My sister Lizzy requested a little cell phone holder as one of her Christmas presents and since this proved to be a big hit with various members of the family I decided to get in gear and felt some more! Working with woven mohair off cuts from Cushendale Woollen Mill and a few scraps of silk I laid out a simple design on top of two layers of finnish wool (thanks Chrissie!) and created a piece of flat felt. The completed felt was nice but not very exciting and that’s where the fun began, I got out my sewing machine!!!
Free machine embroidered pouch
Selecting just a few embroidery threads with a lovely high sheen I stitched simple shapes in both contrasting and complimentary colours on top of the silk and highlit various squares of the mohair off cuts. As learnt during a workshop with Lisa Klakulak at ‘Felt in Focus’ in Denmark last July, by stitching in a particular way it is possible to raise the surface area of the felt and create added texture and interest. Beautiful buttons picked up with Kirsten Lang in Odense completed the last two pouches and now I have four more pieces of felt completed just waiting for some stitching today. I do love how in places the stitching echos the shapes of my dry stone walls, free form but effective I think!
Finally for today, I am in the process of organising my online presence to work in the most effective manner possible during 2012 and from this time forth. In effect this means that I have joined Pinterest (check it out, it’s addictive!), set up a Tumblr blog (a little like Twitter for bloggers!), am working on my Big Cartel store and will be reactivating my Etsy shop, busy, busy time indeed!!! Do please follow me on these new sites if you are interested, they will keep you up to date with all my activities in addition to my biggest love which as you already know is felting!!!
Nicola Brown Fine Art Textiles 
Good morning Nicola,
I love your beautiful pouch, the stitching really is a lovely addition.
Well, I certainly won’t have a hard time finding you with all of your on-line presences. You’ll be everywhere;-))
Wishing you and yours a most Happy New Year!
Big hugs,
Dawn
Beautiful work! Hope you will come and teach in the US again!
I will definitely be back in 2012 Suzanne and believe me I can’t wait! At the moment I am just in the process of working out dates, talking to organisers and all that sort of stuff, I still need to speak to a few people but keep a look out for exciting news, probably in my very next post!!!
You are right about pinterest. Someone sent a link to me two weeks ago and I’m hooked. I look at it every day to see what new thing has popped up. I’ve also been cooking some of the recipes posted there.
With all of your internet sites you will keep busy just putting links from one item to the other sites where it appears!
Hello Nicola
The pouch is beautiful! They would sell well on Etsy.
(We think you’re warming a bit to the stitching now?)
With your energy and enthusiasm you’ll soon have your online presence whipped into shape.
Good luck to you with that and kind regards from Annie and Lyn
loved your little case when you visited me at Rhinebeck, this one is really special Nicola! Lucky sister!
Beautiful bag, love the colors and the texture and the sewing is mightly impressive…who says you aren’t a seamstress…oh, it was you…lol
Great pouch, Nicola!!
Wishing you a most wonderful, successful and creative 2012!!!
Smooches–
Lovely stitching, and pouch. I love to make them too. But I never use them myself. Its too much trouble to take the phone in and out evertime I want to use it. But maybee I should make some again??
Happy new year to you.
Kirsten
I love your felted pouches and wish you all the very best for the coming year. Each of your postings comes with so much information and your constant ability to evolve. Always a joy to read :0