I've noticed that quite a few people in this forum are needle felters, including Tally (whose work looks amazing).
As a beginning felter, I'm looking for tips on how to make my stuff better. For one thing, most of the good stuff I've seen isn't near as fuzzy as mine. How do I fix that?
I made a Photobucket of my stuff, which can be found here
Oh, and my avatar is one of my pieces, too.
Needle Felting
- OMGItsSarah
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Re: Needle Felting
Have you seen Tally's blog? She has a lot of information on needle felting that might help you out.
Also, I think your stuff is pretty adorable. I like the turtle the best.
Also, I think your stuff is pretty adorable. I like the turtle the best.
- AlexanderDitto
- Better Than the First Alexander
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Re: Needle Felting
Tally would definitely be the person to turn to for tips. She has all of the crafting ability. All of it!
I don't needle felt, but I must say that Pangolin in your photobucket is quite adorable!
I don't needle felt, but I must say that Pangolin in your photobucket is quite adorable!
- Chemistring
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Re: Needle Felting
I haven't needle felted before (just felted some knitted fabric for a purse), but I have the feeling that the too fuzzy problem could be fixed by more needle stabbing. Other than that, I'll third the suggestion for asking Tally.
I like the cuttlefish!
I like the cuttlefish!
Re: Needle Felting
Waaaaay too late for that, man. I can't make a single thing without doing it at least once.
Re: Needle Felting
Garfman, your critters are darling! I especially love the cuttlefish and the box turtle. You seem to be doing a remarkably good job mixing the colours on the critters together in a pretty natural looking way - something I always have trouble with.
The answer to making them less fuzzy is indeed to just keep stabbing. The tighter you roll your initial lump of wool, the faster the whole process should go. I also like to start out with a large size felting needle, which solidifies the wool much more quickly. It creates a less smooth surface, though, so once I have pretty much the size and shape I want, I put another very thin layer of wool over my object's surface and stab it into place with a small size needle for a nicer surface.
The other thing is, of course, that sometimes having a fuzzy surface is actually the look you want for a particular critter, so you can leave it fuzzier deliberately.
I'm stoked to hear about more people needle felting. I'm running a table at Iconocraft this week (the craft fair I've assisted in organizing) that will teach people how to needle felt, and I'm hoping there will be a healthy interest in it.
The answer to making them less fuzzy is indeed to just keep stabbing. The tighter you roll your initial lump of wool, the faster the whole process should go. I also like to start out with a large size felting needle, which solidifies the wool much more quickly. It creates a less smooth surface, though, so once I have pretty much the size and shape I want, I put another very thin layer of wool over my object's surface and stab it into place with a small size needle for a nicer surface.
The other thing is, of course, that sometimes having a fuzzy surface is actually the look you want for a particular critter, so you can leave it fuzzier deliberately.
I'm stoked to hear about more people needle felting. I'm running a table at Iconocraft this week (the craft fair I've assisted in organizing) that will teach people how to needle felt, and I'm hoping there will be a healthy interest in it.
Last edited by Tally on 21 Jun 2011, 21:01, edited 1 time in total.
- thatlaurachick
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Re: Needle Felting
>.>
Anyone in here felt soap? I'm just starting and being that I have 0% craftiness it's um, not working too well. Is there a good tutorial I haven't found yet?
Anyone in here felt soap? I'm just starting and being that I have 0% craftiness it's um, not working too well. Is there a good tutorial I haven't found yet?
I want a Pinkie launcher.
Re: Needle Felting
I think I might have heard about it, and a Google search brought up this.
I realized I needle felt to make plush toys I desperately wanted as a kid. That said, here's a Flying Toaster. I was a strange child.
I would love to see other people's needle felting stuff.
I realized I needle felt to make plush toys I desperately wanted as a kid. That said, here's a Flying Toaster. I was a strange child.
I would love to see other people's needle felting stuff.
- thatlaurachick
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Re: Needle Felting
Garfman - yeah, that's the tutorial I was using... his description isn't complete at all as my first attempt looked more like a drowned rat.
But that's a really cute flying toaster. At first I thought it was a Minecraft sheep.
But that's a really cute flying toaster. At first I thought it was a Minecraft sheep.
I want a Pinkie launcher.
Re: Needle Felting
thatlaurachick, I wish I could offer advice, but all I can offer is sympathy, because my only attempt at felting soap (about a year ago) was pretty much a disaster and I never have gone back and tried to figure out what in heck didn't work. I followed all the steps exactly, and there was wool all around the soap, it just didn't get anywhere near so tight and tidy and nice looking as in all the nice Google pictures. And I referenced that exact same tutorial, along with some others.
If anyone here has successfully felted soap, I too would love to hear the big magic secret, or at least some tips.
EDIT: Rereading the tutorial, I notice they don't mention putting it in cold water until quite a ways on, when the wool is already supposed to be snug around the soap. Since the back and forth between hot and cold is what actually makes the wool shrink, I bet doing that step sooner (and repeatedly switching between it and the hot water) might help. Also, from other wet felting experience I've learned that Corriedale wool is actually a bit of a bitch to wet felt with. Great for needle felting, but not so much for wet felting - too course, I think. Something finer would probably make for a smoother, more even surface at least. (Merino, for example, is brilliant for wet felting, though it's also way more expensive.) But this is all just guesswork.
If anyone here has successfully felted soap, I too would love to hear the big magic secret, or at least some tips.
EDIT: Rereading the tutorial, I notice they don't mention putting it in cold water until quite a ways on, when the wool is already supposed to be snug around the soap. Since the back and forth between hot and cold is what actually makes the wool shrink, I bet doing that step sooner (and repeatedly switching between it and the hot water) might help. Also, from other wet felting experience I've learned that Corriedale wool is actually a bit of a bitch to wet felt with. Great for needle felting, but not so much for wet felting - too course, I think. Something finer would probably make for a smoother, more even surface at least. (Merino, for example, is brilliant for wet felting, though it's also way more expensive.) But this is all just guesswork.
- thatlaurachick
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Re: Needle Felting
Hm... the part about the water temp is good to know! I'll try again with that. I *really* want to felt my favorite store brand of soap.
On wool: I'm felting with a mixed bag of roving ends from a friend, but I already know the "smooth" feel ends shouldn't be used for wet felting soap. (too much lanolin) Makes your hands feel great though.
On wool: I'm felting with a mixed bag of roving ends from a friend, but I already know the "smooth" feel ends shouldn't be used for wet felting soap. (too much lanolin) Makes your hands feel great though.
I want a Pinkie launcher.
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