OK, WordPress is behaving extremely funnily at the moment so forgive me if this the pictures in this post are not where I wanted them and they don’t have any captions. This morning I had a revelation, you all know by now how much I avoid sewing if at all possible, sometimes I like to add a few judicious hand stitches (I know stitching enhances felt wonderfully) but in general I avoid sewing like the plague!!!
Anyway, I ADORE the simplicity of Japanese design and one of the most read textile books in my library is ‘SAORI Self-discovery through Free Weaving’ by Misao jo and Kenzo Jo. My good friend Cristina lent me a few books last weekend and one of them is an absolutely wonderful book by Rutsuko Sakata, written in Japanese so unfortunately I can’t even give you the title here but believe me, I need to get a copy NOW! The pictures of Rutsuko’s work are beautiful and the line drawings inspirational. I was browsing through the book one more time at breakfast when suddenly I had a revelation! Last year I felted a beautiful piece of hand dyed silk with the intention of cutting and reassembling it into a kind of fitted sleeveless top (based on a well worn one from my wardrobe) prior to throwing it to hide the stitches and shrink it to fit. The silk was dyed by friend and master textile artist Lyda Rump and once I had incorporated a really fine layer of merino overlaid with silk fibres and felted them together the resultant nuno felt rectangle was so beautiful I baulked at cutting into it at all! Armed with a diagram from Rutsuko’s book I pulled out the nuno felt from my studio, folded it at the edges (a bit like origami but simpler!), pinned it and then tried it on, incredible, I now had the bones of a jacket/shrug that I know I will wear, fantastic!!! Anyway, I then found some perfectly matched thread (a Christmas present from Carmen!), added a couple of stitches to each side and voila, the top is completed. It’s raining horribly this morning so no pictures of the finished piece on the manequin, as soon as it stops I’ll take a few, for now off to felt and document another bag design for the book!
Nicola Brown Fine Art Textiles 
looks like a great piece!! I also avoid sewing whenever that´s possible 🙂
I love to read you made something with pieces and bits from all over the world!!
Oh for the name of the book – or a copy of the illustration – I can just picture you musing and having that AHHAAA moment. I was memorable to have met you. Karen
it’s the simplicity which gives the felt all the credit
The colours are lovely and good luck with the book hunt.
Your piece reminds me that everything comes back in style. In the ’50s my mother had a beautiful dress with “envelope” sleeves…exactly like the piece in your photo. It’s so simple I’m surprised that I haven’t seen it in more recent designs. Keep up the good work. shirle (USA)
Oh my gosh, I love the colors of this top and can’t wait to see it modeled. Hope you’ll bring it along when you come to visit. I’d love to see it in person. I have a feeling that you’re going to become a famous seamstress and leave me in the dust as the only non-sewer in the group:-)
Happy felting and big hugs,
Dawn
Nicola – lovely colors – I have two Saori weaving books and I just love them – got them for just that reason, folding the felt is just perfect for these patterns! I have one that I’m working on too (work on it more as my wrist heals) – great (felter) minds think alike!
Nicola, you’ve got it! This is the way to sew with felt. I’m so happy you faced your cutting fear and forged ahead. Beautiful results. Thanks for the inspiration of Rutsuko’s book. It reminds me of Sachiko Kotaka’s approach too, she puts her pieces on her body and turns them into what they seem to want to be, like you did.
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