Category: Handmade Textiles

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Autumn is upon us

We are a bit mushroom mad in our house too, the ones that grow in the woods now, not any other kind! we love hunting for them, identifying them and cooking up the edible ones. With Autumn now upon us, the woods are our favourite place to wander. Last weekend we went to Killarney National Park to hunt for them for reference. You aren’t allowed to pick anything there, only take photos. With all that inspiration I decided to have a go at creating some with wool. A mix of wet felted and needle felted mushroom have started emerging from my studio and I have to say I am rather pleased with them. It also gave me an excuse to random dye a whole pile of Wensleydale curly locks that I got from a local farmer and to card some of Leiko Felts gorgeous dyed merino wool from my stash into mushroom blends. Continue reading Autumn is upon us

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Jackets and new hats

Seems like ages since I wrote a post! the weeks are flying by. Being a textile artist I seem to have quite a few projects on the go. Between minding my 4 yr old grandson, minding the garden and the usual daily jobs around the house there are lots of days when little else gets done. However, there are also super productive creative days when new ideas and long term shelved ideas come to fruition. I am super excited about a new fascinator base which is a really elegant shape for the face. Simple colours with silk fabrics, flocks and taffetas. Continue reading Jackets and new hats

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Sewing: a skill for life.

Sewing is a fundamental skill for life. In almost every household, the girl learnt from the mother and grandmother how to stitch. In the more affluent homes, girls were taught by the governess the more decorative arts of embroidery, tapestry and lace making for example, as a way to occupy their time. In poorer homes, villages and amongst indigenous peoples, sewing was and still is, how they made their clothes, the very fabric being made from the fleece of their animals and the fibres from plants. Dressmakers and seamstresses were from the so called lower classes. It was their life’s blood, their income and therefore a skill for life. Continue reading Sewing: a skill for life.

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Wet Felting

As a textile artist, I am drawn to many types of fibres. Wool is perhaps the most ancient of fibres used to create something more usable. My grandmother was a potter and the idea of making pots intrigued me until I tried it and realised it was too rigid for me. Felting caught my eye many years ago when I was in County Galway but I didn’t get it together to try until the autumn of 2022. Oh my was I hooked, it feels like its deep rooted in my DNA. Such an ancient craft, so much a part of many cultures on a primal level for centuries. The ability to create a vessel out of wool using techniques also used for pottery just feels so good. So many gifted felters here and abroad gracefully giving their knowledge, what a gift. I am learning quickly and avidly, creating bowls, vessels and wearable pieces combining other fibres, silks and found objects. This is a love affair for sure. Continue reading Wet Felting

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A New Journey

Wet Felting
Wow October disappeared under clouds of wool! For many years I have wished to be able to felt and a friend gifted me some merino felting wool recently. I had no idea how to start but a few tutorials later and I dived in. I made my first wet felted neck warmer. Followed swiftly by a second pushing into new techniques and incorporating hand dyed wools of my own. Another tutorial later and I had to try making a bowl. I love bowls. I cracked it! I love affair is born. Continue reading A New Journey

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Dyeing silks and things in the microwave

I had some fun experimenting this last week dyeing various items in the microwave. I use Dupont silk dyes for all my dyeing projects and these are steamed fixed in a pressure cooker which can take up to an hour plus the use of water to rinse. Some time back I learnt that you could fix dyes in the microwave… but I was reluctant to try not being a fan of microwaves anyway.
However… having seen another textile artist posting gorgeous pieces on Facebook and learning that she had fixed them in the microwave, I vowed to try the very next day. A bit of googling and I found some basic instructions which I followed. This was not enough for my enquiring mind though. I wanted to test other materials that I had previously steam fixed successfully. Continue reading Dyeing silks and things in the microwave

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Mixed Media Textile Bundles on Etsy.

These are a wonderful way of gathering gorgeous bits n bobs without having to invest loads in large amounts of things.

As a textile artist I use a large range of products and materials across my various projects and have therefore amassed a vast pile of goodies. I decided to make up these textile bundles as inspirational packages for mixed media textile workers, or anyone who might find them a great resource. They can be used for junk journals, jewellery, scrap-booking, bags, wall art pieces, clothing, needle books and whatever your imagination creates.
These are available to purchase from my Etsy shop. Continue reading Mixed Media Textile Bundles on Etsy.