New blog of Aika Felt Works

Hello people!
Aika Felt Works Blog in English is moving to a new place: come here to see new posts!

I will keep this blog open, but new posts will be in the new blog.
See you there, I'm posting a lot of pictures!
www.aikafeltworks.com/blog

Aika Felt Works Webshop is on vacation 1.July.-14.Aug.2013

A photo of today

A photo of today, a photo by Aika Felt Works on Flickr.

Work in progress. Side parts of Cottage bags have been sewn.

A photo of today

A photo of today, a photo by Aika Felt Works on Flickr.

Working process of Cottage bag. Double layers of felt, handle part.

WINNO project, possibility to utilize Northern wool

Recently I had a meeting with Ms. Heli Tuovinen, Project Manager of WINNO project in the University of Lapland, Faculty of Art and Design.

The woollen Innovations (WINNO 2012- 2013) - project studies the use of the Northern sheep's wool and felted woolen material and the qualities of the materials to promote well-being.

I had a meeting several years ago with her when they were carrying the previous project called HOIVI, where they were researching if wool felt could relieve pain of sufferers from rheumatism.

I was most interested in hearing their result of the research. They designed some kinds of thermal cape by wool felt, which were worn directly on sufferers' shoulders.

They didn't make scientific examination using numerical value, but they got feedback of users that showed the good effect of relieving pain by wearing wool felt.

There are inconsistent opinions if it should be cooled or warmed to relieve the pain of rheumatism. In Japan, it is said that soaking in a hot spring has good effect for rheumatism, and I hope that wool's high thermal ability works the same.

They also found that wool felt was not itchy wearing directly on their shoulders, although normally wool products like knitted sweater is itchy.

I'm wondering -  if I make a felting kit of shoulder warmer? Grandchild making a shoulder warmer for her grandma who suffers from rheumatism - hopefully their hearts will be warmer then :)

These are wool felt textiles that they are developing in the current project:

and portfolio by students:

They also made some cutting test by a racer cutting machine (you can see the sections are burnt) :

Here is the link of the project:
http://www.ulapland.fi/?deptid=24846
You can find the report of HOIVI project in Finnish.

A photo of today

A photo of today, a photo by Aika Felt Works on Flickr.

Working. Making Cottage bags.

Squirrel's tiny sculptures

Squirrel's tiny sculptures, a photo by Aika Felt Works on Flickr.

I found such pretty things on the way back from my work room!

A photo of today

A photo of today, a photo by Aika Felt Works on Flickr.

Free shipping to Japan campaign!

Aika Felt Works is offering a free shipping to Japan campaign!
Because I'll be back in Japan this summer, I will take products as my family's luggage and ship them from Japan, and I will cover the shipping costs!

Here are some information regarding the campaign:
-  Free shipping is possible only if you are receiving a package in JAPAN
- all the products of Aika Felt Works Webshop can be ordered
- no minimum quantity required
- I will ship orders on the 5th July 2013 from Osaka, Japan
- I will use "Yu-pack" or standard mail service by Japanese Post for shipping
- You can order until 15th June 2013, but the campaign will end when the capacity of luggage is over to put products
- You can purchase products excluding the TAX
- Please choose "Free Shipping" option at the check-out

Enjoy shopping and save money!

Season's greetings!

Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year from Aika!

A photo of today

Autumn leaves, a photo by Aika Felt Works on Flickr.

We are in the middle of autumn. I wore my new wool coat today.

ARKTINEN MUOTOILU│ARCTIC DESIGN - Habitare2012

Here are images of our booth, ARKTINEN MUOTOILU │ ARCTIC DESIGN in Habitare2012, Helsinki. We are a group of designers who work in the North Finland. The design of the booth is consisted of black and white and light, which reminds me the icy land of the Arctic Circle. Habitare is open until tomorrow 16th September. Please drop by if you are near, because Aika Felt Works is offering special discount for some products! I've added small size of Felt slippers on 14th, but there is a limitation of number of products there, so get moving!

(Photos from WDC2012 Helsinki-Rovaniemi)
Unfortunately I'm at home in Rovaniemi with my sick family. But I hope the success of this fair!

Aika Felt Works at Habitare 2012 in Helsinki!

Aika Felt Works is participating a joint project to exhibit in Habitare 2012 (12.-16. Sep. 2012). Our booth is 2e29, and we are a group of independent designers based in the North Finland. See the designers >>

Exhibited products will be on sale. And I'm putting -15% discount prices for some products!

First, Felt slippers. Normal price is €80,00, and for the fair price it's 68,00€!

Secondly, Osampo bag. Normal price is 32,00€, and for the fair price it's 27,20€!

And thirdly, Wine carrier bag. Normal price is 30,00€, and for the fair price it's 25,50€!

If you will be in Helsinki, come around!

Habitare OPENING HOURS

For public:
Thursday 13 Sep 2pm - 7pm
Friday 14 Sep 10am - 7pm
Saturday 15 Sep Oct 10am - 6pm
Sunday 16 Sep 10am - 6pm

For professionals:
Wednesday 12 Sep 10am - 6pm
Thursday 13 Sep 10am - 2pm

Map >>

A photo of today

Photos of today, a photo by Aika Felt Works on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
On the way to my working room this morning. Amazing. I couldn't get there easily, that I stopped moving and just looked at the world many, many times.

aikafeltworks.blogspot.com

Valon tuleminen exhibition in Arktikum, Rovaniemi, Finland

I graduated from the University of Lapland, and its staffs are having an exhibition, Valon tuleminen, in Arktikum, Rovaniemi. Arktikum in Rovaniemi is a museum, science centre, attraction, popular culture destination as well as a memorable venue for meetings and conferences.

The exhibition space is situated in the hall right after the main entrance of Arktikum. Free admission. 22.2.–29.4.2012.








My husband Kalle Lampela's works are in the exhibition.





These two works are typed with a manual typewriter on rotogravure paper, 112 x 76 cm.

Approximately 500 pages from each of Theodor Adorno´s Aestetic theory (right, the black work) and Karl Marx´s Capital (left, the red work) is typed over and over. They seem like old textiles from far. I think these are some of the best works from him.

I hope you have a chance to see the exhibition!

Snow on a roof of "liiteri"

Snow on a roof of "liiteri", a photo by Aika Felt Works on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Liiteri is a traditional storage building for e.g. firewood often seen in country side of Finland.

This building is maybe about 100 years old? Its roof is made of tree's bark, covered with moss.

Scene like winter fabric

Scene like winter fabric, a photo by Aika Felt Works on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Last weekend we were in our family's cottage having a break from work.

Although the snow is now melting in the city center, here we could enjoy the shades on the snow.

Horizontal shadows and vertical birch trees were crossing like a piece of fabric.

Co-design Project - Embroidery!

After making the first prototype, I have been thinking how I should use conductive thread for the laptop case. The conductive thread is able to conduct electricity, discharging static electricity if you touch with condition of being electrified.

On the package of the conductive thread, it's written that you can use zigzag-sewing option by sewing machine to make as large an area as possible by the thread to maximize the effect.

Well... where, and how should I use the thread?

When I was a bit at a loss thinking of design, I bought this book, D.I.Y Design it Yourself, and I was inspired by this cool design.

Embroidered on women's and men's dress shirts. These designs refer to a human heartbeat as well as writing. Designed by Zvezdana Rogic.

I started thinking that rather than using my sewing machine making a line of zigzag stitch, or making grid quilting stitches on a laptop case, it would be much more unique to express something by embroidery.

For example this pulling part of a zipper: this is made of reindeer leather and wool felt, and I sewed with the zigzag options on the felt. ... Maybe I can embroider some meaningful words?

...words relating to electricity?
...formula of physics?
...words relating to electricity and computer...programming language?

If I remember right, I heard that programming consists of combination of "1" and "0".

01100101101
10000101111
01010101010

How about embroider this kind of enumeration of numbers on the bottom part of the laptop case where you hold?

Isn't there any formula that means "discharging your static electricity"?

While I was thinking like that, I got a message in my Etsy account. It was from a designer of The Big Harumph, based in Kansas, United States. She wrote that she liked my products, just a short greetings, and rather, I found her design so interesting.

Letters typed on pencils. Her works have a bit offensive words though :)
How about embroider letters designed like this?

Isn't it possible to ask her to design some patterns/letters for my laptop case... probably I can think about the words to embroider with you all, though.

Immediately I sent her a message.
Then, what is her answer..??

At the same time, I started looking for a company which can embroider using the conductive thread locally. And, one of them agreed to make a test to check if they can use the thread with their machines. I sent the thread and pieces of wool felt to the company.

I'm waiting for the result!
To be continued!

Co-design Project - Index

Co-design project is a project that I started to design original laptop computer cases with you.

I use industrial wool felt, that was the only thing I had in my mind. So far, I've been getting some very brilliant ideas from readers of this blog, my Japanese blog, and via Facebook and Twitter. Now the design process is moving on unexpected, interesting way.

I wrote the process in the following posts:

#1 Co-design project begins!
#2 Co-design project - When Do You Need Laptop Case, and How?  
#3 Interim Results of the Q1 and Exploring Felt Laptop Sleeves 
#4 Co-design Project - Wool and Static Electricity 
#5 Research on Wool and Static Electricity - How Can I Solve This Problem?? 
#6 Co-design Project - Collecting materials!! 
#7 Co-design project - Getting Used to the Materials 
#8 Co-design project - the First Prototype
#9 Co-design Project - Embroidery!

Co-design project is an on-going project. I don't know what kind of designs will be created yet. I'm excited to interact with people and get ideas that otherwise I wouldn't come up with. Thank you for joining me, and I still want to encourage you to give me your voice!

Fishing season on the frozen lake

Fishing season on the flozen lake, a photo by Aika Felt Works on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
On the way to my work room, I see fishermen these days on the icy lake. You can get European perch (I love to eat it with being smoked) and northern pike (soup is delicious!). Can you see the tool to make a hole on ice that he has?

aikafeltworks.blogspot.com