Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Good Morning,

I always recommend Ayala Talpai's books, her first one is pictured - Factory to Fantasy, and selling her books I always say with her first book and my free instructions it's all you need to get started.  Of all the books on felting I have I think hers is the best. I do sell both of her books.  If you are in Europe or Australia here's where to go to make it cheaper to buy:

Europe: Wingham Woolwork   wingwool@clara.net
Australia: Ashford   ashford@snowy.net.au
New Zealand   Ashford   craftshop@ashford.co.nz

I will be writing a felting book, I have it started and will be working hard this winter to finish it. I will also be introducing a felting column on my site soon.

Good Morning, Santa beards... try finding some wool locks. This is long, clean wool - not carded or combed. I don't have a real good source right now for this but if you can find any they work wonderfully. The locks I have are fully of debri but clean, I don't like them and wouldn't recommend them.

Or what Judi suggests will work to. I'd first try needling one end and not both, you can always trim the ends to shape the beard. Roving might work too. Anyone else have any ideas? Neysa

Good Morning,

"Furry" effect ... Judi's idea is worth a try and should make an interesting effect. Another idea might be to needle felt the dog completely shaving off the hair. If you felt your dog and then take a tooth brush... a clean one and lightly brush the felted area it will become "fuzzier"

Or just lightly felt in the chest, as I did the rabbits tail in my first post on this subject (you can't see it very well) or go to my site - the Virtual Catalog and check out my poodles ears. I actually felted the ears as one piece on my foam work base leaving the ends unfelted and then just lightly needled the ends to shape them. I then attached the ears to the head of the poodle. Hope this helps.

Neysa

Good Morning Everyone, I'll answer the questions as soon as I can. I have Jury Duty... for how long who knows? I'll try to answer tonight. Sorry for the delay Uncle Sam needs me. Neysa

Good Morning,

I've been reading posts and if I may add a few hints.... Jointing small felted critters, of course you can string joint but try making a simple armature for your arms, legs and body out of 22 gauge floral wire ( or higher). Make a loop on the end you want to joint to the body... kind of like a cotter pin or for doing wobble joints and felt all around the wire.

Felting ears and muzzles on to the bear or other critter. I work from my foam base needling and turning to shape the ear or basic muzzle. Leave some unfelted wool at the base of your muzzle or ear - this gives you more to needle into the head and it makes your ear & muzzle more firmly attached.

In my Felting supply list on my site, on the first page up in the right hand corner are my free directions for working with armatures, but I also show how to make muzzles - ears and so on. Go have a look and see if any of this might help. Pleas feel free to download my instructions.

You can get a lot of detail in a small area with felting. I just love it!

Neysa

Good Morning,

Did you know that you can needle felt muslin doll or animal bodies too? You can, it's actually a time saver. The following link goes to one of my site pages... "Ms. Siamese" is felted over a muslin wire armatured doll body.

http://www.purelyneysa.com/new_vc/purely_neysa6.htm

I've added a picture ... If this picture comes up you can see that I'm in the progress of felting over a muslin rabbit, I cut off his ears, eyes, tail and wiskers. For the ears now attached I have needle felted over a sheet of felt. I cut out from the felt sheet my ears and then using my foam work base needle felted the wool onto both sides. I have extended the face and legs, he's not finished yet but will be soon.

Manufactured bears that are string jointed also work as a base, pull them apart and felt the body, arms, legs and head into anything you want. The manufactured critter is just your core. You can find these critters at Jo Ann Fabrics, Michaels or other craft stores. Most are between $1 and $5.

Shelli,

I'm painting this morning... paint fumes, memory loss. The Class in San Diego is January 13th, 2006.

The Tampa Class is March 10th, and you would email Terrie to signup: teranger@aol.com 

Neysa

Shelli,

To sign up for my San Diego class go to ABC's website: http://www.abcunlimitedproductions.com/

In the left hand column click on workshops. My class gives you 2 options, 2 prices... You bring a bear or other animal, or I make you one.

Perhaps you could make one from one of my books for the class? Neysa

Thank you all, I love felting AND talking... it takes a little longer with 2 fingers... typing!

My critters are hard felted and minimum time about 12 hours, faces and paw pads??? I can do 2 a day.

I have 2 up coming classes: San Diego in January with ABC Unlimited Productions and Tampa - Bearly Spring Show. Both are on felting faces and paw pads on mohair critters.

. Judi's work is wonderful! Neysa

Good Morning,

Wool is your basic fibre because of the "barbs" in the wool itself. You can add, mohair fibre, yarn bits, dog hair, bits of linen, denim anything to the wool and it will felt. You get a "fuzzy" finish when adding other fibres. Neysa

P.S. I'm new to all this so if anyone wants to view my critters please go to my site and click on the Virtual Catalog... there are mohair critters with felted faces and felted critters working around a wire armature.

Jane,

Good Morning. I felt faces and paw pads quite a bit. Shave the area you want to felt - if felting a solid base. I use a size 40 T for this. I find this needle goes through the wool, the mohair backing and the stuffing easily. I do at times use other sizes but I like the 40 T the best. Hope this helps. The critter to the left - his face is felted as well as his paws.

Neysa

Good Morning,

Welcome to the Needle Felting Forum. I'll be co-hosting as Help Advisor in this forum. Hopefully I can help answer questions and also learn more from all of you too.

Needle Felting is a wonderful medium with endless possibilities! Becca Bednarz taught me the very basics, everything else has been trial and error, such as polyester stuffing – try it - it works, as a core fiber or all the way to the end product (the Polar Bears on my site in the Virtual Catalog are from polyester stuffing).

I have approximately 100 different wools (batt and roving) in 1-ounce bags and combination bags for sale. I sell 5 sizes of felting needles, books by Ayala Talpai, foam work bases and wire armatures to make animals. Have a look at my site particularly the Needle felting area, there are 12 pages of supplies:  http://www.purelyneysa.com/felting/need … ing_1.html    or      http://www.purelyneysa.com/

I’ll be monitoring this Forum, but if I don’t answer quickly enough feel free to email me at neysa@purelyneysa.com    anytime.

Neysa A. Phillippi
Purely Neysa