Dyed, Spun and Woven

I've been getting back into spinning over the last year. Trouble is I am not very fast at knitting or crochet. Then someone lent me a small rigid heddle loom. I was hooked from the first piece.
So this is a little visual storyline on how it all happens...

I start by dyeing the fibre. In this instance I have chosen a merino roving and some mulberry silk tops. They start out white but after I have chosen and applied the colourway it looks like this.

Next I card and blend the merino and silk together into gradients of colour.

I then spin the singles

Which look like this when wound on a ball winder ready to ply

I take one ball and using the thread from the centre and the thread from the outside, ply them together. This is the pink to purple gradient plied

And this is both balls plied, skeined and washed

They are then woven into a grey warp. I have used a dark grey 2ply merino for the warp. And viola! I have a lovely pure wool, hand dyed, hand spun, hand woven shawl.

I still have a bit of finishing to do but I am excited by this process.

Felt, Nuno Felt, Capes and Awards

I could almost start every post with, "Gosh I've been busy..."  but really I have. Here's some pics to prove it. My entries into this years Royal Brisbane Show - EKKA - and the sections they were in.

Felt Garment 

Accessory

Wall Hanging

Nuno Felt 

Then there are all the gossamer shawls I have been making to order.

And this very special full length one

and these are only the nuno-felts.

There are also the shibori silks

Eventually I'll get some of these listed in my Etsy shop.

Oh, and how did I go at the Show?

A Few Of My Favourite Felt Things

Here are a few of the things I have been making lately.

ABOVE: Felt flowers. 

These are bigger than my hand and make beautiful brooches, hair accessories or decor items.

ABOVE: Fairy LED lights.

Pods and Hanging Flowers with LED lights that change colours.

ABOVE: Shawl/Vest

These are a nunofelt item that works like a cross between a shawl and a vest.

They are made from hand dyed tissue silk with hand dyed merino wool felted in like leaves.

I am happy to custom make these to fit and in your choice of colours. Contact me via my etsy shop, 

Beljays Felt n Art

 if you want to know more.

A few shawls for cooler nights

I have been a little busy rearranging my life of late and now I have time to do more here. So here are a few of the things I've been up to...

I used some of the inspiration gained from the Sketchbook Project 2012 for this shawl.

The texture of the silk is sumptuous. And I love the way the silk threads have wriggled and wrinkled during the felting process.

These are a few other accessories I've put together.

The strong design on this black red and maroon shawl is also a result of the excercise of putting together my entry to the Sketchbook Project 2012.

You can find the last two items in my Etsy Store but the top shawl is on its way to Sydney for a show.