Friday 10 February 2012

From knitted berets to hand-sculpted felted hats

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
Over the years I have made many hats: knitting them up on circular needles I have always found great fun. Much to my dismay though, my woollen creations, although admired here in Buenos Aires, were never sought after when I tried to sell them at local craft fairs. 
It seems that here in Buenos Aires it is not a common thing for a woman to wear a hat. First of all it never gets cold enough in winter so there is not a need  to wear one and secondly there isn't a hat wearing tradition so even at formal events like weddings you will very rarely see a lady wearing one.                                                                                                                                            
My husband always reminds me of when we met up at Victoria Station in London the day after our first meeting. I met him wearing a bright red  knitted beret, slanted across my head. It was a cold morning in February and of course a common accessory to wear at that time of the year. The look on his face when he saw my colourful beret though revealed a certain embarrassment and lack of knowledge about this long standing tradition.                                                            
This week I am back at my hat making antics and instead of getting out my circular needles I got out my merino wool top, a circular resist and started to work on a felted beret with colourful topped off with a flower and then a sculpted polka dot hat also with a flower on the top.
Both hats were made under the supervision of Andrea Graham during a two afternoon web cam felting class. Once again I had great fun making these hats, now we will have to see what my husband will say should I wear them.






Monday 6 February 2012

                    
                    VALENTINE´S AND HEARTS



With Valentines day on the calender this month, I decided to make a new collection of Bridal Wraps with a Valentine´s theme to them. Hearts, ofcourse were on the menu.  I started the three wraps by cutting out some different sized hearts out of some previously felted silk.
These same hearts I used to make three quite different Bridal Wraps.

Pongee Silk with silk chiffon frill, felted silk hearts and felted silk collar

pongee silk bridal wrap with imprinted felted hearts and silk frill





Pale Paris Pink Pongee Silk Bridal Wrap with silk felted hearts and felted silk band around the edges and double silk frill