Watch Your Fingers

I have little energy today, because I am fighting a bad cold. Don’t worry, I’ll stay on this side of the computer to keep you safe from catching the “crud” from me.

Although I’m feeling bad, I still need to get some things done. This Friday I’m teaching my first needle felting class at Linderella’s. I had some class samples made, but we decided to change the projects a bit. In order to get the techniques set in my head and to have some better looking samples, I spent the last few hours needle felting like crazy. I’m very happy with the results, you can see them in the photos. It was a great way to spend a “sick day.”

If you don’t know needle felting, well it quite fascinating. As I mentioned yesterday, there are welt-felting (or fulling) techniques for working with wool. Needle felting is the dry brush equivilant.  You use a very sharp needle with tiny barbs to punch the wool into the background fabric. Imagine a straight fish hook. The barb on the fish hook is designed to grab on to the fish. The same is true of the barbs on a felting needle.

As you punch the needle into the wool background, the barbs grab onto the wool fibers and pushed then down into the fabric. Spend enough times punching the fibers and eventually the fibers will stick and become part of the wool fabric.

As an experienced fisherman knows the dangers of fishing hooks, so does the needle felter. Blood is often shed during the process, especially when you daydream and accidentally aim the needle into your fingers. Yikes! So if you you decide to take up needle felting (or fishing) make sure to watch your fingers.