New Jewelry by Karma Grotelueschen

 These sterling silver brooches are entirely hand forged and crafted in Grotelueschen's silversmithing studio in La Valle, WI.  Made of sterling silver sheet that is punched and formed, these brooches have a sturdy pin back that is also hand made. Each brooch is one inch high and between 1 3/4 and 2 1/2 inch wide. Imagine wearing one on your coat lapel, on a wrapped scarf, or on a dapper hat! They can be purchased in the gallery spring thru fall, or at www.Etsy.com/shop/prairieoaksilver year around.

New Bird Nest Lapel Pins

Karma Grotelueschen has been making copper and copper wire sculpture since before Prairie Oak Artisans was even a gallery.  Copper wire birdnests have been a staple at the gallery since the beginning, with customers using them for table centerpieces, window sill art, and even outdoors as garden art.  They have been given as housewarming gifts, gifts to celebrate a new baby, as part of a wedding gift package, and are a favorite as a birthday gift to a friend.  In recent years, Grotelueschen has expanded the line with silver-color nests made of aluminum wire and black nests made of stove pipe and electric fence wire.
Grotelueschen's latest additions to the line of wire nests are lapel pins.  These are made of copper, brass, or black wire, and feature 'eggs' of fresh water pearls or other beads.  These little lapel pins have a tie tack style post back with a winged backing clasp.  As with the nest sculptures, these little pins make great gifts.

Tiny Felted Landscapes and Florals as Lapel Pins

Karma Grotelueschen demonstrates the process of making her felted landscapes at Fall Art Tour and other times throughout the year. In response to customer demand (literally, a customer who felt she could not yet afford the full size versions said "You need to make little ones as pins so we can take home a sample while we save up for one for our wall."), Grotelueschen has made teeny tiny versions as lapel pins.  These little gems are made just like their larger cousins, with wet felted backgrounds and needle felted details.  Sometimes, to make up for their diminutive size, they are embellished with a few sparkly beads.  They are a little under 2" x 1 1/2" and they have a tie tack style pin back.  Some are mini landscapes, some feature trees, others flowers or bird nests with little eggs in them.  Another great gift item for a friend! Or for yourself!

Weekend Felting Classes at the Gallery

 Felting classes are available every Friday evening, from 5 to 6:30 pm or 7 to 8:30 pm and every Saturday morning from 7:00 to 8:30 am or 9 to 10:30 am. 
Felting a Vase:  We felt around a small glass cylinder vase so that it can be used for fresh flowers or to force branches. 

Felting a Scarf:  We wet felt a scarf with about an ounce of fleece and warm soapy water.  Thse scarfs are warm and durable and can even be given as a gift.

Felted Flowers:  We use bits of roving and hot soapy water to wet felt flowers and leaves and tendrils and attach them to pin backs.  They can be used as lapel pins, hat pins, to decorate knit mittens or gloves, as holiday ornaments, as gift ties, and anything else you can think of.  Each student usually get between 3 and 5 flowers finished.  

These classes are $30 each for one person or $20 each if there are two or more participating.  The gallery can accomodate about 6 people for a class, so feel free to form a group!  If you are the first person to sign up, you get to choose what we make.  If more people sign up, your cost drops to the group rate. 
Bring a bath towel if you can, and a used plastic bag to take home your damp project.
Join me at Prairie Oak Artisans on Friday evening or Saturday morning and explore the fun of felting!

I can also teach you how to make felted 'paintings' but this class takes 2 sessions and costs twice as much.  They can be on the same weekend or on different weekends.  I have a collection of photographs of flowers, leaves, trees, and ferns that students choose from as the subject of their 'painting'.  During the first session, we wet felt the background mat and any petals or leaves or other pieces that we can.  During the second session, we needle felt the picture together, adding yarns and fleece to build up the 'painting'. 

I will also teach a group class in the Chicago suburbs, Mineral Point, Reedsburg, the Dells, and anywhere nearby or in between.  Find a room at your park district, library, community center, office building, church, recreation center, fitness club, and we can hold a class for up to ten people.  In good weather, we can work outdoors, but we should have a back-up location in case of bad weather.

Form a group, find a location, and lets felt together!

Felted Flower Pins - Karma Grotelueschen

The parts of these pins are hand felted from wool fleede using traditional wet felting. Then the parts are assembled using contemporary needle felting. This is the process used by the artist to construct her felted landscape and floral paintings.

Karma Grotelueschen's Felt Calla Lily Pins

Pins for lapel, hatband, handbag, shawl, or knit cap are made of wool felt and Eco-fi felt that is made of recycled beverage bottles.

Jane Brown's Flower Pins

Jane Brown has 12 designs published in Crochet! magazine, over 6 different months. The designs are published 2 per month and titled "Flower Of The Month Pins". Jane runs her own yarn shop and teaches knitting and crochet and designs her own patterns for many other products including shawls, purses, and hats. Her shop is called Never Enough Knitting and is located in Wheaton, Illinois. Prairie Oak Artisans is delighted to be carrying her crocheted flower pins! They are lovely on a coat lapel, a hat, a purse, or a shawl.

Karma Grotelueschen's Felt Flower Pins