola helping me put up laundry.

Granola on laundry pile

This hat is currently for sale at Weaving Southwest. Want a felt flower hat? Email me at twilly23 @gmail .com

Pattern: mash up of several patterns
Source: N/A
Yarn: Lamb’s Pride Worsted Wool, 4 skeins, some partial
Needles: 6.0 mm
Size: custom
Modifications: N/A
Started: July 2011
Finished: August 2011

Bridge piece progress

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The Taos Open is next month so I’ve been hustling on my art piece. It’s similar in a way to The Portal. I’m trying to develop a motif and look for my art.

My Sadness Jumped art piece

I’m really happy with how the sky turned out. I’m also putting vegetation in the rock area with my usual embroidery.

After Chezzie’s death I wasn’t sure if I should continue with this piece right now. I meditated on it for awhile and it feels right to keep going with it.

I studied pictures of the Gorge Bridge because I want my bridge to look realistic.

Rio Grande Gorge Bridge

I had white felted I-cord left over from The Portal that I used for the bridge. The metal under the hand rail still needs to be put in.

My Sadness Jumped art piece

The river is coming along and will have lots of embroidery on it.

My Sadness Jumped art piece

You can see some plants here by the river and tucked into the rocks.

My Sadness Jumped art piece

I’ve reached the panic stage because the deadline is next month. This is a good phase though because I actually get a lot of work done when I’m in it.

This piece is self reflective and deals with depression, sickness, grief, letting go, destruction, creation, renewal and faith. I’m not ready to write about it just yet but will as it develops.