One Arm Manual Felting Machine & More Craft Warrior Progress

Here are a couple more photos of my progress on the Craft Warrior Challenge item. Further down are shots of me using the manual felting machine my husband created so I can roll my creations with one arm. (Click images for a larger view)

Hmmmm, fabric hearts. Where could I be going with this? Any ideas?

After assembly I realized I had way to many hearts cut out and the solid pink didn't singe very well. I then added a couple cut from a gold toole with glitter. I like how it's coming together.


The Manual One Arm Felting Machine - LOVE it!!!!

Pushing

Pulling
Repeat

What a great contraption. It applies pressure evenly over the entire bundle and the heavy grates on top & bottom apply more friction. And the piece of oak firewood tied to the top is nice and heavy for more downward pressure. This sucker felts much faster than just using 2 arms.

Shoulder on the Mend & Special Operations Warrior Foundation Challenge

I have started physical therapy and am out of the sling most of the time. I'm still not allowed to actively use my shoulder but from my elbow to my fingers just about anything goes! I am participating in a fiber challenge and really need to get some felting done. I've got the Felting Jones bad!

My husband is such a sweet man and offered to do the rolling for me. He's also had a felting machine in mind that he would like to build. Necessity being the mother of all invention, he put together a manually operated contraption that lets me felt with one arm! It's a bit awkward but still requires a lot less effort than rolling by hand. It's a large metal grate with a handle welded on and a big piece of split cord wood tied to the middle. I just put the wool item, rolled up in a bamboo blind and towel, under the grate and push and pull it. It applies pressure and rolls it - all with just my good arm :D I was having so much fun with it that I forgot to take photos, but I'll post some soon.

The Crafty Retailer does some great fiber challenges. I've sent in earrings for a challenge and now am making an item for the Craft Warrior Challenge. Pat donated all the beautiful Swarovski elements and all participants will be making something using them. The completed items will be for sale on the Craft Warrior Etsy page and all proceeds will be donated to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation! This great organization provides full scholarship grants and educational and family counseling to the surviving children of special operations personnel who die in operational or training missions and immediate financial assistance to severely wounded special operations personnel and their families.

These photos show the process of my entry - but can you guess what it is? I'll post photos as I go but I won't tell what it is until it's done :) I'm using black Romney wool, pink & purple merino, gold & black firestar and pink sheer and lace panels.

Surgery Recovery & New Felt Inspirations

I had shoulder surgery on Wednesday and that means no felting for about 4 weeks - so sad! Since I can't felt I have been looking for inspiration on the internet. These images from the Hubble and Spitzer telescopes of galaxies, nebula, dark matter and stars are amazing and have inspired me with their colors and texture. My goodness 3.5 weeks to go - whatever shall I do?!