Creative Fibre Magazine March 2004, vol. 6 no. 4

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March 2004, vol. 6 no. 4

Highlights:

Needle Felting - Combining traditional skills and industrial innovations
by Anne Grassham

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This is an excerpt from a long and very interesting article:

Getting Started

To start needle felting you will need a handful or more of clean, carded wool and a felting needle. Before long you'll probably want a range of needles, because it is fun to see what the different needles do, and a few duplicates, because needles can break without warning. You will also find it useful to have a sponge, foam or polystyrene block to work on. As you work, the block may start to break up, so I recommend stretching a length of old pantyhose material over it before you start.

Holding the hook end of the needle between thumb and forefinger, jab the working zone into the fibre mass so that all motion is parallel to the length of the needle. Sideways pressure or prising is the principle reason needles break. The two main needling techniques are: Experiment to see what works best for you in different situations. Stabbing uses more energy. Vigorous stabbing works fibres over a greater depth, but gentle stabbing tends to make smaller puncture marks and produces a smoother surface. Jiggling is a more efficient use of energy and tends to felt faster, but it also creates more pronounced puncture marks.

reddragon.jpg - 12kbIf you experience difficulty holding individual needles try making a simple handle by moulding polymer clay (eg, Fimo) around the hook (bake according to instructions), or sticking the needle through a cork and binding. Alternatively, you could invest in a needle punch or multi-felter, which hold several interchangeable needles, but can be used with a single needle too.

I suggest you start by making a ball. Once formed, you have the option of experimenting with sculpturing it into another 3-dimensional shape, before decorating it with colours and/or textures. It could be a Christmas decoration, mobile, refrigerator magnet or something similar.

To make a ball, wind a handful of carded halfbred or crossbred wool into a ball. The tighter you are able to wind the ball at this point, the quicker the project will be finished. Using a general purpose needle, repeatedly stab the ball. Change the entry point at each stab so the shape of the ball does not become distorted. Once the ball is formed it can be sculptured by working those areas to be depressed. Once the desired shape and density are achieved, add surface colours and textures using a fine needle to minimise puncture marks, which can be further reduced by lightly wet felting.

Conclusion

While many outcomes that used to be difficult, time consuming, or nigh impossible using wet felting methods can now be achieved with a minimum of fuss using needles, there are still many situations where wet felting methods are preferable to needle felting. It is not a case of which felting method is best, but rather a case of which combinations of methods achieve the best outcome.

To view more of Anne Grassham's work visit this web site.