Needle Felting

 

A New Beginning

 

 I was thrilled when Shirley asked if I would like to help start the hobby blog up again. Many of you who know me, also know that I love crafts, hobbies and art. One of my most favourite pastimes being the dollhouse hobby which I hope to bring to you soon....It was difficult choosing a starting point but in the end, I drew upon a craft I have only recently discovered and really keen to try out for myself.....it is the art of needle felting. 

Needle Felting

 

 I first was drawn to neede felting whilst visiting a Christmas Fair two years ago. I found a lovely felt sculpted bee brooch - I love bees! and a felt witch with her own pumpkin. 

 

 

I thought the pumpkin would look nice next to my Harry Potter 'Buckbeak' collectable. This is the kind of witch I bought...not the actual one as it is very dark in the room where she is displayed and images are not great. But mine is very similar. 

 

 

I thought this craft was fairly new as I had not seen it before but after searching the history  of it, I found it began around the 1800's!! The first machines patented in 1859 created batting and insulation from shoddy old garments. Felting mills eventually made dry felting for a range of everyday items such as carpet underlay and table coverings to protect tables...my Gran had one of those. 

 

It wasn't until the 1980s when the craft of needle felting developed. A couple called Eleanor and David Stanwood who had moved from Sonoma County, California to Martha’s Vineyard where they worked with Belgian felt makers, began producing batting for quality quilts. Eleanor,  an innovative artist decided to try and make scarves and wraps using a few needles she brought from the mill.

 

Her work caught the eye of a Californian textile artist called Ayala Tapai who practised with these special needles and soon saw the possibilities of using this method to create three dimensional figures which soon came to the attention of a Danish artist called Birgitte Krag Hansent. It was not long before needle felted trolls and fairies began springing up all over Scandinavia.

So - how to get started? I found this You Tube video which I think best illustrates this craft. Hope you enjoy it and if you do, there are many more.

 

 

You can also make shapes using cake and cookie cutters such as these.....

 

 

When you are well practised...then you can try more intricate projects although I have to say that the ladies in these videos make it look very easy. 

 

 

 

You will find a vast range of books and kits are available for purchase online. I have my eyes on a kit at Amazon....lol. I will let you know in time if/how I get on but try this I must.