Today we’d like to introduce you to Sabine Compeyn.
Hi Sabine, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
Born and raised in Belgium, I am so grateful to have been exposed to fibers as part of my school curriculum starting with crochet, knitting, sewing, and other crafts. These activities have been part of my life as my mom, and I would spend evening knitting or sewing. Once I started a family we moved to Nigeria, the Unites States, and Hong Kong, and eventually settled in South Carolina where knitting woolen sweaters was not my favorite activity anymore as no one would wear them!
I turned to less processed fiber and felting almost became an addiction. An avid learner, I love to experiment with different textures and combine those “opposite” yet “complementary” techniques of needle and wet felting.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Loaded with a good bit of hand dexterity but little artistic talent I tapped into perseverance to climb the ladder. I had to learn that black is not black, gray is not a blend of black and white, not all animal noses are alike, and goats do not have round pupils… My felting journey started like settling in a new place: first you follow your GPS (tutorial) to the word everywhere you go. After a couple of trips, you decide to switch off the voice and take different routes to your destination with the help of the GPS in the background. Finally, you have built up enough confidence, and you just go ahead and explore, without GPS, occasionally hearing that voice whispering in your ear: “Remember the way I showed you? There might be another option!”
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Felting is a fun creative art for everyone, from age 3 and up, but what is it really? Needle felting is either sculpting wool (fleece or roving) with special barbed needles to build 3D pieces or using wool as paint to create 2D art, while wet felting combines the magic of soap, water, and agitation to tangle the wool and fibers togethers. Hmm…that same process happening to the precious woolen sweater that shrunk in the laundry!
Felting requires
-Observation/discernment
-Research on fibers, felting techniques, and piece to create
-Hours of stabbing or rubbing and fine-tuning.
I started with fiber FUNtasy and years of practice allowed me to hone my skills and created animals, wool paintings, scarfs, hats, holiday ornaments, table centerpieces, over-a-frame decorations…
My latest destination was realism, and the Southern Flying Squirrel is the result of a month of work (not 24/7!) I have never seen a real one but managed to come close to reality. What I particularly like is solving the challenges each creation brings, it spices up my day(s) and I feel fulfilled when the creature comes to life.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
If you think felting is for introverts, you are only partially right: I made new friends in other cities, other states, other countries, other continents through social media groups and even visited them.
Interested in giving felting a try? Just let me know! Workshops should resume soon.
A 3-hour gathering will give you the materials and instructions needed to go home with your creation (could be a hedgehog like in the picture!)
See you soon?
Pricing:
- From 5 to a couple of hundred dollars for felted art.
- $ 20 and up for workshops.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fiberfuntasybysabine/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fiberFUNtasy
Image Credits
Fiber FUNtasy
