Hello Felters,
  I have been away for two weeks looking after two dogs
and a house  on Molloy Island. Only about 10ks from
here but it was a complete change. Nice to have dogs
again. We keep saying no more dogs for ourselves but I
do miss them. Friday I am off to Bunbury to the
felters group to learn some thing new. For me at any
rate.Siminay fabric for making hats. Sounds
interesting. Soon I will be gearing up for the Easter
Exhibition of the Augusta Spinners and Weavers. Full
of ideas for felting.Our weather is still cool but
that makes it alright for my "shed" come studio. What
are you all doing?   Julie are you getting excited
about the coming trip?   Has Rae got over her bug?
Regards to all Meg.



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-----Original Message-----
From: AussieFeltmakers@... [mailto:AussieFeltmakers@...] On Behalf Of Kerry Heinzel
Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2006 4:16 PM
To: AussieFeltmakers@...
Subject: [AussieFeltmakers] Re: Bellingen Market.

I've got Bellingen Markets this Saturday.  They are a special market, special in that even in the middle of summer it turns cool a couple of days before and gets us all in the mood for woollen things.    It is out in the open (sports ground) and it hasn't been cancelled weather wise for about five years, that works out at about three times in the twenty five years it has been going.

Regards Kerry.

----- Original Message -----

From: Enchanted Wool

To: AussieFeltmakers@...

Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 5:18 PM

Subject: RE: [AussieFeltmakers] What are you all makink at the moment!!

Hi Sandie and all

 

I have 3 kids on holidays at the moment so I'm not up to anything much felt-wise.

 

Thanks to Allison & Pat for your suggestions about the workshop - they were very helpful.

 

We made felt fish on day 1, felted a background on day 2, needlefelted rocks, seaweed, sand, fish, mermaids etc on day 3 and then decorated the picture with beading & embroidery on day 4. It went quite well although I found it difficult having both adults & children in the group as the children demanded most of my attention so I felt the adults missed out a bit. Anyway it was a good learning experience.

 

My craft room is a total mess at the moment as I gutted it to take things to the workshop and haven't put anything away yet.

 

I need to get my act together soon as we will be making rainbow pictures at my 7 year old daughter's Rainbow birthday party in 10 days time. I will give each child a piece of one of Pat's sky blue batts & then merino tops in all the colours of the rainbow so they can make a rainbow on a blue sky. Might give them a bit of white so they can make clouds as well.

 

I'll also be making felted drawstring bags with my daughter's class in a couple of weeks using white batts which the children can decorate with bits of coloured fibre. Still need to work out the prototype & see if I have enough batting so I'd better get cracking on that as well.

 

Glad that you have settled into your house Sandie & are getting to use the studio.

 

Hope everyone is well & happily felting - and welcome to any new members if I haven't welcomed you yet.

 

Wendy B

 

-----Original Message-----
From: AussieFeltmakers@... [mailto:AussieFeltmakers@...] On Behalf Of sandken
Sent: Saturday, January 14, 2006 12:25 PM
To: AussieFeltmakers@...
Subject: [AussieFeltmakers] What are you all makink at the moment!!

Hi all

Just wanted to know what you were all up to  (Yes even if you feel you are
a beginner, we all started somewhere!!!), I am a nosy parker and also find
hearing what others are doing inspires me!

I am using the studio for the first official time today, have a year 12
student here and we are working on some techniques and ideas for her major
work, as she has chosen to use feltmaking!

I am also exploring combining different mediums and techniques at the
moment to incorporate some different ideas into my feltmaking! Nothing awe
inspiring, just a pile of experimental little bits - fluff and string (yarn
actually!) as my hubby would call them!!

So what are you all up to???? Please do tell, even if its just the new
fibre you are working with!

Have a great weekend!!

Sandie :-) (The Queen of fluff and string!)

Hi all

Just wanted to know what you were all up to  (Yes even if you feel you are
a beginner, we all started somewhere!!!), I am a nosy parker and also find
hearing what others are doing inspires me!

I am using the studio for the first official time today, have a year 12
student here and we are working on some techniques and ideas for her major
work, as she has chosen to use feltmaking!

I am also exploring combining different mediums and techniques at the
moment to incorporate some different ideas into my feltmaking! Nothing awe
inspiring, just a pile of experimental little bits - fluff and string (yarn
actually!) as my hubby would call them!!

So what are you all up to???? Please do tell, even if its just the new
fibre you are working with!

Have a great weekend!!

Sandie :-) (The Queen of fluff and string!)

----- Original Message -----

From: Sandy

To: AussieFeltmakers@...

Sent: Friday, January 13, 2006 12:55 AM

Subject: [AussieFeltmakers] intro from the "new Sandy"!

Hi everyone,

As Sandie said, I moved back recently (well, actually last year) from
the Netherlands.  I moved there in 1998 to be with my sweetie (a
Dutchie by the name of Ad - we got married in 2003).  We met in 1997
while he was in Australia on a working holiday.  It was a lot of fun -
the Dutch are easy going people - but I do also feel glad to be back
in Oz.  I don't really know anyone here as I also spent 9 years in
other countries from 1986-1994, and I don't have any family here any
more either, so it's been like a whole new start for us both.
Fortunately, Ad loves it here, too.  We hope to buy a small farm in
South Gippsland as soon as we've sold our property in the Netherlands,
but for now we live in Preston, in Melbourne.

We don't have any kids, but we do have 2 cats, Bontje and Zetor.  Once
we have our farm we plan to get a lot more animals of different sorts,
and also hope to become wildlife carers.

I learned feltmaking - quite by accident - while I was in Holland.  We
lived in a village called Boskoop, not far from Gouda (yes, like the
cheese, although they don't actually make it there).  Near our village
was a medieval historical park, and I was trying to get a place as an
apprentice bootmaker there.  There were no places, but I was directed
to the feltmakers who, I was told, could also make boots from felt.

I didn't end up working there, but I did end up getting lessons
privately from Marian, one of their feltmakers.  She was quite
talented, and also quite unorthodox.  Soon after I met her, she took
me to see a Dutch feltmaking exhibition (I think it was the 20th
anniversary of the Dutch feltmakers organisation or something).  The
stuff they had there was absolutely mind blowing - I had no concept
that you could do things like that in felt - and it I was hooked.

There was a huge tent (not a yurt, more like a teepee) with elaborate
decorations; there was a pile of cushions that looked just like
boulders (rock shaped foam rubber which had been felted over in
natural wools); there was a haute couture fashion show (many items
were from major feltmakers who make fabric for the big fashion houses,
or who make their own garments); a variety of hats and bags; and of
course lots of people wearing their own creations.

And there were some fantastic boots - my big passion! I remember that
one was shaped like a swan's neck, with your foot as the head.

I only heard about felted knitting much later.  It definitely makes a
lot of items easier to make.

One thing Marian showed me was how to make a "sheepskin" (like the
usual sorts we have in Australia) from a fleece, i.e. without killing
the sheep.  She was a vegetarian, and said she loved sheepskin but
preferred the idea that she could get one from the sheep every year
rather than as a once off.  I've never been able to do this as well as
she did.  She now works as a feltmaker in Iceland.

I haven't done any felting since moving back.  I still have a lot of
the wool and other bits, but it was always a thing I did with others
over there, so the mood just hasn't grabbed me.  I also do a lot of
knitting (currently into fine knitted lace, and Norwegian jumpers),
and mosaics.

It will be nice to meet some of you eventually, hopefully including
some who are also at my end of Melbourne, as I'd love to have some
more "cuppa" friends!

By the way, this is definitely the most welcoming yahoo group I've
been in!  I was quite surprised to see details about me in a post
letting others know that I've joined.  I'm a member of 7 groups; I
posted an introduction message on two of them but no one responded, or
even acknowledged, so I didn't bother after that.  Thank you, Sandie,
for that!

Cheers for now, Sandy

P.S. Sandie: I've tried going to the Victorian Feltmakers site, but it
won't open for me.  Is www.vicfelt.org.au still the correct address?

Happy New Year everyone,
Welcome to all new members.

I haven't been doing anything constructive with felting, just playing
occassionally, with needle felting. I bought a bit more local fleece,
though.

My daughter and future son in law moved in a couple of weeks ago, so
that they could get their house rented before going o'seas next week.
It has been hectic sorting, cleaning and moving them, as well as
re-arranging our place to accomodate their stuff! ---No felting.

I have to do this workroom, again, as so much stuff has been dumped in
here.

Anyway, I did contact the Vicfelt member who has been organising our
website. We have changed to  www.Vicfelt.org. For some reason, the
site was down over Christmas and New Year. The calendar isn't updated
yet, so it won't be of much use to anyone at the moment, I'm afraid.

Happy felting all of you

HI Julie

Good luck with the sale tomorrow! I know what you mean about getting rid of
stuff and then thinking later why did I do that. You can hold onto
something for years never use it and the week after you get rid of it you
need it!!

I am sure your trip will be worth it thought and there will be lots of bits
and pieces you will be sending home anyway.

As for the millefiori, have you tried needlefelting from the reverse side,
or teasing the fibre a little with the point of a doll needle or a pair of
fine scissors before needlefelting. Nothing more frustrating than when bits
wont stick!!!

Once again Good luck tomorrow!

Sandie :-)

Hello Sandie,
   Welcome to the group. I am fairly new to this group and am in Western
Australia. The
southern corner where two oceans meet,Southern and Indian. Cool weather down
here but
quite acceptable for felting in my "shed". Using up all my odds and ends for a
piece of felt
no project in mind at the moment. I am off to look after a house and two dogs
and the
felting bug is going to have to wait. I am a spinner too so perhaps I will take
my wheel
with me.  Meg.

OOPS dyslexic fingers - MAKING!!! :-)

Sandie

Hi all

Just wanted to know what you were all up to  (Yes even if you feel you are
a beginner, we all started somewhere!!!), I am a nosy parker and also find
hearing what others are doing inspires me!

I am using the studio for the first official time today, have a year 12
student here and we are working on some techniques and ideas for her major
work, as she has chosen to use feltmaking!

I am also exploring combining different mediums and techniques at the
moment to incorporate some different ideas into my feltmaking! Nothing awe
inspiring, just a pile of experimental little bits - fluff and string (yarn
actually!) as my hubby would call them!!

So what are you all up to???? Please do tell, even if its just the new
fibre you are working with!

Have a great weekend!!

Sandie :-) (The Queen of fluff and string!)

Hi All

Just in response to Sandy's email regarding the Vic Feltmakers website.

I checked it myself and could not access it so did a bit of emailing and
the response I received was as follows:

>Don't quite know what is going on with the web site it seems to be a
>mystery one day they tell us it's up and running and when you try you
>can't access it. As far as I am aware the address hasn't changed but we
>were having a lot of trouble with the people who took over the
>organising.If any one is after information re workshops or I can be of
>help feel free to enquire and I will do my best to help.

So I will leave the address there at the moment and see what pans out!!!

Keep felting!!

Sandie :-)

Hi Julie,

Thanks for more welcomes!  I've added a folder of some of my stuff,
but I don't have many photos - I'll try to take some more and put more in.

I've also sent you an email re your trip to India, as we've just been
there.  It's an incredible country - "awesome" is overused as a word,
but it is India truly is, in so many ways.  I've been twice; this was
my husband's first trip there, and we both want to go again.  You'll
love it!

Cheers for now, Sandy

Forgot to add to my intro message that you can see what we look like
on our website www.cometcow.com

The comet cow mosaic on the homepage is one of mine.  Some of my
felting is also on the site - haven't got too many pics so far.

Hi everyone,

As Sandie said, I moved back recently (well, actually last year) from
the Netherlands.  I moved there in 1998 to be with my sweetie (a
Dutchie by the name of Ad - we got married in 2003).  We met in 1997
while he was in Australia on a working holiday.  It was a lot of fun -
the Dutch are easy going people - but I do also feel glad to be back
in Oz.  I don't really know anyone here as I also spent 9 years in
other countries from 1986-1994, and I don't have any family here any
more either, so it's been like a whole new start for us both.
Fortunately, Ad loves it here, too.  We hope to buy a small farm in
South Gippsland as soon as we've sold our property in the Netherlands,
but for now we live in Preston, in Melbourne.

We don't have any kids, but we do have 2 cats, Bontje and Zetor.  Once
we have our farm we plan to get a lot more animals of different sorts,
and also hope to become wildlife carers.

I learned feltmaking - quite by accident - while I was in Holland.  We
lived in a village called Boskoop, not far from Gouda (yes, like the
cheese, although they don't actually make it there).  Near our village
was a medieval historical park, and I was trying to get a place as an
apprentice bootmaker there.  There were no places, but I was directed
to the feltmakers who, I was told, could also make boots from felt.

I didn't end up working there, but I did end up getting lessons
privately from Marian, one of their feltmakers.  She was quite
talented, and also quite unorthodox.  Soon after I met her, she took
me to see a Dutch feltmaking exhibition (I think it was the 20th
anniversary of the Dutch feltmakers organisation or something).  The
stuff they had there was absolutely mind blowing - I had no concept
that you could do things like that in felt - and it I was hooked.

There was a huge tent (not a yurt, more like a teepee) with elaborate
decorations; there was a pile of cushions that looked just like
boulders (rock shaped foam rubber which had been felted over in
natural wools); there was a haute couture fashion show (many items
were from major feltmakers who make fabric for the big fashion houses,
or who make their own garments); a variety of hats and bags; and of
course lots of people wearing their own creations.

And there were some fantastic boots - my big passion! I remember that
one was shaped like a swan's neck, with your foot as the head.

I only heard about felted knitting much later.  It definitely makes a
lot of items easier to make.

One thing Marian showed me was how to make a "sheepskin" (like the
usual sorts we have in Australia) from a fleece, i.e. without killing
the sheep.  She was a vegetarian, and said she loved sheepskin but
preferred the idea that she could get one from the sheep every year
rather than as a once off.  I've never been able to do this as well as
she did.  She now works as a feltmaker in Iceland.

I haven't done any felting since moving back.  I still have a lot of
the wool and other bits, but it was always a thing I did with others
over there, so the mood just hasn't grabbed me.  I also do a lot of
knitting (currently into fine knitted lace, and Norwegian jumpers),
and mosaics.

It will be nice to meet some of you eventually, hopefully including
some who are also at my end of Melbourne, as I'd love to have some
more "cuppa" friends!

By the way, this is definitely the most welcoming yahoo group I've
been in!  I was quite surprised to see details about me in a post
letting others know that I've joined.  I'm a member of 7 groups; I
posted an introduction message on two of them but no one responded, or
even acknowledged, so I didn't bother after that.  Thank you, Sandie,
for that!

Cheers for now, Sandy

P.S. Sandie: I've tried going to the Victorian Feltmakers site, but it
won't open for me.  Is www.vicfelt.org.au still the correct address?

Welcome another new member Sandy who has moved back to Australia from Holland!!

Wondering where all the intros from our new members are!!!! :-) If you
havent sent us an email about yourself please do its a great way of getting
to know each other!!!

Have a great week all!

Sandie :-)

Hi Pat

I for one am glad that your picture ended up on the list instead as
sometimes I don't get a chance to look in the photos and your batt is lovely!!!

Purples and pinks would make a terrific throw, is this your first grandchild?

As for me I am still sorting boxes but getting closer to being able to
start back on some work! It has been a little too hot to do too much until
late in the afternoon and I have been spending time in the garden instead!
And BTW no our moving army wasn't immobilised!!! We all had a good chuckle
over that one!!! :-)

What is everyone else up to?

Happy New Year to you all! I hope that your year will be filled with nice
surprises and lots of joy!!!

Got to go those darn boxes are still calling!

Have a great week all!

Best wishes

Sandie :-)