Time to Felt

I haven't posted much because I haven't felted much.  I've been busy with the garden mostly.  But also the dogs.  I planted almost 200 bulbs and 1/2 pound of wildflower seeds.  Plus I've pulled weeds and put down mulch.  I'm hoping it pays off next Spring.  

Fall is always a very busy time for me.  We still ride on Sundays so the studio has felt neglected.  Walks with the dogs took me to the woods where the mushrooms are popping out all over.  

This is stink squid.

A Russula type..they may be green, gray, red, pink, or peach color.

I saw lots more mushrooms...but this blog is about felt.

I have several projects I would like to complete before winter.  Drapes for the large living room windows are one.  I've been trying some experimental dying for color.  These have been mostly onion skins with different mordants or an over dye with indigo.  Before I invest in the yardage for such a huge project I needed to see if I could even make drapes at all.

So, first I made a sample of 10 square inches.  

  I figured out it was 40% shrinkage and did some math.

I covered my tables, spread out plastic and then laid down my silk. 

I weighed out the wool.  My sample was 5 grams per 10" square.  

I figured out the total wool, divided it into quarters, laid it out and then added water.  

Today I played patty-cake.....rollie rollie, pattie pattie ... put it in the dryer.  Then it was rolled again, tossed again, heated with hot water, stretched then rolled some more.  

 The first panel is done.  The second is now lying on the table with 1/4 of the wool laid out.  Tomorrow is a holiday for me.  The studio will be filled with music while I make the second panel.