Experimenting with wet felt pictures

[caterina]

Jul 30, 2021 22:45:53 GMT Ann @ frabjous fabrica said:

You say that you blend your colours by hand Caterina, do you mean literally by hand or do you use hand carders? If you don't use carders, you might consider buying yourself a pair. Full size carders that spinners use to make rolags for spinning can be quite expensive, unless you go for 2nd hand ones.  Though second hand ones which have been used on dirty and/or greasy fleeces might not be a good idea.  However you will find that dog slicker brushes for grooming, which are in fact miniature carders, are quite cheap - like these on Amazon www.amazon.co.uk/LAWRENCE-Tender-Slicker-Brush-Medium/dp/B003TL0D0O/ref=sr_1_39?dchild=1&keywords=dog+slicker+brushes+for+grooming&qid=1627683289&sr=8-39  You will need a pair and if you're not sure how they are used, try this YouTube video www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDqY2mLooIw&ab_channel=AshfordWheelsandLooms
The dog brushes are much smaller than normal carders and therefore give you smaller amounts of blended wool, but they are a lot quicker to use than blending by hand, unless you only need a few tufts.
Ann

Thank you for your suggestions, Ann.
Being new to felting, and seeing the cost of hand carders, I have not bought one yet! I am blending literally by hand, I enjoy it for small quantities, but it is very slow and not as smooth blended as with carders. The price for dog brushes is much more for my purse :-) I will surely try one, and if later I get a proper bigger hand carder, I can always give the dog brushes to my friend who just acquired a puppy! Great idea!

[Ann @ frabjous fabrica]

I do have full size carders, but I usually only use the dog carders for needle felting. They fit in my box of needle felting tools that I carry around with me and I usually only need small quantities of colours. You will need a pair though, not just one.

[MTRuth]

The landscapes are wonderful, I love the abstract feel of them.

I usually use white prefelt for backgrounds but it depends on what I am creating. You can use colors of wool that will blend with the top colors as they migrate through. That way you are blending colors as you felt using the natural tendency of wool migration.

[Shepherdess]

I usually use white or black prefelt as the background. For a picture in small to medium size, you don't have to completely full it so it's hard. Bigger pictures seem to need to be well fulled so they support themselves and don't sag under their own weight. I like to do wet felting then some needle felting then some stitching. there are lots of ways to do it. Try them and see what you like.

[flights]

I've been recommended dog-brushes before - really must get round to visiting our pet centre!

[Shepherdess]

I got some good cheap ones at the dollar/pound store.

[ScarletThistle]

Enjoying all the useful tips from everyone. I have added carders to my wish list, which gets longer by the minute!

I have been working on the two pieces I shared earlier.

I have now called the first one Seahorse. Initially I wasn't happy with this piece but Itook all your comments on board and went with the underwater theme. I am really pleased with how it turned out in the end.

www.dropbox.com/s/cln59el5ta6dyfq/20210806_164950.jpg?dl=0

As you can see I have added a few embellishments. I began by adding some beads, but still felt it needed a little bit more. I thought about making a clay seahorse similar to how I did the puffin, but then I decided it would be more of a challenge to make it from wool and fabrics. I hope you like the result.

www.dropbox.com/s/lnhvco4yc4891h1/20210806_164956.jpg?dl=0

The second piece I have called Meadow. I just embellished this with some beads. I think it works.

www.dropbox.com/s/7zbc909810fb6s3/20210806_164934.jpg?dl=0

[caterina]

Aug 6, 2021 16:35:52 GMT ScarletThistle said:

Enjoying all the useful tips from everyone. I have added carders to my wish list, which gets longer by the minute!

I have been working on the two pieces I shared earlier.

I have now called the first one Seahorse. Initially I wasn't happy with this piece but Itook all your comments on board and went with the underwater theme. I am really pleased with how it turned out in the end.

www.dropbox.com/s/cln59el5ta6dyfq/20210806_164950.jpg?dl=0

As you can see I have added a few embellishments. I began by adding some beads, but still felt it needed a little bit more. I thought about making a clay seahorse similar to how I did the puffin, but then I decided it would be more of a challenge to make it from wool and fabrics. I hope you like the result.

www.dropbox.com/s/lnhvco4yc4891h1/20210806_164956.jpg?dl=0

The second piece I have called Meadow. I just embellished this with some beads. I think it works.

www.dropbox.com/s/7zbc909810fb6s3/20210806_164934.jpg?dl=0

Wow, they both have gained a new life with embellishments!
Your seahorse is very ingenious!
"Meadow" is my favourite, your beads make it luxurious, helping to give it depth. Lovely.

[Ann @ frabjous fabrica]

I love that seahorse. Great results with both of them.

[MTRuth]

Wonderful improvements.