Painted Wool Earrings

I had planned to get some dyeing done this weekend, but it was so windy, that I didn't dare set roving outside to dry as is my habit. I never knew how windy the Phoenix valley could be. Wind seems to be the way in which storm fronts manifest here in this part of the state. All in all, there are much worse weather conditions to deal with, but these wind storms can be pretty fantastic.

Okay, enough about the weather. Since dyeing was out of the question, I had to find something creative to do. Last week I started playing around with a new form of fiber jewelry utilizing my hand painted roving and coiled wire. While I was making those bracelets, I got the idea for this pair of earrings. Coiling Gizmos come with two rod sizes. I knew the smaller one would be nice for making this pair of earrings. I wrapped the wool in a fairly thin layer so that the coil would stay flexible.

I love the look of this fiber jewelry. It's also very enjoyable to make. I use my fingers and turn the coil around and around to smooth the wool and allow the fibers to gently felt together. It's so tactile and sensory. Jewelry making takes a certain amount of technical skill, but this incorporates touch and feel so much more. It's what I love about working with fiber and bringing the two worlds together is very satisfying.