"True art is an expression of the human being's search for a relationship with the spiritual, whether the spiritual longed for when his soul leaves the body, or the spiritual which he desires to remember when he dips down into a body, or the spiritual to which he feels more related than to his natural surroundings, or the spiritual as manifested in colors when outside and inside lose their separateness and the soul moves through the cosmos, freely, swimming and hovering, as it were, experiencing its own cosmic life, existing everywhere; or ... the spiritual as expressed in earth life, in the relationship between man's soul-spirit and the cosmic ... " - Rudolf Steiner
Course WC/ART
Art of Needle Felting
Lesson 2
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Course Outline
Art of Needle Felting
Lesson 1: Getting Ready for Felting Lesson 2: Simple Projects for Children and Beginners 1 Lesson 3: Simple Projects for Children and Beginners 2 Lesson 4: Projects for Experienced Felters 1 Lesson 5: Projects for Experienced Felters 2 |
Introduction
Using a single, barbed needle borrowed from commercial
felting machines, wool fibers are tangled and compacted by repeatedly jabbing
the needle into the fibers, forming three-dimensional felt sculptures bound
only by one’s imagination. In contrast to traditional felt making methods
that use water and friction, needle felting is also known as dry felting. Sculptural Needle Felting
is just the coolest thing! First of all the medium is wool ...
Let's thank the sheep for growing such amazing fiber. It is really hard to
describe the feeling of creating with wool. It must be the organic nature
of it that appeals to us; the luster, the smell, the feel ... it really is
wondrous stuff. The quiet crunching sound that the barbed needle makes as
it pokes in and out of the wool is quite soothing. But the greatest thing
of all is the moment that lustrous pile of fluff transforms into a character
full of charisma and charm. The needles used for needle
felting were not designed for hand crafting - they are designed for
industry. At the turn of the 20th century, machines with beds of these
barbed needles were invented to tangle fibers into felt fabric. These
machines are still being used today to make industrial felt out of a wide
variety of fibers.
The felting needle is a long, sharp, three- or five-sided barbed instrument. This needle is the tool used for sculptural needle felting. Felting needles come in a variety of gauges from fine to coarse and they vary in the number of sides on the bottom shaft. The sides of the needles have tiny barbs poking out. Store your needle in a safe place when not in use, for instance poke the needle deep into the side of the foam pad. The foam pad is another item you will need. You need this pad to absorb the needle when it penetrates through the wool. The best kind of foam pad to be used for needle felting is high-density foam that is at least 1 1/2 inch (3.8 cm) thick. There is a variety of fibers available and all can be needle felted with some success, but the best material for this purpose is sheep's wool. Sheep's wool fiber has scales on it. When you poke the felting needle into the wool, the barbs on the sides make contact with the scales on the wool and cause them to tangle together; that is the effect you are looking for. The more you poke, the more compact the wool fiber becomes. Basic procedure: Place the wool on the pad and keep needling without worrying about poking your leg or breaking your needle.
The felting needle is a long, sharp, three- or five-sided barbed instrument. This needle is the tool used for sculptural needle felting. Felting needles come in a variety of gauges from fine to coarse and they vary in the number of sides on the bottom shaft. The sides of the needles have tiny barbs poking out. Store your needle in a safe place when not in use, for instance poke the needle deep into the side of the foam pad. The foam pad is another item you will need. You need this pad to absorb the needle when it penetrates through the wool. The best kind of foam pad to be used for needle felting is high-density foam that is at least 1 1/2 inch (3.8 cm) thick. There is a variety of fibers available and all can be needle felted with some success, but the best material for this purpose is sheep's wool. Sheep's wool fiber has scales on it. When you poke the felting needle into the wool, the barbs on the sides make contact with the scales on the wool and cause them to tangle together; that is the effect you are looking for. The more you poke, the more compact the wool fiber becomes. Basic procedure: Place the wool on the pad and keep needling without worrying about poking your leg or breaking your needle.
Supplies Needed
You will need the following supplies and you may substitute some supplies as needed and appropriate depending on your projects and supplies on hand:
- barbed needle felting needles
- foam pad
- white and colored merino wool
- brown or rust mottled, white, black and yellow merino wool (0.07 oz or 2 g of each color)
- variety of different colored merino wool depending on choices
- small amounts of yellow, red, brown and black wool
- black beads for eyes
- sewing needle and thread
- wooden skewer
- ruler
- additional supplies and items as needed depending on choices
Supplies can be obtained for instance at livingfelt.com or geminifibres.com or other suppliers.
- barbed needle felting needles
- foam pad
- white and colored merino wool
- brown or rust mottled, white, black and yellow merino wool (0.07 oz or 2 g of each color)
- variety of different colored merino wool depending on choices
- small amounts of yellow, red, brown and black wool
- black beads for eyes
- sewing needle and thread
- wooden skewer
- ruler
- additional supplies and items as needed depending on choices
Supplies can be obtained for instance at livingfelt.com or geminifibres.com or other suppliers.
Tasks and Assignments for Art of Needle Felting Lesson 2
Chickens and Chick
Obtain the basic materials for your second project: Several chickens, a nest and a chick.
- barbed needle - foam pad - brown or rust mottled, white, black and yellow merino wool (0.07 oz or 2 g of each color) - small amounts of yellow, red, brown and black wool - black beads for eyes - sewing needle and thread - wooden skewer - ruler |
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Chicken Body
1. Measure a 6" x 3" (15.2 x 7.6 cm) piece of red-brown wool.
2. Roll tightly into a triangle shape. The top part of the triangle measures 2 1/2" (6.4 cm) and will be the chicken's back and tail. The two shorter sides measure 1 1/2" (3.8 cm) and will be the chicken's breast and the underside of the tail. Needle the chicken's body to keep the shape from unrolling.
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Chicken Head
3. Roll a 1/2" (1.3 cm) ball of red-brown wool and needle to hold the shape.
4. Position the head on the body and needle to attach.
5. Needle the tail into a flat, fan shape. Turn the chicken over and needle the underside of the tail.
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Chicken Wings
6 Needle a 1" (2.5 cm) long piece of red-brown wool into a flat, small wing shape. Make two.
7. Position the wings on either side of the body and needle around the edge of the wings into the body to attach.
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Chicken Comb and Beak
8. Roll a small piece of red wool between your fingertips and place it on top of the chicken's head. Needle the comb to the chicken's head.
9. Make a cone-shaped beak by rolling a piece of yellow wool on the pointed end of a wooden skewer. Remove the yellow cone from the skewer and needle it onto the chicken's face below the comb.
10. Add apiece of red wool to each side of the beak for a wattle.
11. Sew black beads onto the side of the chicken's head for eyes.
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Chick
12. Roll a 3" (7.6 cm) long piece of yellow wool into a triangle shape that measures 1" (2.5 cm) long. Needle the surface to keep the wool from unrolling.
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Wings for Chick
13. Fold a piece of yellow wool into a wing shape. Make two and needle the surface of each wing to shape them.
14. Attach the wings to each side of the chick's body.
15. Roll a piece of black wool between your fingers and needle it onto the chick's face for a beak.
16. Sew black beads onto each side of the chick's head for eyes.
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Nest
17. Shape a palm-sized amount of brown wool into a bowl shape. Needle the bottom of the nest, then turn it upside down and needle from the opposite side.
18. Lay the nest on its side and needle the sides all around.
19. Place the chicken and the chick inside the nest. If desired, attach the chicken to the nest by needling the fibers at the base of the chicken's body into the base of the nest. The same can be done to attach the chick to the chicken. Position the chick on the back of the chicken and needle the yellow fibers on the bottom of the chick into the chicken's back.
Additional Chickens and Display
20. Repeat the appropriate steps to create another chicken using white wool.
21. Repeat the appropriate steps to create a third chicken using black wool.
22. Arrange your creations for a nice group photo and/or set up a nature display table in your house or studio using props like a blue metal pail and several eggs.
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Please submit photo(s) of completed art project(s), comments and questions via the online form or via email.