amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

TraceyH · 12-29-2005, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazyestonian

The instructions I started with are here
http://mielkesfarm.com/ladybug_dir.htm
That is all you need. I made a turtle based on this knowledge. For more complex stuff you can look at this
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/cr_needlewo...148224,00.html

with these instructions you can make pretty much anything

Thank you very much!!! I have seen your creations and you deserve all the applause that everyone is giving you!!!! Just wonderful!! I will look into these sites and how cool that HGTV has an article on it. Felting is not just for Waldorfers (although I had not heard of it until my Waldorf craft adventures.

freespiritmom · 12-29-2005, 02:50 AM

Needle felting is something that just intimidates the crap outta me. I know it's simple to do because everyone has told me it is but I'm a very visual person. I see a finished, felted creation and I can't for the life of me imagine how any one person could get *that* from a wad of fleece.

It completely boggles the mind. And too... I'm a perfectionist. I don't want to start any project unless I know I can make it look absolutely perfect the first time... otherwise I feel I'm just wasting valuable time. I'm wise enough to know that, with any craft, perfection comes with time and experience but I'm also wise enough to know how I handle new projects.... I stay up till 4 a.m. obsessing over the most minute detail that only 1 out of 4,000,000 people would even notice to begin with.

Needle felted projects look like art to me. I guess I don't see anything I do as art because I'm taking lots of little things that are already in great form and just combining them to create the finished craft. But a beautiful, perfect creation made from a wad of fluff? That's like Michelangelo sculpting the Pieta from a chunk of marble. Yeah... like I can do *that*!

Just the idea of sitting down with a wad of fleece and using a needle to manipulate it into something that is recognizable gives me heart palpitations and makes me

I did find the courage one night (thanks to Bartles & James

) to stand at the kitchen counter with fleece and needle in hand and see what 15 minutes of poking would accomplish. I made a little ball and almost bled to death before I could peel those stupid stickers off the bandaids. Woohoo! Move over Picasso... a new artist is in town!

crazyestonian · 12-29-2005, 05:19 AM

Sherrie, well, I got lucky and made a nice turtle as the very first needle felted thing and then I was hooked. In the same time, I have wrapped quite a few bendies and I am still not happy with the way they come out (yes, I do know about flattening the threads and all that stuff). I rewrap arms or legs almost every time and spend waaaaay too much time doing it and am still not 100% happy. I am a perfectionist too.. and even though everybody here likes making bendies I despise it, lol. The few I have made lately came from partially wrapped abandoned bodies that have been sitting in a box 6+ months.
So I suppose I am trying to say that everyone has their own skill, and I really admire yours, because it is beyond me

By the way, do you by any chance have a picture of your very first bendy? I just have to wonder what did it look like..

TraceyH · 12-29-2005, 12:14 PM

Very well put Sherrie,

I am just too intimidated to start. Not that i am a perfectionist. I think mine stems from a lack of confidence, thus still making me a bit looney!!

I, like you, need a GOOD visual and step-by-step instructions the first, maybe two times, then I can just take flight if it is something I feel I enjoy doing.

I have some fimo.........I ordered a book.......still scared to try to make a darned apple. My children can just take it and make all kinds of things and love it. I look at others creations and just am scared that if I can't make it look real like they do I have wasted my time, dh's money and I have failed. I need psychological help

or at least a good artistic IRL friend to come over and craft with me.

Also, I am a bit compulsive and every new thing, I want to try

. I buy all the stuff I need and maybe more then never find the time to do it!!! Crafter's Compulsion I call it. My sis and I were laughing at each other last night because she has Art Supply Compulsion. She says, "I buy pencils in bulk!!!!! Who needs that much wood at one time unless you are building a fire!!"

I guess we should start a new thread for Crafter's Anonymous:

I am Tracey, I buy too many craft supplies etc, etc, etc.

freespiritmom · 12-29-2005, 04:36 PM

oh and adding that I would love to see everyone's wool felt creations. Crazyestonian ~ do you have some that you could share?

I'm really wanting to make some mushrooms. Mushrooms wouldn't be difficult ... right?

lol

crazyestonian · 12-29-2005, 06:30 PM

some of my stuff is up at
http://www.crazyestonian.com
look under craft stuff. I have not updated since Liisa was born though, so it is missing about 5 months worth of stuff.

freespiritmom · 12-29-2005, 10:40 PM

My other reply is missing. I had posted a picture of my first fairy.

anyway. here is it again. over 6 hours went into her and I was no where near thrilled with how she turned out. I didn't have the right materials and I didn't know anything about embroidering.

Tracey ~ lol. I hear ya. I'm not too bad at excessive buying of supplies but you should see my notebook where I keep track of "future projects". It's insane! There is no way that I could do even half of them in a lifetime.

I do plan to try needle felting again. Dannielle sent some lovely fleece and needles for me more than a year ago.

freespiritmom · 12-29-2005, 10:43 PM

I am really enjoying looking at your needle felted creations on your site crazyestonian (sorry, I don't know your first name). That turtle is so adorable... and the mobile.. and the wall hanging.. and, well, all of it. I really need to set a day aside to give it an try.

mom2kbeth · 12-29-2005, 10:54 PM

Crazyestonian's name is Anu

PolkaDot · 12-29-2005, 11:02 PM

I am getting a complex looking at everyones work...

I hope I am going to be worthy..lol!

freespiritmom · 12-29-2005, 11:04 PM

thanks Bonnie.

TraceyH · 12-30-2005, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PolkaDot

I am getting a complex looking at everyones work...

I hope I am going to be worthy..lol!

that is what I mean about becoming intimidated and not wanting to try because you see these incredible pictures of what people are making. I mean, take Sherrie's first bendy fairy for example. WOWOWOW!! The first I made was from a kit (before I got the Wee Felt book) so the face was painted and the colors all chosen and everything. It took soooo long to complete, I was scared to try again for a long time. Now, though I can whip them out pretty quickly if I am not painting faces.

All that to say, I guess I should quit being scared and just TRY!! I have nothing to loose really. Needle felting here I come!!

ANU, I love the felted seasons scenes on your site, is that what is called "flat felting"? So very pretty!!