i have been noodling around playing with my new toy - the embellisher. i have thought about getting one of these for years but was never sure if they were worth the $500. so many machine needlefelted pieces looked the same and seemed to look like a muddle rather than a designed piece.
but one turned up on ebay and i ended up getting it for half the price of a new one. and i think i was right - you get some interesting effects, it's fun and quick but i don't think it's worth $500. i don't like the holes left by the needles, so for me it will be a good machine to make backgrounds but not finished pieces.
this is 'wound' in progress - linen covered with silk fibres and muslin, needlefelted then machine and handstitched.
3 comments:
See...I like the holes. It's all texture ;-))). I use needle felting for painting with fabric, just as wet felting is painting with fibres. If I really don't want holes, then I needle felt by hand. Can you adjust the number of needles the machine uses? The less needles, the fewer holes (well, duh...right?). With hindsight, if I hadn't fallen in love with a friend's machine, I probably wouldn't have bothered... as it is, the machine doesn't get used much. I like wet felting.
Lisette I have an embellishing machine which I bought at a good price.
I love the things it does but I do only use it for backgounds.
It is an excellent way to use left over fibres and fabrics.
I also do hand needlefelting and wet felting. They all have a place.
I use my needle felter more than I thought I would (which I'm glad of as I DID pay 500 for it); the other day someome asked me for examples of how I used it and I was able to link her to 15 pieces (surprising even myself!)
My most recent use of it were the branches in "Spring" - I used it to make the branches and then needle felted the branches directly to the quilt. http://kitlangfiberart.blogspot.ca/2012/04/spring.html
As you play with it, you may find it more useful than you expect. Have fun with your new toy!
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