Colorful Custom-Carded Rolags and Needlefelted Flower

Custom Carded Rolags and Needlefelted Flower, originally uploaded by confections.

This week's Etsybloggers' Blog Carnival theme is "Carnival of Colors". Color was on my mind the other day as I was busy filling a custom order for a needlefelted rose that I had made on my 25th anniversary last December. My task was to reproduce the colors for the new flower.

The process begins with the selection of the basic pink wool for the rose petals. Neutral-colored wools are then blended with the original pink using handcards to make slight variations in the pink color: alternately, white, gray, brown, and black wool is custom-carded with the pink to make fluffy rolags. I learned this rewarding essential technique with spinner extraordinaire Celia Quinn at a workshop I took last fall.

I think the new flower's colors are spot-on like the original. It's good to know that I have retained the knowledge of color-blending that I learned from Celia, even though I hadn't used this particular method in a number of months.

A flower for my Mother

A flower for my Mother, originally uploaded by confections.

I included this needlefelted rose in the Mother's Day package for my Mother. I made it from some handpainted Targhee sheepsroving that I had in my stash. It has a little nub on the back which can easily accommodate a pin without distorting the flower if she chooses to wear it on a hat or lapel or handbag. I love needlefelting little items like this. Most of the ones I make are more three dimensional, but I'm experimenting with different syles at the moment.

I'm off to a weaving guild presentation tonight which will be a hands-on demonstration of painting a silk scarf. I have done some of that in my time, but a refresher will be a great boost to my cross-crafting addiction!