Hand Felted Wool Candle Hurricane - White/Nativity
(Please Note: some photos are for visual examples only, like: display settings, lighting options and packaging. Therefore, they may be a different style/color than the item in this listing. Also, photos are as accurate as I can get given the challenges of lighting and the reflection/shine effect silk and bamboo top create)
ID#: CH080623-5
Color/Design: White/Nativity
About:
I was pondering the shorter days knowing I would be using more candlelight for ambiance, so began trickling out extra felted hurricanes to sprinkle about the house. The corner where I always have a bit of holiday decor screamed out at me for something new. That's when the simple silhouette of a nativity scene popped into my mind. I got straight to work to produce this inocent lovely little design, and like my other designs it's a practical piece for any space. It has a ripple texture from the wool and wavy veins from the silk. The felt is sheer enough to be semitransparent allowing light to radiate through. The addition of the mulberry silk top produces a stunning shimmer sure to be eye-catching. Finally the addition of the nativity scene warmly welcomes in the season. Sturdy enough to hold its shape without a glass insert, yet pliable enough to collapse and store away when not in use. It's soft and lightweight so wont scratch surfaces. The part I love the most about this design, is the main vessel is from the wool off our sheep!
Felt:
Is an age-old art form to create a textile like fabric, which often today we refer to the form as “wet” felting. Additionally, a more modern technique of felting is called “needle felting”, it has also been coined the term “dry” felting since there is no water involved. It can take several hours, even days to complete a design from start to finish. Wet felting can be a physically vigorous activity requiring stamina, upper body strength and the ability to stand for long periods of time. While needle felting can come with a bit of its own hazards like poking yourself with a needle and neck & shoulder stiffness from sitting hunched for long periods of time. Wool felt can be quite durable, it can be felted in a seamless fashion for strength, it can be felted very thick & dense or incredibly sheer lightweight and delicate. It’s a great insulator from cold and heat, it’s the most flame resistant of all natural fibers.
How I felted this item:
I felted the main vessel using natural white wool Troy sheared from our Border Leicester sheep. The wool was first scoured clean and processed into lose fibers. Using the wet felting technique with a resist, I carefully laid out the loose fibers in a methodical manner, including the addition of a generous portion of white mulberry silk top. After adding water, I used my hands to gently begin persuading the fibers to interlock with each other via the scales that are on them. Further compression and friction through various techniques, a sturdy like fabric resulted. Using a blocking container I was able to form the vessels shape by stretching and fitting. Once it was dry, I adorned it with a simple nativity silhouette by needle felting with other sourced wool. Then I finished it off with a simple tag stitched in the bottom that bares our farm name.
Suggested Uses:
There are several illumination options from a real wax tea light candle to a battery operated candle, to an electric LED light base. (check out our battery pillar candle and LED light bases available)
Some designs even work when positioned upside down for a different lighting effect.
Use in any room of the house for warm ambiance, even outdoor patio areas.
It’s a perfect light for a nursery room, use it with an LED light base for a bit more illumination
A great design just on its own when it’s not illuminated.
Fill it with flowers or kitchen/office utensils.
Give as a gift.
Included with this item:
1 Felted Wool hurricane
1 Glass insert
1 battery operated tea light candle
Neatly bundled in a giftable box
Materials Measurement:
Wool hurricane: approximately 6” tall x approximately 3.75” outside diameter
Glass insert: 6” tall x 3.5” diameter (inside diameter can fit a 3” diameter candle)
Video/Photo Gallery:
Click this link to hop on over to my Fiber Studio page to see some past and recent designs I’ve done.
CARE
Wool designs can easily be freshened or cleaned. Use wool friendly cleaners like WoolLite or Unicorn Fibre Rinse. For small areas spot rinse under cool water and gently dab. Alternatively, full immersion in a sink of cool to lukewarm water keeping agitation to a minimal and let soak for several minutes. Then gently rinse under cool water, squeeze (do not ring) as much excess water out, then gently pull over glass insert to re-shape and let dry with or without the glass insert in place for about a day. Steam ironing with iron on the wool setting may help to set down the natural fuzziness that occurs from use (wearing/handling)
WARNING
WARNING: When using a real flame candle, use common sense. Wool will not per-say burn, but it will singe, hence you MUST USE THE GLASS INSERT to protect the wool from direct flame, the radiant heat is ok. Be sure when using a flamed candle to be cautious when “lighting” the candle, so that the flame of the match or wand does not get close to the wool fibers. Alternatively, it may be best to remove the wool vessel cover from the glass insert, light the candle in the glass insert, then carefully slip the glass insert back down into the wool vessel cover. NOTE: If the wool vessel you have, has a more abstract artistic design resulting the wool extending above the top ring of the glass, it is NOT recommended to use a real flame candle, rather a battery operated candle or electric LED light base.