vintage Tilly

Cashmere Hearts

There is nothing better than repurposing something that wasn't new to begin with. 

More than once Abby has told me that I like cutting up her clothes.  She's right I really do.  Her clothes have great textures and embroidery.  And when certain pieces weren't brand new to begin with, I don't feel guilty taking a pair of scissors to them.  I have my eye on the  fine-wale floral corduroy jacket she wore to school today.   I can be patient, she will grow out of it eventually.   Last summer I made a great bag out of a pair of her embroidered jeans that had amazing pink flowers on the legs and pockets. 

The sweater was Abby's, bought at a rummage sale two years ago and worn faithfully by her until recently when she grew out of it.  She was the only elementary school child I knew who wore cashmere sweaters..I hate to think of how I am warping her future tastes for the finer things in life... 

I threw the sweater  in the washer and dryer to felt the fiber up.  And then I began to cut.

Even after felting this cashmere feels wonderful.

A quick trip to one of my embroidery floss cases to pick out a color (really messy!).

After stitching up 90% of the heart, I then stuffed it with lavender buds that I bought through eBay and stitched each one closed.

  One heart led to another heart...

...Until there were three, ready to hang in a closet, get tucked into a a drawer, sitting in with a yarn stash to keep away pests or to all-around smell great.

One of these things is not like the other...

My mother wanted felted slippers for her birthday.  She likes wool (just not in a retail setting) and she loves my fiber projects so I was happy to make her a pair.  I used the Fibertrends felted slipper pattern and used  a combination of Lamb's Pride Bulky for the sole and cuff and a matching bulky-weight variegated handspun for the rest of the slipper.   

I like finished felted projects.  I like them when they are all done and are felted just right.  I realize that I don't necessarily like getting them to that point. 

This is how they started out:

Then it was time to felt!

I tried them on and wasn't too happy with the size of one of them:

So now it was time to break out the washing board...

And things were definitely looking better...

 

To finish them off I cut two soles, punched holes for lacing and put the suede side out when attaching them.  I was going to buy precut and prepunched leather soles, but I have a lot of leather left over from an upholstery project I recently completed.

 

I also added two hand made rock buttons (I may attach a leather strap to them to tighten up the slipper) that I picked up last summer at Neota Designs (knitting weaving, etc shop) in Estes Park, CO. 

I gave them to my mom tonight at her birthday dinner (even though they aren't completely dry) and they are a hit.

I think that for my next felting project I am going to go back to using my mother's top-loading machine - it is so much easier to felt that way  - it is so much easier than using my own front loading machine without a center agitator.

Let the felting begin!

My Noni is nearly finished!  Here it is above just before washing.  I made it extra large to carry around all of the extra stuff that I seem to do so well.  I didn't use the Cascasde 220 that the pattern suggests, instead I raided the stash for my favorite standby, Lamb's Pride Bulky in Oatmeal and Dark Charcoal.  I was in the mood for stripes, something fun and bold and, as I remind myself from time to time, it is good to tap the stash every so often.  Tapping the stash is useful since I've noticed occasional showers of yarn in my studio falling down from the high shelves that I have over the doorway and closet. 

Here is a picture of my Noni in the washing machine, felting its little heart out.

Don't you love the action shots?

I then blocked and dried it outside since it was such a breezy day.  Since Lamb's Pride has mohair in it, the bag is a little hairy.  I am thinking about giving it a slight trim.  I am also contemplating giving it another turn in the washing machine.  I like how it felted, but I think that I want it just a bit smaller and a little thicker, especially around the rim . 

Here it is without the handles: