Busy Days in the Felting Studio

New “Rhapsody Rose” Felted Corsage Pins

These are still drying and waiting to be beaded:

Here’s what they look like after layout, and before being felted:

“Rhapsody Rose” Felted Corsage Pins

Here’s how I make the pins:

The process begins with hand-carding and hand-spinning some fluffy yarns…
I craft pre-felts in shades of green for the leaves, and I tease the tiny plant matter from white mohair kid locks, and select some strips of silk fabrics…

Then I assemble these elements to form a rose:

I’ll place a “bed” of fiber under and in the middle of a circle of these rose constructions: green fiber in the middle and rose-colored fiber under the actual rose shapes.

Then I’ll cover and felt the whole thing, usually creating ten or more pins at once. Don’t over-felt: you want them to be fluffy but be sturdy.

I cut them apart while they are still wet, and work the edges of each pin. After they dry, I stitch on beads and buttons, and attach pin backs. It takes a while, but every step of the process is pleasant!

Nittany Lion Felted Scarf

Felting…

…and volunteering to get out the vote and do poll watching!