i got to witness some grandmother/granddaughter artmaking on a very bright afternoon last week and wanted to share with you. wet felting is a beautiful craft that ivy has done several times at school (but this was her first 'picture') - yummy coloured natural wool, water, soapy bubbles...a feast for the senses! my mum works in dementia care and they have recently started doing this with the residents in the hostel - she says they love it - sweet!
i had a search on you tube for a tutorial to link you up with...but wasn't able to find one in english (but look anyway, cos it's beautiful!) - maybe ivy and i can make a little video next time we do this (because she needs to teach me!). basically, you lay out a 'picture' in colourful roving onto felt batts, drizzle with hot soapy water, and then sandwich between bubblewrap and tulle and rub, rub, rub away with wet, soapy hands until it felts together. the results are pure magic!
granni's toadstool picture is hanging up in ivy's little kitchen, and ivy's 'underwater mushroom' went back to australia to brighten up mum's office. i love them!
lots of great felting supplies and even some kits can be found when doing a search on etsy, i just bought some batts there yesterday for some future pictures.
etsy update from me this friday evening with some new fun stuff :)
Oh this looks like so much fun!!!!
corinnexxx
Posted by: corinne delis | July 17, 2008 at 03:50 AM
it IS fun...such happy memories, glad you captured them Em !! xx
Posted by: MumZi | July 17, 2008 at 04:12 AM
ha...I just subscribed to a wet felting jewelry making workshop this fall :-)
Can't wait!
Love your new banner..too cute!
Posted by: Daphne | July 17, 2008 at 04:48 AM
emily those pics are so cute. i've done a little wet and dry felting, and came across this cool video of felting over soap and thought it'd be up your ally. i think i'll do some for christmas presents.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lVaxwVWf3po&feature=related
Posted by: libbyt | July 17, 2008 at 06:49 AM
OOOHHHHH, I like that! Ivy you already knit, now felt,your way beyond me at such a young age. I may have to come take some classes from you!!!! By the way your hair cut makes you even cuter, if that is possible. Hugs
Posted by: Rainy | July 17, 2008 at 07:45 AM
Such fun!!!
I've seen this done at an art school in southern Vermont (where I teach in the summer), but have never done it myself. It always looks like such a blast. I'll definitely have to try this one day. I think my 8 year old daughter and I would have a ton of fun doing it together.
Love your new banner, by the way! I always wonder what the back of my head looks like. :)
Posted by: Erika Martin - Stampin' Mama | July 17, 2008 at 08:30 AM
You NEED to do a tutorial-that's so cool! I did this wayyyyyyy back when when I worked at a Montessori school, but cannot remember the process. I don't remember sandwiching it, so a lesson would be great! I love the toadstools-so beautiful, both of them.
Thanks for the email-it was nice to hear from you.
peace, d.
Posted by: Danielle | July 17, 2008 at 09:30 AM
Yes I would love to see a tutorial also. It looks like so much fun.
Posted by: Heather | July 17, 2008 at 11:41 AM
wow, those really are amazing, must try my hand at this!!
Posted by: kate | July 17, 2008 at 01:00 PM
do you think you could create these using this technique?
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5181438
I have been in love with these since I saw them and would love to make my mum one for Christmas this year!
Posted by: kate | July 17, 2008 at 01:02 PM
such sweet pics...love that art work! i may have to get kade and maddy into that. :)
can't wait til friday, i think i may have to do some shopping!
love to you.
Posted by: jes | July 17, 2008 at 03:30 PM
I love felting... one of these days I will need to introduce this to Jaden. I wanted to comment and let you know that I LOVE your new banner pic!!! So LOVELY!
Sam :)
Posted by: sam | July 17, 2008 at 03:57 PM
that is very cute...did you know your husband is on the front page of etsy at the moment?!!
Posted by: Toni Coward | July 17, 2008 at 05:46 PM
What a great activity, makes me want to go and try it with my 4 y.o. but I need to dye my wool roving first :) I'd love to see a complete video in English though, since I've never done any kind of wool felting... Hope you'll get a chance to videotape it some day ;)
Posted by: olya | July 17, 2008 at 06:34 PM
You must have read my mind...I'd just downloaded tutorials for make felted beads with my kids. I bought the most colors of roving in Port Townsend.
The tutorial link lead me to another tutorial on needle felting with the amazing Rice Freeman-Zachary...it (she) made my day!!
Thanks E!!
Posted by: Stephanie T. | July 17, 2008 at 07:48 PM
That looks fun. We tried wet felting and dry felting once or twice. Dry felting ended up with pricked fingers for my boys so wet felting was better. I like the picture idea. Your new header is great.
Posted by: Ellen | July 17, 2008 at 09:23 PM
oooh, bugger its gone!
it was him with the green baby sling!!
i wonder if you can see old hand picked items anywhere??
probably not, but trust me...he was famous!!! :)
Posted by: Toni Coward | July 17, 2008 at 10:05 PM
This looks great..
Its the school holidays next week and am looking for things to do with my 7yr old and my 2 yr old might even join in!!
Will let you know the results if they turn out ok..ha ha
Have great day. from the uk. x
Posted by: lorraine uk | July 18, 2008 at 05:48 AM
thats so cool. I had a great art teacher who taught me to do that in school. wow, I really need to get some stuff and have another go!
Posted by: Rachel Burgess | July 18, 2008 at 09:38 AM
Love the look of this! Can't wait for the video! Hint! Hint!
Posted by: cheri | July 18, 2008 at 07:35 PM
i love this! i needle felt some of my creations, but i have not felted just fibers together. i think it will be yet another thing i have to try!
Posted by: pinkcherrymama | July 18, 2008 at 07:52 PM
wow... that looks interesting!
Posted by: Sasha Farina | July 19, 2008 at 02:51 AM
The more I look at these, the more I want to do it RIGHT NOW! ;)
Posted by: Sara R. | July 20, 2008 at 09:56 AM
i love this idea!
it looks amazing.
this is so wonderful that ivy did this at school.
i'm totally going to have to follow her teacher's idea and work this into my classroom (once i finally get one, that is)
Posted by: allison | July 20, 2008 at 11:45 AM
I really love this wet felting project! I'm off to give it a try! Thanks for your continuous inspirations!
Posted by: candy robles | July 29, 2008 at 02:17 PM