After rubbing and rubbing some more, rinsing, spinning, rinsing, spinning, shaping and steaming, this piece is felt! I will not actually call it "done" until the hanging device its attached and it is ready to hang. The finished dimension across the top is 119cm (47 inches). With all the hand rubbing, I bought it down 20% dimensional shrinkage, which for a rolled felt is not enough. This, I remind you, was hand-rubbed for a very long time causing the wool to felt top to bottom resulting in less shrinkage and, with the establishment of a firm skin, limited the migration of the dark wool base (finnwool). Understanding the process and spending lots of time experimenting is fundamental to being a good feltmaker and it is something I now consider with every felt I make. Each piece is a learning process if you tune in and listen to the wool. (I am indebted to Chris White for her Fiber Dynamics)I have some wire to sew on to some sculptures and then I think I will make a series of smaller pieces similar to the one above...But who knows!! I love Sundays...I am still in my pj's, I have on my cozy Uggs and you would not know there are kids in this house. My house is a wreck, but I am ignoring it!
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Wonderful piece! Your work continues to inspire me and it's so "precise". All your lines are perfect ....I'm amazed at how you manage that.
ReplyDeleteLove this piece Andrea!....but then I love all of your work.
ReplyDeleteListening to the wool is so critical and you've touched on it well in this blog entry.
Is that silk on the bottom of the piece?
Suzanne Higgs
No silk, all wool. Finnwool base and c-1/pelsull blend in 2 different greens. Yes, it is precise...comes with lots of practice and understanding my materials!
ReplyDeletethis Finnish wool is great, but the rubbing ask a lot of your hands. I have learned this technique also from Karolinna and she adviced to use some thin plastic bags to project your skin at least. But then you will have no contact with the wool, something I like about felting. So you have to compromise all the times. Anyway this work is simply a beauty!
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