I’m supposed to be packing up my art quilts for the Mt. Gretna Art fair this weekend.
But I can’t stop myself. I’ve been making needle felted brooches for a few days to take and sell, and I keep saying to myself: “Just one more!”
I bought a Needle Punch Accessory Kit for my Bernina sewing machine, and I love it! I’ve done needle felting for years, with a little five-needle hand punch. But using the speed of the sewing machine is a game changer.
I have a good supply of vintage silk sari strips, which shimmer in these little compositions. A friend gave me some wonderfully smooth wool suit samples. The blacks and grays make great backgrounds for the vibrant colors. Plus I have plenty of wool yarn, and many colors of felt pieces. I drawn upon my bead supply for the final touches.
I even forgot that my 11 year old art student was coming today. So — I explained the process to her, and soon she was needle felting a nice little landscape. She looked so grown up sitting at that machine! She took to it like a duck to water.
Martha Ressler 