Here are a few of my felt balls I’ve turned into ornaments for the Holiday Handspinners’s Fair on November 26th.  The photo doesn’t show it well, but I’ve mixed in some synthetic sparkly fibers.  I’ve added them on a few other projects including children’s crowns, candle holders and a scarf.  

If you are able please come to the sale and support local artisans this holiday season.  If you are not able to make this sale, think about how you could fulfill your holiday shopping list with local products.  When you support a local business you are supporting more than just that person, you are also supporting everyone they buy goods and services from.   This keeps more you your money in your community.

I’ve also updated my Etsy store.  Did you know that you can search for local products on Etsy? 

For SCA people coming to the Holiday sale, know that I will not be bringing most of the SCA specific items like hats and belt pouches, but I will also have a few things not listed on Etsy, like balls and cat nip mice.  However if you see a hat  you would like to try on let me know and I’ll bring it along.

Yesterday I spent “Black Friday” making these felt luminaries.  Perhaps for sale, perhaps for christmas gifts.  Either way my efforts will fund my christmas list.   These are made from 100% Michigan Icelandic wool.  The white was felted from raw, unwashed fleece and the colors I washed, dyed and combed myself before felting the leaves and berries.  Of course by the end all the fleece is well washed because of the amount of soap I use in the felting process.

The thin white felt is made using the resist method, then molded around pint and half pint mason jars.  This is my first attempt at what could be considered cobweb felt, felt so thin that the structure of the hairs becomes visible and part of the art of the piece.  It is difficult to photograph with cameras available to me how these look with a lit candle inside.  The light shines through the thin spots in the felt, showing the crimp of the wool.  Each one is unique.

Here is a group of them before I sewed the holly and berries on.  I plan on making some in different colors for different seasons.  I expect that dark colors will block too much light, but may be used as accent colors.

Here is a close-up.  Notice the authentic “vegetable matter.”

If you would like to purchase some of these visit my Etsy store.  Or if you are in the Ann Arbor area we can make the hand off here and save on shipping charges.