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Post by zed on Feb 13, 2014 10:26:29 GMT
Your cats are going to think all felted pieces are for them!
I should have mentioned that the commercial pre-felts I've bought are needle-felted prefelts, so they are basically 'mats' of completely unfelted wool.
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Post by luvswool and dyestuff on Feb 13, 2014 13:58:01 GMT
So then I am wondering why buy needle-felted pre-felts if they are completely unfelted? Seems to me they would be more beneficial to needle-felters, or is the price point a factor?
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Post by Pandagirl on Feb 13, 2014 14:12:25 GMT
It saves time laying out layers of wool and makes it easier to get even edges at least in my opinion. It's also useful to make shapes. I used small pieces for the cardinal I made for the gift exchange. I didn't see any other way to get those small details.
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Post by MTRuth on Feb 13, 2014 17:27:56 GMT
I like the needle felted pre-felts but to me they are expensive. So I just use them for embellishment. But you can do anything with them. They make great scarves and you don't have to lay out all the wool It saves a tremendous amount of time. I have seen people making garments out of pre-felt that were gorgeous. And if you have ever laid out a garment such as a jacket, you would really appreciate the time saved with pre-felts.
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Post by luvswool and dyestuff on Feb 14, 2014 0:29:28 GMT
I can certainly understand that in making large pieces, pre-felts would come in handy. It also now occurs to me that I could have saved time with my cat mats by using a bottom pre-felt layer. So here's a thought--do folks who take felt seriously (and don't we all?) consider using pre-felts "cheating"? And I don't mean like using a few pieces here and there, as with Marilyn's cardinal. In other words, if you were a felt artist who extensively exhibits or designs and makes fabulous couture garments, would you be considered less of an artist because you use pre-felts? Just wondering what the mainstream thinks.
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Post by Shepherdess on Feb 14, 2014 1:03:42 GMT
No I don't think so from what I hear around. its like saying someone isn't really a knitter because they use commercially spun yarn instead of their own hand spun.
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Post by luvswool and dyestuff on Feb 14, 2014 15:29:25 GMT
Thanks, Ann…just curious…would love to know what others think!
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Post by Pandagirl on Feb 14, 2014 15:55:34 GMT
Personally, I don't think it's cheating. If you're using it as a base, I don't believe anyone would know the difference once it's felted. Besides it saves time and frees the artist to create. It's like having a blank canvas. As far as using it for shapes, that is a creative use especially when there be no other way to use roving to get there. IMHO :-)
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Post by zed on Feb 14, 2014 16:19:25 GMT
I don't think it's cheating, it's still just a pile of wool until you felt it. It's no more cheating than using fabric for surface design. I think all commercial prefelts are 'needle felted' or needle punched is probably more correct. Even if you used them for garments, you'd still have to work out the shrinkage, how many layers , how much fulling etc.
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Post by luvswool and dyestuff on Feb 14, 2014 21:48:57 GMT
Appreciate your thoughts on this topic, as I am relatively new to the field of felting. Have been scanning the felting blogs daily and I noticed high admiration for those who use natural dyes and "heirloom" breed fibers. I like to know what others think.
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Post by Teri Berry on Feb 15, 2014 17:04:26 GMT
I think there is a place for everything; needle-felts, natural dyes, heirloom breed fibres are just tools in our arsenal. Personally I would rather a purchase a piece that has been beautifully designed and skilfully made from needle-felt than a poorly made / designed piece made from heirloom fibres. It's not what you use but what you do with it IMHO. I'm on the fence when it comes to natural dyes, I don't have a great deal of experience with them but that is largely because I keep reading how they are not light fast, so anything you dye with them will fade over time. I would not be happy to sell something that I thought would deteriorate just from exposure to light. But then the commercial dyes are carcinogenic / toxic for the dyer....
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Post by luvswool and dyestuff on Feb 15, 2014 18:04:58 GMT
Teri, that's helpful re: pre-felts vs. natural fibers. As for dyes, I have absolutely no experience with them but checked out a bunch of dye books from my local library. I would like to begin dying my own fiber, but being a big city girl, I don't think I'll ever come across a "peck of dry broom sedge" or a pound of fresh aster flowers. Having asthma, I would not want to use the commercial dyes. Guess that leaves me with food coloring?
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Post by Pandagirl on Feb 15, 2014 18:46:17 GMT
I'm a city girl, too, but have tried commercial dyes which are considered more lightfast. As long as you follow the safety precautions such as wearing mask and gloves and only using utensils and cookware for that purpose along with proper ventilation it is safe. Actually, I recently read that using natural products along with some of the mordants required can be more dangerous. But then I'm no expert. I'm sure our resident alchemist Koffipot can comment on that. :-)
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Post by luvswool and dyestuff on Feb 15, 2014 18:58:57 GMT
Point well taken, Marilyn! I am studying the dye books this weekend. Have you ever tried Kool-aid or other food coloring? If so, were you pleased with the results?
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Post by MTRuth on Feb 15, 2014 21:42:38 GMT
Kool-aid isn't wash fast and it stinks too high heaven when you dye with it. Very sweet,icky smell. I think as long as you are careful with the dye powder (wearing a mask and keeping your gloves on) that acid dyes are not going to harm you. The acid is only vinegar or acetic acid which is harmless. The mordants in some of the natural dyes can be toxic as well. So as Marilyn says, keeping your dyeing separate from the food and following safety precautions, dyeing is not dangerous.
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