A Work In Progress...

"Can you bend it?" (the first question asked to me by my husband after smashing my finger while we were doing some snow and ice removal)...it was a freak accident...and my poor first finger (the pointer) on my dominant hand was crushed...and there is a high possibility it could be broken. So for the last few days, I have been barely able to type or grip anything...and even worse, I have been unable to hold a needle....but yes, "I can bend it". Thank goodness, the ice and ibuprofen must be doing the trick, because it is much better today (with the exception of it being horrible shades of black, blue, and purple)...and I have been typing gingerly and have even been doing some model stitching! It is a good day...and I am finally able to type a blog update...

So I thought I would share with you the machine needle felted journal with some embellishing. To me, pieces like this are always a "work in progress"...all of a sudden I will feel the need to add something...so it could definitely "grow" and change over time. I added lots of fun machine stitches with rayon, metallic, and cotton threads...some beads....and some buttons. I like to have sketch books and notebooks readily available to jot down ideas, phrases, and design layouts...pretty much anything I think of that sparks my creativity. This little journal with bright and springy colors will be the perfect place to record things that inspire me...

Playing With Machine Needle Felting

I love to keep scraps of fabrics, ribbons, yarns, threads, wools...well, you get the idea. Not sure why...I don't like clutter or knick knacks and I am not normally a "saver", but when it comes to fabric, trims, and fibers I save it all. A couple months ago, I purchased a Husqvarna Viking ER10 Embellishing Machine (which is a fancy name for a needle felting machine)...now I have found a grand use for all those trimmings! After getting some design work done this morning, I decided to make time to play with this fabulous machine. For those of you not familiar with a needle felting or embellishing machine, it looks like a sewing machine without thread...it consists of five (some models have seven) individual barbed needles that catch the fibers of your chosen material and pushes them into the base fabric to create your design. Many think needle felting can just be done with wool fibers...but really with this machine your creativity is limitless. I start with a craft felt base and then start adding scraps of cotton, wools, wool roving, netting, taffeta, lace, scrim...you name it...the more you work the pieces under the needles, the more secure and blended they become with your base. The photos shows a machine needle felted piece, without any sewing or thread used (all of the pieces are securely attached). Once I have the base the way I want it, the next step is to take it to the sewing machine and add specialty stitches (or, of course can do this by hand)...you can also add stencil shapes, puff paint, beads, buttons, wires, embroidery...basically anything your heart desires. Tomorrow, I will take the piece in the photo to the sewing machine and start to add specialty stitches and embellishments....it will then be used as a journal or sketch book cover (at least that is currently my plan)....