My felt matters 後期製作百寶袋

 

A simple hemp bag added little something to make it different.  Oh, all my felt matters ! 

一個簡簡單單麻質袋加點製作成為我獨特風格工具或購物袋

Closer look, what do you see?  Well..... please follow me.....

 

Recently I ordered from World of Wool to replenish my stock for the upcoming handbag workshop.  Yesterday received the package with the complimentary hemp bag - "Bag for Life".  What a functional bag for me ! It came great as simply plain that I can do something with.

 

I found from stash my eco printed wool felt sheet done in Portugal Wool extravaganza and the cotton printed with leaves.

 

The original narrow leaves prints on the wool felt sheet are not bold but the silver dollar euc are fine, so I stitched along the narrow ones to make them clear.

 

Here finished after stitches on the wool felt sheet.  

 Making it a 3D texture touch, I purposely felted with little long raw fleece and the  brown Portugal local Bordeleira sheep as two wandering sheep in the field.   I hand stitched the felted sheet on one side of the hemp bag.

 

Stitched the magnet button and put on my own made ceramic sheep pin.

 

The other side I stitched the cotton print.  That's the leaves dipped in iron water and boiled.  The layout I intended to make a wood.   Thought the added embellishments to the bag makes a natural look.  All done in a few hours of my leisure weekend.

 

Mum, "It's good to play seek and hide"

 

Mum, "Oh, no, it's my Felt Matters Bag".

 

Fit to carry my stuff for workshop........

 

or grocery shopping ......

 

It's sturdy, light but large also fit for my shopping, 

 

"Mum just done shopping and bought me treats.  I'm loving it. "

 

A bag simply with little adding makes difference.

 

 My OOAK bag - I'm loving it too.

"Bits & bobs" + "Not-so-good" = ?

What will the "Bits & Bobs" meets with "Not-so-good"? 

Over the years of projects made, there're lots of remnants.

幾年來的羊毛與絲布料手工剩餘物，從來我就不捨得棄置，這不少的「頭頭尾尾」也得要處理，這曰來個豐富小製作，大雜會炒埋一堆，正好做成一幅質感豐富的nuno felt，是墊子? 是被肩? 是小被子?

I save all the bits and bobs, trimmings from nuno felt wearable, remnants of wool felt stuff.

Time to clear the stash. I sorted out the remnants and made use of all......

These are the not-so-good natural printed silk fabrics, I used them as backing.

Laid a thin layer of merino wool over the silk fabric and put the trimmings of all these over it.

Trimmings of silk from nuno felt are of assorted natural dye or leaves prints, some of rust dye that has some shades. Plus some wool remnants, prefelt, yarns, raw fleece...... All the leftovers mixed together.

After some "rock n roll", a nuno felt flat sheet is come. 

The brown raw fleece of  Bordeleira sheep from my Portugal workshop , the long curly Teeswarer and Wensleydale ...

All together made the rich nun felt texture

The white silk scraps I intended to make the clouds look

A piece of nuno felt mattress

A mattress for my sofa in the studio

A piece as blanket for the child's nap

Wake up from nap, wrap the little body.........

Wrap warmly to watch TV cartoon

Thanks Zeinab and Layla, my studio's neighbor for the shots. 

Mogi, "Mum, you forgot me, isn't it for me ?!"

It's now on the sofa bed in my studio where I'm sitting on and writing this blog. 

Portugal wool felt workshop 葡萄牙羊毛工藝交流

My wool felt workshop in Portugal was fabulous. Truly brimming with new skills and inspirations.  The Serra da Estrela sheep, so called "Bordeleira" in the farm are wonderful and their fleece are fantastic to work with.  My week in the farm was wonderful.    

我在葡萄牙不一樣的羊毛工藝交流 .

優美山莊田野, 美酒餐飲與來自不同地區的朋友共同學習, 好享受的文化與技巧交流.

The workshop was held in the ecological farm amid the olive groves in central highland of Portugal.

Participants from the US, Spain, England, Portugal, Sweden and me from Hong Kong.  On the first night welcome dinner...

Wow, I love cat, she greeted us as well.

Next day felt artist Nicola Brown started instruction and demo.

We started on different projects as we decided.

I was making a beret with nuno felt skills.  The silk fabric was my own dyed euc leaves.

All our days in the farm were super with blue sky though hot.

Lunch in the sun was great feel and comfortable

Each day served with breakfast, 2-course lunch and 3-course dinner with wine

The first day I completed the beret

Next day a fish bag with handle.  Indeed I intended to make a jug with handle but come out not so proportional I turned it to this look.  So call it the "fish bag".  Making wool felt is flexible that wet pieces can be changeable to something unexpected.   (I don't mind but I can't do custom order !!) 

Following days were handbags with 3D textural surface mixed with decoration of local raw fleece.  I like to work with the long and short fleece.  A very special combination.

The brown silk scraps were eco printed by myselt.  This is truly OOAK.

Without needle this technique of making a textural surface is wonderful.  A little purse with long rope is cute. 

Again a simple bag with long raw fleece.  The fleece is super white after felted.

A sculpture with curl tail, embellished with flower

3D vessel with mulberry silk.  My first trial to make the firm rim and shape.  Turnout good.

A session to watch local sheep shearing in the same farm.

My rug done with the  fleece just shorn.  Though took some time to pick the bits.  I like to do a small piece.  Love the texture, the brown fleece is particularly soft.  I call this a "black & white sheep". 

We've done lots creations in the week.  Time to show the local village people how wonderful the wool are.

Nuno felt scarf, iPad case, sculptures, vessels.... 

Corner of my works - handbags and beret.

Rug of raw fleece by Ann, rope necklace by Cynthia and hat by Conchita. 

These are amazingly done by Heather, Ann and Estela. 

Variety creations, some are done by the girls.

 Eco print and dye are part of the works showcased. 

Tie marks on wool felt and euc leaves are impressive. 

Nuno felt scarves are beautiful 

Sandy's nuno felt scarf looks like a pretty flower patch. 

The hanging demo by Nicola is awesome 

Eco print & dye on silk or wool felt are great 

I was glad to share the tying on chiffon 

String marks and eucalyptus prints 

My other way of using the "dark fabric" (with iron mordant) to transfer prints on another silk fabric. 

Nikki's silk fabric with local oak leaves and strong euc prints. 

We'd a visit to a wool processing factory and museum. 

In the factory we're introduced quality of wool. They're very well to felt and good price.  I bought 4 Kg home.    

 These are part of the projects I made during workshop.

My travel to Portugal was quite a fabulous interaction with international participants to broaden my wool felt skills and creations.  Next journey going on in Spain with good friends.  Will have another post about the exceptional scenery of Andalucia......