Flax Hat...First Draft!

Well it was hard going but I finally finished the first flax hat. The fibre was very tough but softened up enough for me to crochet after soaking overnight in the bath tub. Was a bit hard on my arthritic hands so I will try the greener leaves next time and see if that works any better.
Oh and just a tip, make the hat larger than actually required as the flax fibre 'shrinks' as it dries. I think the cowboy hat I've created will be too small for its intended recipient (victim?) now Doh! Oh well back to the drawing board ha ha :)

Flax Hats???

I made a crocheted cowboy hat for one of my grandsons recently which sparked orders from two other of my grandsons :)
This time I've decided to try crocheting them from the leaves of our NZ flax plant growing in the garden.
I use the older dry leaves from around the base of the plant. The fibre needs to be soaked in the bath overnight to soften it enough to be able to use it. Not sure how it will go... We'll see...

Patching over Problems

I'm such a klutz most of the time and I'm always dribbling something down my shirts :( soooo to disguise my blunders I get creative with patches.
For instance I spilt some of my delicious hot choccy down the front of an ol fav tshirt. It's been through many dye pots and print experiments but the stain did not blend in with all the other chaos on the shirt. The stain had a slight resemblance to a gecko in shape so I enhanced it with needle felted merino roving and some beads n buttons etc.
I keep a stash of pretty patches, old doilies n stuff in my sewing box to cover stains, repair tears n holes or just to funk something up. My pal Sonni makes lots of these patches and I often barter with her for a little stash of them. Stitch a few up and swap amongst your mates :)

Nuno and Hemp

Finished the nuno felted crocheted top I started the other day. I made the back from hemp/silk fabric I had previously Eco-printed using India Flints methods. This was them hemmed and collared with needle felted merino roving. There was a little pucker in the back seam I only noticed on completion so I needle felted a small gumleaf of coloured merino roving over it to disguise my awful sewing skills ha ha....

More Nuno :)

I purchased a heap of white cotton yarn that was on sale recently to stash away for dye experimenting but ...
After seeing a pattern for a cute little girls dress in a vintage magazine I couldn't resist adapting the pattern to a ladies top.
I crocheted the front and then nuno felted the bodice. This was then eco-printed with eucalypt leaves. I will make the back from previously printed hemp/silk fabric and sew back and front together.
Here's a taste of how it's going...

The Possumbilities of Nuno Felting

Some mates of mine gave me a marvellous book about nuno felting as gift the other day. I was so excited we all went straight to the studio for a wee bit of a play.... :)
I quickly showed them how to make a simple piece of felt and while they were busy I gave the nuno felting a whirl.
Nuno felting is a form of felting that uses a thin porous fabric as a support. This enables the felt to be thin and have a lovely drape without compromising on strength of the garment. I used a scrap of silk georgette I had previously shibori dyed with puffball mushrooms and some fine merino roving.

Seapot Tea Cosy

To continue the theme of 'Finishing off the Year' I have FINALLY completed the Seapot! It has been lingering unloved on the dresser for months and months just waiting for me to sew in the tail ends and stitch a few buttons on to finish it off. Well.... Ta da.... :)