A tiny wee peek into the new collection :-) There it is, my brand new curly bactus scarf in a bathtub, going through the process of final rinse. On the second picture, it had been wrung just before I spread it flat to dry.  

I like working both with undyed and dyed wool, as each of the materials has 

some certain strong points. For instance, undyed wool gives clothes a very natural rustic look; its texture is smoother and shinier for it's not been damaged with chemicals.

(Above is the pillowcase, or pillow cover, made from undyed British wool and pure undyed fibres... I'll write some more about pillows in the next posting).

However, if you use only pure wool, you don't have a wide enough range of colours. Dyed wool, on the other hand, even though it sometimes feels too dried up when working with it, which doesn't affect the quality of the final product though, has one huge advantage: it offers a whole range of bold colours. For example:

(This is an autumn coloured neckwarmer which was bought by one of my British customers; made from extra fine dyed Italian Merino wool).

Of a tree huggers and polar explorers

Two scarves opening the "Watercolor" collection, one cold and icy - another is hot and tropical :) They both are decorated with lovely curly fleece locks and hand dyed tussah and mulberry silk threads. "Rainforest" measures approximately  130x30 cm --> 51,1"x11,8" without curls.

"Aurora borealis" is a tiny bit bigger,  131x35 cm --> 51,5"x13,7" without curls.

 

Neptune's daughter

This is a feminine, slightly shimmering accessoire of deep fresh ocean colors, the scarf contents pieces of gray chiffon and wool yarn. It's a proper wintertime super warm scarf, and is also very soft :)
It's made of extra fine merino wool with a blending of delicate white silk threads.

Approximate measurements: 118x39 cm -- 46,4"x15,3".

Delicate grassy light green bloomy handbag with a stylized decorative pocket

A little fresh spring breeze in the beginning of autumn :) Pretty and lightweight weekend handbag for pleasant outings with friends.
The whole bag is seamless, including the inner pockets -- one small for a cell phone, lipstick etc. and one big.
Decorated with white 3D flowers in a bowl and organically "felted-in" delicate lace (just by rubbing it with hand so it gets strongly attached to the wool without using any strings). 
Approximate measurements: 40x35 cm -- 15,7"x13,7".
This bag is made of Troitskaya wool (the locally manufactured Russian roving), flowers are made of white Italian merino, with tiny water drop beads sewed on them in the middle.

'Morning freshness' victorian style petit shoulder purse on a long chain

The elegant and feminine nuno-felted purse, made of champagne yellow color fine wool with stripes of light pink chiffon, goes together with a flower brooch of the same color. Attached to the antique-color frame and hand stitched.

Approximate measurements: 21,5 cm wide x 19 cm tall -- 8,2" wide x 7,4" tall.
The chain is 25,5" long.

'The Snow Queen' lilac, frosty white and deep blue ruffle clutch

This clutch is made of fine soft wool + yarn threads, and has no seams at all. Designed with a small pocket for a cell phone, secured with a magnet snap. It has the crispy colors of winter, cool and pensive, with a slight anticipation of the holiday, fairy lights and the smell of Christmas tree.

Approximate measurements: 16,5 tall (without the ruffle) x 34,5 cm (the widest part of the bottom) -- 6,3" tall (without the ruffle) x 13,3" (the widest part of the bottom).

...In the process

Roundabout

This roundish-shaped one-of-a-kind pieces have made a small collection of colorful summer tote bags. 

All made of fine pure wool, they've got comfortable handles and are absolutely seamless, very spacious and solid, with small and large pockets inside for various stuff like a cell phone, makeup bag or a wallet, or some bric-a-brac one would wish to carry around with them.

'The Grand Canyon' rock brown, orange and yellow ocher wet felted clutch

I was inspired by the pictures of the Grand Canyon I happened to see, so I created such a clutch as a result :) It consists of fine merino wool and hemp (cannabis) threads (I used hemp threads because they're not exactly white, they have that weathered yellowish color I needed).

I also used recycled magnet snap and recycled big wooden button.

The bag has a small pocket for a cell phone inside, and is totally seamless and solid.
Approximate measurements: 33 cm wide (bottom) x 19 cm tall x 2 cm deep -- 12,9" wide x 7,4" tall x 0,79" deep.

'Enchanted mermaid' deep blue clutch with white water lily brooch

'At midnight, in the month of June,
I stand beneath the mystic moon.
An opiate vapor, dewy, dim,
Exhales from out her golden rim...'

Edgar Allan Poe, 'The sleeper'

That verse put me in a mood and somehow inspired me to create this purse. Solemn gloom of deep waters and smooth fog of the night. This piece turned out to be very beautifully shaped and has spectacular colors in it, too.

The gorgeous kiss clasp frame, taffeta lining inside, also goes together with the water lily brooch.

Approximate measurements: 24 cm tall x 35 cm wide (the widest part of the bottom) -- 9" tall x 13,7" wide, without the frame. The diameter of the brooch is approx. 16 cm -- 6,3".

The Colorado Potato Beetle clutch

My dear one-of-a-kind friend from Colorado. 32,5 cm tall and 22,5 cm wide (12,6" tall 8,6" wide), boldly striped, he has eyes, feelers and legs just like a real beetle...

Lazy summer alpaca wool tote bag

...Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee ;)

This one of a kind bag is wet felted* out of alpaca wool of the natural white colour. Has chiffon silk layer inside, organically rubbed into the wool.
Pictures of butterflies are on both sides, they’re woolen as well, decorated with silk threads; wooden handles attached to the bag with colourful braids. Very hairy and easy going :^)
Measurements: 43 cm wide x 44 cm tall (16,9 inches wide x 17,3 inches tall).


*This process involves using wool roving - merino, alpaca, or might be as well of some other animal, some blends of various colours, raw wool curls, silk threads - laying out the roving in thin layers in the desired shape, wetting it with soapy water, rolling it in a towel or bamboo rug and rubbing and rolling by hand to shape the felt. Takes lots of strenght, yep ;)