Working from home has many advantages but if you aren't careful the work can take over everything else and before you know it you are a workaholic. This had happened to me, which is why I decided to take up a new hobby and ensure that I made time for it.
The builders aren't coming every day now, as they are waiting for the windows to arrive so they are just coming to do a bit of tidying up. This has given me time to spend felting.
I made a trip over to Arnside last Thursday to visit a favourite junk shop. It only opens in the afternoon between 2pm and 5 pm, the owner calls it 'gentlemans
hours'. Unfortunately I'd forgotten that after the New Year he either spends the Winter in India or America. The shop wasn't open for business, I suppose his partner was away also. I really must remember to keep checking as he usually brings back lots of goodies from his trips.
Arnside is deep inside Morecambe Bay and at sea level is usually sheltered, but that day the wind was blowing so hard I could hardly stand up and I was afraid that I might twist my ankle. As I'm still recovering from an achilles tendon rupture I thought I had better not walk along the waters edge, so I dived into a little shop that sold everything that a tourist might want. I spent about 15 minutes trying to decide what sort of handmade soaps I would buy for my next felting project. I had read that some people had had difficulty with the edges on rectangular soap and I was really looking for circular pieces. Alas no circular soaps where available so I bought a rose, an advocado and a mixed fruit, as well as a heart shaped buttermilk one for when I had worked out a suitable technique.
The builders aren't coming every day now, as they are waiting for the windows to arrive so they are just coming to do a bit of tidying up. This has given me time to spend felting.
I made a trip over to Arnside last Thursday to visit a favourite junk shop. It only opens in the afternoon between 2pm and 5 pm, the owner calls it 'gentlemans
hours'. Unfortunately I'd forgotten that after the New Year he either spends the Winter in India or America. The shop wasn't open for business, I suppose his partner was away also. I really must remember to keep checking as he usually brings back lots of goodies from his trips.
Arnside is deep inside Morecambe Bay and at sea level is usually sheltered, but that day the wind was blowing so hard I could hardly stand up and I was afraid that I might twist my ankle. As I'm still recovering from an achilles tendon rupture I thought I had better not walk along the waters edge, so I dived into a little shop that sold everything that a tourist might want. I spent about 15 minutes trying to decide what sort of handmade soaps I would buy for my next felting project. I had read that some people had had difficulty with the edges on rectangular soap and I was really looking for circular pieces. Alas no circular soaps where available so I bought a rose, an advocado and a mixed fruit, as well as a heart shaped buttermilk one for when I had worked out a suitable technique.
I decided to use the technique of just wrapping the wool tops around the advocado soap. A number of people said that this was the easiest method but I think I wrapped too much around at once as it took absolutely ages to felt and I almost gave up. However as you can see it is acceptable but huge so I think I will keep this one for the bathroom.
Not to be disheartened I moved onto the rose soap which smells divine. This time I just added the merino wool tops as I would do if I was felting with a resist. I did it slowly and carefully to ensure that it didn't slide off and when I was satisfied that it was thick enough I placed the pattern on and felted away. I'm really pleased with this method and will use it again when I have time.
2 comments:
I have some soap waiting to be felted too, I can't wait to try it out. Thanks for your tips, its great to having something to work on.
Your heart soaps are fabulous! I really think this felted soap thing is going to be a great thing.
I'll be doing some in prep for the Christmas bazaars this fall, with my sister. I've never done craft shows or bazaars - maybe sis will get me into it. Good luck with all of yours. If I weren't in a different continent I would order!
The pictures on the site are cool too. I have a thing for sailboats - lived on an old wooden motor yacht for awhile, just down the river from Mobile Bay, Alabama. Now am in land locked Colorado! Maybe the Lord will smile on me and get me back to the coast.
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