Felting Fun

My mom celebrated 95 trips around the sun this year. 

At that age it's hard to decide what gift to give.

She's always loved dolls, so I put my embroidery and wool work skills 

to the test and made her a sweet old-fashioned doll for her birthday.

For 2021, I made ornaments with felt and embroidery. 

The art of creating beautiful stitching with floss and needle 

is my favorite expression of art.

 

I learned to embroider as a child and 

have gone back to it time and again. 

Running the needle through the felted material is satisfying 

and the results-lovely.

My latest crafting endeavor-needle felting.

A few years ago I took an art class on felting. 

I tried wet felting, but didn't enjoy the feel of the wet wool. 

Then, I tried my hand at using a sharp needle to poke the fiber into shape. 

I made a few little creatures, but got frustrated when I poked my fingers too many times with those very sharp needles. 

Ouch! I gave away the tools and thought I'd never try needle felting again.

Fast forward several years. 

Something tugged at me to try the craft again. 

I started searching online for tools and tips. 

Yep-more tools. 

One of them removed all doubt of pursuing this fun art. 

I found leather finger covers!

 Perfect. 

Just what I needed to make poking the wool less detrimental to my fingers. 

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Let's take a peek at what I've made so far...

I had to make a sheep. 

Since those precious animals provide the wool roving. 

I'm pleased with the results.

Three views of Baa-baa.

February 2020

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My first project 2016

Christmas Ornaments 2019

Christmas Snow People 2019

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Woodland Santa (2020) is my latest needle felting project. 

I love his curly beard!

I started in the spring, but couldn't muster the desire to needle felt 

in summer's 90 degree temps. 

So as the weather cooled down last week, I finished the tree and put it all together.

Even with learning curves and a few broken needles, I enjoyed the process. 

One thing I learned is to use a lighter hand and not punch the needle so hard. 

Smaller jabs meant less broken needles and less frustration. 

Needle felting is a satisfying craft. 

There is no such thing as perfection.

Each piece is unique. 

The process relieves stress.

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Christmas 2020 Ornaments-Christmas Cookies

One Christmas tradition my girls, grands, and I enjoy is making cut out Christmas cookies. 

I make the dough and Maggie makes the icing. We take turns rolling out the dough and cutting with cookie cutters. Then we all sit down and ice the cookies. The kids love it! So do I. We make a batch for Ma, then divide all the others among us. 

I wanted to commemorate our tradition, so I made each one a Christmas cookie ornament so we'd always remember the fun.