Hand/ Arm Warmers - Fingerless Gloves

I have a bunch of wool sweaters that I have been chopping up and making groovy stuff with. I really dig fingerless gloves, and this is my first pair. I used 2 merino sweaters, (one light blue, the other peacock blue) that I felted by washing them in hot, and then dried in the dyer.

The darker sweater had these funky cuffs with covered buttons. I chopped about 8" off of the light sweater, and chopped the whole cuff, about 9" off the other. Then removed the buttons.

I turned the light blue sweater inside out and then machine sewed a line from the top down about 3" in, and about an inch from the edge, for the thumb. I hand embroidered these pieces before wrapping the cuff around them, and hand stitching with a cross stitch. I then added 3 of the buttons.

This instruction idea can be used with many sweater pieces. For sizing wrap a rectangular piece of sweater around your arm to see how wide and long it needs to be. Try several types of textures, and more than one or two colors. This is freestyle sewing, there really isn't a pattern, you gotta just go with it!

These are in my store.

Felting is JUICY!

Felting is such a wonderful craft. I remember when I first discovered it. I was soo excited! Watching those wool fibers mesh into one another was amazing. I have since taught myself to "wet" felt flowers as well.

This is an orchid that I needle felted with white and fuschia wool roving, it has some embroidery and bead detail. This lotus is needle felted as well, I added a chunky turquoise bead to the center, and added a pin to the back.

AVAOriginal has this gorgeous poppy neck piece on her etsy page. It looks like it is wet felted.

At TianaCHE's etsy page you will find amazing wet felted scarves

Check out this basic needle felting tutorial over at the craftlog.

sweater maddness! Felting!

Inspired by the book Sweater Chop Shop, by Crispina French, and buy all the wool recycling goings on on Etsy these days, I went out and bought 8 wool sweaters of varying thicknesses. Some were merino, others lambs wool, some blends, others 100% percent. I began by felting them, washing them in hot water, and then drying on medium. This is what they looked like felted and ready.

I spent hours imagining the possibilities, and finally dove in with a pair of scissors. I decided to begin with a wrap sweater, so far I am using three different sweaters, and will likely pull in another one or maybe two before its over.

It was kinda scary, cutting them up. The peacock blue one was a delicious Banana Republic merino. But it is an adventure! I will post the finished product when through.

Mash (little headed ladies and more...)

Dang! It has been a minute since I have sat my butt down here at the computer to write a CraftMobb post. My apologies! Chrismas had me crazy, I was doin' craft shows, and making presents, working my 40 hr a week desk job, and being a mommy and daddy to my 5 year old. WHEW!

These are a few of the items I made over the last month...

This hood is 100% wool! It's made from soft delicious (and pricey) yarn that I purchased at "Fancy Tiger", our premiere indie craft store here in Denver.

These hats are made with doubled yarn, and water felted flowers, and are available at a local beauty salon called "Bliss".

Last I checked they were still available. My friend who works there says that they are too big for most of the women who try them on. I guess a lot of little headed ladies are clients there.

If they don't sell at the salon soon, I will put them in my esty store :)~xoxi