September 14, 2007

Needlefelting

Last night was the first night of this fall's class--I'm teaching needle-felting. I always start the first class with creating a picture totally from colored sheep wool.

For years I've done felting using the typical wet process. Now I prefer needle-felting, though I still will use both processes in the same piece. Like wet felting a background, which would be like an artist's paper or canvas. Then too, if I'm sculpting a large piece, I'll often wet felt pieces, like for clothing. The needles used are about 3" long and barbed in the bottom 1/2", which push the wool fibers into each other. The more you needle an area, the denser the wool will become. And because of the sharp needles, a foam pad is needed to needle into (instead of my legs! which I've done, and then too fingers are often jabbed--so I take Band-Aids to class).

Sometimes I've added embroidery to pictures for more detail. Other textiles/fibers can often be incorporated too as long as the wool fibers can somehow hold them in place--like yarn, lace and ribbon. I've also used needle-felting to mend my wool slippers, or to add embellishments to something (like to cover a hole in a sweater).

Creating a small picture can be done in one class session. People often take some wool home to fine tune their pictures and bring them back to the next class. We next create a sculpted figure which we do in three class sessions.

This picture of a doll is one I've done for display at the yarn store, Recycled Lamb, where I'm teaching these classes. She is totally of sheep wool, though I often start the head over a small oval foam piece so it's a quick start in class and not as much wool is needed. Sometimes I'll create a wire framework too, both for bending the piece and/or stability. I did her quick. Normally I take more time on the arms and leg--having more realistic curves and form.

Everyone loves needle-felting once they try it! I need to take my camera to class because everyone's creations are so varied and fun! The dynamics of each class differs too and is fun--some are quiet while they work, while some have been quite talkative and one was a raucous class!

Some will make pretty realistic people, others will make more of an elf figure. One lady made a 'lady of the night' with a Barbie-doll figure. I've made a Gandalf and a fairy. I'll usually have them hang, or sit. My largest sculpture is from a picture of me in high school--standing on my head (it's on display right now). I like sculpting best, over just making pictures, though some of my pictures do have sculpted relief.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Karey, I love what you wrote about yourself and your family. I garden on the 64th parralell and run dogs with my sled, read a lot, needlefelt and write poetry and home grown folk songs. love your felted painting!
stephanie

Janice Davis said...

Hi, I love your felted painting.

I starting to make a fabric art curtain inspired by Emily Carr paintings I saw in the art gallery. I was looking at your felted painting and am considering making one of the bushes in the curtain by using needle felting. The rest of the curtain will be quilted and applique. I love the way you made your tree on the right of your painting and am thinking I could use a similar technique for my bush. Do you have any suggestions on how I can attach the felted part to the rest of the fabric curtain.? I was thinking of quilting it on but I would loose the texture of the felt if I did that. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. This is the first time I am trying fabric art.

Karey said...

Janice, I made curtains and want to make some additions, but want them removable, so thinking of just pinning them. Because of your question, and wanting to continue blogging - I've taken a hiatus - I just posted about the curtains, since I looked and realized I'd not posted about them. http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3949984183788983888#editor/target=post;postID=7837732205144227395

And too, I did post about "thread painting" and did separate butterflies that I just tacked onto the background picture. That's what you could do with a felted something. Tacking wouldn't squash it.
http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3949984183788983888#editor/target=post;postID=7038736569753452632

Karey said...

And thank you Janice for the artist name - I googled her. I'm always looking for artists who's work could work for needlefelting. When I teach classes I give suggestions - like a lot of impressionist art will work since it's more "suggestive" than fine detail, which is hard to do working with wool as the medium. And outside of the box ideas - like red sky or purple trees - helps people too.

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