EASTER EGGS AND WET FELTED, WOOL BALLS

With Easter just around the corner, we decided to try a new and easy method to make wet felted wool balls using a plastic Easter egg container.

First you fluff out two small portions of wool roving and then lay one fluffed fibre bundle over the other at a 90 degree angle. 

Roll this fibre bundle into a loose ball and place it into a plastic Easter egg.

Add some hot tap water and a small amount of soap.  We used a bar of olive oil soap.  

Close the plastic easter egg container and shake it like crazy.  You will soon notice the wool fibres begin to felt up and form a ball.  You may need to pour out some water as the wool shrinks.  You should keep shaking the egg until the wool forms a firm ball.

You can start the felting process in the egg and then finish it by rolling the wool between your hands.

Shaking the egg to felt the wool can take a bit of time so during this process, we decided to entertain ourselves with a little song and dance.  Here is our version of the Hokey Pokey.

After a few rounds of the Hokey Pokey, some exercise in the form of dance and lots of laughs, we had some very colourful felted balls.  These can be used to make jewellery, to add a pom pom fringe to a rug, or to string together to make a mobile.

  

Women Matters -- Alive and Well

We are back in action!  

Well, actually, we have never been 'out of action'.  Women Matters has been meeting regularly and our membership is growing.  What has changed is that we have decided to use our blog to record our activities on a weekly basis.  There are so many great blogs online, we want to be a part of the colourful, creative world of arts and crafts blogs.  

Follow this blog to keep up-to-date on what Women Matters is doing. You will discover new techniques, fibres and supplies, while we explore the various ways to resolve challenges and share      tips and tricks that we have learned to use in the creation of our beautiful rugs.  

Here is a sneak peak at some of the projects that our members are working on.  

Each week, we learn something new.

This past Monday, Judy shared with us, one of her favourite things.  It is a very convenient, tiered, carrying tote.  Made of durable, see through plastic, each section measures the same length and width but varies in depth.  They can be easily stacked.  

Shallow containers hold her threads and beads.

Notice her cheese?

Larger sections have air vents along the sides. This section holds her projects and lunch.

Transporting the various parts is easy.  Just stack and clamp the sections together, including the lid. Judy bought two tote boxes which she mixes and matches, and then stacks as one carrying case.

Although she bought her cases at Jo-Ann Fabrics in the States, the rumour mill has it that you might be able to find them at Michael's or Walmart, here in Canada.

With a case like this, I imagine myself getting up in the morning, packing each section with a meal and then sitting down with my hooking project to spend a whole, uninterrupted day doing my two most favourite things, hooking and eating.  Now, that's a good thing.

Thanks Judy for sharing this with us.