Felt class in Liptingen

Dear readers,

I just got back from a three day felting class I gave down in South Germany near the Bodensee.

We started our trip  on sunday morning thinking that the roads will be empty.

We always plan our trips on sundays usually there is less traffic and no bothering trucks.

But this time right from the start the roads were packed.

Constructions and due to mother day and beautiful weather  every existing car of Germany seemed to be on the road.

It took us 15 hours to get there normal would have been 8.

We imagined where we could have been by then San Francisco by plane, spain by car, Norway....

Although the start was so miserable I had a lot of fun with my students and I think the results turned out  just great!

Here are some images of the class:

Me with some of the participants

A beautiful place to work!

The hobby-horse drying in the sun!

This guy is enjoying the look out!

Here I am helping with the face

A mole in the sun!

Here are all the results of three days work:

These are not felted!
Just very curious feathery guests!
I wish I will have a pair of these some day!
Ducks that eat snails!

The hop mother and her children

Dear readers,

today I finally finished the hop mother and her children.

It took me quite some time. All these leaves and pedals.

For all the ones who would like to do one like this in my class be aware it is not done in a six hour class!

The garden gnomes

This is a little tutorial how to felt various gnomes.

Even children with a little help are able to felt these little guys.

These here watch over the flowers, the vegetables, scrubs and the farm animals

I am sure you have many other gnome ideas

so here is how to start:

First you have to roll and twist the carded dry wool to a big sized chicken egg.

Make it as firm as possible.

Dip it into soapy water, hold it firmly together but NEVER squeeze the water out.

Next lay little flocks of your desired color of wool over it until everything is covered.

Wet it again and start gently to felt.

The more durable it gets the stronger you can handle it.

Dip it in hot soapy water from time to time.

These are different bodies notice the dent in the middle of the bottom.

This is for a better standing.

The heads start out the same way as the bodies just as big as a table tennis ball, the noses much smaller

These are various hat shapes the one on top is for the pig and carrot hat 

The one on the bottom left the cap for the scrub gnome the one on the right is going to be the flower hat.

For the pig hat you have to cover your template with a layer of wool turn it around.

fold in the overlap and put some wool down on this side.

Then add the ears: lay out the wool on both sides of the hat wet it and fold in shape.

Put bubble wrap over it when starting the felting process. Bubbles always facing toward the wool!

The carrot hat is even easier it doesn't have ears!

For the flower hat you have to lay out a green layer of wool.

Place your template with the whole over it.

Then cover it with another layer of your desired flower color.

Cover with bubble wrap when starting the felting process!

Rub the center where the both colors join a long time so they won't come apart.

After a while you can take away the template.

To become a flower hat you have to cut in the center a tiny whole widen it with your fingers.

(It goes easily when it is still wet)

Place it on top of your head, cut the pedals in shape or leave it like that.

When the felting is done rinse all parts in clear water!!! 

You can either sew or glue everything together with a hot glue gun.

It even glues when the objects are wet.

Eyes and hair is dry felted with the felting needle.

Potato plant "Kartoffellienchen"

Dear readers,

 it has been a long time since I've posted something.

I was working on several projects.

One is this order of a potato plant which I finally finished and I was able to sent away today.

It is made for educational purposes.

It took quite some time to make it.

All these leaves and little potatoes!

The next thing which will be finished shortly is a hops fairy and their little hops children. I will show them soon.