Tiger Tiger's Needle Felting in Public: Other Resources UPDATED

Folks who are interested in needle felting need only look at the late Wendy Harwood's work for inspiration.  Look at her interpretation of the John Johannsen animals in a boat piece.  The chipmunk and squirrel are needle felted.
http://www.livingwithneedlepoint.com/2013/05/12/melissa-shirley-designs-john-johanssen-canvases-for-needlepoint-part-2/

Here is a closeup of the squirrel.  I believe Wendy's stitch guide is still available from her shop (second link below).
http://stitcherie.ning.com/photo/img6683needle-felting?context=user

http://www.aristeianeedlepoint.com

I am told Amy Bunger discusses needle felting in her How'd You Do That DVD series. Look for the "Closet Full of Stitches: video.  If you are a visual learner you might find it helpful.
http://www.amybunger.com/catalog/item/6256888/6064867.htm

The new master of needle felting is Sandy Arthur. Her Wizard of Paws (designer Brenda Stofft) is terrific!
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/search?q=sandy+arthur

You can pick up the stitch guide from Sandy's Duo Designs website.
http://duodesignsinc.com/wpsite/stitch-guides-only

Sandy has needle felted a dog, too. But not just any dog--a 1960s advertising executive who is a little overly fond of martinis.
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2014/04/our-very-own-mad-man.html

The canvas and guide are available from Bedecked and Beadazzled as a package deal.
http://www.bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/Boston-Terrier-Cocktail/

Both Sandy Arthur and Amy Bunger say to use only a little wool roving at a time.  Remember this when you start your first (or next) needle felting project!

Barbara Elmore has also experimented with wool roving on her mixed media projects she teaches.  Here is "Coyote in the Afternoon" in the EGA Seminar class description.
http://www.egausa.org/index.php/classes/4-day-classes-monday/452-405-coyoteafternoon

UPDATE:  Ruth Schmuff just published her needle felted squirrel (this is her current mystery class) with her four quick and easy rules for needle felting.  You can sign up for the class now or do it later. Ruth's mystery classes are available after the class ends and the mystery is "solved."
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2014/07/fuzzy-fluffy-and-everything-in-between.html

http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2014/08/all-those-beautiful-colors.html

http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2014/09/fall-furries.html


Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright July 18, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Tiger Tiger's Needle Felting in Public: Introduction

Belleza's Needle Felted Flower Center

Since I plan to needle felt the small version of Leigh Designs' Imari Timeless Tiger in public here on Blog, I thought we should go over the materials needed and the basics first.  I have needle felted a simple shape before, the orange flower centers on my Tapestry Fair Day of the Dead Halloween piece, Belleza.  The materials I used are described here.
http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2012/09/learning-to-needle-felt-simple-shape.html

I had no clue how to do this but it wasn't as hard as I had thought.  There are two things to keep in mind, however.  The needles used to needle felt are very sharp with barbs on the end.  Therefore, you have to needle felt carefully and choose a time when you aren't distracted or likely to be interrupted.  You DO NOT want to needle felt a finger!  The needles are also thin, so if you stab your wool roving at an angle instead of straight up and down, you are more likely to break the needle.

Here is how I needed felted in my first attempt.  Note that I needle felted onto a piece of wool felt, cut out the shape from the felt and appliquéd that onto canvas.  It worked very well for me, but for the Imari tiger, I plan to needle felt directly onto the canvas.    The photo above is a close up of one of my needle felted flowers, just to the right of her earrings.  It turned out very well.  The red-orange petals are beaded, by the way.
http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2012/09/learning-to-needle-felt-simple-shape_27.html

Next week we'll look at other examples of needle felting on needlepoint canvas and discuss some tips from the experts.  Until then, study the photos and video and start assembling your equipment if you have a canvas you'd like to needle felt.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright July 17, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Wig Maker

O'jishi from Leigh Designs' 

Needle Works has a lovely pair of stitches diagrammed on their blog as part of their Share a Stitch Sunday program.  First they've diagrammed Cashmere Blocks, which is the same stitch I used on O'jishi's background (photo above).  It's a lovely lovely stitch that I associate with Wendy Harwood's designs as she used it for backgrounds quite often.
http://www.stitchinginthetexashillcountry.com/the_needle_works/2013/09/share-a-stitch-sunday-september-22.html

Secondly, Colleen has beautifully diagrammed what she calls the Wigmaker's Stitch, which is exactly how I was taught to make fringe.  This stitch makes wonderful hair and beards, as you can see in this recently finished auction for Tony Minieri's "Ancient One."
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Anthony-Tony-Minieri-Ancient-One-Canvas-Threads-Stitch-Guide-1999-/271295300285?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f2a75c2bd

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Felting for the Needlepointer

One of the reasons we are going to miss the late Wendy Harwood of Aristeia is her creative use of things like wool roving on her canvases.  Check out this Melissa Shirley canvas in progress using Wendy's stitch guide.  The squirrel is wool roving that was "needle felted" into shape.  The wool berries are made from wool roving using the "wet felting" technique that is explained here briefly.
http://thenimbleneedle.blogspot.com/2012/06/diy-berries.html

Making round berry shapes by wet felting wool roving (or pet hair) looks incredibly easy.
http://www.lilblueboo.com/2012/02/how-to-make-felt-balls-wet-felting-101.html


Needle felting looks a bit harder but I won't know how hard until I experiment.  There's a video on this felting website that shows how it is done.
http://www.livingfelt.com/

Needles, mats and wool roving in colors that are amazingly ugly are available at the big box craft stores.  Etsy.com also has assorted color packs available from quite a few sellers if you want to support the little guy by purchasing several natural shades to play with for animals for your canvases.

I'm going to see if I can make a few felting balls from dog hair.  Watson, come here!  [time passes]

Wet Felting "Beads" From Dog Hair

What you see above are felting balls made from Watson (left) and Suki (right) and a tuft of Watson's fur.  His is longer and finer than Suki's and it made denser balls.  The trick is to use hot, soapy water and to keep working the mess into shape.  Watson's fur immediately made a flat disk, so I squeezed the disk into a ball shape with my fingers, then rolled it between my palms, pushing hard.  The two balls above took less than 10 minutes each.  I'll let them dry for a day or two and see how they look.  Each ball needs a little trimming to cut off bits sticking out.  Watson's fluff is longer and more like raw cotton, so it is definitely the better to make felted beads with.  You will have to experiment to see if your dog or cat or sheep or goat fuzz works well in wet felting.

I've not tried needle felting yet.

I've heard that you should use pet shampoo to deodorize the fur but I was experimenting.  By the way, the little balls are dry now and there is no dog smell to them.


Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Sad News UPDATED

Friends and customers of Aristeia Needlepoint will be sad to hear the owner Wendy Harwood died today after a long illness.
http://melissashirleydesigns.com/galcol/index.cgi?index=1311381251_17255&col=158

She was a very talented stitcher and wrote many stitch guides for her friend Melissa Shirley.  I think Autumn Bouquet was her masterpiece but it is really hard to choose since she was a creative and interesting stitcher.  She will be missed by her many friends.
http://thenimbleneedle.blogspot.com/2012/06/diy-berries.html

UPDATE:  Wendy through Vicky's eyes
http://mostlyneedlepoint.com/06/21/a-celebration-of-life/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Decorating for the Holidays

This year I'm only doing a little decorating for Christmas and it is here on Blog instead of in my home.  Hope you like the new header photo and background color.  Not everyone is like me and not decorating, though.  Ruth Schmuff's new mystery class is working away on whichever of the two holiday canvases they picked to work on.  I think Ruth's idea for the striped background is fabulous!
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2010/11/noeljingle-all-way.html

Ruth's shop is very cheering and decorated with all sorts of goodies.  She just posted about a Wendy Harwood class held there and I thought you'd like to see the canvas Wendy taught and the happy faces of all the folks who attended.
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2010/11/tis-season-for-peace.html

If you would like to use your decorative impulses to make a great one-of-a-kind needle magnet for yourself, Mary Corbet has a tutorial.  The donut shaped magnet she used is probably a rare earth magnet.  If you Google that term you will find them online.  A word to the wise--they are very strong.  A 1/4 inch round donut set is about as strong as you will need.  Anything bigger will be very difficult to pull apart.
http://www.needlenthread.com/2010/11/from-button-to-needle-minder.html

In other news, June McKnight will release a new book in January.  It's full of Halloween stitches.  I hadn't seen any of June's books until a friend gave me some of her stitching books and I've been very impressed.  Anyone who does a lot of Halloween stitching will find this book useful and fun judging by June's older books which I have been reading lately.  There's a photo of the cover and a slide show of some of the stitch diagrams (I think those are from her overdyed thread stitches and bargello books) she uses on her website.
http://www.junemcknight.com/index.html

Finally, The Needlehouse has posted their winter newsletter on their website.  It has a review of one of Julia K. H. Snyder's books and a stitch diagram from it of a heart-shaped Sprat's Head.  They also announce their newest monthly club, snowmen!  You can see photos of the club canvases and find the link to the Winter 2011 newsletter on their home page.
http://www.theneedlehouse.com/jm/

Now I need to get busy and work a bit on ideas for Barbara's subway canvas!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow