Hideously Beautiful
Jun 17th, 2008 by turtlegirl76
There’s no other way to describe this, um, “thing” that I made. Felting can be a fickle thing you know. You take some pretty stuff, layer it, add some warm soapy water and some friction and you get this:
This was an experiment (gone wrong) that Tvini & I decided to do a couple weekends ago. I don’t recommend trying this when you’re hung over. There’s a lot of rocking back and forth. That’s all I’m gonna say about that.
It’s fiber from a pretty batt I bought at MDSW last year, paired with some silk hankies also purchased at MDSW last year. We both figured that silk hankies just weren’t going to get spun by us (not very well at least) so when Tvini saw the tutorial linked here, we were both fascinated and decided to go for it.
Tvini had a very hilarious blog entry about her scarf and she even sent me a link to the pics we took that day. Unfortunately I can’t find them on my computer at all and dammit, I know I downloaded them. Ah well, there’s pics of the process on her scarf in her entry. You’ll get the idea. Just sub the white and red for purpley-red and orange.
I suppose it’s supposed to be a scarf. Would I wear it? Um. No. I don’t think that I ever will. I mean, it’s, um. Odd to look at. I think a better alternative for it might be to use it as artwork. Perhaps find a frame that it will fit in and hang it up on the wall?
Certainly not around my neck. And absolutely not around my neck IN PUBLIC. Would you?
I dunno… I think it’s kinda cool. Seriously.
Cool as art…not a scarf. I’m with you. Pam just sees the bright colors.
Though you might be able to cut it up into small strips and wear one as a scarf. I think less wouldn’t be as overwhelming.
Heck I would totally wear it. I live in a community full of artsy resort ladies. This time of year we’re crawling with them and they would claw eachother’s eyes out to get ahold of that to wear! I don’t know what it is about it, but I can just totally see it on them in cooler weather.
It’s totally gorgeous! But no, not for a neck.
Wow…just…wow. Having difficulty forming words. I think it may have passed ugly and gone all the way around to beautiful. Probably you could sell it to a gallery
It has magnificently gorgeous colors but it doesn’t really look like wearable art. I think it definitely needs to be displayed or used in another form. It doesn’t need to be in one piece; you can rip / cut and stagger them in placement on a board, mount / frame it, or since it’s felt.. make a bag or something out of it. The color REALLY pops. Do like a felt scrumble.
Seriously, if you don’t want it around the house, I’d take it in a heartbeat.
2nd try…
Kitty blanket perhaps? I think their ginger fur would look beautiful against it.
Great art work. Just hang it as is. No frame. Drape it across something and enjoy.
I’d probably cut it up and do something with it–something artsy and possibly fartsy.
Umm…I am without words (for once)…I tend to agree with the art idea. I can see it as a wall hanging displayed kind of artfully draped on some sort of copper rod. I think it would look great in your condo…just keep it away from the kittehs ;).
I think it looks like a fabulous sunset. But what does it feel like? Is it stiff? It doesn’t seem drapey enough for a scraf/shawl. Is it sturdy enough to make into a bag? How about pillow covers? Or flat enough for a table runner? Bring it Wednesday and let the group brainstorm.
Oh my! Ummm … uh …. yeah …. pretty colors! … um … OK so yeah, I’m with you. Not a scarf! Some of the arty suggestions are pretty good. Wow.
I just don’t know what to say……FO? Really?
Can you stitch it together for a bag or something? I think it is a cool looking piece though - even if it won’t make it as the life of a scarf.
Ummmm - no. Not around my neck. I can think of a few models that would pull it off though.
I’ve seen some cold felting projects and none of them were “me”. Kudos to the brave ones who can make it work for them.
Now - I could see using it as fabric w/ some cutting and sewing involved. Would make a nice scrapbook or journal cover.
I see cutting a big piece and put in frame as it is really cool and you made it! I also like the other ideas of covers/bags, etc. I really love the colors in it!
I loved Tvini’s post too! hehe
Pitch it.
Pretty colors though! Can you maybe cut it up and make a bag/cushion sort of thing?
That’s really something. Yeah, I’d cut pieces of it and then frame them in little shadow boxes. That would be all pretty and artsy and stuff! But as it is, it’s rather overwhelming.
I don’t know, it is really really pretty. I don’t think *I* would wear it because it is not my colors, but my mom probably would because she has the same color palette as you. It is gorgeous though.
Love the colors. How about cutting it up and making a kick-ass bag out of it? Line it with a bright purple!
I think the colors are absolutely beautiful (and you can totally wear those colors)!
That said, I’m not sure I like the texture… the way the silk sits on the wool looks kind of lichen-y to me. Mmmm.. fungus.
I’m having a visceral reaction to it. It’s disturbing, reminiscent of a half-cleaned pelt of a slaughtered mythical beast. I keep trying to look at it for longer periods of time, to see it as something else, but no luck. Knowing myself and my lack of appreciation for modern art, I’m probably completely off base here.
On the other hand, the colors are gorgeous.
Dooood - that’s like …. trippy ….
I swear my mum had a dress in the 1970s that was similar colours to your scarf.
Would I wear it in public? Yes, but then I love bright colours.
Mmmm like Bezzie I would use it in something else or use it as an applique material onto something else as an accent.
There is something very striking about it. The other thought that occured would to use it as an embroidery base or in a heavily decorated crazy patchwork.
Looks like Ripple and Calvin could use two new blankies!!!
Oh Cristi… please PLEASE tell me that the pink I see isn’t that marvelous pink poof you and I both bought at MDS&W last year! I mean.. while I don’t think the ’scarf’ is totally hideous (I do love the vibrant colours) that poof spins up SO beautifully that I hope you didn’t felt it!
Intense colors! Definitely wall art, though. Or pillows?
I cannot say that I would wear, but have you considered making it into a tote or purse thing? I think it would be pretty as one of those things.
Well, if I would had read the other comments, I would have not mentioned making a bag, tote, etc….Jeez
Hey, howya doin?
ACK! YES! YES! I would wear it!
Of course, I’m a big Supermaggie fan, so maybe I’m not the average target market. Go. Look.
http://www.supermaggie.com/?merchandise/Scarves
I don’t know, I think it could look pretty as a wrap with a nice black dress… maybe?
It looks like a river of lava. I wouldn’t wear it, but I wouldn’t pitch it either. It could be the first piece of a fiber arts Hawai’ian landscape.
If it’s thick enough… cutting it and sewing in into a lined bag would be awesome.
Again I prove myself unoriginal: I think it looks like some sort of fungus, though I say that in the kindest possible way. The colors are beautiful, the texture is intriguing; perhaps (nay, surely!) something can be done with it.
The colors totally rock, but I don’t think I could pull it off as a scarf. I do like the other suggestions of a bag or cushions though.
I like the bag idea…:)
I think it looks very arty–maybe a pillow or two?
Yeah - not wearable art. But art nonetheless.
I dig it, in a funky way. The colors are gorgeous and you are a crafty gal. I bet there’s lots you could do with it! I like the bag and pillow ideas. Bet you could still get a scarf (or two) out of it if you cut it up and pieced it together creatively, or if it’s really thick, make some holes around the edges so you can pick up stitches through them and work the pieces together with crochet.
And guess what, Blogger just delivered your last 10 posts. Finally!!! Yeah!!!
Oh, hello. Welcome back.
No, I wouldn’t wear it. I vote for the framing option, though, because the texture is absolutely incredible, and I’m sure some school crossing guard would love to put it on their wall.
Pretty colors! I’d definitely recycle it into *something*.
Oh, BTW, bloglines just coughed up your last 10 posts.
I don’t think I would wear it. But I’m POSITIVE that my mother-in-law would!
OMGQ!! These comments are the best!! Um, yeah no. I wouldn’t wear it. Nor should you. But um, yeah, there are some people out there who would sooo wear it as a scarf. This post just made my day though
I think it’s amazing.
I double dog dare you to wear it. At least once.
I think it’s awesome! I would totally wear it, but then I wear some odd things.
I made one of those scarves (in a class) about two years ago, bubble wrap, roving and all. It came out great, kinda like a stained glass window. We used poly/silk scraps instead of silk hankies though. I thought it was a little too short to be a scarf, so it is now my window hanging.
You know, if it were a little more drapey, it might actually make a really cool wrap. But it looks kinda stiff and crunchy on the hanger there. I’m with the wall art votes - framed under glass, it would be very cool! Like pheasant under glass, but not edible. Unless you were really, really, really hungry.
I just realized the overabundance of “cool” and “really” in the same comment. Must get new thesaurus.
Dear Kristi,
As one that hasn’t been bitted by the felting bug, at least not yet, I’m totally apalled you took a fiber festival batt and felted it. They have nice fiber bundles at your easy disposal for felters. It seems kind of blasphemous that you would desecrate a batt in such a manner. But, what’s done is done, tsk tsk, and your long big thing has infinite possibilities. Damn, that sounded almost sexual. I would cut it up into smaller shapes, hearts, trapezoids whatever, and felt some more batts in other colors, and then sew up a book cover, or make a wall art or something. But that’s just me. It’s definitely very artistic, and should be displayed as such.
Yeah… I would wear it,, it has all my favorite colors. It’s unique and Different for sure.
It’s definitely fiber art. I think I would wear it, actually. With all black. Yep. I would.
If it wasn’t terribly stiff, I’d wear it. I love the colors!
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