WIP KT22 Fiber/Felting FINISHED!!!!

**rue d'oak** · #1 10-12-2009, 12:52 PM

Not that I don't have enough on my plate, but I have started another project: a fiber hanging of the ridgeline of KT22, the premier mountain at Squaw Valley. The image is the planning draft I am working from, created from a photo I took and manipulated in my photo program.

The madness is that it will be 48" x 28" - the biggest I have tried to date, short of traditional quilting.

I am going to start with felting, in a combination of machine felted woven fabric, with needle felting over the top. One of the reasons I have been exploring the chenille was for this project, though I think I have changed my mind.

We shall see...

I am doing this for our little mountain home. It is a long story but the short of it is we are using a TINY tiny condo which is dark, no mountain view. We must rent our usual family place for a while. And I miss the light and seeing the mountain terribly. So I am creating something to look at, as though I am looking out from our usual place.

But bright, wild, more interpretive of the landscape. The hanging will of course not end up like this...but I think with the needle felting I can get a lot of control over the detail.

Why not paint this? I thought about it...but have been having so much fun with the felting that this was an appealing challenge. And it beats putting $300 into framing a watercolor.

Jen

EvaJ · #2 10-12-2009, 02:12 PM

Very nice Jen, can't wait to see what the finish picture will look like.

blestlady · #3 10-12-2009, 02:29 PM

Wow, Jen! That's going to be quite a beautiful work of art when you get it done in 2030, lol!! JK, I know you are faster than I am! I have no clue what you are doing here but I know it will be wonderful.

Leslie Pz · #4 10-12-2009, 04:54 PM

Very cool and can't wait to see more! Sorry to hear of your relocation. Hope you adjust quickly.

**rue d'oak** · #5 10-12-2009, 08:21 PM

I've struggled since last winter with the change

Of course I feel fortunate to have the little place, and someone crazy enough to rent the other at a price high enough to pay the mortgages for both. But we are doing more to make the little place homey, easier to use. Called a one bedroom, it is more like a glorified studio. A bit tight when the Ski Bum and buddies descend on us, Cheezits and wet jackets in hand.

Hit my two favorite discount fabric stores for my two main base fabrics. The orange/rust is softer, but once I get needle felted wool and embellishment done, I think it will work. And I found this great loose Irish linen. I'm going to do a test dye and see what kind of blue I can get. I also got a bit of a more tightly woven linen, which is the right color. May even place the loose weave over it. We'll see.

I'm motivated to get going on this, so that it is done as soon as possible. I am slow to get moving -- been wanting to put something over the coach for a year -- but once I decide, I do it.

Jen

**DrDebby** · #6 10-12-2009, 08:40 PM

This is going to be really interesting Jen. Funny how we put off projects we want to do, then all of the sudden it just boils up and out.

Leslie Pz · #7 10-12-2009, 11:04 PM

Jen, in so many ways you are very lucky. The loss of the view is a small price for 2 mortgages. You go girl! That's pretty savvy smart.

And struggling for time -- I hear that. I hope you are able to find good chunks of that elusive thing called time because I really am eager to see more.

Leslie Pz · #8 10-12-2009, 11:07 PM

PS
I know nothing about felting and do enjoy seeing your stages. I am also very curious as to what your plans are for your new fab from your fav store!

**BeyondTheNineSquares** · #9 10-13-2009, 01:08 AM

Wow, Jen! You never cease to inspire!

RS1 · #10 10-14-2009, 06:35 PM

I love needle felting and mixed media art - good luck!

**rue d'oak** · #11 10-21-2009, 01:46 PM

Progress! Hung with masking tape in the spot where it will end up...

I greatly appreciate all your moral support. My hands are getting stiff from all the handwork.

Here is some detail.

First I basted the top grey-purple linen to the bottom, then basted in the ridge line. I used a mix of roving and various yarns on hand, mixed with my carder, to get the color and texture I wanted. And then started needle felting.

You can see how transparent the linen is, with the comforter cover flower showing through. I have backed the linen with a periwinkle blue layer, which gives a good mix of color, depth.

I now have gotten all the mountain and sky in, and am doing of layer of machine stitching and embroidery. More photos to come!

Jen

Aral · #12 10-21-2009, 04:09 PM

You are truly painting with fibre Jen

I love it. Looking forward to see more.....

Granola Girl · #13 10-21-2009, 05:48 PM

Very exciting!!! I see mountains already!

(We painted mountains in my last painting class, Pyramid Mountain in Jasper,BC... I don't think I've ever struggled so much to create a likeness of something. I couldn't even bring myself to post it!

I even tried it a second time in different colours, but I'm still not happy with it.)

**rue d'oak** · #14 10-21-2009, 08:45 PM

I think I need to adjust the clouds - my mom told me this afternoon that they could be mountains...I think I have let them mirror the shape of the ridge line too much. Ah, adjustments, but that is what feedback is for!

Opinions anyone?

Jen

**DrDebby** · #15 10-21-2009, 09:23 PM

Mom's right Jen. It looks like more mountains. Maybe some sky gap at the mountain crest, not the whole of it, just here and there. Or a bit of cloud draped across the mountains, like I was seeing yesterday around here. Love the mountains.

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