I just started needle felting and it is absolutely addictive! I first heard about needle felting on Martha Stewart when she featured Fiber Artist Jenn Docherty, whose book is described below. Jenn makes such adorable critters that I had to try it! I have to say it is pretty easy... and so much fun! Beware of poking your fingers though!
My first project was a little duck for my daughter... in the interest of being completely honest... I should say that I originally intended it to be a chick, but as I felted my little creation became a duck instead!
My husband and I are very particular about the toys we allow our daughter to have. And I feel so comfortable with her having toys from natural fibers and not plastic! It also provides a more multi-sensory experience. In Jenn's book she shows you how to make little child-sized fruits, ABC bean bags, appliqued onesies/ shirts that you can make in literally minutes and even a beautiful doll!
I want to make plenty of the ABC bean bags so that I can use them to make words with my daughter! I thought it could be cool to do a traditional bean bag toss, except put a little twist on it so that we have to find the letters to spell a word! And the best part is... the only sewing that is required are straight lines and you can really hand sew them if that's easier! The actual letter is applied through needle felting and a stencil.
One word of caution... she does not recommend giving felted wool toys to babies who still put everything in their mouth, with some effort they could pull off a hunk of wool and it could pose a choking hazard.
You can find her book at Amazon.com :
Sweet Needle Felts by Jenn Docherty teaches you how to use wool roving or yarn to create beautiful, touchable felt projects. Learn to embellish everything from wearable accessories, like scarves and hats, to favorite items for the home, such as pillows and photo albums. If you're feeling more adventurous, move on to sculpting wool into one-of-a-kind bowls, necklaces and even cute critters and dolls. Whether you're adding a finishing touch or starting a project from scratch, Sweet Needle Felts shows you the endless possibilities of needle felting, including:
Rich and textured fabric artwork. You'll be surprised how simple and fast it is to create.
Woolly Critter T's that you can make in minutes. They're the perfect and inexpensive way to make something special from a plain T-shirt.
Whimsical creatures with fully movable joints. Sculpt wool roving to make your own menagerie of these cute animals.
All 25 projects in Sweet Needle Felts require just a little time and a few materials. You'll want to make these as gifts for dear friends--but you better make two, because you'll fall in love with them yourself.
About the Author
Jenn Docherty is a felt artist who makes one-of-a kind needle-felted bears in addition to other adorable creations. Her work can be found at
www.jenndocherty.com and has been featured in various publications in addition to her television appearance.
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