Craft:

One of the great things about working on a craft book like Feltique is the opportunity to work with artistic talents. Each of the contributors to the book submitted their own original ideas for review. Having them in the book adds to the broad range of materials and diverse how-tos. I really want to share the spotlight with them, so I will introduce you to them in pairs.

Portland artist Karen Thurman's scarves grace the cover of Feltique. They are smooth, flat, immaculately wet-felted scarves. Her style is bold and unique, and involves laying stacks of felt colors and then felting them together. The Dot Scarflett project in the book is a perfect example. From her artists statement: "Felting is my passion, my compulsion and my joy that accompanies me throughout each day. From the beginning, the process of transforming fiber from a beautiful live animal into cloth has struck me as magical. Over the years, that magical process has had its way with me, leading me from hobby to art. Making felt fills me with a sense of accomplishment, and has proven to be a most amenable vehicle for translating inner vision to outer reality." You can really see it in each piece of her art. Check out Karen's Etsy shop for more.

Moufelt is Jeanie Lai's textile design studio; Jeanie is another contributor from Portland. Moutfelt contributed a beautiful necklace that is also on the cover of the book. The Ruffle Necklace is a fantastic project, and her design elements add a level of sophistication that belie their simplicity. Here's what she had to say about her current work: "More recently, I started making felt trivets die-cut from thick industrial felt. I love coming up with new designs and will be coming out with bracelets and more home accessories in the fall." I can't say enough about her modern take on wool. Especially her trivets. The wool lends its warmth to the room without the slightest hint of a folksy look. Every piece from Moufelt studio defies the notions that people have about felt crafts. See more at the Moufelt Etsy store.