Needle Felting Basics
Copyright 2006-2008 by Ilona Hindt
www.ilonasArt.com
NOT RECOMMENDED FOR
CHILDREN
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Felting Needles are specially
designed needles that have tiny barbs on the sides near the tip. These
barbs grab the fibers and pull them toward the piece packing the
fibers. There are several sizes of felting needles: Coarse (#36),
Medium (#38) and Fine (#42).
Using the Felting Needle – Hold the needle upright with your index finger on the bend. Use a pecking motion, repeatedly piercing in one spot to form an indentation and pack the fibers. Rotate the piece to give volume to the shape. Needle Holders – A variety of
holders are available that will allow you to use multiple needles
simultaneously. These are useful to create large flat felted pieces
quickly.
A Foam Block is used as an impact
absorbing backing that the piece is placed on during the felting
process. Felting needles can be stored in the foam block when not in
use.
Types of Wool that can be used vary
depending on the desired effect. Sheep’s wool is probably the most
versatile being easily dyed and usually having excellent felting
properties. Other fiber materials can be used including silks, cotton,
man-made fibers and nearly any animal wool. Dyeing the Wool is part of the fun. It
is extremely easy and a variety of methods can be used.
Obviously any fabric dye such as Rit should work by simply following
the directions supplied on the box. The wool can also be dyed in a
process similar to dyeing Easter eggs. Add food coloring and a splash
of vinegar to very hot water and submerge the wool. The concentration
will determine the intensity of the dyed color. Sugar-free Kool-Aid can
be added to very hot water. Since it contains acid already there is no
need to add vinegar. For skin tones, tea (no vinegar) can be used. You
can also experiment with red wines, berries, beets and many other
juices. After the desired color is achieved simply air-dry the
wool. Wire armatures can be used if a
bendable or posable piece is desired. Form the wire (chenille) into the
basic stick-figure shape of the piece. Then simply wrap small amounts
of wool around and pierce with the felting needle until it is firmly
attached. Continue building up the wool until the desired shape is
achieved. Making Eyes – Beads can be sewn
or glued on for eyes. Felt eyes can be created by rolling up a small
ball of colored wool and felting it into place. Glass doll eyes can
also be used Mixing Wool Tones – Blend wool colors
by taking two or more colors and pulling fibers from each together.
This is any easy way to create very complex tones. Other Details – To form ears,
noses and other protrusions create the shapes separately and then
attach them by felting them onto the piece. For multicolored characters
the basic shape can be one uniform color. The final color detail only
needs to be added to the surface of the character. This is an easy way
to create complex effects such as spots, stripes and patterns for
zebras, dalmations, giraffes, etc. BE SAFE - Felting needles
can easily cause painful puncture wounds and may be dangerous. Needle
Felting supplies are not recommended for children. Additional Supplies are readily
available on the internet. I do not sell any supplies or detailed
instructions on how to create specific characters. My personal focus is
the art of free-form needle felting. These basic guidelines are
available only to introduce other potential artists to this medium. There are no rules, so find your own style. Be imaginative and have fun! |
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