Hummmmmm. I would like to make an ornament, using the cookie cutter needle felting technique. Now, what do I have as options? I have been collecting cookie cutters for over 30 years now. My original Christmas cookie cutters were dinosaurs. (the T-Rex was Santa! and the Triceratops had tricky horns to get out of the cutter.) Eventually, my collection grew and I added more traditional X-mass shapes to my collection.
Unfortunately, most of my 2 boxes of cookie cutters are stored well out of my reach at the moment and Glenn is off at work so can’t extract them for me. I should have remembered they were out of reach and no longer in the bottom drawer. (mumble)
Well, what do I have for options?
1 A bat, vampire teeth, a coffin, a cat, a moose and an Ikea set of snowflakes. As much fun as the vampire cookie cutters are, I think they don’t say X-mas to most people. So they’re out.
2 As much as I love cats I don’t think I will try a holiday cat this time. (how would I choose between Timothy in Orange and white, Miaka in Black and white or Evil in all black? Someone would be feeling unloved.)
3-4 we are left with two highly festive shapes, snowflakes and moose. But there was that incident on highway 401 while travelling to Oakville last week. We were not involved but it looked very gruesome. No maybe not the moose.
5 So it’s the “Vinterfest” Snowflakes from Ikea. (They may not be sold out if you check your local store)
As I understand the concept of the cookie cutter, it is to provide a structured shape to contain the wool as you inflicted horrible stabbing upon it. The sides make sure the wool has nowhere to run! (i love needle felting it is such a gentle relaxing pastime! <Grin>) The nature of the wool compacting as you poke it means extra attention and the addition of more wool is required along all the edges and protuberances.
6 I think that was some of the white Corriedale wool and the needle was a T36 or T38.
7-8 As the wool shrunk below the rim of the cookie cutter I added more fibre to the thinner areas. I also turned it over so I was compacting from both sides. If you wanted a thinner snowflake you would not keep filling it to the top of the cookie cutter. Whether you make a thick or thin shape it would still work best if it is fairly firmly felted.
9 I switched to the pen holder with two T42 needles (I had to look around for it. I had left it in Mr. Mer’s Glute muscles.) I focused on adding short bits of wool around the perimeter of the cookie cutter. I was amazed at how much more wool it absorbed at this point.
10-11 Once it was very firm to the touch I started to extract the snowflake to see if it would be stable.
12 Ooh, nice solid snowflake. Better not get hit with this one, you could poke out an eye!
Hum, now it’s looking a bit plain. I got that lovely variegated thread that had been donated to EcoEquitable a few weeks ago (they are a not for profit group that teaches sewing and recycles fabric and sewing supply). I bet it would make lovely crows-feet and a star.
13-14 Oh well the variegation is longer than I thought but I still like it. Now, where will I put it?
15 OH NO! Mr. Mer swam through, grabbed it and has run off with it!! That will teach me to store the needle pen in his butt!
