Jan – Felting and Fiber Studio

Shopping and Felting, I promise (New picture started & Blue Whale)Part1

November 1, 2026 Jan Comments 7 comments

Today we will get to felting, but first…There is a new Fiber festival, Ontario East Fibre Fest, in October, south of Ottawa (Canada). Let’s get up early and drive south just past Smith Falls to check it out. I saw ads on Facebook; it looks like there will be a good selection of vendors. Some of whom you may recognise from past shopping opportunities. This looks like fun you might enjoy joining me! Don’t forget to pack your window shopping money and meet us in the driveway by 8 am. Afterwards we can visit the cottage and continue the felting.

Saturday Morning heading to Lombardy:

The drive is just over an hour; it’s one of those places you can’t quite get to in a straight line. If we had more time, we could stop while going through Carlton Place, at the wool growers co-op and look at fleeces, but there may be some at the sale, so let’s keep going. Smith Falls is part of the canal system that runs from Ottawa to Kingston. (The locks were built to help thwart American ideas of trying to liberate us from the British. The Americans were surprised we liked being British and not American.)

1.1) Map of eastern Ontario & map of the event.

Just south of Smithfalls is the town of Lombardy; we are stopping at the Lombardy Fair Grounds. There is a complex of agricultural buildings, lots of parking, and when we arrived, we could see food trucks. We had made good time on the drive, found the handicap parking, and went to start the line to go in. (We are early.)

1.2) The buildings

The event was spread over 3 of the buildings (there were a couple more they could expand into, if they had more vendors in the future). It’s a bit of a hike between the 3, but with the walker it was fine. The organisers had a good mix of vendors, with offerings from raw fleece to finished goods and tools. It was not as yarn-heavy as some large fibre festivals have been at lately, but still had a good variety of yarn. Keep an eye out for Toby’s fluorescent yarn; it glows in black light!!! Do you want to knit something for a rave? Let’s have a quick look at some of the things for sale. There is always room for more virtual fibre in your hoard! Luckily real fibre is quite squishy, so there is room for more of that too!!

2.1- 2.2 ) photos from booths

They had asked one of the local sheep shearers to demo on Saturday and a farmer to bring their alpaca on Sunday.

3.1- )sheep shearing (there were also 3 mohair goat volunteers for a haircut. The youngest was having his first haircut and was not impressed!)

They had arranged 2 food trucks, and one little building had Chapman’s ice cream on cones or cups. One of the food trucks was selling food featuring cheese (I found out later they had a fantastic variety of grilled cheese sandwiches, one with pineapple! The other was handmade tacos. I should have gone over to look more closely!!! Next year.

4.1) ice cream and food trucks

It’s now past 2 pm; if we are going to also get some raking and felting done at the cottage, we probably should head out soon. By the time we got there, Glenn was wiped, and I was busy trying to get a shot of all the cool things I found. So we put off the raking of the pine needles until Sunday morning.

5.1) Jan’s Loot from the Ontario East Fibre Fest

I wound up working on the blue whale after dinner. I can’t find more of the tongue colour I had used. It’s probably in the missing box with my photo reference pictures. So used what I had left and then started to join the top and bottom sections together.

Sunday:

Glenn inspected the progress Sunday morning

building up under-structure of blue whale 5.2- Whale on chair in 2 pieces, working on felting down mouth and colouring tongue, Glenn inspecting whale with 2 parts joined

It’s amazing how weather can change over a short space of time. I was inspired by the steam coming off the creek that looked like little figures dancing above the water (looked a bit dangerous dancing on water; you could fall in and get wet).

The water was flat and reflected the trees and fall colours at 7:30 am. After breakfast, it was still calm, and Glenn spent a couple of hours removing the pine needles over the septic field and up the driveway. He made 3 big piles by the edge of the driveway.

While he was busy with the pine needles, I started lunch, ginger orange chicken with peppers and onions over rice. During lunch, we noticed odd noises on the metal roof and finally figured out it was pine cones being pelted by the pine trees at the house! This shock was followed by an increasingly gusty wind and the Pine-Snow-Apocalyptics!!! The beautifully raked yard, the driveway and even the previously clean porch were covered in pine needles and stray leaves! As if Sunday morning raking had never happened.

https://youtube.com/shorts/h0QWWmRMf-U?feature=share

5.3) video of snowing pine needles

5.4) Photos of the area around the cottage of the pine needle apocalypses.

5.5)Where the car was parked during the event; you can see the per-raking level of needles under the car.

I guess we can try again next week? Oh well, I did get to work on the blue whale; he now looks more whale-like, but his fin-wires are too high. I promise I will lower them.

Monday was the guild meeting, so I was in early to set up the library, do a check of the circulation file and add a few donated books and a new magazine. Then it was time for the meeting, which was on sock knitting machines and was very interesting. I had a selection of the guild’s books on socks from the post-spinning section. (Post-spinning is things you can do with thread or yarn after you have spun it). (I also have a post-weaving section of the guild library, formerly known as sewing.)

6.1- shots of the meeting/library set up

Tuesday, I have the new mini tower computer back and am trying to get it set up. I lost all my old beloved hardworking programs when the huge tower computer died. No more Windows 2010 and its fabulous artistic photo editing tools!!! No more Publisher supported by Microsoft, so I was going to dump all their products as soon as I lost my old owned copy. I had been pointed to OpenOffice, but the one I found was very clunky and took much longer to write a blog post on. I later found the newer version LeberOpenoffice, it has lots of features and is still getting updates. I wrote the last blog post in that. I didn’t have extra time to investigate it too far, but I did discover it can open Publisher files, so I’m very happy. I had to reinstall PhotoPad, which both Ann and I use, but the new version is more limited and keeps trying to get us to buy the suite. (annoying)

It took most of 2 days to edit the photos for the blog. It is still slower than windows/old photopad was, but I will create a workaround, and it will get faster, I hope.

Glenn was home earlier than he has been in over a month, so we packed up and went to Kanata for the evening. Glenn played another horrible train game for about 3 hours, and I lowered the whales fins/

As you may remember from the smaller humpback whale armature, they have upper and lower armature body parts. For the bigger blue whale, I had moved the fins to the upper armature since they seemed a tiny bit low on the Humpback whale. I realised I had added more to the underside of the upper body than I had anticipated, so as I joined the upper and lower body parts together, the fins seemed a bit high…. drat. Oh well, if I had left them on the lower armature, they would still be too low. I can relocate them down by adding an extra wire. I tried just bending them to a lower their position but that made the fin support too short. I will get that fixed before I make the wet felted skin.

I inserted a 6-gauge wire between the two armatures about where the fins should be. Then cut the trailing end of the fin wire I had mis-located and wound it around the new, much stiffer wire. Once the wire was positioned, it was time to spend a bit of time firming the area between the eye position and the far side of the fin.

7.1) Fin Fixing with augmented 6g wire inserted between armatures.

Oh dear, it’s already very long. I will stop here and share the rest next time.

September 2026: Photography, shopping, student and teacher

October 8, 2026 Jan Comments 9 comments

The fall has started out with photography, a bit of shopping and the taking and giving of workshops. It has been busy but also fun. Would you like to join me?

We are first off to the town of Almonte. It is about 30 to 40 minutes away depending on traffic, and this year very pretty but hidden by thick fog. The drive displays more trees, a bit of swamp, a small escarpment, and rocks. The Mississippi River runs through the town. The river has cut falls in some of the rocks. When settlers arrived, some built mills (one of the cloth mills was later converted into expensive condos, and the stone building beside the mill, which held the mill office and cloth storage, was turned into a museum). Many of the houses nearby were used by mill workers but have long since lost their fibre workers. There are still lots of people who remember the mill working; my neighbour’s father worked there.

To help support itself, the museum runs Almonte Fiberfest each September on the weekend after the labour day long weekend. The local arena is filled with booths. In the hallway, many of the local guilds and fiber related groups have their displays. This year there was a local food vendor selling empanadas. I have no idea if that is spelt correctly, but the two I tried were delirious.

For a number of years I have taken pictures and sent them off to the museum to both give historical documentation, and future publicity options. I finally have a good working system to sort and organise shots. I have a small book with the booth number written in; I have a pack of Post-it notes with the names of the booths. I spend time Friday afternoon organising the booth page with the name. Then I take a picture of the page with the name, then take shots of the booth. This works until it gets very busy on Saturday morning when I try to get crowd shots. As it gets a bit quieter Saturday afternoon, I go back to booth shots and shopping vignettes. (Vignettes are shots to entice people to come shopping). I took some on Friday night, about 380 shots, so I can pull, crop and colour correct some of the best temptation shots to send to the museum to post on their social media. There were over 470 shots Saturday, and a few, 162, on Sunday while I was demoing needle felting. I still have to finish sorting them. Sorting is extra challenging this year, since I have been working on the old laptop and can’t see the tiny images clearly. (My beloved geriatric desktop computer died and the new tiny tower is not yet working). I mention the number of photos just so you can see the restraint I have shown in not showing you all of them!! OH no! Death by slide show!!!

1.1- 1.5)A few shots from Almonte fibrefest, to top up your virtual fibre horde

2.1-2.2)Felting Booths: two suppliers and 2 creators

Taking a workshop:

Before and after Fiberfest, the museum runs workshops. This year one caught my eye and I was excited to try it. How can I describe leatherworking so it sounds like a fibre art? Hmm, not sure I can stretch fibre or leather quite that far. Decades ago I made Viking booties(the leather was lightweight, so I would not say they were boots). Now I was going to try to make a cover for a small notebook or journal. This will involve stamping leather with patterns, dyeing it, then sewing it up.

It was a small class since it was a full day during the week. But we tried our best to be quality students, to make up for the lack of quantity. The teacher was great; she had everything we needed and had the leather pre-cut for us. Starting with a scrap piece, we tried out stamps (she brought a lot of options) on dampened leather. After a very difficult selection, we started on stamping the cover pieces. I chose a flurry of dragonflies across the front and back cover and up the spine. I continued with a few flying around on the inner pieces too.

3.1 ) Dampening and stamp-ening the unsuspecting leather

Then the box of leather dies came out, and again the choices were fabulous and a bit overwhelming. So I went from light to dark: a light golden brown, a green, then a blue. It was hard to tell when the first selection of die was dry so I could start the next colour. It was fascinating to see the die pool into the indentations of the stamps. At first the dye seemed to be just on the surface, but suddenly it was outlining the dragonflies in a darker line of the green or blue.

4.1- ) Dyeing the leather

The next step was to stamp holes around the ends of the cover. To keep the leather in place, we needed to add a bit of leather glue, but just around the edge, or the notebook will not fit! We had used an adjustable tool to run around the outside edge of the cover. This was to guide the stamping of stitching holes. It is also used if you were stamping a straight border. Thinking ahead, I kept checking that the holes were clear on the back side, in hopes the stitching would be easier later. The stitching punches came in different sizes (number of points) to make it easier to turn corners. I have one of these at home; I can’t remember what I got it for, but I am pretty sure I did not use it to punch holes.

5.1) hole punching for stitches

The stitching was assisted by a stand called a pony. It was so helpful to have the piece held, so you could use both hands. The thread was waxed, and the stitching required 2 needles, one on each end of the thread. (3.5 x the length needed to stitch). She showed us a cool trick to split the thread so the needle didn’t fall off the thread.

6.1- ) pony stand, stitching and sneaky thread trick

We took quite a while to do the stitching neatly, but it was worth the careful work! I was extremely pleased with the result. There may be more leather working options next Almonte Fiberfest, if you are in the area.

7.1-) finished cover

I had a day off to finish putting together the needle-felted landscape kits, then Saturday, I was booked to teach needle felted landscape. I had all the notes (21 pages, plus 2 pages of quick notes), samples of various pictures I have done or am working on, all the supplies the students would need and a carload full of bags of various colours and types of wool for them to work from.

needle felting samples 2 pictures 2 partly 3d moose 8.1) the samples of pictures and two of the moose bags

Taking a workshop allows the opportunity to learn something new or a new way of working. For new felters, it can also let them try different options. How will you know what you like to work with if you haven’t tried a few options? When you first start, you may not even know you have options. I brought them a few options to try.

For work surfaces to felt into; I have supplied them with a garden needling pad in a foam like a pool noodle (you have seen me working on one before). It has been seasonally available from the dollar store (Feb-Aug). It is not too expensive compared to the thicker wool mats. If you leave the plastic on, it reduces wool transfer. It has two sides to felt into, so it should last long enough to create a few pictures, which should let students decide if they are enjoying needle felting or not.

I also brought other surfaces for them to try;

-100% wool pad 1-1.5” thick (I like this one the best but not everyone does, and it’s quite expensive now.)
-Ann’s Woolie buddy, which is similar to the wool pad but has a different end feel: (how the needle feels as it is inserted into the work surface) (I have put it in a zip lock plastic freezer bag and like it much better, Unfortunately i still have to give it back to Ann!)
-the craft felt covered foam or sponge (I think I like this one the least, but someone may like it, so it’s good to let the students try it.)
-black packing foam, and the black foam sold for needle felting
-a burlap bag of rice (I like this one too, but it’s rather heavy to carry around for portable/movable felting).

I forgot the pink foam insulation (this is excellent to teach students not to stab too deeply; it screams at you with each stab). It comes in sizes up to 4’x8’ sheets, which allows for very big landscapes. I could not find my cellulose sponge (never leave a needle in this; it will rust since the sponge absorbs humidity – we are in a high humidity area in the summer).

9.1- 9.5)various surfaces to felt into, students’ pictures in progress, trying some of them

To use as a base or backing to felt their picture on, I had;

-a piece of 100% wool felt
-a thinner piece of Not-wool craft felt
-and a piece of 100% wool Horticultural felt, which we used to make a name tag. They can add more details or images to the name tag after the workshop. Having them felt their name is good eye-hand coordination practice before starting their picture.

I also had small samples of;

-100% Merino Pre-felt (because its thin it can stretch or distort as you felt into it) but it is worth trying to see how it works as a ground.
-hot-press craft felt (which is usually a mix of recycled fibres and glue); it can be felted on, but I do not like the feel to work with. If you don’t try options, how would you know if you hate it, are willing to work with it, or love it?

I also made sure they had a selection of needles to give them an idea of the options available and how they move more or less fibre depending on gauge and number of barbs. I gave them a reverse needle, which has the barbs positioned in the opposite direction to the other felting needles. The reverse needle is active as you remove the needle. It can loosen overworked areas, pull up under colours if you have a different core or under layer, or they are used to blend colour transitions that are too hard-edged. I also gave them a crown needle, since it has such a shallow working depth. It also is not an everyday needle but it is handy to have when you need it.

I asked them to come a bit early so we could start at 10 am, and they did, and I forgot to take pictures (my hubby forgot too, but he did carry in all the workshop bags and boxes, so he was probably tired! I know I should have been tired; I had a weird nerve irritation late Friday night, so I didn’t get much sleep, but my green caffeinated beverage kept me wide awake.)

The students mostly chose the window (Light-box) tracing option, but one tried Templating to transfer the image. She is an abstract painter and only used the image for suggestions. This time most of the students chose at least one of the two ocean scenes.

The name tags went well. Everyone seemed to enjoy needle felting but were very focused and found it more tiring than most groups. They only took a short lunch so I may have to try to get them to take a bigger lunch brake next time. A few students wanted to keep working on their pictures at home, so didn’t frame them (they did get a wooden frame with glass and a paper mat to put it in later), but half the class decided they had achieved the landscape they wanted. All seemed happy with their pieces.

10.1–10.5) students and finished or pictures in progress.

At the end of the workshop, I went through the fibre bags, sealing up ziplock bags and piling them by the door for Glenn to take to the car. I also packed up all the supplies, including the box of “Safety Fist” finger protectors and the various work surfaces (remember to give the woolbuddy back to Ann). I was wiped, and the nerve was getting irritable, so it was time to pack up and go home.

11.1-11.2) End of the workshop packing up

I will get back to working on the Blue whale. I am still not sure if it’s too long by a bout 2 inches or if it’s fine. But since we have gone through most of September I should give you a break, and we will chat about a new fiber festival just south of Smithfalls Ontario (Canada) and how that whale is coming along. I also did a bit more testing of that wool buddy that still has not returned to Ann, and I have found a modification that makes it much more appealing for me. (I will tell you about that too.)

Have fun and keep felting!

a tail/tale of a whale – part 2

September 17, 2026 Jan Comments 12 comments

Part 2

(part 1 is here: https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2026/09/02/a-tail-tale-of-a-whale-part-1/ ‎)

Saturday Morning, we had the car packed and we were driving south to Kempville. Stash-it fiber festival was on and you can imagine how tiny my stash of fiber is! i might need more. Glenn and i were early, and were first in line. It was a fun morning of photography and shopping. i will only so you a tiny bit so we can get back to the tale of the whale.

sign of sheep in a bag for stash it fiber festival vew into the gym that the sale is going to happen vew of part of the gym bag of alpaca fiber with sign saying touch me fiber and boxes of locks some having felting needles wool aplicay, dragon fly and interlocking cercle patterns needle felting kit to make sheep and other animals booth with fiber for sale snoozing husband My perches from the sale the paper bag unpacked to show the mostly blue fiber i perchused 4.1- 4.11 sign, hall, shopping, Glenn snoozing, my loot!

As i collected mostly blue fibre, locks, a bit more silk, and interesting shots, Glenn looked around, read a book, and snoozed as he often dose at fiber festivals. After successful acquisitions, of fibre and photos, we headed off cross country to the cottage. it was a nice drive and different views of rocks, trees, cows, sheep, but no bison farm this route. We did eventually get to the cottage.

As i told you last post, the lower skin i had started needed a bit more rolling, then i let it dry overnight on the screen porch.

Sunday: In the morning i pleated the throat. I used the small sewing clips i had ordered on line, they were easy to use, but if you don’t have them, then pins or a basting stitch would have worked. I started pleating from the centre of the chin working out to both sides. once i had the wrinkles positioned, it was time to pulled out the new steam iron, to iron the skins.

top vew of pleated skin Underside of pleated skin 5.1-5.2) Pleating top and bottom

5.3-5.4) ironing un-pleated sections of lower skin and folding top in half

Once the skins were prepped, it was time to return to getting the shape of the whale more, whale like. I started working on the mouth, adding colour and considering options for baleens (they look like a hairy moustache inside the top jaw of the whale. There used to strain out water and keep in Krill) i had 2 options i was considering, Icelandic tog (the outer guard hairs) or Mohair. The mohair was more lustrous and i thought the whale would like lustrous shiny white Baleens. I didn’t have any of the stiffness i wanted. (i had purchased soft mohair, not old course unsalable mohair! Drat.)

Monday: Luckily Judy, one of my guild-mates, had some that was courser but not at all as un-sellable as i had been considering. She brought a small bag with her to the guild social. Unfortunately i got distracted with a set of weaving notes that had been donated to the guild and had to put the whale project aside to get some work done. with both dyslexia and discalcula (letters and numbers) its still rather amazing that i have been guild librarian for so long.

Monday evening, luck forsakes me: i should have suspected things would not continue so well. On my way home the engine light came on for my poor rather old car. We made it to the drive way and I got her comfortable in her spot under the big red maple tree. i went in to email her Doctor to discover what is upsetting her…… hummm the computer is black and i don’t here the fan going…… i guess i will call the mechanics in the morning and see how fast i can get her fixed so i can take the computer in to the computer doctor. DRAT!!!! luckily i had taken most of the photos for the first part of the blog on my camera or cell phone. I wonder where the old lap top went. I found it, but it needs updating and dose not have word or publisher. Drat.

Tuesday: Car Doctors made a house call, my car has problems with her temperature sensors, so she has developed menopause and is having hot flashes! That’s fixable, they just have to find the parts…. Luck is back, parts were found localy and she is running by the end of the day!

Wednesday: Glenn loaded the ailing, possibly dead, very old, very large, very heavy, tower desktop computer into the car and i drove to Kanata. Yes they could check her out in about 3 days time. A quick stop at the dollar store and back home to get some felting done.

All this bad luck was making me feel a bit glum and wondering what the 3^rd thing would be. i called Glenn to give him an update and found he was on the way to see a doctor, not at work. (i suspected Glenn falling off some stairs while working, was likely bad thing #3 he heart his wrist and a few other spots but is recovering). Odd i just bot him an ice pack for his knee on the way home, but it will work for his wrist too.

Thursday: Ok, i am going to get some felting done before the weekend. Which is when i want to add the skins. I collected the whale, my small bag of core wool, the laptop and my notes and climbed into bed to needle felt and work on the blog post (there are some advantages to a lap top and working in bed seems to be one of them). This is not the best place to needle felt but it was comfortable and i could watch midsummer murders and felt during commercials! Its is very important to keep track of your needle if you are felting in stupid locations like bed, so you don’t fall asleep and roll over onto the needle. Which i did not do, but i did drop it twice but found it both times in the sheets, it was even unbroken. After that i switched to a safer activity, I started to write the blog post. I was realizing not having word is a pain since i can’t save photos with the rite label from open office so its taking a lot longer. I kept working on the blog post with the old laptop into Friday.

Saturday: We got up really early, Glenn loaded the car with whale parts, the lap top, and we headed for the cottage. The plan for today is to join the 2 wrapped armatures together and hopefully start to add the skins. Now that i have the courser mohair fiber i also need to add baleens.

top jaw adding fibr just past the eye which i will atach to the lower jaw adding fiber just behind the bump were the eye will go joining the upper and lower head near the eyes 6.1-6.3) adding fiber to position the upper and lower jaw so they work together (in case there is felted krill)

wrapping the body in core carded roving 6.4-6.5) wrapping the whale to join the upper and lower armatures

I started by attaching fiber behind the eye bump to potion the jaw where i wanted it. Then wrapped the built up top and bottom armatures. He or she seemed a bit thin in spots so a bit more fiber was added.

6.6) adding a bit more width to the whale body

They seemed more whale like, so i was distracted by there mouth and started adding the mohair as baleens. This Mohair is quite course so even using a 36T needle they stuck better with a thin bit of carded core wool to help hold them into the jaw. It works like glue or a staple as you sometimes would when adding a top coat to a figure. I added a few folded layers of mohair then trimmed them to try to get the angle i could see in the picture. I probably should have worked with tinier sections as i worked toward the soft pallet. But i was getting excited to start working on adding the skins. I left the rest of the baleens long, (un-trimmed), and will trim them when i have the skins on.

7.1- 7.3) adding the mohair baleens

I got to use my “eyebrow brush” on the baleens it worked wonderfully. I alternated between the tiny comb and the tiny brush sides. I don’t think the whale wants me to use the eye shadow applicator end. I may try a bit of hair spray if I cant get the curl turning the direction I want. I wonder if they make tiny curling irons…. No don’t get distracted, stay focused, no on line shopping until I get this post finished!

I am reasonably pleased with the effect of the moustache like baleens. I will see if I can improve the effect with the blue whale, who will have a longer mouth so more baleens.

Adding the Skins:

Sara started with the upper skin, and then wrapped the lower skin around to meet or overlap it. I wanted to get the throat positioned first, so worked backwards to her method.

8.1) taking clips out of under skin

I used a few pins to position the nose and split for the tail. I had added extra width for the under side of the fins on both top and lower skin. so i put a pin in to position each side fin on the lower skin. Starting a the centre of the chin i worked felting down each side of the fist wrinkle.

8.2-8.3) chin placement and starting wrinkles

Sara’s whale has his mouth closed so Sara worked the skins between the upper and lower wires for the jaws. Since i wanted to show off his tung, i had the mouth open, so i needed to fit the wrinkles around the lip. A whales lip is smooth running along the mandible and the expansion wrinkles start just below that. Sort of like a set of pleated certens that can expand when needed. The expansion wrinkles can reach down to inferior to the lower fin on its back. I may go back and work on getting the lip correct but for the moment my whale is a mutant and has his wrinkles starting at the edge of the mouth.

I worked the wrinkles down the body alternating sides until i had pleated to the top of the “arms”, OK, fins. I had seen some of the wrinkle patterns had curved around the fin, so tried to make my wrinkles do that too. Then started to attach the fin cover skins, over the front bump tacking them down in between each bump.

8.4) fins and wrinkles and bumps

8.5) the wrinkles extend past where they should be.

i had to trim off a bit of skin-felt towards the tail fins, around the side, and tail fins. The skin worked quite well, especially for the wrinkle making. It made a smooth surface and is not heavily felted, it could be stretched to the rite shape.

When i got to the tail i started to add the skin over the wrapped wire, as Sara had suggested. It was not sitting well, and i didn’t like the shape. So i checked the reference photos, reshaped the wire, then added a thin amount of core wool between the armature for the tail to give a bit better support .

trimming wet felted skin overlay skin over tail armature cut felt just above base of tail pulled the skin back to reshape the armature needed a bit more support for the tail skin, shows added thin amount of fiber to tail new shape and about to add underside skin of tail 9.1-9.5) photos of tail, tail fix and tail lower skin

I was quite please with the lower skin and other than the wrippily lips (8.5), it looks very whale like.

Adding the top skin: The top skin was similar to the lower skin to work with. It was a bit thinner and there was not as much extra felt to work with. Luckily I could ether stretch or patch the thin or short spots, to make the top fit the whale. Next time; make extra to allow for a bit more play. I used ether fiber cut from above the tail section or a bit of loose fiber under a thin edge to fill in the couple gaps along the side behind the arms.

laying the upper skin over the whale shape and using pins to hold it in posision starting at the center of the nose, using sewing pins to possion skin working from the nose, reaching the fins. close up of fin tip, i am useing both a bit of trimmed felt and loose fiber to fill in a short spot. fin close up showing bumps along leading edge 10.1-10.5) adding pins for placement, needle fleting down the skin.

I found the pins again help to position the skin. I had been using a T-36 needle and I found that it was excellent with the lower skin especially attaching the wrinkles. I think I should have switched to a finer needle for the top skin which was applied in a flatter way.

10.6-10.7) cutting the skin to allow it to settle on top of the tale and lower body.

As with the upper skin, I trimmed the felt to allow the skin to fit over the body. I extended the tail fin tips to give more feeling of the correct humpback whale tail shape.

stuffed frog with whale showing tail fins 11.1) tail fin extension at outer tips with one of the frogs at the cottage.

I may still add a bit of scaring which is common in Humpback whales and possibly a bit more barnacles, but basically I am very happy with the results. It was time to call Glenn over to inspect the whale.

11.2-11.5) whale inspection by Glenn

I have to still add the eyes. i am not sure if i will felt them or use beads. in the mean time i have put a couple yellow sewing pins to position them.

from the size i think he or she will be a teen whale. i will add a few scars if he is older. i will know better when i have the Blue whale under-structure done.

I can already see a few changes i will be making in the next whale project in the armature. The most important will be moving the arm-fins to the top armature. I will also make the skins bigger to allow for more adjusting on the body and wait to make it after I have the armature fully fleshed out with wool. The density and adjust-ability of felt-skin worked well, so I will try to make the same thin felt next time. I will need a bigger working table to do the layout and rolling. Maybe I will be social at a social and make whale skin, instead of focusing on the library?

i hope to have enough of the blue whale done to show you progress next post, if you are not worn out on whales? Have fun and keep felting.

a tail/tale of a whale – part 1

September 2, 2026 Jan Comments 13 comments

Updated 08/31/26

I had such wonderful plans for the last two weeks of summer. 1; invite Ann to the cottage to relax and do some felting, 2; do some wet felting to add to some dry felting (while Ann was there, sort of like a life guard, to keep the water behaving), and 3; then finish up the first whale. So I suppose it’s not a surprise it is the tale of a whale, or a whale of a tale, I have for you today.

Like many of my plans, they often go astray. It started out fine, but my luck could not last.

3 weeks ago: I re-watched Sara’s humpback whale felt-along on YouTube, and had hours of fun researching both humpback and blue whales. I inadvertently found out a bit about a few other whales as I investigated. It is the way of research, so many rabbit holes to look into.

I followed Sara’s instructions for creating the armature… mostly, instead of a mix of 12 & 14g, I used 12g aluminum. She used coated floral wire to give extra strength and help the fibre hold to the armature. I had the unlabelled floral wire from Dollarama easily to hand, so I was liberal in its application. She had made the armature in 2 parts: the top of the head and body with tail, and the second armature had the lower jaw with side fins and body with 2 wires to add to the tail.

Black grocery box full of wire, fleting suplys and snacks sitting on black walker 1.1) project box for whale project, 12g wire, un-gauged floral wire, tool kit, snacks

I wanted my whale to be able to open its mouth, so had research pictures of mouth interiors and how the expansion happens when it sifts water and krill through its mouth and out through the baleen (we will come back to those). Since Sara had an upper and lower jaw already with her armature, I went with what she had worked out for lengths and proportions.

Sara wrapped the upper and lower armatures separately with core wool, building the basic under structure. Then joined both half’s together and wrapped with more core wool. she added the wet felted skin over the wrapped armature. I had taken 2 days to make careful notes of what Sara had done, but as usual derailed and just used the photo-reference I had. I spent most of a week puttering while adding the core wool and had much of the structure blocked in when, on Thursday, Ann arrived at the cottage.

Preamble: I really don’t like getting wet. It’s so, wet. If water were drier, I would be happier. I kept asking my Dad, a hydrogeologist, if he could invent dehydrated water. He seemed to think water was fine the way it was. (I asked him for a dinosaur when I was 3 or 4 and was told he was not that kind of geologist; at least asking him to fix water was on topic. Other than these minor failures, he was a fabulous dad.)

I had picked up a new 4′ long folding table with adjustable leg heights to work on. I had a new pool noodle and the wet felting kit I won from Marie at Living Felt (Texas). Sara had done some per-blending for the upper layer of colours. I had an extensive selection of tones to work from, so I relied more on colour placement. The under layer for the darker top was a special blend from World of Wool, called “Indigo”; it is a fabulous blue-black, which I hoped would creep a bit into the upper layers.

1.2)first layer of the upper skin (W.O.W. Indigo coriedale)

Watching Sara lay out her top layer was interesting. She said the felt skin should be thin so it would be adjustable with a bit of tugging when done. I remember Moy McKay wanting thinness in her wet felted landscapes so they could be needle felted and fit in the sewing machine. Multiple times Sara said “that’s it”, then added a bit more fibre. I wound up doing the exact same thing, “ah I think that’s it,…… no a bit more just here”. Even with my enthusiasm, I was still able to keep the felt fairly thin.

1.31-1.32) Embellishments added to second layer of top skin, coriedale, silk, slubs, yarn and locks

Once the fibre for the skin was laid out, it was time to carefully add the soap and water, just enough to wet the wool but not the floor or me. I dampened the top layer of plastic and started to “gently caress the timid bunny”, or you can think of it as “lymphatic effleurage”, which is about the weight of a nickel in pressure.

1.41-checking felt integrity before switching to the wet felting tools; 1.42- photo of frog and rubbing tool, 1.43 -photo of tupper ware lid as rubbing tool)

Once the bunny is less timid and the fibre is starting to migrate, I switched to using the soft rubbing tool, then I used Ann’s Tupperware lid.

1.5) Starting to roll the felt, flipping and rotating the skin regularly

When the felt was firmer, I could start rolling with my new extra-large pool noodle. A regular pool noodle would have worked too; I just didn’t have one at the cottage. When I had rolled from each end and side, on both sides, it was time to gently drop the skin on the table. This is a gentle way to shock the fibres into further shrinking.

hand has let go and the felt is falling towords the table 1.61)dropping to continue shrinkage

wet felted skin partly done whale armature sitting on top of wet skin 1.62-1.63) top skin shrunk and checked with partly finished under structure.

I also did a bit of rolling and rubbing in specific directions to get the last bit of shrinkage I wanted. The skin is still quite thin but is also holding together nicely. It is time to set it aside and work on the lighter underbelly skin. Sara laid out and rolled both together, but I didn’t have a large enough table to do that, so it’s one side at a time.

Underside:

Sara’s lighter under layer was sort of the shape of a large mushroom. I started that way and add a bit more width at the top to allow more wrinkles. I had it layed out, had started to dampen the fiber when i changed my mind and added the “under arms”, OK, fins.

Ann had some grey and white fiber with little black flecks, i think it was from world of wool. i added a bit along the border where the two skins would join.

laying out the base layer in a harring bone pattern second layer of white & Grey, corrodale, silk, locks and slubs adding the under sides of the side fins, sara had not added them to her skin. close up of added fiber fiber layed out and preparing to roll after rubbing gently the fiber was ready to roll 2.1-2.6) layout and wetting of the light lower skin

By the time i started rolling it was time for Ann to head home. We cleaned up the porch a bit, closed up the cottage, and headed out. It had been great to have her company and i felt much braver with her keeping an eye on the sneaky water.

Ann and her dry balls ready to felt 3) Ann had been Preparing dryer balls and had quite a few ready to go.

I still have more rolling to do on the under side skin but that will have to wait until i get back to the cottage. i should let you have a brake and we can continue the whale saga next post.

Summer Fiber Prep has started for 2026

July 19, 2026 Jan Comments 5 comments

July 17 2026 (how did that arrive so quickly?) I am just back from my Doctor’s appointment (I passed my blood work and am good for another 6 month! still not quite back to normal but moving in the correct direction.) its summer so let’s do some summer things! Ok, so how many fleeces have I collected…. and now need to wash?

Fleece 1 for 2026:

A couple months ago I went south of Ottawa to the town of Spencerville, (it has a very photogenic mill you saw in a post a few years ago as well as a lovely small fiber festival).

brick low building with dubble glass doors and name "Drummond Building" in Spencerville Ontario Canada. 1.1) fabulous parking space rite by the door of the event! We were a bit early.

It was a small but well done event, lots of variety in booths and lots of shopping. From fiber to Yarn to finished products as well as fiber prep and weaving equipment.

5 photos of booths and close ups of the sale in spencervill3 2026 1.2) a few shots of the sale 2026.

One of the booths had some very nice looking fleeces. I took a few photos there and then kept on with the photo documentation, definitely planning to come back for one of the fleeces.

open bags of various fleeces , close up of 2 bags and th name of the booth 1.3) The Sweet Sheep Co. booth full of bags of fleeces.

I am sure you have already guessed it was an Icelandic cross with lovely shades of tog from white to cream to grey. The thel also had lovely variations. Unfortunately as I returned to buy it, someone had spotted this fine fleece and had the bag in hand, and was BUYING IT!!! I was so disappointed. Oh well, maybe I will get next year’s sheering?

2 people in booth with bags of fleece 1.4) shopping Oops, missed the fleece I had wanted.

Seeing my obvious disappointment, the vender said she had a smiler Icelandic cross under the table…. It was bigger…. So I stopped the photography, percussed it and added it to the walker! (Ann ran it out to Glenn who was possibly snoozing in the car. Thanks Ann!) It was a much bigger fleece as you will see further down. That should keep me busy this summer.

OOPS Fleece #2, 3 and 4:

The local Ottawa Guild was contacted by a sheep farm outside of Ottawa wondering if we wanted their fleeces. They are primarily razed for meat but were described as having good fleeces and some were “not white”. Jean got the message and drove out to pick up the fleeces from the “organic sheep”. They arrived the afternoon of a guild social and we emptied one of the multiple feed bag stuffed with what we thought was a fleece each, onto a table to see what the fleeces looked like. we found there were three fleeces in the first bag. I re-bagged them in clear plastic, so they could be seen, and admired, more easily. I selected two brown fleeces that night, then the next week picked a black and white fleece which was particularly soft.

7 feed bags full of fleeces in guild studio and leaning against library cabinets

4 close up shots of mixed colour fleeces in feed bags

2 bags of dark wool in clear plastic bags

1.5 (fleeces in feed bags at studio), 1.6 (photos of the top of 4 of the feed bags showing fleece), 1.7 (the 2 dark brownish fleeces i chose) Organic sheep fleeces Jean picked up for the guild. (There are still a few bags left!)

hand washed samples from one of the dark fleeces also a bit sample of spinning in the greese 1.8) sampling one of the fleeces, quick hand wash and mostly dry and sample spin the grease.

I left the two dark fleeces in the side yard, they looked reasonably serkerted, and took the multi-colour fleece to the cottage. Glenn got the 6’ folding table set up on the deck and I spread out the fleece to evaluate.

2.1) Third fleece from the guild it is multi coloured but mostly white and off white.

This particular fleece would be called lightly skirted. I did find quite a bit of second cuts, that’s short bits that the sheerer cut a bit high then neatened up the sheep with a second pass of the sheers. I pulled out the second cuts, any vegi matter and a few lumpy brown bits.

2.2) spread out on the table you can see the fleece is multi-coloured

3 photos top and to Left close up of fleece, to right purple bucket with wast fibers, and VM 2.3) close up of parts of the fleece and bucket of rejected bits

2.4) second cuts some were longer than i usually see

2.5) picking and sorting fleece on 6’ table

I was sorting the fleece while shaking sections, picking out VM (veggie-matter) and short cuts. Then bagging similar sections of fiber, into clear bags. The local chipmunks and squires will have extra warm homes this coming winter. the Phoebe who had its nest in the corner of the deck was not quite as excited about me using the deck.

2.6) phoebe on the deck railing

I hit a much cleaner section and was starting to think the fleece wasn’t quite as filled with hay and burrs as I had thought then I noticed the ground…. What a mess! I am just over half way through the fleece. I will keep working on it over the next few weekends when we get down to the cottage (there is a lot of work to do there but this will make a nice brake).

2.7) the deck is a bit of a mess.

I was going to add the fleece bits to the garden, (it will hold water, suppress weeds unless the weed seeds are in the dirty wool, and help feed the plants, well the butt end wool anyways), but there are quite a few burrs in there. since I don’t want burr plant popping up next year I think the most of the purple bucket will be garbage.

After shaking and picking the next step is a soak in the stock tank to wash it. But I have only 2 small bags of fiber from this fleece well picked and sorted, so I think I will switch to the Icelandic Cross from Spencerville.

Stock tank:

You have seen this part before, the 75gallon stock tank is usually used to water livestock, but it makes a great bath to wash fleeces. The larger sizes have a drain to make changing water easier. (they go on sale at the local princess auto so watch there flyers if you are looking for one, you might get lucky and find a second hand one on line.)

3.1) the 75 gallon stock tank from Princess Auto, I have added a hose and shut off valve to the drain.

I have added a hose extension and shut off valve so I can empty most of the water, then tip out the last bit. Other than the first wash (which tends to have a lot of weed seeds and soap.) the rinse water can be used on the flower boxes along the side yard. if the water is quite clean i can reuse it for the next soap batch.

3.2) I picked, shook, and pulled out a few burrs from the fleece, and separated the first part of it into five strainer buckets.

3.3) after letting it soak for most of the day the water was very brown.

I found a few spots with Sheep Dandruff but most of the fleece so far looks good.

Once the fleece had soaked and released a lot of the dirt, I lifted each strainer basket, resting it on the edge of the stock tank, and let most of the dirty water drip out.

3.4) once its reasonably less drippy, each was hung up by the side garden.

The first batch of was returned to the stock tank to rinse. (They were hung up to drip while the water was changed). after the first rinse the soap seem to have left, that was a surprise it usually takes 2 rinses, so on to the drying racks.

3.5) I have been using Ikea’s folding laundry drying racks.

3.6) I also put the overflow fiber on the upper drying rack which also dried well.

3.7) here are close ups of the fleece after washing

the first batch washed and mostly dry:

This is defiantly part Icelandic, with a dual coat. The tog is quite soft and there is a bit of black kemp-like fiber in arias.

3.8) I may use this part to spin part of the weft for an Icelandic blanket (with tufts of tog).

I am working on washing the second set of strainer baskets. The amount I have left will be 3 or 4 more strainer baskets to finish the fleece off. so its likely 13 or 14 baskets to wash this one fleece. Oh the tag on the bag said “Icelandic X” 5.20 lbs, “Midnight #44302”.

I had better get back to work and switch the second set of strainer baskets while its sunny and not raining. The weather continues to be hot, but occasionally we are getting cooler nights. We have seen signs of the smoke from the forest fires well north of us. The sky spent a day being yellow and we have smelt the smoke as it drifts across the city. I hope they can get it all under control, then out soon. I hope also that the weather is being kind to you and you can do some outside fiber prep.

rhubarb is sprouting new baby leaves in large pot by front door. 4) what odd weather, the rhubarb is starting again in one of its 3 pots?!

Technique chat: Shingling

July 4, 2026 Jan Comments 19 comments

You may have seen my last post, making a fluffy llama. At the end of the last post I still needed to finish his eyes and add eyelashes. Today we were going to consider shingling; adding layers of small amounts of combed fibre or fibre locks in a pattern that mimics the coat on a creature, like that llama I was working on. The fur mimicked by shingling is usually on the longer side, but it can be used for shorter fur too.

When I first started to needle felt, there had been only one option suggested for making a long-ish coat: shingling, with the use of combed top. I now know a number of variations on this technique and a few other options besides it. But let’s look at where I started and a couple of the variations.

As with all the projects I leap into, after the idea, it starts with a bit of fun research to find out what type of fur you want to mimic. Remember to check if there is a summer or winter coat, or if there are regional variations to your animal. It will not look right if you mix the coat of a red wolf with a timber wolf, or have a winter coat on the shoulders and summer coat on the back and legs! Google image search will help, but you have to be careful; sometimes the image descriptions for photos on the internet are labelled wrong. Look for sites that are researching the animal, breed associations, or even hunting groups can have some helpful photos (although not the hunting or cooking parts). It is also helpful to try to get shots from various angles. (I was extremely pleased when I found a picture of the underside of a polar bear foot!)

5.0) chart of coats of animals examples and techniques

For those needle felters who don’t mind getting wet, Sara (of Sarafina fiberarts on YouTube) had been experimenting with making “Pelts”, which are wet felted skin pieces she adds over her shaped felt under structure. Her results have been effective and interesting but do involve getting wet (so I have stayed with the dry techniques for now. I promise I will get brave eventually!)

There are a few things to consider beyond just getting the colour you want and deciding on a working direction to add your shingles (bottom to top or top to bottom; I have seen other felters who work in both directions successfully). Let’s look at some of my variables; you may have more considerations to add to this list.

Variables in shingling you may want to consider:

Which fibre will best suit your project (there is more than just colour to think about when picking fiber)
Fibre Staple Length
Blending your fibres and colours (Blended colour will look more natural than flat colours)
What scale to work in/ how big or small is your creature?
Working with locks
Amount of fibres used in each shingle
Stacking your shingles

Let’s expand each consideration.

Which fibre will best suit your project: (there is more than just colour to think about when picking fibre)

Stiff or softer fibre will give a different drape (use photo reference to decide which you need).
How likely is this fibre to felt to itself from handling or rubbing?
- This is more important if the creature is repositioned regularly (handled).
- Silk, viscose, alpaca, and llama don’t have scales as most wool does, so are less inclined to felt to itself. Wool that has less crimp and outer guard hairs like kemp and tog is also less inclined to cling to itself (felt easily) when handled.

5.1) samples in viscose

Trim or not to trim (embroidery curved blade, dog grooming scissors/ thinning sheers are options)
- Trimming can occur to shorten the fibre length you are applying, or you can trim the fibres after you have applied the shingles.
- A stiffer fibre vs a softer fibre will also react differently when trimmed by scissors. Stiff fibres can give a more bristle-like appearance when trimmed short.
Silk, Viscose and similar smooth fibres can be difficult to attach securely to the felted under structure:
- Adding a bit of carded wool or soft spun wool yarn to the area you are securing will help adhere the slippery fibre, like a staple or glue. (You may not need to add assistance to adhere if you are finding it is embedding deeply and securely. Working the fibre in a bit deeper and varying the angle of needle insertion will help it stay without adding extra fibre as glue. If you can’t work a bit deeper, then try adding the staple or glue-like bit of fibre. Remember the extra embedding to secure the fibre will shorten the staple length showing as fur.

5.2 – fibre divided 50/50 felting across to create the shingle

5.3) Add a bit of carded wool or loose spun yarn to attach as glue or a staple to hold the shingle

5.4)Alpaca fibre; folded, tacking folded fibre, and using extra fibre to help hold slippery fibre (staple or glue using loose spun wool yarn or carded fibre)

5.5) sample using Viscose

Using a bit of carded wool as a stable, to help embed the viscose fibre. While a bit of the staple or glue fibre is visible in the sample, using a similar colour as the shingle will make the assisting fibre or yarn invisible. The next layer of shingle will also obscure the previous attachment site.

5.6) For slippery fiber you can also create a wider attachment area

Fibre Staple Length

If folded, what percentage of the fibre is used.
- Folded in half (50/50 split) was what was first suggested to me. This can create a lot of loft or thickness in the shingle. If folded so cut end is under tips, it will lift the tips and give a thick dense coat.
- Folded (25/75) folded tips on top of longer cut end, gives tips dispersed amongst longer cut end.
- Folded (75/25) folded longer tips on top of cut end, gives lift from the cut end with longer draping tips.
- * You can also use almost all your fibre as coat, and only secure one end (90/10). This is not exactly a folded shingle, but in some cases it’s the proportions that work. You still position it overlapping, as you would in any of the other shingles.

6.1) alpaca samples

Single needle line of attachment or wider area of needle attachment (for slippery fibre, the wider attachment site can again help the fibre stay attached to your creature)
Using scissors to shorten the fibre length if needed (we are felters and like scissors!). If you are using combed top, it is easier if you pull off staple lengths then trim, rather than cutting the combed top itself, which will give mixed lengths to deal with (harder to blend and attach)

Pros:

Twice as fast (except for (90/10))
Under layer can lift the top layer and make a fluffy-looking coat
Works well for large colour gradations

Cons:

Can become heavy-looking depending on the scale of the sculpture
Can create small colour changes but can be a bit tricky to get exact location
Fluffy look can be out of scale to smaller figures.

Blending your fibres and colours (Blended colour will look more natural than flat colours)

Using the same fibre length will blend easily and produce a uniform length of coat.
Nature is not flat colour. It helps to mix shades and tints of colour to make your creature look more realistic. (Dyeing over a natural grey fibre will also give more depth and subtle variations within the colour)
Matching colours can be easier if you use a “window”. Cut out a small square in a piece of white or black card stock, leaving at least a 2-inch border to separate the window from the rest of the picture. This lets your eye and brain separate the isolated colour from the background, which makes it easier to colour match.
Areas with spots of colour change can be easier if switching to smaller amounts of fibre in your shingles (many little shingles). Your other option is to carefully blend the colour changes within the larger staples. The difference is more about the amount of control, suggesting a colour change or spots vs trying to mimic a specific animal’s colour patterns.
For stripes, you could try to lay in following the colour pattern. I have seen a felter who drew the pattern on her animal then just filled in each adjacent colour section, slowly working up the side of the animal.

7.0) muskox layers of alpaca to make the muskox coat

What scale to work in/ how big or small is your creature?

Smaller will have less detail but will need to suggest more with what you have. You will also have to use shorter fibers or trim to get the fur in proportion to the size of your creature.
Larger can have more detail but will require more work and attention to photo reference. Enjoy the process of needle felting and don’t rush.
As an example of scale, my fox picture has a problem with the whiskers. They are the wrong scale to the image. I used horsetail fibre for the whiskers, and the size is too light in visual weight. I need to find something a bit visually heavier ether a coarser horse tail or possibly the outer coat of a musk ox. I have heard of felters using the bristles from paint brushes (the house painting kind) as whiskers too. (The awl and glue method was used with the paint brush bristles. I used a large eye sewing needle to secure the horse hair.)

7.1) the visual weight of the whiskers is too light for the scale of the image

Working with locks

Which part(s) of the fibre are you using, Tips only, tips and tails?

8.11-8.12-8.13) Samples with locks

Locks with crimp are easier to attach than locks with less crimp, like the hair I used on my Mer-people. It’s not a huge difference, but remember to check the fibre is adhering securely and will suit the purpose you intend to use it for. If your creature’s purpose is to sit in one pose on a shelf, you will not need the same security of attachment that a creature that is regularly reposed would require.
Crimpy curly little locks make fabulous outer coats for little sheep figures and pins. If you find little short locks with lots of crimp, put them aside for a later project if you don’t need them now.

Amount of fibres used in each shingle

Are you making a puff ball or something sleek? Sample thin layers of shingles vs fewer thicker layers. You may also find the thin layers helpful if you are working with stripes or subtle colour changes.

9.1) ”Crevis” is a soap on a rope hedgehog. I used stiffer fibre and packed it quite tightly to give good scrub-ability. I had fun mixing light colours around the face. I wanted more of an emotional expression of hedgehog rather than an anatomical Hedgehog, since his soapy centre is rectangular and rather flat.

Stacking your shingles (patterns)

You also can change either the spacing of the shingles or the way the shingles are staggered; (stacked / offset(running bond) / 1/3 offset/shingle pattern / random placement). Looking at the way tile is laid out can give a good reference for shingling patterns. Again, a bit of quick sampling will suggest your best option.

10.1) Wooden shingles, layers offset each row, not necessarily the same size adjacent shingle.

tile patterns that we can use with shingleing 10.2) patterns of subway tile to consider for felting layouts (Straight stack, offset or running bond, 1/3 offset)

10.3) alpaca shingle samples spacing

10.4) Alpaca shingle sample of spacing- side view

Direction of work: Start from lowest furred area, working to highest, or the other way around. Both work; I just found the former easier than the latter, which requires you to lift the shingles above to position the next below. An example of starting at the lowest point and working up and forward would be my partly 3-D Muskox picture. I also check and see if there is a direction of hair growth and hair fall. This could indicate the direction to lay in the fur.
How much fibre will you use in each shingle section? If you have areas that have denser fur and areas that are sparser, you may be altering how much you use in different areas and /or the shingle pattern you chose to follow. An example of variations of fur on a single creature would be a Bison or Buffalo. You may also want to use different fibres to mimic the different sections (longer, softer and shorter, stiffer fibre). As long as the colours for the different fibres work cohesively together, your creature will look realistic.

There is also a way to add locks without shingling to create the illusion of fur. I used it to create part of the sheep pins, and Ann uses it on her little sheep figures. Those tiny crimpy curly locks are layered over the surface of the creature in swirls, then tacked down, catching bits of the crimp locks.

10.5) Ann’s Sheep using tight crimpy locks to create the fur/fleece.

Let’s take a quick look at some of the tools I have collected that can be helpful when adding a needle felted fur to a creature.

Tools that may be helpful: (new toys you might like to try)

Sharp embroidery scissors: straight and curved bladed
- Excellent for careful trimming and getting into difficult spots. The curvature can mimic the curve of your creature. There are various amounts of curvature and length of blade available, so it’s nice to have a couple choices.

11.1) There are a few brands of curved embroidery scissors, as well as fine sewing scissors and curved blade pet trimming scissors

Pet trimming scissors for thinning coats/salon version for people (look like they have notches along one blade). They are used to thin bulk along the side of hair or at the ends, also for blend transitions, or give movement to hair. They are used teeth side on top and usually at an angle to the hair (perpendicular can give harsher lines if over trimmed).

11.2)Thinning scissors have different teeth spacing that removes different amounts of hair.

If you are really curious, this is a quick video on using them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEqi7qfZyOY

Eyebrow brush and comb (weird original idea, but great for felting). This tiny brush and comb allows you to do small adjustments to your creature’s coat. I saw a tiny mettle comb version, but haven’t seen it again now that I have a use for it.

11.3) Eyebrow tools

Eyebrow trimmer – strange razor trimmer (again, why is this a thing? Ok I admit my eyebrows never fully arrived so why trim them? What if trimming scares them away and I wind up with none?!) Again, an option for doing fine trimming and adjusting.
The puffer for blowing lint off your camera lenses; it can help to fluff up a coat or blow out trimmed hairs after using the scissors. It comes in a number of variations, including an electric version that may blow away your creature!

11.4) air blower, originally for cleaning camera equipment

You could even consider Hair spray or styling gel, but sample first; you don’t want fibre to yellow over time!! (I was a cheap art student (many years ago) and some of the very cheap hair spray we used as fixative did yellow the pastel paper.)

I hope this has sparked a few ideas to consider when adding fur on your creatures. I am sure I had more to add, but the AC seems to be struggling; ok, it’s give up, since it is almost 30C in the house. You may have more options or tools to share; please add your suggestions too.

I hope you have found a cool, possibly air-conditioned spot to felt. Ottawa has been hot with repeated waves of aggressive thunderstorms and flooding (the street west of us had flooded basements; Glenn said ours is still dry, but we did lose the cover to our side door). If you are South of us celebrating your 250^th birthday, have fun on the 4^th, and hopefully you will get to enjoy your fireworks. Canada Day had spectacular thunderstorms, but fireworks would have been more fun. Have fun, stay cool and keep felting.

Felting at CanGames 2026

June 7, 2026 Jan Comments 8 comments

Someday I hope we will have a local felting convention, full of classes for Wet, Dry or even Damp felting! In the meantime, I have done the best I can and found a cosy corner or even a full table at the board gaming conventions in the city (there are two which have an unexpected felting component, they are very patient with me).

1.1) CanGames 2026, Ottawa, Canada

Each year on the long weekend in May CanGames happens in a curling arena in downtown Ottawa (Canada). It starts on Friday afternoon and runs through to Sunday night. There are board games, card games, RPG games, game testing, and I think LARPs in the basement, but I didn’t make it down the stairs. There were also vendors for shopping, and the Kanata Games club had an open gaming area at one end of the arena, across from the secondhand game sale on Saturday morning. Beside the open gaming and just before the last vendor is the felting area (it’s small, but an increasing number of gamers check in to see what is being worked on this year).

While Glenn gathered and priced the games he was going to sell, I assembled fibre, reference photos (I could have used more), my felt pad in a zip-lock bag, a selection of needles, 2 project bags and a couple of bottles of Mountain Dew to keep me going. I already have in my car my small folding aluminium table, and my walker which is just a chair with cool wheels (Glenn says I need to upgrade to Ben-Hur wheel spikes).

We arrived early on Friday before noon and waited for the convention to open. I then settled into my regular spot by the open gaming and the last vendor spot. I have been in the same spot for the previous years. I had 2 project options in my felt box from which to select my weekend project. I decided on the partly wrapped armature of the llama, which was from the Llama Needle Felting Tutorial that I had started to watch on Sara’s YouTube tutorial (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvqR_OPVmbI&t=1739s). I had the armature and the initial layer of core wool wrapping done. Since I don’t have mobile access to the internet, I decided to detour from her instructions at this point…. I have pulled a few photos of llamas and comparison shots with alpacas to help, but I did not have time to do as deep a research dive as I usually would enjoy. I should have really watched it all the way through to the end of the tutorial, and not just the first part with the armature and the under wrapping of core wool. Let’s see how this goes!

1.2-1.3) Lamma with initial core wool wrapped needs a lot of work at this point. On my little aluminium table is the llama, project bag with photo reference, a selection of needles in half a pool noodle, core wool, Smarties, Mountain Dew, Maple sugar candies, and the remains of an arrow bar.

I have already derailed from Sara’s instructions by adding a lower jaw so I can open his mouth. I may add a tongue or maybe not? I will have to look at more photos later. For now, I want to focus on the face and bulking up the body. I added bits of core wool. I think I was switching between the T38-333 blocking in fibre and the SP40-222 for more of the firming and surface sculpture. Since I will be adding a fur top layer for his coat, I want a reasonably firm understructure but not as firm as my fish-people. While I start sculpting his face, why don’t you take a peek at the open gaming from the Kanata Games Club? You may spot something fibre-related. I have already been asked if I have one of a few alpaca/lama board games (I have one of each so far, as well as quite a few sheep-inclusive games. We can chat about them if you would like some other time).

1.4) The Kanata Games Club runs the open gaming area. They are very friendly and are quite inclusive about my felting. There are a few very pretty games that seem popular this year. I am tempted to try one, maybe later in the weekend.

Across the arena from me is where the secondhand board game sale will be. There will be more games dropped off up until before the sale starts, which will be Saturday morning at 10 am. 3 years ago I was 3^rd in line, 2 years ago I was second in line, I wonder if I will be first in line this year?

1.5) the used game sale

Just peeking, there are a lot of interesting boxes of games, some very old ones included too. I will do my best not to buy Glenn any games he is selling this year. (oops) I had better get back to work, or we will not have much felting to talk about today!

Friday afternoon into the evening, working on the understructure. Slowly sculpting the face and then starting to bulk up the hips. I regret not getting the chance to watch all of Sara’s instructions.

1.6) Adding bulk and sculpting the face. I was showing the frog name tag as an example of 2D needle felting. I don’t think they would like felting as much if I were wet felting; their games might get damp! I have added chocolate cookies and Sesame snaps. I was sharing the cookies.

I was very focused on felting and chatting about felting. It was later in the evening than I thought when last year’s Chariot Race winner dropped by to see what I was working on. While chatting with her and showing her what I was working on, I eventually remembered to check how the Friday night chariot race was going. There seemed to be a lot of carnage this year! She said she had been attacked by many other chariots and was now out. I went over, and only 4 chariots look like they are still moving.

1.7) Chariot race Friday night

Glenn returned after playing one of the games upstairs and was ready to head home. We made a quick stop to try and sign me up for a murder mystery RPG game on Sunday (there are 4 players signed up, but if one doesn’t make it, I will get to take their spot)

Saturday morning: We headed in early. I have a new strategy this year for shopping. Instead of working at my table, then joining the line when it starts, I am going to be the line! The Lama and I got comfortable in the walker and watched more games arrive. I forgot to pull out the camera! I got focused on felting and then on shopping (Glenn had a list of things he had seen that I should watch for, and 2 other games he would like, if I see them.) As always, there seemed to be both amusement and enthusiasm in my odd focus of gaming topics. I seem to have all the sheep games, so have decided to branch out, and am now looking for other fibre-bearing creatures (or spin-able or felt-able fibres, can I find games about cotton or flax?)

I found 2 of his 6 games and no fibre-oriented games, but got distracted by a few other games that might be fun at the cottage. You can see a few of them hiding under my jacket behind the llama, now back to felting.

2.1) Understructure of llama standing on reference photos in front of a stack of board games covered by a light jacket.

The face is improving; I don’t have the lower lip/chin quite right, and the eyes will look better when I add colour and eyelashes. Oh, and the ears (what you see is actually the wrapped ear wires since I want to be able to adjust the ears and pose them.) I can’t remember if Sara had added the ear wires or if I am off on a tangent again.

2.2) Spiral needle on reference photos, the knees and ankles still need work! What weird feet! I have got to work on those ankles. I spotted a couple with very lumpy knees, too.

2.3) He seems to have stuck his face in the bag of alpaca fibre. I guess he approves of that colour?

2.4) Green, black and gold triangular woven shawl, this is the weaver who was demoing the triangular loom in Peterborough, Ont. She is wearing a scarf as a hat band that has similar colours to the shawl.

What a surprise! Do you remember the lady doing the triangular loom demo in Peterborough a few weeks ago? She just dropped by to see what I was doing. It was nice to see what she had been weaving on her triangular loom.

I kept puttering at my understructure as he slowly started to look a bit more llama-like.

2.5) I think I am happier with the upper lip now.

A quick break to see what is happening around the curling rink.

2.6) the curling rink and a ship battle game

2.7) This is one of the games Glenn had me looking for; it was called “Root”. I am not sure what it’s about or how to play it. (but it looks pretty)

Back to felting, I am still getting too many “Is that an alpaca?” comments. I need to add the ears! Llamas have much taller ears than alpacas. They also have the reputation of being grumpy and spitting, but I am not sure I could express the latter in felt.

3.1) Starting the ear shapes, they need to be firm but not too thick so I can fold them and attach them to the ear wires (which are already covered in white core wool)

Ear shapes, leaving a wispy end unfelted to help attach to the head.

Looking at the few reference photos that I have with me, I keep thinking of their shape, reminding me either of Rabbits or Bananas? (Maybe I am getting hungry.) That’s not quite right, though; now he looks a bit like a weird, long-legged bare koala bear?

3.2) ears added using loose unfelted fluff and attaching to the head firmly. Also, attached the covered ear wires to the back of the ear.

I need to create more of a folded ear and make it thinner. I have scissors and felting needles; I can do this!

Now that I have the body to a medium firmness, the ears are close to what I want, and I am impatient to start adding the top coat. I am going to use the shingling method to create the top coat. As I have mentioned before, there are lots of ways to achieve the same effect. I could use a reverse needle to create a fuzzy nap, similar to what you see on the back of a felt picture. Or there are a number of options to lay on the layers of top-coat to create a more realistic coat.

You can create different effects by how you choose to add the fibre. Let’s take a peek at what I did this time to make a fluffy llama ready to be sheared, then we can consider other options I might have tried (probably in the next post, this one looks a bit long already).

I usually start at the lowest part of the body that needs fur and work up. I have seen other felters start from the head or centre back and work down. Both work, but the latter requires you to lift the fibre you have applied to place the next section under it. Both options will work, but the latter feels like more work to me. But if it works for you and you get the effect you want, then stay with the method that works.

3.3) Alpaca in progress, adding fluffiness starting

3.4)The Llama and I joined a cooperative game.

Llama was having a hard time playing since I had not finished his eyes yet.

3.5) Positioning the shingle of alpaca locks, then felting perpendicular to the staple length.

3.6) quite fluffy and scruffy alpaca, almost to the point of adding the neck fibre. It will need to be shorter than the body fibre length.

I am working cut end down and tip end up. I am also attaching the fibre quite deeply since this is actually a fine alpaca fibre I am pretending is llama. Deeply felting, it will help it stay secure.

3.7) The bag I am selecting fibre from has a few odd, coarser sections. I have put them aside for now.

3.8) alpaca fibre dark brown with chocolate tips

This is the section I am working from

2 shots of the head neck of the llama as i am about to add fiber up the neck. the expresion is somewhat quesioning. 3.9) About to start neck, llama is looking either inquisitive or confused

I am not sure if he is questioning my judgment or wants to be a different colour.

Another quick break to see what’s going on at the other part (gaming) of this convention

I had signed up as a replacement if one of the 4 players in a mystery RPG didn’t show up. One was late, but they eventually all arrived. Drat. If it is offered again next year, I will sign up earlier. You got to play one of 4 little old ladies who were in a book club together. Someone dies (there was mention of Lovecraftian circumstances!!) and you have to find out what is going on.

Glenn helped to carry the walker up the stairs, then back down when all the games arrived. It is an old building and has accessibility issues. It is very hard to find a venue that suits and will not bump them for a wedding or other more lucrative booking. All that climbing was not fun, so let’s take a moment and look around before heading back to the Felting Convention Corner.

4.1-4.2) games at the convention, one that is being play-tested is offering cookies!

Glenn’s coughing was increasing, so we decided not to stay around to watch the Kill Doctor Luck (life-size) game, lest we pass on his plague, and head home a bit early. I packed up the box of felting supplies, one almost furred llama, and folded up the little table. Glenn packed it all up in the car with a few more games that had been labelled free and left on a table for redistribution (I picked up a few for the cottage!)

2 of the 4 tables set out with games that were now free to any convention goer. there are some quite old games as well as some newer ones. 4.3) On Sunday morning, games left for free distribution after the sale were put out on tables (4 tables this year).

4.4) the car, loaded up with walker, games under black blanket, and a box of felting fibre, tools and a mostly done llama.

This was again a fun (felting and) gaming convention. You never know, next year we might double the size of the felting component and have 2 needle felters working in the corner! There was definitely more interest in needle felting this year.

I would like to chat more about the technique referred to as shingling to give the illusion of a coat. There are a number of options, such as the direction you lay down the fibre (top to bottom or bottom to top?), the staple length, do you fold it over, if so, how much half and half, 1/3 to 2/3’s or not at all? Which fibre do you select to mimic an appropriate scale replica of what you are making? Long, soft and drapeyer as I was working on, or do you need shorter and stiffer?

I found an eyebrow brush. I did not realise that was a thing to do. I can see it being much more useful to me to gently arrange the fibre I just put on. We can also adjust the top coat with scissors if it’s not just right yet. I love that felters can cut staple lengths if they don’t suit the purpose wanted.

Let’s chat about that more later. Have fun and keep felting!

4.5) photo taken by Ann

Lendrum wheel workshop on the way to the cottage

May 17, 2026 Jan Comments 6 comments

Last post, we were chatting about the Peterborough Fibre Festival and my quest to find the new Lendrum wheel company (lendrumwheels.ca). I found out that a lovely young couple had taken over the company from Gord Lendrum and had moved it to Carlton Place (so much closer to Ottawa than Odessa). He would also be very happy to meet my Rook (a castle wheel) and my folding upright with the heavy drinking problem. We arranged to chat and set an appointment next week.

We had plans to drive back and forth to the cottage several times that week, it’s still a bit chilly to stay overnight. The trip takes us through Carlton Place each time, so we didn’t have any trouble arranging a time to meet James at his workshop.

The address is in an industrial part of the north end of the City. With a bit of guessing, we found the right door. One of the big machines was running, so it took a moment to have the door answered. What an amazing space full of exciting woodcutting and turning equipment!

Large woodworking machine 2.1) machine is making the maidens and mother of all

2.2) My Rook (a lovely castle wheel by Lendrum)on the left, and on the right, my folding upright with the heavy drinking problem, both went to Carlton Place for a spa stay.

The rook has a problem with the drive wheel turning if nudged. The upright has a pin underneath that has either broken or had the glue let go. We will find out shortly!

James was excited to see both of them. He said he thinks he may have seen a wheel that looked like the rook on a shelf at Gord’s shop. He also said that the upright was an early single treadle and was not exactly the same specs as the modern double treadle versions. He checked bobbins on both wheels against the modern version.

It was an amazing place full of spinning wheel parts, impressive looking machines and photography options! Let’s take a look around.

drive wheels sitting together wating to be added to the new wheels 2.3) Drive wheels waiting to be added to new spinning wheels

2.4) Drying bobbins

2.5) lathe and a finished bobbin showing where a new bobbin would be positioned

2.6-2.8) making the pieces of the mother of all, and the maidens

2.9) balancing the flyer

3.) I didn’t know that Gord had made a spindle attachment for the upright wheel.

I hope you will be as amazed and impressed as I was. It was kind of James to let me take photos to show you some of the parts, before the pieces become lovely Canadian Spinning Wheels!

After a chat about the wheels and a tour of the workshop, we eventually let him get back to work. I wished my wheels a happy spa time and got back into the car to drive to the cottage. We got there and over the day saw a few of the new neighbours.

4.1) Canada goose

4.2) Bufflehead ducks

4.3) Small turtle swimming past the dock

I don’t have a dedicated studio yet, but I am taking over some of the space with fibre-related activities. We moved furniture to create workspaces for spinning and felting.

I have 2 of my castle wheels moved to the living room and the screened porch.

5.1)Wheel #1, a small flax wheel of unknown maker

5.2) Castle wheel #2, a more decorative drive wheel, but needs a new drive band before I can get her running again.

5.3) The table on the porch has moved to the west window so I can work and watch the creek.

6.1) a close-up shot of the bay

6.2) The rocky slope uphill from the cottage and deck

6.3) sunset across the creek

Out the windows, I can see the creek, the swampy bay and the moss-covered rocks. I am sure such views will inspire lots of felting!

A quest for Lendrum Spinning Wheels and Shopping in Peterborough

May 2, 2026 Jan Comments 7 comments

Dear Fibre Friends

It is again that time of year, when opportunities to replenish, or increase, your fibre hoard begin in earnest. April brings the 2026 Peterborough Fibre Arts Festival & Sale, hosted by the Peterborough Weavers and Spinners Guild. It is held in the massive gym at the Sports and Wellness Centre beside Sir Sanford Fleming College. If you meet us on the driveway at about 6:15 am, we can start the 3-hour drive from Ottawa to Peterborough.

It was a pretty drive down Hwy 7, and only a few cars that could not read the speed limit as we approached our destination. Don’t get between someone and the acquisition of more fibre!!

I had two goals for this trip. The first was to shop at the Olive Sparrow booth with Monika. I am a little low on background felt for the picture felting class. The other was that I had spotted that the new owners of Lendrum Wheels would have a booth there.

Gord Lendrum was an engineering student who, upon graduation, made his mother a folding upright castle wheel. She took it to her local guild and received requests for more wheels from her friends. So instead of going into a company to do engineering, Gord started his own company and made folding Canadian Lendrum spinning wheels. We had heard he was retiring, so all Lendrum owners are ecstatic that this wheel design will continue with another generation.

Gord would occasionally have a wheel repair clinic in Kingston (only 2 hours drive away), but I kept missing them. I have one of his very early wheels. It was stored for 20 years in an unheated storage locker, after a divorce, before I bought it. It tips from side to side as she spins, and it looks like she has a heavy drinking problem.

The second Lendrum wheel I own is also second or more hand, she is a Rook, and don’t tell the other wheels, but she is my favourite wheel. She is a small Castel travel wheel, but one of the uprights supporting the wheel is loose, and the wheel rotates if knocked. A light nudge will bring her back to true.

So you can see why I need to find out where Lendrum Wheels has moved to and when I can bring my wheels for a spa and repair day.

1.1) We arrived before opening, but a lot of other people had had the same idea, and there was already a line up. (There were at least 15 people in front of us) Glenn brought a book, so he was happy.

1.2) As in previous years, there was an hourly door prize draw. We will come back later and check out the prizes, but first, let’s look at the booths and find Lendrum wheels.

1.3) There was one row of booths around the perimeter of the huge gym and a double row in the centre.

I kept getting distracted on my quest for wheel repair. This is the first fibre festival in the last couple of years that has more than one booth with batts of fibre. There were still lots of top, various fleeces, and finished yarn to choose from.

5 photos of booths: Croshasyed chikens, and birds, Knitting, Fiber bats, bats, braids and roving, Silk

2 photos showing bats and combed top as well as felt samples

fiber in booth and kntitting in another booth

1.41- 1.44) shopping at various booths

1.51–1.53) Shopping Fibre

1.6) I could not put anything more on my walker, so it was time for Glenn to take a trip to the car. He had found a chair and had been reading beside the demos.

1.71) A brief shopping break while I fill out the door prize.

The 12 pm prize will be drawn shortly. It’s hard to hear the announcement, but I think the end of the name sounded like Scott. I should go check.

1.72) Winner of door prize draw for noon, Jan Scott. Well, that was a surprise.

1.73) There were 4 baskets left, and I chose the one that had more of one of the fibres I had just purchased.

I took a quick trip out to the car, since Glenn had not returned. (I think I did not catch him napping in the fibre fest, because he had retreated to the car for a nap). I left him to check out the basket and head back to chat about wheels.

1.8 The Lendrum Booth

I was so excited to see this booth! They had one of the folding double treadle wheels for people to try, and examples of some of the accessories and types of wood available. The new owners are a young couple. They are just restarting the business. James Nugent has moved the business from Odessa (near Kingston) to Carlton Place (Near Ottawa)(!!!!). He even has a website! https://lendrumwheels.ca/

He is continuing the tradition of making Lendrum wheels, but would love to see the Rook and my old single treadle drunken upright. We made plans to chat next week.

Since I have shown you the shopping, let’s take a quick peek at the Demos.

1.91- 1.92-) Weaving on a Triangular loom, she finished it before we left!

1.93)Demo of Spinners, Basketry and Tapestry weaving

It was time to head home. What a day! Great shopping, Lendrum wheels is now only ½ an hour away, and the second Door prize!!

1.94) There was even room left in the car!

We drove back along Highway 7 past Carlton Place on the way to Ottawa. Let’s give you a chance to unload all your perches, and we will head back to Lendrum Spinning Wheels in Carlton Place next week. Well, next post.

More Nametag samples and the Nametag workshop

April 14, 2026 Jan Comments 11 comments

Back in February, I showed you some of the samples I had been making for my most recent workshop, Felted nametags. This was the first running of it so I had to organize notes, samples and figure out student supplies. It was exciting and very stressful!

I wound up with nine samples, which were highly enjoyable to make. It is an opportunity to work on a small project, or try a new technique you want to explore, but maybe not on a large size project. They were also very portable and easy to start and stop work on. (I have a few more I would like to work on too)

1.1) samples from the workshop

I have been continuing my investigating using iron on interfacing as a tracing medium to transfer the image from my reference to the felt.

So far I have notice a few things, and can see the usefulness of this approach for some projects. I have tried the “thin” interfacing from fabric land, which seems to be the same weight and transparency to the “Medium weight” interfacing from Walmart. I also purchased a meter of double-sided fusible “interfacing”, it’s just glue on both sides and is extremely transparent. The problem with the double sided fusible was it was too see through, so much so that it leaked ink through the surface to the image beneath. (What a mess) it may be useable with different pens or markers. I tried a ink roller pen (fancy pen for handwriting –it was that archaic way of communicating before keyboards were invented). I am not totally giving up on the double sided but it will need the rite marking device to make it work unlike the true interfacing which was very effective.

I could see using interfacing to trace out a tree or fence rails then position them on the finished felted background. This would allow you to have wild tumultuous sky that flowed cohesively across the background. This can be harder to achieve if you are felting around where a tree will be or where a tree already is in your felted picture. I can see the appeal of getting lost in creating the sky then just drop the tree or fence shaped interfacing down when you are done.

2.1) I went with a muskox to try out the interfacing.

2.2) I also looked at the transparent sticky notes, which was more see through, but would work better using the template transfer method.

2.3) using a window as a light box

A sunnier day may have made it even easier to see the image of the muskox, but even with the dark picture, tracing using the window as a light table was still not too challenging.

2.4)close up of image and tracing on interfacing

2.5) lifting interface to check drawing

2.6)side by side comparison of image and tracing.

I did find that the sharpie marker did leak through to the image just a bit. You can see some of the marker dots along the ground line under the muskox.

2.7) a quick check of the position of the muskox on the felt background

Remove the parts of the interfacing not covered by fiber. You can see I have not totally thought this through; I have to remove the space between the legs, as well as the ground he is standing on, which will not be necessary ether when I add the background.

2.81) removed interface muskox and I created a background

I put aside the image and started work on the back ground.

2.82) positioning interface muskox on background with a pin

Once the background was done I pined into place the muskox. Still have a bit of trimming to do. I will notice that shortly.

2.83) OOPS! I cut off a leg, found it and held it in place with a pin

While trimming off the areas which will not be covered by fiber, I accidently cut off a leg and left part of the negative space….. I can fix that. I found the missing appendage and used a pin to position it. Once a bit of wool was added I could remove the pin and continue creating the image. (I love felt, it’s so forgiving, you can add a missing appendage!!!)

2.84) adding a stream to the background

I found that a T-42-222 needle was effective. It passed through the interfacing without distorting it. I found working with the needle in a vertical orientation, until the interfacing was securely attached to the felt ground worked best. Once secure, felting at an angle worked fine.

I want to try ironing on the interfacing to the felt, to see how that would effect shifting or distorting, but that would involve finding the iron…. which has chosen an excellent hiding spot in the basement… somewhere past the stairs, Pretty sneaky of it. I will let you know how that goes, when I brave the stairs and find it. But, not today.

I also have prepped a couple little frogs and a dragon fly, Ann insisted I needed more than just sheep as options for the workshop.

3.1) On the left the lightweight iron on interfacing, on the right double sided fusible (iron on glue not really interfacing)

3.2) tracing onto interfacing then cutting out the image allows the image to be positioned on the felt ground where you would like.

The Nametag workshop was a Thursday evening mini-workshop. It was a bit more mini than I was anticipating. I had the odd idea I would have about 3 hours and discovered it was about half that. Oops. Next time make sure it’s a longer time slot!

How can I speed up the process and still get a nice name tag?

For the base, we are working with the Horticultural felt, which felts down to a nice solid nametag but it takes a while, a couple hours to add wool over top and increase the density. If we add a craft felt over top of the 100% wool, and switched from one needle, to a punch tool, it would take a lot less time to create a solid colour base to start from. I tried and sure enough, using craft felt and a fake clover punch tool it was about 6 minutes of intense yet controlled pummeling, created a reasonable starting place. (Remember to lift the nametag regularly, so it doesn’t stick to your work surface)

4.1) front and back covering Horticultural felt with craft felt to give a solid colour base.

If you cut the craft felt about 1 inch bigger than your base felt, you can use a single needle to tack the extra around to the back of the base. I did an origami corner to make them look neat. Once tacked in at an angle I flipped back to the front and used the punch tool to solidify the edges. If your craft felt is similar in thinness to pre-felt, you can always add 2 layers, rather than the 1 have added here. You can also cover the base with more than one colour, ( blue sky and green grass).

Tracing onto interfacing is faster than templating an image but I could speed up adding the image even more if we tried stencils, which would allow us to draw on the covered base.

Using stencils for the students are also helpful if they are uncomfortable drawing free hand. Stencils can be approached in a number of ways. The most obvious is to use them to trace an image or a group of images directly onto either the felt or interfacing then felt from the created image. I did this with the bee stencil and I used part of a Mandela pattern, both drawn directly onto the wool felt. I tried one of my non-sharpie pens for the Mandela, it did not go well and started transferring to the side of my hand. I stopped and went over the image with the permanent sharpie which stayed where I had put it.

4.2) blue ink smudged on the side of my hand so I redrew it in permanent sharpie

I had selected part of a circular mandala. I am not sure I chose the best part, it looked fine when I started but my fiber colour choices, the bag of fiber sitting beside the desk was the bag of pink I had purchased to replace the missing bag of pink. As I started to add colour I realized the pattern looked a bit demonic.

4.3) outlining some of the shapes by drafting out combed top.

I was not happy with the smudging from the blue marker (not a sharpie) so I added a light pink between the shapes. I also found the demonic face affect I had accidently created a bit less disturbing if I turned the image the other way around.

4.4) sometimes its good to be flexible as to which way the design wants to go

The other stance example I made was treating the image in a more 3-D way. I had selected the Bee image and added one to each end of the base felt.

5.1) adding bees to the nametag

5.2) Adding the background around the images (not as fast as adding the image to the background, but felting is flexible, and you can approach felting in lots of different ways)

5.3) adding white wool to make a larger name tag

I decided that I wanted more space for the name on the tag so decided to add a “bit” more white fiber to create more background. You can see from the back how much that little bit was. (1/3 horticultural felt and 2/3 added wool fiber)

5.4) cutting the extended name tags into two tags

Luckily I am felting and not spinning so I can use scissors on the wool!! I cut it into 2 name tags each with one bee.

5.5) the bee with bull rush and flowers near pond I think is done, I am still considering the bee with sky I may add a bee hive?

One of my students used a textural pattern stencil of trees in silhouette. Instead of tracing the image onto the felt, she used small clumps of wool directly into the stencil. She was able to create a cracked mud effect without having to get wet!!

using stencel to get an effect that looked like craked mud but only with needles 5.6) cool effect using a stencil

As you saw at the beginning, I had a selection of examples to help inspire the students. So I should show you a few shots of the workshop. I was very focused on teaching but my very patent and helpful husband took a few shots (than read his book and had a nap) so there are not too many to inflict upon you.

6.1) tables set up for workshop with 3 six foot tables full of bags of fiber, close up of notes

Unlike the hefty book of notes from the needle felted landscape workshop, this wound up to be 10 pages of notes and 2 pages of sheep line drawings. I also had 5 or 6 sheets of sheep, alpaca, lama, frogs, dragonflies, and muskox. They were options to trace onto the interfacing.

6.2) I had samples of various work surfaces (from the bottom of the pile: upholstery foam, larger and smaller wool mats, very well used garden kneeling pad, and commercial felt stuck together at edges with a piece of sponge inside and pens (sharpies in colours)

6.3) I had cookies and cautionary Band-Aids

6.4) the craft felt came in quite a few colours, I had punch tools, carding brush, ribbons, horticultural felt , scissors, painters tape and wire cutters and benders.

6.5) close up of the 3 tables of bags of fiber to work from

At 7pm we had 5 of the 8 students in the room. I started teaching Glenn took over photography as well as reading and napping. (he got distracted so there are only a few of me teaching.)

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6.6-6.8) Glenn’s shots of the workshop

I think the students enjoyed themselves, but it defiantly needs more time, I hate to rush students (that usually requires more Band-Aids!).

I still have a few more samples I want to make. I have a couple of people who will check over the notes so I can amend them. I want them to have reference material to get them restarted if it takes them a little while to get around to their next project.

Update: I found out that two of my missing students had a dog emergency, surgery (the dog was doing better now), the other was out of town and came in to the social today to work on her project. I had a small supply of wool and other things she could use. She did a landscape with a rainbow sheep! She still was working on getting it just rite, and will add her name when she is ready. I gave her a goodly length of buffalo roving (it’s very thin unspun roving). I had a few natural tones, but was looking for other colours. I was able to find 2 cakes of it in variegated blue/brown and whitish, and a soft denim blue at the Peterborough fiber festival last Saturday. I bot both. I hope to find some other colours eventually since they are so easy to make letters with.

I was going to tell you about the shopping trip to Peterborough, about a 3 hour drive (266km) there and the same back) and the Photography workshop the next day. But this has been a long post and I will show you shopping when we get a chance to chat again.

Have you investigated working with interfacing as a way of transferring images? Have you tried to iron it on first? Have you any tips or suggestions? Have fun and keep felting.

Felting and Fiber Studio

An International Collective of Felt and Fiber Artists

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Author: Jan

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