Some sixteen years ago, our family purchased a small business from a friend. We got several big bins of wool fleece, a client list, a handful of electric carving knives, and enough understanding of how the process worked to make felt pincushions for sale.
I found almost immediately that there was too much guesswork for me to reproduce the product just as I desired every time. I undertook to understand the whole process better – the medium and the techniques – so that I could create a product we’d be proud to sell.
I joined forums and read books and took some classes – and made and made and made felt. I fell in love!
Here’s a link to one of my favorite posts from 2008, about our process and how it developed over the years (especially after I broke the second set of agitator ribs in the washing machine…).
Time passed and I found that I would rather be making felt pieces for my own art rather than to sell to quilt shops. The time involved in production took away from my own explorations of a medium I adore so very much.
Nearly two years ago, injury sidelined me and I’ve made very little felt at all.
Next week, though, I’ll share more about my return to the felting table- which comes with great joy!
