Needlefelting

Is not my favorite, but I was concerned that the elements wouldn't stay and rather than cause myself lots of frustration I needled.  I've made a fair amount of progress because I had four days set aside to walk the dogs and work on felt.  

I'm not finished.....but I am getting closer.  This element was added.

And this language

And so it moves a bit forward.  Not ready for the 28th for pictures....but closer.

I made circles with Celtic designs today but they are not attached yet.  

I really needed some time outside and so when it quit snowing I took the dogs for a walk.  

This is the swamp....mostly frozen but for this

A lovely weekend and much accomplished. 

Several Steps

forward and a couple steps back.  I have re-arranged parts of the piece again.  I made some elements and then decided I didn't like them.  And then looked again at this

decided it needed more curves and knots and movement. 

So I worked on this

It added more of the flavor I wanted.  But looking at the original again I went for animals and came up with this

So once I added them together I was happier. 

But still.... I want the script on the bottom and part of illuminated manuscripts theme is the ornate first letters.  This needs to be IN.  So I again went back to the original and came up with this.

I feel like I am back on track now.  Lots of ideas of hand embroidery and beads are floating around in my head whispering whispering....
try me...try me. 

Elemental

I made several elements for the Illuminated work this weekend, besides another piece of felt.  

I played with silk versus wool side up and made little color/idea elements, as I call them. 

This is nuno needle felted to nuno with some machine embroidery.  It was the final 'idea element' and several will appear on the left side. 

This is now the working layout.  Not sure about the knot on the right.  I may decide on another element that I haven't tried yet. 

This is two different color threads and a patched piece of nuno.  Don't think I like the swirly bits in this....yet it needs tiny detail to carry the theme. 

The elements that have made the cut, so far.  The only stitching is the decorative marks on the little squares. Not much progress for all the time spent in the studio, but lots of rehearsals and decisions.

Weather Report:

The drive way is glazed with ice and makes traveling from the studio to the house where my sewing machine is a bit treacherous but the temps got to the low 40F.  I think there is more snow in store for us before the weeks end.