Jun
3
2010
Following on from my previous blogs on the subject of needle felting, here are details of some of the tools I use and would recommend.
The multi-needle tool is a very useful tool for your needle felting kit. It is great when felting larger areas because of the multiple needles which maximises each punch. It makes light work and greatly speeds up the process. Some multi-needle tools have a built in safety cover that protects the needles when not in use. It also protects fingers while felting, as the cover moves up and down as you punch so the needles are always covered while you work. Your fingers will definitely thank you for this investment!
Why not try the pen style felting tool. This tool is designed to be held like a pen with a grip that is very comfortable and eases fatigue when in use. It is very useful for smaller areas as it can be adjusted to hold one, two or three needles. The needles can also be adjusted within the tool to be long or short. If your project is quite deep then it would be best to use the needles to their full length as the wool will be felted deeper and more firmly. If however your project is more delicate and with less depth then you may want to adjust the needles to be shorter.
Another favourite tool in my kit is the needle felting claw. This is a very ingenious tool. It has flexible wires at one end that are prefect for holding the wool roving in place while you needle felt. It is also ideal when you are applying motifs to your project, as it holds them perfectly in place while you felt them on. Your needles pass easily through the wires without the risk of breakage. At the other end of the tool is a clever little comb that is useful for cleaning your felting mat of wool fibres so as to avoid “contaminating” your colours with ones previously used.
When I was first introduced to needle felting I used a foam pad as a base to work on. This works very well but one disadvantage is that your work tends to get felted to the mat and when you lift it away you leave wool fibres stuck in the mat. The back of your work then needs attention to felt in all of the fibres that have pulled away. Also the foam is subject to wear and tear and has a tendency to break off in little pieces, which can then end up felted to your work! I now prefer to use a brush style felting mat. It has firm bristles fixed into the plastic base and is used with the bristles pointing upwards. Your project is then placed on the bristles and supported while you work. Your needles pass through the wool and into the bristles with ease. This tool is very robust and if looked after will last a lifetime.
If you’ve never tried needle felting and would like to give it a go then I hope I’ve given you a little insight into the craft and some information to help get you started. Happy felting and thank you for following my SambrookBears blogs!
May
26
2010
A Wool sliver is wool that has been combed, washed to remove dirt and carded to pull all the fibres so that they lay in the same direction. Wool slivers are then generally twisted slightly to keep them tidy until needed. Once twisted this wool is known as a wool roving. Flattened wool rovings are called batting. Many spinners prepare the wool in this way themselves but it is also widely available commercially. Wool rovings and batting are available in a rainbow of colours as wool accepts dye very easily. Rovings are also available in other fibres such as silk and cotton.
Wool rovings have traditionally been used for spinning into yarn but the soft, fine and springy texture makes them suitable for many different craft applications. One such craft, which is gaining in popularity is needle felting. Needle felting uses special needles with barbs which force the top layer of wool fibres into the deeper layers when the needles are pushed through the wool. The fibres stay put and repeating this process, over and over from many different directions, allows an artist to “sculpt” the wool into any shape that is desired.
There are many different types of wool available for the art of needle felting and a very luxurious variety favoured by many artists is merino wool. It is very fine and soft and felts beautifully. There are also many tools available for this craft designed to make the process easier, but first you will need a set of needles. They are generally 3″ long with a right-angle bend at the “handle” end and triangular shaped pointed tip. They are very strong and extremely sharp with barbs along the length of the needle. Felting needles come in various gauges and each is used at different stages in the felting process. 36 gauge needles are best used for the first stage of felting, then 38 gauge would be used once the basic desired shape is achieved. The 40 gauge needle is used for the final stages of the felting process and for extra fine work. Because it is a finer needle it does not leave indentations in the wool and is useful for smoothing the finished surface of your project. I will be looking at other tools that are available in my next SambrookBears teddy bear blog.
May
24
2010
Wool has always been used in the art of teddy bear making, usually for footpads and clothing, but it is becoming more and more popular as new methods, designs and techniques are pushing the boundaries. Existing materials are being used in new, exciting and innovative ways, to create the unique and inspiring collectors bears that are being produced today by some very talented artists. Wool is one such material that is used in a technique known as needle felting.
With traditional teddy bear making the head is usually constructed in a three piece format that is two side head pieces and one head gusset. Needle sculpting is the usual way to alter this basic head shape and along with the placement of eyes, nose and mouth it is possible to give teddy some character. This format does however have its limitations. Ever looking for new ways to progress the art some teddy bear artists have started incorporating the use of wool and the technique of needle felting into their designs. Growing ever more popular the use of wool in this way is proving to be very effective and is opening up endless design possibilities. Amazing creations can be seen with very large cheeks and muzzles. Bears with wonderful oversized feet and paws and bears with adorable faces with cute, appealing and very expressive eyes. I’m sure you will agree that it is impossible not to be inspired by such creativity and the use of this versatile medium. I thought it might be interesting to take a little look into the history of wool and here is what I’ve found.
Sheep hair hasn’t always been long, fine, soft and curly as we know it today. It used to be short and thick and very brittle. In around 10,000 BC people first started to look after sheep and keep them for their milk, which would be used fresh and made into cheese and of course sheep were used for their meat too. Once killed the sheep’s skin would be made into leather for shoes and clothing. The hair was often left on which made the garment warmer. It was found that the hair from the underside of the sheep was much softer and some sheep had more of this hair than others, so people began to breed these sheep. Over time, in fact thousands of years, and many generations later, sheep evolved to be more like the animals we see today with wool that can be spun and used in so many ways. Wool has many advantages over other vegetable fibres. It is easier to spin, it accepts dye very well and it is also much warmer too.
Wool roving is the form of wool that is now being used in teddy bear art and I will be taking a little look at this and needle felting in my next blog.
May
16
2010
Over the years I’ve found that one of the best ways to add character to a teddy’s face is to scissor sculpt the fur. This can sometimes prove difficult especially when it comes to miniature bears. It’s quite tricky to get into the little areas around the eyes and nose for example. If you have a pair of scissors small enough, then you can bet your life that the points are not
sharp enough to cut the fir and you end up plucking the poor little ted instead! Well no more and here’s the answer. Tweezer scissors. They have tiny blades that are very sharp and make light work of both mohair and upholstery velvet to scissor sculpt little faces to perfection. If you give them a try, I’m sure you will be pleased. My pair are the latest addition to my tool kit and I wouldn’t want to be without them. Tweezer scissors are now available in my shop at www.sambrookbears.co.uk.
May
12
2010
A range of exciting new buttons have just arrived and are now in stock.
If you’re looking for that special finishing touch for your teddy bear’s outfit or indeed any craft project then take a look at these gorgeous buttons. Hearts, stars, flowers, round buttons and even triangles are all here to tempt you. With colours to suit any colour scheme from brights, pastels and naturals why not visit the website www.sambrookbears.co.uk and see for yourself.
Coming soon a range of sumptuous wool felt just perfect for your next project.
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