Magic Wool Fairy Workshop

Gnomes!

Elmadge Boddywinkle

I went a little crazy a month or so ago making these gnomes... just using wool and a felting needle... oh, and I hand carded someof the wool to blend the colors a bit before felting .

I used a free tutorial from Sarafina Fibers to get me going. I'd been making my own gnomes for a few years, but her tutorial gave me some ideas and motivated me to be a bit freer in my use of materuals and make my gnomes a bit, well, gnomier.

Fudwick Limwinkle

I even found a gnome name gererator online ( somewhere) 

and had fun coming up with names for all of them.

Redcapsion Zookpen

These were a pretty easy beginner felting project1

`

Rainbow Gnomes

Fairy Friends....

One of a kind felt fairies

A few weeks ago someone asked me to make some little fairies for her daughter's fairy garden. I had been wanting to make some little fairies for awhile and this was just the inspiration I needed.

Felt Fairies

These are made from wool roving, which is sometimes called Magic Wool. They begin  with a pipe cleaner armature and  then I wrap the wool tightly to make the body. Some have a little wooden head,  others are wool.  

I wrap another color to make "stockings" and the shirt. The skirts are cut from hand made felt that I have made using a wet felting process.

This one is an extra special one that i made for Katie. It is like my larger woll fairies, but I think it may not lend itslef to playing with as much becuase the wool roving is a bit fussier than the felted "skirt"

there are more on my facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/SimpleGiftsSimplyFelt 

Love Gnomes

Love Gnomes!

Valentine Gnomes... needle felted with love....

I needle felted these sweet little "Love Gnomes" last week!

Inspired by a tutorial on The Magic Onions website, 

I pulled out shades of pink,

 red, fushia, magenta, and purple wool 

and had a delightful time creating these darling gnomes.

Here's the link to the tutorial if you want to try some on your own. 

http://www.themagiconions.com/2014/01/needle-felting-tutorial-valentines-day-gnome-diy.html

Let me know how yours turn out!

Something to crow about!

 there's something to crow about!!!

 I have my newly felted tea cosys in the window at C'ville Arts... more details to come....
Just as I sat down to post after negleting  this blog for months, the hubby called and he has gone to work and left his dinner and he's on night shift and no other options to eat so I am hopping in the car to bring him his food!

~Magic Wool Fairies~

Blue Princess Fairy

The Blue fairy~ kinda like the one in Pinocchio.

Woodland Fairy

I've been making these needle felted fairies. The one on the left is my Woodland Fairy. It's a little tricky to see in the photos but she has green & brown feathers for wings. I should have taken a shot from the back so you can see her pretty hair! Coopworth curly locks from my friend Hope over in West Va. She hand dyes her wool... it is fabulous stuff for felting~ especially for fairy hair!

You can see her feather "wings' a bit better here

peach Blossom Fairy

 and my peach Blossom Fairy.

I'd been experimenting with making fairies off and on over the past year or so.

 For Christmas, my dear husband got me the book Magic Wool Fairies by Christine Schafer. 

It was wonderfully helpful with detailed instructions.

 I have been making these for the past couple of weeks and having such a delightful time... it feels as if I am bringing them to life. each one seems so individual and has a distinct personality!

Soap in a Sweater~ a fragrant fuzzy fat free valentine!

Fresh scented soap encased in soft merino 100% wool.

 Gently exfoliates while it cleans! After use, place so it can air dry.  

When the soap is gone, you can use the felt as a scrubby pad or you can cut a slit in it, insert another bar of soap, and then stitch it closed. Or have a  little pouch for small treasures.

~Using Felted Soap is Good Clean Fun~

I have been a neglectful blogger... between computer updates and felting items to provide for the gallery I have not taken much time to sit and write.

I have been busy making fairies ( photos soon!) and making these nice felt soaps.

Here's how you do it~ in three easy steps!
1-  For my base soap I am using some lovely soap I got at the new Trader Joe's....

2- Wrap ( snugly) the wool around it. I use roving and make sure i don't put it on too thickly.. a few thin layers will felt up quicker than a big think layer. You can use different types of wool but I prefer merino it felts up quickly! and makes a nice finish... a gentle exfolliant not too scratchy.

3-Submerge it in warm water~ CAREFUL HERE...

 When I first started making these I would put the wool wrapped soap into a pantyhose or knee high to help keep the fibers together until they start holding together on their own.
 This is what you might want to do if you do not have much experience in wet felting.
You must be VERY GENTLE with the fibers at this point... just transfer the woolly soap back and forth between your hands until the soap starts to bubble thru.
As the soap starts to work it's way up and you continue some gentle agitation the fibers will swell and start to shrink. Continue gently to work with the woolly mass of soapy fun and the fibers will shrink around the bar.

It will take awhile... you can alternate some hot water and cold water which will speed up the process.
 As the fibers begin to shrink around the soap you can get quite "rough" and rub with more vigor... just don't too it too early in the process.

Email or Fbook message me if you have questions

Check out my Facebook page  and "LIKE" it !
and the link to the Gallery in Charlottesville, Va



https://www.facebook.com/SimpleGiftsSimplyFelt

http://charlottesvillearts.com