What a hoot!

Although I have done a lot of needle felting workshops for the Womens Institute, I had never done one for myself. 

I had a few ladies ask me if I did them and the last lady made me go for it! Whats the worst that could happen? No one comes? 

I approached the local community centre and agreed to hire it on 7th July. I then had a mad panic!

What happens if no one comes. Oh dear it was a risk I was going to have to take....

I advertised it on facebook, creating an event and made a poster to advertise in the local shops, then crossed my fingers.

I didnt know how to get people to pay for the event beforehand ( please tell me if you do) so I had to hope for the best.  A few people put on Facebook that they were 'going' but were they? Really? 

What do I get them to make? Now that was a decision. I decided after much thought that owls were a good choice. 

So I set to making tutorials and samples and buying in different coloured wool. I did use my own carded core which gave me great satisfaction I must tell you. 

I started to get a few phone calls asking if they could book on and my nerves calmed slightly.

With everything made and the car loaded up, I went to set up still wondering if I would have anyone there.

With everything ready the first car pulled up, then another and another. I was so relieved I nearly cried.

I had 8 ladies all excited to start.

And how did it go?

Take a look 

ABSOLUTELY AMAZINGLY WELL.

They all loved it and want to book again for another one and I sold 4 of my kits! 

They have given me such good feedback and reviews on my facebook page 

Www.facebook/feltsforever 

That I haven't felt ( excuse the pun) so happy and fulfilled in a long time.

Will I do another?

Oh yes! 

I cant wait!

Please come! 

More small steps

I have a busy bee over these last few weeks and made quite a few small steps to hopefully being where I would like to be in time.

I am still waiting to hear from the Lancashire Federation Womens Institute to see if I have been successful with my audition. But keeping my fingers crossed....

To stop myself thinking about it, I have been.

I have been making kits to hopefully sell.

Making tutorials for my workshops.

Carding more wool.

Making items for a craft fayre I am doing this weekend. 

As well as my normal job!

A spot of recycling

I had some  fleece left that had far too many bits and some that had bright blue tips in to do anything with. So today I used them to line my hanging baskets! 

Will it work? Time will tell. I will let you know...

I alway set to washing a Jacob fleece today for a friend of mine.

Lovely colours! What a busy day!

Not the red and green I had hoped for....

Mmmmm this dyeing business isn't as easy as I thought it would be.

 Well with food colouring it isn't.

Off I went to Asda and came out with 5 colours and some white vinegar ( because you tube said so). Got home wool and colours at the ready.

I decided just to start with red and green, how lovely and bright they looked in the bowls, on my white sink in my white kitchen. I was a bit scared....

I followed the you tube video (do they still call them videos)  to the letter! 

But something went wrong. What? I don't know?

Not very red or green. But on the bright side I have a lovely candy floss looking pink, in places anyway and a white with a touch of sunshine as the paint tin would say..... 

Going to try 'proper' dyes next.

More small steps....

Lots of catching up with things this weekend. 

Little owls made for tutorials, old projects revisited, new projects started, a dear little deer, new cards and labels ordered and lots more wool to card.

Some more small steps and happy days.

What a triumph!

Dah dah!

My fleeces have been a triumph!

I am so pleased. I have carded a bit and look! It's amazingly easy to felt with too! 

I've even had a little try colouring it. This one was coloured using turmeric. Its a lovely shade of yellow ( but smells a bit spicy) still small steps are what I'm taking. I will get there in the end.

Trying something new. Washing fleeces!

I am trying really hard to take positive but small steps to make my felting journey a wider one. So when my friend told me she had some fleeces I could have, I jumped at the chance, not knowing what one earth to do with them.

Thankgoodness for you tube and wool/felting sites, I read and watched tutorials until they arrived.

Here they are 6 whitefaced woodland and 1black Zwartble. 

All a bit wiffy but I kind of liked it.

First step, skirting, evidently this means getting rid of all the bit you dont want.

 Poo bits, very dirty bits, small bits that the shearer has caused, VM ( vegetable matter) etc.

I probably threw away about two bin bags full and wasnt sure if I had thrown away good bits and kept some rubbish and I found it really hard to get the bits of VM out but its all a learning curve.

I ended up with 4 bin bags full to the top!

I 'borrowed' my husbands building tubs and filled them with really hot water then added washing up liquid before gently adding the fleeces. I tried some in lingerie bags and some 'free' 

After leaving them to soak, I repeated the process again before leaving them to soak in plain water.

 I did this until the water was clear(ish)

I used my washing machine spin cycle using the lingerie bags full of squeezed fleece.

Its been a lovely weekend ( thankgoodness) so my garden became a fleece drying zone.

They are looking better arent they!

I'm busy finding out what the step is now.

Watch this space....