Saturday 10 December 2011

Child of Christmas 



You know that feeling when you get a real kick out of something you've just made, because it's a little departure from what you typically create, a bit of a stretch..? And it's your own design from start to finish...
I haven't felt that in a while, but it happened with these : )





I love to combine fibres that are at different stages of processing, so I really enjoy integrating stitching and felting in my pieces. Spun and unspun side by side. This yarn is actually cotton. I've been combining crochet with needle felting in my work for some time now, and I still love to switch between the needle and the hook.







These babes were part of my Christmas collection this year, I wrote in the previous post about making work for this years Advent Fair. I had a snow-white moment while working on these, stabbed my finger and red blood threatened the white wool ; ) I know this is what turns many crafters off the process of needle felting but I just take a deep breath and needle on : ) I couldn't keep my mind from wandering to this though, and how the image imprinted itself on my mind as a child:


Once upon a time in mid winter, when the snowflakes were falling like feathers from heaven, a beautiful queen sat sewing at her window, which had a frame of black ebony wood. As she sewed, she looked up at the snow and pricked her finger with her needle. Three drops of blood fell into the snow.
 The red on the white looked so beautiful...


I always have to haul myself back to the present moment ; ) such a daydreamer.


And back in my present, I was
asked to make a fox for the kindergarten to accompany the story happening there at the moment. I'd never attempted a four-legged creature in felt before and this one had to be really robust, hardy enough for play. It took a lot of felting but I got there in the end.






There are lots of these elusive red foxes around these nights, we've been lucky enough to spot a couple, much to smallie's delight. Having made this I will look with a much keener eye next time!


.. I'll be back here later this week to share photos of the rest of the gang, gnomes and other characters recently made. 


Thank you for reading : ) M

4 comments:

  1. Oh my Mia, the child of Christmas are so lovely, as are the gnomes and well the fox is delightful, my you are a good needle felter, cheers Marie

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  2. Oh my goodness, you are such a talented lady.The gnomes, the fox.. but the Christmas children are my absolute favourite, I love them so much! Absolutely beautiful.

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  3. The Christmas children all together look stunning! One of them is in their new home on my xmas tree! Your fox is great..perfect shape and color..would love to hear the kindergarten story with it! There's a nice feel of Christmas in the air...talk soon...Franci

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  4. Hey Marie, its always an honour to have you visit, you are such an inspiration to any of us working with the wool and the needle, so thank you!
    And Svenna thanks so for popping by, so many of the blogging mamas that I follow are in America, its always lovely for me to think of you just over the water, also crafting your way through your days with your wee boy.
    Franci, was so lovely to see one of these babes nestled in your beautiful tree the other day and to see all the creativity going in your house too, thank you!

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