Lots of Felt Clouds waiting to be made into brooches and pendantsI was inspired by a project for a felt rock in Last Minute Fabric Gifts - my boyfriend and I made these and had so much fun, and then I was hooked. The Craftster felt forums also helped me learn some other techniques early on.
Your favorite technique
I would have to say sushi felt made from wet felting. I use sushi felt pieces (sliced from a roll) to make my Felt Cloud brooches and Pendants (see top two photos).
Your favorite materials
Wool tops of course! As colourful as possible. I also like felt sheet (with some wool content - I don't like acrylic felt generally). At the moment I'm also working with plastic buckles, buttons, and fabric, in my newest line, the Buckle Bug Brooches.
Buckle Bug Brooches You really need to see my store! It's a cornucopia of colour. I love combining colour and am very intuitive about it. People often comment on my sense of colour and my colour combinations. But here are some favourites (as used in my Felt Clouds): sherbet tones (a combination of oranges, pinks, and white), any combination of blues. Other single favourite colours are grey, green and red. I'm falling in love with orange lately too... and tangerine/peachy colours coupled with aqua or bright blues.
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to running your shop?
At this point, getting my first sale! I've only been on Etsy about 6 weeks. Publicity is hard work and to make oneself known to the online community as a virtual newbie, can be very time consuming. I'm enjoying it though - it's fun to be on the web a lot!
What other shops out there do you love (not necessarily textile)?
Here are only a few...
Crazy crocheted critters:
AngDavidson.etsy.com
Fantastic felt and crochet jewellery: kjoo.etsy.com
Colourful glass beads with lots of concentric circles: zippybeads.etsy.com
Unique and beautifully kitsch jewellery made from vintage bits and bobs and charms: rebecca3030.etsy.com
A truly wonderful shop with many fabulous felt and paper collage creations: KupKup.etsy.com
Brilliant and slightly spooky paper cut-out dolls: woolandwater.etsy.com
What item in your shop would you most like to receive as a gift if someone were shopping for you?
At the moment the Ochre Buckle Bug Brooch (see below). I'm actually thinking of removing it from the store so I can have it!
What are your future plans concerning felting and your shop?..
To learn some new felting techniques - I know a little bit of nuno, but would love to master shibori felting of knitted fabric. I would like to develop more textile jewellery ideas and launch them in my shop and sell more to my local stockists and expand the number of shops I sell to in Melbourne and Australia.
