Nuno-Felted Clutches

Designed and handcrafted by Kim Buchheit.
Over the weekend I made these fun little nuno-felted clutches to carry art supplies, make-up, or other goodies in style. These purses were handcrafted of merino wool and silk, with no-sew construction. Magnetic clasps and felted flowers are the finishing touches. (Felting tip: For this project, I used an inexpensive resist material that you can pick up at the grocery store: freezer paper! It works great and you can use your sewing machine to create larger resists as needed.)

Nuno-Felted Crop Top

Photos © Mike Buchheit
This no-sew, seamless top was nuno felted with silk and merino wool. I made some pre-felts first and cut out the flower petals in order to control the design a bit — arranging them on both the front and back. The piece shrunk a bit shorter than I intended, so improvisation was required for the photo shoot. :) This crop top can be worn alone for the brave-of-belly, or layered over a blouse, tank top, or camisole.

Silk and Wool Chemise

Designed and handcrafted by Kim Buchheit; Photo © Mike Buchheit
Sheer femininity, this light-as-air chemise is fit for a woodland nymph. No-sew construction, the piece was nuno felted with just wool fibers and silk — the seams were formed through felting alone. Before summer ends, I'd like to make a matching camisole to be worn underneath this one-of-a-kind piece.

Scarflet with Matching Pin

Design © Kim Buchheit; Photo © Mike Buchheit
This lightweight nuno felted scarf with matching pin will take you fashionably into fall! The design is a mosaic of butterscotch, yellow, blues, and brown — a great color combination to wear with your favorite pair of weathered blue jeans.

Nuno-felted Scarflet with Matching Pin

Design © Kim Buchheit; Photo © Mike Buchheit
This flowery lightweight scarflet comes with a matching felted pin allowing you to drape the piece just so and hold it in position all day. Nuno felting combines silk with wool fibers (soft Merino is preferred) to create beautiful flowing fabrics which lend themselves to apparel items and home textiles. If you'd like to learn how to nuno felt, consider taking a workshop with me and my fellow textile artist, Jen Marshall, at the Grand Canyon this fall. We'd love to have you join us — click here for details.

Wool Workshop at Grand Canyon

Photos © Mike Buchheit
Wool Workshop at Grand Canyon :: October 15-16, 2011
Learn to nuno felt with Kim Buchheit and Jen Marshall in the sublime wildness of Grand Canyon National Park! Enjoy sunrise discussions on the rim and classroom instruction on felting with wool and silk. Sign up now for this wonderful woolly 2-day workshop hosted by the Grand Canyon Field Institute. Space is limited. Course fee: $195. Enroll here — or, call 866-471-4435

June 4-5 :: Save the Date!

Photo © Mike Buchheit
If you're in or around northern Arizona on June 4-5, you won't want to miss this woolly event hosted by the Arizona Historical Society: The 2011 Flagstaff Wool Festival at the Pioneer Museum, 2340 N Ft. Valley Rd., Flagstaff, Arizona; 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; $5 adult admission. You'll find great prices on wool and other animal fibers, beautifully spun yarns, and cozy hand-made items. Historically the weather has ranged from chilly to blistering, but the event itself is predictably perfect!

Nuno-Felt Scarf with Prefelts

© 2011 Kim Buchheit. Nuno-felt scarf.

I made some prefelts the other day and cut out several circles to include in this lively design. I used only kool-aid dyed merino wool and silk in the piece. The kool-aid bled a bit during the hot water stages (meaning the dye was not completely "colorfast") — the bleeding came mostly from the silk scarf, I think. However, by the time I did the final warm-water vinegar rinse, the water was running clear. Regarding the prefelts: I loved working with the prefelt cutouts and am surprised how well the cut pieces retained their shape during the felting process!

Nuno-Felt Scarves

© 2011 Kim Buchheit. Nuno-felted scarves.

In preparation for a nuno-felting workshop that I'll be co-instructing this fall through the Grand Canyon Field Institute, I made some drapey wool scarves over the weekend. I love the fringe on the blue one, and the lightweight red one is much more vibrant than comes across in the photo; Canon seems to have trouble capturing reds. If you're interested in learning how to nuno felt, consider joining me and my fiber friend Jen Marshall, for a fun 2-day workshop at the Grand Canyon. All supplies included in the cost of the class, and the location is simply sublime!

The Fall :: Felted Wall Sculpture

© 2010 Kim Buchheit. Wall sculpture; wool, wire mesh, wood frame; ~32" (h)
I showed this work at a felting show in Tucson last year, but had intended it to be a part of a triptych. My hope is to create 2 more identical pieces and hang them vertically — but I dread having to make 200 more wool dreadlocks (okay, cheap pun). The title, The Fall, suggests waterfalls, hair pieces, and the fall of man (hah!).

3-Season Scarf

Handcrafted by Kim Buchheit © 2010

Lightweight and silky next to the skin, this hand-crocheted scarf can be worn all year round, indoors and out. This is the first item in my new Wildly Woven collection; made of non-wool fibers for wool-sensitive types. I love the feel and drape of this bamboo/acrylic fiber — sumptuous: it's like giving your neck a spa day! You can grab a cozy custom scarf for yourself — just go to my Etsy shop. Currently available in light taupe, periwinkle, and butter.

Woolly Bangles

Handcrafted by Kim Buchheit © 2010

Cozy wrist-warming bangles hand-felted from spicy-speckled wool. The intertwined design means the bangles fall just so, while the yummy fall colors mean you fall in love. This one-of-a-kind set is waiting for you in my Etsy shop.