Felt United 2011 projects

This ensemble was made especially for Felt United 2011, the wool is from our merino rambouillet sheep with 25% kid mohair from a friend's angora goat, all blended and dyed at Zeilinger's of Frankenmuth, Michigan.  The dye colors are red and blue.  When overlaid in the felting process they create the 3rd color of this year's Felt United color scheme. The individual pieces will be shown on the Felt United website along with felted creations from all over the world.

We had a wonderfully sunny day, a little cool but it did not slow down the enthusiasm.  Suzanne Higgs taught our visitors how to felt soap bars while Sue Pufpaff helped them make felted flowers.  Pictures of our event are shown on our website.

Fall and the Allegan Co. Fair

You can plan on fall weather arriving during the Allegan County Fair.  The Fair opens the first Friday after Labor Day and lasts for 9 days.  This year, we had lovely weather for me - in the 70's until time for the big parade Tuesday eve, it dropped 20 degrees.  Still we wouldn't miss it.

Tuesday before the hour long parade, I shared an Elephant Ear while walking around all the displays in the Ag and Commercial buildings - saw a pumpkin that weighed over 800 pounds!  Wed. during the Harness Races, I gave in to a bit healthier fare - smoked almonds, oh, almost forgot the vinegar french fries.  Maybe all the walking through the animal barns balanced that out.  Great fun for any age and durn, only a day and half left.

Felt United at Marr Haven October 1, 2011 Noon to 4 pm

This year's colors for feltmakers all over the world are red, blue and purple. This photo is part of one of the pieces I have made for the event.

Suzanne Higgs of Hooked On Felt from Plainwell and Suzanne Pufpaff of Pufpaff’s Fiber Processing from Nashville, both nationally known felt artists and instructors, will give demonstrations of felt making for the public. Felt art and wearable items will be displayed in front of the shop and inside.

All felt makers in the area are invited to bring their felt items to display in the tents in front of the shop. Any items made in this year's colors will be photographed and sent for publication on the Felt United website. For more information, email me at mhyarn@marrhaven.com. Please come join us for a fun, felting afternoon.

Giant Mitten Cardigan Knit Sweater

I am so in awe of Pam Hinshaw's latest knitting and must admit the 2 color stranded Latvian style pattern is a technique that astounds me. Especially when I read her notes on Ravelry, actually she used 3 different patterns and 2 technique resource books to achieve the uninterrupted design.

The main pattern Pam used is by designer Meg Swansen, Giant Latvian Mitten Cardigan WG67. You can read Pam's note on the special effects she used to create this lovely sweater and see other views of it on the Ravelry page linked above. Pam wrote to me that she "modeled for the photos on the shore of Lake Red Rock in Iowa on a breezy August 10 and the wool was soft and so comfortable". I do appreciate the compliment on our wool yarn.

Felt Tote Bag

This is my first large scale specific design of cutwork, it reminded me of cutting steeks in knitting - more difficult mentally than physically. The colors are based on the 2011 Felt United theme of red, purple and blue. The blended red/purples are hand dyed Marr Haven roving which wrap around to a back side of silver blue/grey.

The bag is 12 inches wide, 14 1/2 inches tall measured to the top of the bag. The strap handles are 7 1/2 inches taller so you can carry it over your shoulder. There is nearly 9 ounces of wool fulled into very dense felt giving the strength needed for whatever might be carried in it.

The strap material is commercially felted wool, polished into extremely tight material that required much soaking and manipulation to open the surface fibers to attach to the bag wool. Pam Wheelock of Purrfectplay.com acquired the felt pieces and allowed me try this.

Felted Bird Pod

I found a way to beat the heat with wet felting, I enjoy the tactileness of felting anyway but cool wet hands in hot weather is very good.

The bird pod shown here was done the very first of the month. My friend, Suzanne Higgs of Hooked on Felt gave me the beautiful locks to incorporate in a pod design. Felting it in July means it will be ready for next year's bird nesting. The main portion of the pod is from a silver grey batt that Suzanne Pufpaff processed for me at her fiber mill.

Allegan Michigan Independence Day Celebration

One of the great things about a small town is the opportunity to join in any and all celebrations. Our Specialty Shops group entered a float in the 4th of July parade and had a fun time tossing candy and riding around town. I am the one with the big hat at the end of the float.

Each shop prepared something for the float to represent the type of business we have. I hand felted a sheep from our merino rambouillet roving and hung it on a wood clothes rack with skeins of our yarn hanging above the sheep. Below is a picture of the rack at home.