This week’s column for our local newspaper, The Evansville Courier & Press, is on Cathy Smay and how her life’s journey led her to felting. Why we choose certain crafts is often as interesting as the craft itself. Check out Cathy’s story here.
I never was very good at knitting. As a kid, I wanted to learn how to knit. My aunt, a knitter of all kinds of things from potholders to slippers, gave me a booklet about knitting for left handers. Well, I never could quite get the hang of it. It ranks up there with the problems I had with tying my shoes and any bows for that matter. But really felting is not about knitting. It can be an extension of this craft or not.
Just like the coasters Cathy made.
Cathy's coasters
She knitted these coasters. Then she “fulled” them, the felting technique of throwing them in the washer shrinking them and making them fluffy. She then needle felted the cute designs.
Cathy demonstrates needle felting.
Here is Cathy showing me how to needle felt. Look at all of those gorgeous colors of fiber. She told me that was just one box of her stash!
She also created these needle-felted necklaces. I love all of the colors she chooses and incorporates in her designs.
Cathy's needle felted necklaces
What’s interesting about writing this column is all of the wonderful artists and crafters I am meeting. I’m also learning all about these different crafts. I love to research so before interviewing, I try to read as much as I can about the craft so I can at least ask a few intelligent questions. As with the last blog post about the craft column, I will continue to also review a book or two that helped me.
Felting The Complete Guide
This spiral-bound book is everything you wanted to know about felting, but maybe didn’t know what to ask! Jane Davis takes you through the basics of felting including tools, fibers, terms, and the different methods. She even gives the readers tips for success! She has complete chapters on wet felting, needle felting, and fulling including lots of project instructions. All of the instructions include the skill level, finished size, materials needed, and great step-by-step pictures. This is a great book for anyone wanting to learn about felting and make some really neat items from three-dimensional kitty cats and faces to felting on a canvas tote bag. There are projects for all skill levels, including beginners.
I could really get into this craft, but I’ve made a promise to myself that I have enough on my crafting plate right now. But when the gardens slow down and the snow blows, I might have to check into felting or at least fulling one of those old sweaters.
I will have to read the article you link to. I love all of the bright colors in this post, Lynda. One of the things that attracted me to needlepunch was the wool roving I could hand dye. Any excuse to play with color. (I’m incurable…)
You must give this a try. There are never too many hobbies that one can participate in, only a lack of time to enjoy them all! lol
Yes, I loved her bright colors. Well, I might give it a try. I’d love to see some of what you’ve done. Now hand dying, that would be fun!
Great article – I love the coasters but then I saw the “painted notecards” – those are beautiful and so unusual! Just makes me want to touch all Cathy’s work!! BTW – I LOVE Cloth, Paper, Scissors too! Such an inspiring magazine!
Hello Lynda
I can relate to the ‘left handed knitter’ experience a little – my right handed Mother became very frustrated in the attempt to teach me!
The colours in all that felt really are amazing! I want to reach in and touch
I’m going to pop back later when I have a little more time and read your CSA post properly too – I’m interested in learning more about this concept.
Michelle, It was so funny at the beginning of the interview Cathy said she was inspired by her favorite magazine, Cloth Paper Scissors. I was so excited – Mine too!! Just love that magazine and just resubscribed for another two years. I rarely get excited about a magazine but this one is great. Cathy’s work is lovely and the colors – wow wee! Thanks for dropping by.
Heidi, I’m glad I’m not the only one with the left handed experience. One of my supervisors at my first real job got upset, said she couldn’t teach a left hander. And my mom also tried to get me to use my right hand and just gave up. It helped having an aunt who was also left handed, but she really ended up using both hands since she was forced to be right handed as a child. Sounds like a topic for a post! Thanks for stopping by and do come back when you have more time.
Thanks everyone for such nice comments. Lynda’s article was great and I feel I have made a new artsy/crafty friend. Someday I hope to do my own dying but for now there simply is not enough time! Felting is fun and there is so much you can do with it.
Cathy, Thank you for sharing your story. You were an easy interview!