I've been having one of those weeks when they're aren't enough hours in the day to do all the things you want to. Similarly, for every thing I did that went right, I made or did something that was just a total disaster although I cannot share my first felting catastrophe as I threw it in the bin in a fit of pique.... well, in truth, it was in a temper.... of course it was the fault of the wool..... For some unfathomable reason I decided to make a hat for a friend's baby granddaughter who arrived before Christmas. I bought some pink fibre in a shop in Bristol last week and it just did not felt. Perhaps it was because I don't do pink normally and there was an inner resistance to getting it right. Anyway, it ended up in the bin but I wanted to make something - so yesterday, I made this cobweb scarf. Just in case you think I made another mistake those holes are meant to be there... honest....
It's a great 'quick fix' project. Takes about 30 minutes to do and uses minimal fibre. This weighs about 20 grammes and I used a wool and silk blend because I love the way the silk ripples through the thing but it can be done with other fibres too. The book was not a quick fix though because it's been on the dining room table staring at me for months.
Every now and again I have a tidy up and I keep coming across these covers I rescued from an old book that was falling apart. I tried to tidy the edges with no success so I think I was just moving them further down the table towards the door and then the bin, but this morning I decided I must do something with them so I made some quick book signatures from typing paper and stitched up the book . The original idea was to make a sketchbook from them but I will just use this as a notebook I think....
Mind you I have quite a few notebooks already because I made two more of the books I posted about last week with the tutorial link. I came across the wallpaper samples that Sanderson sent me last year. The paper quality is lovely and I adore the design and colour combinations. I laminated the paper to some stiffer card for the covers and then made these two.
It's a great way to use up scraps of decorative paper and card. I can see a production line of these coming off if I'm not careful but I haven't got time for them. I'm too busy trying to remedy the failures I have not had the bottle to show... like the printing that went all streaky....like the nuno felt scarf I tried to make that fell apart... like the two hours I spent last night trying to get my sewing machine to make a buttonhole on some little purses I made from remnants. For some reason my machine has a mind of its own and won't do what the manual tells me it will. Does that sound like bad workman and tool blaming syndrome to you?It does, doesn't it? I think I have it bad and need to get out more.
6 comments:
All my weeks seem to be like yours not just the occasional one!
No it doesn't sound like bad workman blaming tools I really do believe that machines have personalities and minds of their own and are especially likely to go wrong when you are not in the mood to deal with them!!
Love that scarf and your notebooks too - you could certainly start an etsy shop with some of those.
Jane
That scarf is wonderful - how on earth do you manage to get it so 'cobwebby'?
And I love your Sanderson notebooks.
Funny, when I was looking at the pictures of the notebooks I was thinking you could have an Etsy shop, and then I got to the bottom and saw the post by Marigold Jam, who was obviously thinking exactly the same thing!
Best wishes
Dan
My first attempt at felting wool a few weeks ago turned out a disaster..... It didnt even felt....... now had that been my favourite jumper put in the machine with loads of soap and put on the highest temperature setting.............
As for sewing machines and making buttonholes, well, that's a whole blog post on its own.
I love that old book cover with the birds, great colours!
Thanks for the positive comments chaps. I don't know about an Etsy shop! I'm not that organised and I think running one needs more discipline and skill than I possess. Besides, this way I can flit from thing to thing as I choose. Glad you like the scarf. They are effective and the cobwebbiness (!) is formed Dan by teasing the wool in a different direction than if you were making a sturdier piece of flat felt. Unless you've made felt this might mean nothing to you. There is a knack to it but it's straightforward . You just need a length of wool roving, a large piece of bubble wrap and some soapy water.It really is not diffcult with the right stuff to start with. Lesley.
Another amazing post and the title is great!! the scarf looks beautiful :) I think you should make an ebay shop to sell those gorgeous notebooks, i would certainly buy one!!
Lucy xx
Beautiful scarf Lesley - it reminds me of a tale I used to read to my class about a 'wishing skin' which belonged to the fairies and was made of thistledown wishes. The little note books are pretty too. Sewing machines always seem to be moody, it is rather a long time since I tried to make a button hole but I seem to remember they were a test of patience and dexterity plus a battle of wills!
Jill
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