365/2013 - Day 317

Second Thursday -- November 2013

Tonight was our Second Thursday meeting and Jan Waller showed us how to make a wet felted 3D "pod".  Jan is so amazing with her easy going teaching methods and the way she makes everything go so smoothly and then things just POP and you've got your piece of felted magic.  It is just incredible (to me, at least) the way Jan can present such a complicated and multi-steps driven project and keep you so occupied and engaged that you hardly realize how much time has gone by and how much real physical work you've put into your project -- all you can see and remember is how fun it was and how all of a sudden you were standing there with your object.  Amazing.

Here are some photos from tonight's session.  I didn't get a chance to photograph everybody separately because there is just so much to do and you need to keep working...but every one of us made a really super item!

I didn't get everyone in the picture (sorry) but in attendance tonight were:  Carla, Julia, Peggy, Joan, Jan, Jane, Leann, Juana, and me.

This project is made of three layers of fibers laid on the top and bottom  of a resist/shape/form and the final layer is where you can add some details.  I was trying to make a sort of animal mask. 

Another view of everyone working:  Jane, Leann, Juana, Carla, Julia, Peggy, Joan.  Not pictured: Jan, Took.

Tonight I was able to actually keep my piece's shape pretty well.  When we worked on the fish last month at Jan's felting workshop in Plymouth I was a bit less consistent.

This is Jan doing the rolling step of the process...the one I can't physically do myself.

Me cutting the hole to pull the resist out.

Ta-daaaa!

And here is my mask after all of the steps.  I still need to shape it a bit and eventually Jan will show me how to make horns, ears, etc. to add to the face.

My piece after I worked with it a little more and pinned it and hung it to dry on the hook on my studio bathroom door.

Another view.

Once again, the very wonderful Jan Waller walked us through the long process of wet felting in a really fun and where-did-the-time-go project.  If you ever get the chance you really ought to attend one of Jan's classes and/or workshops -- under Jan's loving, patient, and fun guidance you won't believe what you can do!

You can easily find Jan's classes and workshops by following her Facebook page.  And  here is a link to Jan's blog "Love. Make. Think.  The musings and makings of Jan Waller, felt artist."