feltmaking is good for you (and the planet)

Every now and again a piece of junk mail lands on my door mat that I really look forward to receiving.  Issue 13 of JunkMail describes some of the efforts ongoing to De-toxify Textiles.  

One of the facts is that 75% of UK textiles end up as waste in landfill.  Well I reckon that's a really bad thing as most textiles are biodegradable and would break down to give off greenhouses gases.  So simple, lets not throw away clothes to landfill, lets do something else.

Making felt out of old clothes is pleasing - here are a few pictures of the Memory Cloth where old cloths have been repurposed into a protector cape.  Charming model remarked that she liked it.

memory cloth

I know this is quite simplistic in my analysis, and that even commiting to using charity shops for donating old worn out clothes and purchasing our clothing needs is fraught with complications.  'Most clothing collected for recycing is sold overseas to developing countries, where this has a big impact on local markets and damages local indigenous textile production.' - see JunkMail article.

There are an increasing number of SLOW Textile designers out there, and many voices calling for sanity in our attitudes to fashion.  Upcycling is all the rage.  The buzz word is 'third hand', not just second hand anymore. Just visit Ravelry to realise the number of knitters doing their thing for sheep and the planet, as well quench their passion for knitting.

flying

Here the light shines through the Memory Cloth showing off the textures, and subtle shades of white.  Charming model looks concerned that the milk crate will tumble.  (photographing white is quite tricky)

demure and snuggy

Over the next couple of weeks I'm hoping to get around to visiting some of the Open Studios in this years offering from Devon Open Studios, in search of textures, and felt.  Already seen some gorgeous work from Jane Ayres whose textile work can be seen at Lydia Corbett's studio.

New Felt Making Course!

new felt-making courses and workshops go here

Here is deepest darkest Devon we are having a most incredible summer with glorious sun-shine.  The light is changing towards the end of the day - sort of good for taking pictures, but they need a fair bit of doctoring to remove the shadows of me taking the picture!

In the new course for September we will be focussing on the more tricky aspects of felt-making - those ones that demand a bit more patience.  I used to be very impatient before finding the craft of making felt.

So we will look in depth at Nuno felting, that is felting onto cloth.  

Here is the Memory Cloth, a heavy nuno felted cloth which has become a cape, constructed of scraps of old cloths (wedding veil, napkins, silk shirts, wedding dresses - all old and way past mending) so preserving them for the next generation.  Made from three panels then felted together (my work table is too small).

Memory Cloth

Here is a nuno felt scrappy hat - so the scraps of fabrics were felted onto moorit (ginger brown) shetland wool, then stitched into shape.  This hat is good for windy weather because of the stretchiness of nuno felt fabric.  I love the crinkly textures that nuno felt creates, and that you can use lots of colours.    Quite impressed by the picture - managed to take it myself - should see the out-takes!

nuno felt scrappy hat

 Ahh beautiful!  Yes I'm totally biased.   Modelling the pinky silky nuno felt wrap, daughter must be laughing at one of my corny jokes...  Here the silky chiffons are felted with white 'blue face  leicester' wool, so it's very floaty.  Doctored this picture alot to splurge the background.  The fabrics were from the off-cuts basket at 'Stone Fabrics' - the best fabric shop in Britain!

pinky silky nuno wrap

We will also be looking at dry needle felting techniques for creating detailed pictures, and 3d pieces.  

The course is split into two parts - the first part will be for learning new techniques, while the second part will be for you to explore what you want to make, with lots of friendly guidance from me.

Details about the course are on the Courses page above.  Contact me by email if you need more information about course content - there's a contact form at the top of the blog.  For information about booking please contact MyDevon 0845 155 1014 or pop into the Mansion in Totnes.

memory cloth panel one

Snatched moments on the memory cloth partly in a response to Jude Hill's What If Diaries, and partly in response to the need to record memories held in cloth and to pass on.  Partly to record a feeling of life running through me like a river

Detail of Alice Gertrude's dress 

Detail of river flowing

the river flowing

first panel is felted fragments on silk chiffon with blue face leicester wool

have just finished felting the third panel, and waiting for it to dry.  Then will be the bringing together of three panels into a 'protector' cloth, or comforter or  perhaps a witche's cloak that can magic you away to another world.