I'm going to meet my long lost Aunt and cousin tomorrow or the next day, so I'm a bundle of nerves. They are going to stay with us for a few days and it will be so different from the quiet house my husband, cats and I share, lol. I've made her a gift of felt that I'll have to tell you about after she opens it. I bet I may have problems sleeping tonight. 


Wishing you all the best!!

My Llama Felt Dress

Wow, after adding Merino wool puff rows with textural sewing on the front of the dress, it really turned out in a way I really like. I just listed it last night so I really haven't much of a response, but I sure hope some of you like it.

The big thing I'm finding about felting something is that you can always refelt it, needle felt pieces with it to change it to the way you want it to be.

So, I hope everyone out there is getting the Christmas vibe. I haven't been hearing much Christmas music, so I have still to get in the mood.

Well hope you are all doing well and hope to hear from you. Hugs.

Oh, here's a pic of the dress:

Full Felt and Needle felt Llama Dress

I've worked quite hard on this project and just finished now. I've used Full Felting, Needle Felting and Textural Sewing with a sewing machine to create the shape I wanted this to be. It was larger than I wanted and so I made it smaller, making the armholes and beautiful rows of white Merino Wool at the waist and just now the bodice.

I've placed a vintage rhinestone button at the top closure and two shell buttons to close later down the front. This is basically an overlapping dress in an A-line shape. I have learned so much from making this dress, just like I did from making the Nuno Dress. There is nothing that beats finding out through experience. Tips and tricks to make things behave the way you want. Water in the right temperature in a small area will change it up to what you are looking for. Needle felting will change the appearance of things to something more desirable.

I'm hoping for some books on felting which are on my Chapters Wishlist from my husband so I get more ideas on dyeing and the Shibori method of dyeing, as well as using colours with the textural sewing. I can try that out on my own, but it looks like there are some really cool techniques that I've yet to try.

I've noticed that I'm not gathering anymore followers, but I sure hope there is more than one person reading all this. :)

I wish you all a Merry Christmas as I will be making a shawl/poncho for my Aunt for Christmas and just in case I don't get back here in time, I wanted to make sure you all knew how much I hope you enjoy your holidays.

I found family I didn't know I had and they are coming out to spend time with me and my husband around the 14th or 15th. I'm nervous and excited as I've never met my Aunt or cousin.

One of the things I noticed when I bought some Llama wool recently and awhile back, is that there isn't always truth in advertising. They both said they were clean and with little vegetable matter "vm" and yet the first one I purchased ended up being filthy and so coarse it just isn't usable to me. The second came as roving and is so beautifully soft that I made this felted dress from it. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough and am having to add here and there to re-felt in places. I guess I'll have to learn to ask a lot of questions and check it right away instead of just putting it in the drawer for a later project.


If anyone would like the coarse Llama, please leave me a message and we'll get it out to you.

Well after much needle felting and re-felting the Nuno Felt Dress is done and I love it!
Here's a picture for you.

I'd add the full length, but for some reason it won't turn right side up and I don't know how to fix it. Any help would be appreciated!!

I'm now fixing up my new fully felted Llama dress I just made recently. I'm adding textures and goodies to it to really make it look good.

I've put up 15% off coupons on both my shops for Christmas!! www.etsy.com/shop/FearlessFiberworks and www.etsy.com/shop/amberdark

I hope all the Black Friday shoppers had fun. I gather it is only in the US as we don't have that here in Canada. We have Boxing Day, the day after Christmas when the stores offer big discounts on merchandise, so maybe that is the same thing??

More about the Nuno dress I'm making

So, this dress has been giving me a hard time to say the least. I've been trying to needle felt the parts that weren't melding with the chiffon and it wasn't working. I've been so frustrated with it.  But, tonight, finally I figured it out! I tried out a medium size felting needle and it worked great except on the fancy flower trim, that was a lot harder and the flowers aren't the same looking now.


So, I did up a collar, added some pieces and it's now soaking in the cold water after the felting process. I think this is the third time now. I love the ruching that's taking place. Once it's dry, I just need to do up the sides and I'm going to take in the top of the sleeves to make it a tank top look. All right!!

This dress I'm Nuno Felting ........

Wow, this process I went through today was very harsh. Pieces of wool with chiffon attached to the dress and others wouldn't. I read that sometimes when the wool easily felts, it can felt before meshing with the fabric. So, it was suggested using Alpaca wool. Trouble is, it doesn't come in hot pink which is the colour I'm using. 


I think I'm going to be doing a lot of needle felting and then doing the felting, dropping and hot water, cold water routine again. Maybe that's the way to go next time.


Anyone else have trouble with the meshing?

Here are some items from my Etsy shop

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Something to consider

I was thinking that when I first started following the tutorials on how to wet felt and nuno felt, that they left out a really big thing.

You know how you get the felting done and it's soaking in the vinegar/lemon water; how many of you remember that there is soap water all over the bubble wrap, the netting and most of all the table still.  You might make the mistake of setting your rinsed and clean project back on that soaped table (it's dried now) and some of it may rub off onto your beautiful new shawl.

So, I thought I'd mention that you really need to rinse that table and wash the bubble wrap, netting and towels (of course) because with time it starts to eat away at the table top. I have some chips on a new IKEA table probably because the soap and rubbing, rolling just take their toll.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!!

Challenging

Well, now I've decided to Nuno Felt a Dress!! I'm doing this all on my own from my experiences with my other projects. I want the little ruffles to stand out and am using a magenta/yellow large piece of Silk Chiffon. I'm wondering, how much is it going to shrink? I think I'll roll in the direction that I can afford the most shrinkage. Once I'm finished I'm faced with the cutting for the neck hole and how I want to address the edging for that, as well as closing in the sides in the right places.

I'm thinking it's best if I do the Felting first, then take a look at what I can do to make it look the way I want for the finished product.

Here goes, well, my ego, lol.

Long time since blogging

Hi everyone,
I think I'm going to give this blogging a chance to see if it makes a difference for someone and maybe I can help out with felting questions.
I've found that Cobweb felting can be many different styles. It all depends on how many holes you want in it or if you would like it just translucent in places. It's amazing how once you do Cobwebbing, it seems hard to go back to the regular felting. I love the softness and pliability you can get with plain felting if you just pull very fine tufts. The shawl or scarf becomes a luxurious piece of work and not the stiffness that can come from too many layers of thick tufts.

MY NEW SHOP FEARLESS FIBERWORKS IS OPEN!!!

I'm so happy that I've finally opened my new shop at Etsy - Fearless Fiberworks

I've been madly knitting and felting away, or is that addictingly felting away, lol, in preparation for opening this shop. I so love doing the felting and can see myself carried away from starvation, lol

Please do come and see my new shop and please any comments you have, feel free, except, please be gentle.....

New beads to make interesting necklace

I managed to get to the wholesale place and pick up some gorgeous colours in glass leaves, flowers, daggers, rounds in reds, greens, amber, purple, black. I can't wait to start into this necklace, it's going to be very embellished.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Creating at Night

Wow, I've surprised myself. I was to make this custom necklace to go with the bracelet I had already made and then make earrings to match.  So I had this simple twist necklace rope with a cool vintage black button with a great rhinestone in the middle with this wild coral enveloping it on the copper netting I put over it. Then I was going to add four middle to small on each side with the coral enveloping beautiful 1920's mirror back buttons and rhinestone flowers.

Then, it turned out she didn't like it and wanted something entirely different. So tonight I actually managed to make a set of earrings that I'm so psyched about. I'm planning on doing a few pairs in the similar style. I really can't wait to see the feedback. And speaking about the necklace above I started, I attached the ends to the original coral encrusted button and am ready to add the next buttons with the coral invading them and surrounding the areas. Can't wait to do that part. Sure hope that goes over well.

Just spent over an hour rubbing my, few months in my house, semi-feral cat, Dommy. She had kitties before I got her from the Rescue in Victoria. She was in a dumpster searching for food for her kitties. So she bumps up against me, did I tell you she has learned to trust me :) then she slides down beside my leg so I can rub her stomach like the kitties. She falls asleep and then so I started to a few times also, this happened tonight. I'm an empath - oh, don't go running out of the room screaming I'm nuts.... I feel other people's and animal's feelings and so I was really into her feelings tonight. I'm so dozy with the sleep and contentment she gets. I got three other ferals, Maggie who lets me pet her a lot, Gemmie who will not let me touch her and the real feral Aerial.  You can't even get too close or she bolts. She's going to take a lot of work. But I love it and the reward of them learning to trust you and know they are safe.

Well, hope you're all having a really great week and I hope you enjoy your weekend! xoxoxoxoxo

Spring/Summer

Although we haven't been having the warmest weather and it definitely doesn't feel like Spring, things have been hopping around here. I've been selling quite a bit of Spring/summer clothing for one month and have a couple of custom orders going on right now. My first repeat customer in a matter of days which makes me very happy, is another positive thing that has happened.

After setting up my Etsy site for SEO (search engine optimizer) thanks to someone explaining it simply, I've managed a lot more views, it's incredible!! I really think everyone can benefit from it. I think It's Better Handmade on FB is also a good site to leave something of yours and share something of someone else's, that way you both get advertising for your shop.

I also believe that if you are going to sell more, a page at Facebook is essential. It gives a lot of people (don't forget to friend lots of people) a good look at what you have to sell and everytime you update your album (which is a good idea to put up on your page) everything in your album is shown to everyone you know and their friends, in the feedback.

If anyone wants to asks questions, please do!

Well now I'm into metal working and wire wrapping with my Jewelry

I just can't get enough time to let out my creative ideas for my jewelry. I'm in the middle of finishing up a custom order necklace with beadweaving and jumping in my free flowing ideas. I really have tons of them and for clothing too. I'm thinking T shirts with a twist and have one ready to sew up with bright colours.

I'll be putting them up as they are done so hope you stay tuned!

Beadweaving

I'm so enjoying learning all the different stitches of beadweaving and beadembroidery. It feels so good to get the rhythmn going and to create something that looks so good. I'm hoping to really take off in this area. I still feel the need to work with the antique and vintage finds and clothing, I'm just so into the beadweaving right now, it's taken over for a while, lol.

I hope everyone is doing fine and enjoying their creative pursuits. Here's a few pics of my jewelry. Oooops, just remembered I'm on my husband's computer because mine just got a mega virus and is being fixed. The new jewelry pics are in with my shop items. Hope you like what you see.

Hugs and I'm now my real name Carole Simcox on Facebook, my page is Amberdark Alchemy on FB.

Changes coming.

I've decided that I'm going to be making lots of hand beaded, vintage lace, ribbons, buttons, rhinestones, jewelry embellished accessories like cuffs, bustiers, corsets, arm warmers, waist cinchers, belts and such, with the ocassional dress or top.
That way I can do more beadwork as an embellishment as I find it so calming and soothing to do. Please feel free to let me know how you like my new creations, I love feedback, good and bad.

I'm now pinging as my accounts have all been linked. Cool hey!!!!

Finding Family

You know, it is quite a thing to discover that you need to find your family that you weren't told about.  And then, to finally after years of looking to go to Facebook and actually find one of them. I'm stunned. I'm trying to think of what to write, do I blab for hours of everything or tons of info on what has been happening or just start out nice and slow?