It's getting warm - Christmas is coming!

Today was the opening of the Wheel 'n' Weft craft group Christmas sale in Thornleigh, of which I'm a member, and it was extremely busy.  The first few hours are usually hectic but today seemed extra busy - must have been the homebaking and the Christmas music! 
I took some photos to give you a flavour of the place and the other members' work - glass, textiles, wood etc etc

Rhondda Retallack

Jenny Gordon

Elaine Farrington

Lindie d'Ath-Weston

The sale and exhibition is on until Sunday 31 October 4pm so do stop by.

Nunofelted shibori silk

Last month I blogged about a shibori workshop that I'd attended and had quite a few pieces of fabric at the end of it.  One of those was a black piece of silk georgette that I had put marble resists into then discharged the dye.  The resulting discharged silk was lovely in itself but I felt that I probably would never do anything with it as silk.

I decided to nuno felt that piece with black wool batts so that I could make it into a bag .....of course.

I managed to get very little distortion of the silk during the process to allow the pattern still to be evident:

I ended up having enough felt to make two bags:

The one on the left is a casual sling / messenger type bag with an adjustable webbing strap.

The other is larger and a bit smarter with purchased handles and a solid base with little purse feet.  The larger one also has a zipped pocket inside and both have magnetic closures.

For those of you in the area, you'll find me next in the Wheel 'n'Weft Christmas sale, Thornleigh community Centre, Thornleigh (29-31 Oct).

Some monoprinting fun

I brought out my piece from summer school this week (while I was looking for something else of course) and thought that I would make something of or at least with it.  Two minutes later I decided it would stay as it was "for later consideration", just couldn't cut it up etc.  However I was inspired enough to get the fabric paints out again and print some more.

I found some A4 ish pieces of fabric that I'd dyed a terrible puce yellow for some reason and thought they'd be ideal for a makeover.
I got quite into it and was fairly pleased with the prints so I turned them into smallish bags that I thought would sell at my next sale.

I did some free embroidery on each design to echo the print designs, backed on to interfacing then wadding.
The bags are closed with flexiframes - you used to only get these in 3.5inch widths but I've now discovered 4.5inch ones that you can at least get your hand through, wonderful - the things that excite me!!

The cording means they can be hung, or put a lobster clasp through the loops at the side and you can attach it to your belt, handbag.