learning from a master

... more stories from craft days with jean. jean is teaching me to needle-felt, a skill i've been wanting to develop for a long time. my brain absorbs new techniques better thru human interaction than thru diagrams and written instructions. so i started begging her to teach me over a year ago. and on thursday my pestering paid off, big time.

the piece above is jean's work. she opened a rusting altoids tin and handed me a needle. i dug out my stash of natural-dyed wool fleece (saved up just for such a possibility) and a couple of fresh kitchen sponges. with very little hoopla, she said "you just do this, over and over... and see what happens..." we began to play around with the supplies at hand. as we chatted she cut this silhouette freehand from a felted sweater and proceeded to turn it in her hands, punching in the little details until she had this gorgeous finished elfin cameo. she is amazing.

the photo below shows my first attempts.

the work is pleasingly slow and meditative, i am already addicted to it. and i can hardly wait for next thursday :)

Comments

[gigi]

looks like a pleasant way to spend an afternoon with a friend!

[bam]

oh, my God, your gifts never stop. that is amaZING. i gotta meet that jean some day. beautiful beautiful is all i got to say......i would be addicted too. if i could thread a needle....xoxox